EP2573310B1 - Acoustic profile element - Google Patents

Description

Here is concerned a profiled element. More particularly, it is a shaped member that can be hingedly connected to other adjacent profile members to form a curtain or a wall panel. It also relates to furniture including such curtains.

• une paroi définissant au moins partiellement un espace creux, et présentant des premières ouvertures ;
• un matériau absorbeur de sons comprenant des secondes ouvertures, les premières et secondes ouvertures communiquant les unes avec les autres.

L'élément profilé décrit dans DE202009014787 U1 et son équivalent européen EP2496784 en est un exemple, correspondant au préambule de la revendication 1.In the field, there is already known a shaped element that can be connected in an articulated manner to other preferably identical neighboring profile elements to form a curtain or a wall panel, the profiled element comprising:

• a wall defining at least partially a hollow space, and having first openings;
• a sound absorbing material comprising second openings, the first and second openings communicating with each other.

The profiled element described in DE202009014787 U1 and its European equivalent EP2496784 is an example thereof, corresponding to the preamble of claim 1.

It is proposed here to improve the acoustic properties of the profiled element, and in particular to reinforce its acoustic properties, by proposing that the absorbing material be disposed in said hollow space and fill it completely and that the first and second openings are of shapes. substantially identical.

The arrangement of second openings in the absorber material is advantageous in that sound propagating to the shaped member penetrates the second openings and is absorbed into the absorber material as it penetrates through said second openings.

For example, the use of profiled elements of the aforementioned type and properly oriented in a work space, can acoustically isolate areas within the same workspace. The result is a quieter office environment and therefore a more conducive work environment. In addition, it is accepted that noise in the work environment is a source of stress. It is therefore necessary to control the sound level and to implement means such as those mentioned above to reduce it.

Thus, the characteristic that the absorber material comprises second openings is intended to prevent the propagation of noise.

In a compressible medium, most often in the air, the sound propagates in the form of a pressure variation created by the sound source. Only the compression moves, the displacement of the air molecules being negligible. Sound is also propagated in solids as vibrations of atoms called phonons. In the same way, only the vibration propagates, and not the atoms that only vibrate very weakly around their position of equilibrium.

Acoustic absorbers such as rock wool, glass, hemp, or cellulose act as dampers in a system mass-spring-mass allowing a good sound insulation with less weight.

Sound absorption conditions the reverberation of sounds in a given room.

For solid materials such as wood and metal, a large part of the wave is reflected by the surface towards which the sound wave is directed, and a small remaining proportion of waves is absorbed and transmitted into the material.

For an absorber material as referred to by the present solution, greater absorption is achieved, and therefore a relatively smaller remaining proportion of waves is reflected by the absorber material, since the sound wave loses energy via the force friction caused by the absorbent properties of the absorber material.

In general, the more dense the material, even if it is porous, the more it will contribute to increase the reflection of the sound wave.

When a sound wave is directed to a wall, the sound wave can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted.

A hard material will tend to reflect the sound wave more directly than an absorber material. Conversely, an absorber material will be more likely to absorb the sound wave than a hard material.

The profiled element according to the aforementioned solution has the advantage of having only one wall, which defines a hollow space in which is disposed an absorber material. In this way, the shaped element comprises a face having absorption properties and another face having relatively lower absorption properties. Advantageously, this allows to have a face, that relative to the absorbent material disposed in the hollow space, relatively large. Thus, the waves directed towards the absorbent material are directed towards the absorber material and are mainly absorbed in the absorber material. The other face, that defined by the wall defining at least partially a hollow space, has relatively lower absorption properties, and constitutes an insulating material. Unlike the absorber material, the acoustically insulating material tends to reflect the sound waves.

In the case of sound waves propagating to the absorber material of the shaped element, part of the sound waves will be absorbed by the absorber material, part of the sound waves will be reflected by the absorber material, and the remaining sound waves will be diffused in the absorber material before being reflected by the wall defining the hollow space, the latter being then re-diffused in the absorber material.

This solution has the advantage of having a large wave portion which is absorbed directly by the material absorber. In addition, few waves are reflected directly by the absorber material.

The absorber material includes second openings. These second openings allow for a part of the sound waves to propagate in the secondary openings, so that they are absorbed by the absorbing material as and when they spread in the openings, resulting in an improvement of the absorption of sound waves by the absorber material. In addition, the sound waves passing through the second openings are waves that will not be reflected by the absorber material, which allows concomitantly to reduce the echo phenomenon on the side of the source space of the sound waves.

Moreover, arranging the absorber material in the hollow space defined by the wall (a priori acoustically insulating), allows to trap the waves in the hollow space. Here is meant by "hollow space", a space whose contour is defined by a re-entrant curve, a concavity. The concave character defined by the wall then makes it possible to improve the absorbance defined by the assembly constituted by the absorber material and the wall since, by way of example, a part of the remaining sound waves propagating first in the material The absorber may, for the first time, be reflected by the wall defining the hollow space, before being re-diffused in the absorber material and - depending on the geometry of the wall and the orientation of the part of the remaining waves - be reflected a second time by the wall defining the hollow space to be rebroadcast in the material etc. The hollow nature of this space thus makes it possible to increase the absorption ratio of this profiled element by allowing in particular the absorbing material to reduce the amplitude of the maximum sound waves. The concavity of this space could therefore be adapted according to the angular orientation of the waves 5 sound relative to the profiled element, particularly with respect to the geometry of the absorber material and the wall.

In order to reduce the costs associated with the assembly and manufacturing operations of the profiled element, it is particularly advantageous to fill the hollow space completely.

Completely filling the hollow space also prevents the reverberation phenomenon in the profiled element. Indeed, the hollow space defining a priori semi-open enclosure, completely fill the hollow space reduces or even eliminate the phenomenon of resonance of sound waves that may occur in the hollow space.

Also, the present invention advantageously provides that the first and second openings are of substantially identical shapes.

Arranging such openings with substantially identical shapes in particular makes it possible to reduce the phenomenon of reflection of the waves that can take place on the wall defining a hollow body. By way of example, this makes it possible to avoid an arrangement, such as that represented on the figure 3 of DE202009014787U1 wherein the sound waves pass through the second openings of the absorber material before being reflected by the wall without the absorber material slowing down the propagation of the sound waves. The fact that the first and second openings are of substantially identical shapes and that they communicate with each other makes it possible to increase the absorption ratio of the profiled element since a lesser proportion of the sound waves is reflected.

Noise has many psychological consequences. A noise even at low volume acts on our psyche without our being aware of it and, in particular, as a result of loss of attention or concentration, a feeling of tiredness, nervousness, irritability.

The present solution aims to avoid these inconveniences and to propose means for reducing the ambient noise within a space, or within two compartmentalized spaces.

According to a particular embodiment, the absorber material has a first face in contact with the wall and a second free face.

Arranging the absorber material so that it has a face in contact with the wall and another face left free advantageously simplifies the precautions of use for the workers, the precautions of use for the materials on the lines of manufacture, and the mounting precautions of the profiled element. This reduces the manufacturing time and reduces the manufacturing cost of the profiled element.

In addition, it is particularly advantageous that the absorber material has a free face so as to extend the absorption means of the profiled element, and in particular the operating surface to which the sound waves are propagated.

According to another particular embodiment, the second openings pass through the second face perpendicularly to the plane of said second face.

According to another particular embodiment, the profiled element comprises two lateral edges provided with articulation means making it possible to articulate with respect to one another two such identical adjacent profiled elements.

According to another particular embodiment, the first and second openings are spaced regularly, the first between them, the seconds between them.

The regular spacing of the different openings advantageously makes it possible to have an acoustically absorbent or insulating profiled element in a homogeneous manner over its entire surface.

According to another particular embodiment, the absorbent material comprises sawdust, and a polymer.

The use of such an absorber material advantageously reduces the environmental impact of the production of a profiled element. This material presents a good compromise between the acoustic properties that it presents and the environmental impact that it presents.

According to a second object of the invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a plurality of adjacent profiled elements interconnected by articulation means, in which together the second free faces define, step by step, and together a substantially flat surface.

According to a third object of the invention, there is provided a curtain comprising at least one profiled element as defined in one of the preceding claims.

According to a fourth subject of the invention, there is provided a non-articulated wall panel comprising at least one profiled element as defined in one of the preceding claims.

According to a fifth object of the invention is provided a desk cabinet comprising at least one movable wall for opening and closing the cabinet and a wall in which the fixed wall and / or the movable wall comprises / comprise at least one profiled element as defined above.

Advantageously, a part of the persistent sound, not absorbed by the profiled element, passes through the rear part of the profiled element and is diffused in the hollow body defined in the cabinet.

The synergy of the phenomenon of absorption by the absorber material with the diffusion phenomenon in the hollow body of the cabinet, has the effect of reducing the echo.

All of the foregoing features may be combined in whole or in part.

• la figure 1 présente une vue latérale en perspective montrant une partie d'un élément profilé selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 présente une vue de coupe de l'élément profilé de la figure 1 selon un plan (XY) ;
• la figure 3 présente une vue latérale en perspective montrant un ensemble d'éléments profilés tels que ceux représentés sur les figures 1 et 2 ;
• la figure 4 présente une vue en perspective d'une armoire comprenant un élément profilé ;
• la figure 5a présente un tableau de valeurs résultant d'un essai pratiqué sur un premier élément profilé seulement comprenant seulement une paroi telle que celle représentée sur la figure 1 et un deuxième élément profilé conforme à la présente invention avec un matériau absorbeur du type PVC; la première colonne du tableau présente les différentes fréquences auxquelles les premier et deuxième éléments profilés ont été soumis ; la deuxième colonne du tableau présente le temps de réverbération de l'espace creux du premier élément profilé ci-avant mentionné ; la troisième colonne du tableau présente le temps de réverbération de l'espace creux du deuxième élément profilé ; la quatrième colonne du tableau présente la « surface équivalente d'absorption » en m² du matériau absorbeur du type PVC qui absorbe la même quantité de bruit que l'élément profilé dans son intégralité ;
• la figure 5b présente l'évolution de la surface équivalente d'absorption du matériau absorbeur du type PVC en fonction des fréquences auxquelles a été soumis le deuxième élément profilé ;
• la figure 6a présente un tableau analogue à celui présenté sur la figure 5a, le premier élément profilé (correspondant à la première colonne du tableau) étant le même et le deuxième élément profilé de ce deuxième résultat d'essai se différenciant de l'autre en ce que le matériau absorbeur est composé d'environ 40% de sciures de bois ou de dérivés de la sciure de bois et d'environ 60% de polymère (sans compter les additifs optionnels); la quatrième colonne du tableau présente la « surface équivalente d'absorption » en m² du matériau absorbeur (composé d'environ 40% de sciures de bois ou de dérivés de la sciure de bois et d'environ 60% de polymère) qui absorbe la même quantité de bruit que l'élément profilé dans son.
• La figure 6b représente l'évolution de la surface équivalente d'absorption du matériau absorbeur du type de celui de la figure 6a.

Other features and advantages will become clear from the description which is given below, for information only and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 has a perspective side view showing a portion of a profiled element according to the invention;
• the figure 2 presents a sectional view of the profiled element of the figure 1 according to a plane (XY);
• the figure 3 has a perspective side view showing a set of shaped elements such as those shown on the figures 1 and 2 ;
• the figure 4 presents a perspective view of a cabinet comprising a profiled element;
• the figure 5a presents a table of values resulting from a test carried out on a first profiled element only comprising only a wall such as that represented on FIG. figure 1 and a second shaped member according to the present invention with a PVC-type absorber material; the first column of the table shows the different frequencies at which the first and second profiled elements were submitted; the second column of the table shows the reverberation time of the hollow space of the first profiled element mentioned above; the third column of the table shows the reverberation time of the hollow space of the second profiled element; the fourth column of the table shows the "equivalent absorption area" in m ² of the PVC-type absorber material which absorbs the same amount of noise as the entire shaped element;
• the figure 5b presents the evolution of the equivalent absorption surface of the absorber material of the type PVC according to the frequencies to which the second profiled element has been subjected;
• the figure 6a presents a table similar to that presented on the figure 5a , the first profiled element (corresponding to the first column of the table) being the same and the second profiled element of this second test result being different from the other in that the absorber material is composed of about 40% of sawdust wood or sawdust derivatives and about 60% polymer (excluding optional additives); the fourth column of the table shows the "equivalent absorption area" in m ² of the absorber material (consisting of about 40% sawdust or sawdust derivatives and about 60% polymer) that absorbs the same amount of noise as the profiled element in its.
• The figure 6b represents the evolution of the equivalent absorption surface of the absorber material of the type of figure 6a .

• l'axe X est l'axe transversal orienté selon la largeur de l'élément profilé ;
• l'axe Y est l'axe transversal orienté selon l'épaisseur de l'élément profilé ; et
• l'axe Z est l'axe longitudinal de l'élément profilé.

In order to simplify the following description, the figures have been oriented along the axis system X, Y, Z defining the usual orientation of a motor vehicle, and in which:

• the X axis is the transverse axis oriented according to the width of the profiled element;
• the Y axis is the transverse axis oriented according to the thickness of the profiled element; and
• the Z axis is the longitudinal axis of the profiled element.

The terms of position and orientation that are used subsequently agree with respect to this axis system.

As shown in figure 1 , a profiled element 1 comprises a wall 10 and an absorber material 20.

The wall 10 defines a profile 11. It defines at least partially a hollow space 12. By way of example, this wall 10 may be plastic, aluminum. It can also be made from any other suitable material to define a profile 11 a priori stiffer than the absorbent material and a priori higher density than that of this absorbent material. For example, it can be done through an extrusion process.

The wall 10 has first openings 13. Preferably, these openings 13 define a general shape of cylinder or cone, and are spaced regularly between them. These openings 13 are holes passing completely through the wall from one side to the other, and in particular according to its thickness.

Typically, prior to the disposition of the absorber material 20 during manufacture, the first openings 13 communicate with the hollow space.

It has two lateral edges 14 extending in the longitudinal direction of the profiled element 1. These two lateral edges 14 are provided with articulation means 15 making it possible to articulate with respect to one another two such profiled elements. 1 identical ones. By way of example, this type of articulation means 15 is described in the documents EP0669445 , EP0733771 or FR2823652 . As shown on figures 1 and 2 , the wall 10 has a first connection means 16 and a second connection means 17 arranged on the opposite side, along the length of the profile 11, to said first connection means 16. By way of example, the first 16 may consist of a means female connection 16 and the second 17 in a projected part forming male connection means 17 and adapted to cooperate with said female connection 16.

Preferably, the second connection means 17 may be flexibly bonded to the wall by means of a hinge 18 preferably made of plastic material.

The absorber material 20, preferably made of a cellular material, is disposed in the hollow space 12 and It includes second openings 21. As an example, these second openings 21 may define general cylinder or cone shapes and are regularly spaced from each other. These openings 21 are holes completely passing through the absorber material 20 from one side to the other, and in particular according to its thickness. The absorber material 20 has a first face 22 in contact with the wall and a second free face 23. As can be seen in the figures, the material extends along the profile 11, over the width of the profiled element 1, it extends on each of its sides, to the vicinity of the lateral edges 14. Preferably the absorber material 20 completely fills the hollow space 12 - except for the second openings 21 defined in the absorbent material 20. In another embodiment, it may also partially fill the hollow space 12.

According to one embodiment, the second openings 21 pass through the second free face 23 perpendicular to the plane (P) of said face 23. It is conceivable that the second openings 21 are inclined relative to the normal (N) of the second face 23 free.

The first face 22 and the wall are secured by means of attachment (not shown).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the absorber material 20 comprises sawdust, and a polymer. Preferably, the material 20 is composed of about 40% of sawdust or sawdust derivatives and about 60% of polymer, not counting the optional additives.

According to one embodiment, the first 13 and second 21 openings respectively of the wall 10 and the absorber material 20 are of substantially identical shapes and communicating with each other. As shown in figure 2 the first 13 and second 21 apertures are aligned. Preferably, the axes (A) of the first openings and the axes (B) of the second openings are two-by-two.

According to one embodiment, the first 13 and second 21 openings are spaced regularly, the first 13 between them, the second 21 between them.

The articulation means 15 described above are preferably defined on the lateral edges 14 of the profiled element 1 and make it possible to define an assembly 30. It may be an assembly 30 comprising a plurality of adjacent and linked profiled elements 1. between them by means of articulation 15, in which together the second faces 23 define, step by step, and together a substantially flat surface, for example, as shown in FIG. figure 3 .

This assembly 30 may for example define a curtain. In the case of a curtain, the profiled elements 1 are hinged together. It may also be a non-articulated wall panel, or a 40 office cabinet. In the case of a cabinet 40, it comprises at least one movable wall 42 for opening and closing the cabinet 40 and a fixed wall 41. The cabinet 40 may have at least one fixed wall 41 or a movable wall 42 comprising a profiled element 1 as referred to by the present application.

Conventionally, whether for the curtain, the wall panel or the cabinet 40, the profiled elements are oriented so that the absorption means constituted by the absorbent material 20 are directed towards the sound source.

For example, for a curtain, the second face 23 is preferably opposite the sound source. For a wall panel, the wall 10 is facing the wall, as opposed to the second face 23, which is not facing the wall. In addition, the second face 23 is a priori not in contact with the wall.

For the cabinet 40, the second face 23 is oriented towards the outside of the cabinet 40, as opposed to the wall 10, which is oriented towards the inside of the cabinet 40, that is to say in hollow body look.

On the Figures 5a, 5b , 6a and 6b , the test results from an acoustic laboratory are shown.

By comparing two by two, the times T1 and T2 of each of the figures 5a and 6a it can be seen the influence, on the one hand, of the arrangement of the absorber material 20 within the hollow space 12 and, on the other hand, of the matching of the shapes of the first 13 and second 21 openings. This influence is observed by observing that the T2 reverberation times are lower than the reverberation times T1, for a given frequency. The T2 reverberation time is even lower when the absorber material 20 is composed of about 40% sawdust or sawdust derivatives and about 60% polymer (not counting optional additives).

Moreover, by comparing the T2 times presented on the figure 5a at the T2 times presented on the figure 6a it can be seen that the reverberation times are lower for the profiled elements 1 equipped with an absorber material composed of about 40% sawdust or sawdust derivatives and about 60% of polymer (without count optional additives). It is therefore particularly advantageous to use such an absorber material 20.

Moreover, by comparing the values of the equivalent absorption surfaces shown on the figures 5b and 6b it is found that for most frequencies, the absorption equivalent area is higher when it is an absorber material composed of about 40% sawdust or sawdust derivatives. of wood and about 60% of polymer (not counting the optional additives). In the facts, this results in better absorption of sound waves in this type of absorber material.

Claims (10)

1. Profiled element (1) able to be connected in an articulated manner to other adjacent profiled elements (1) in order to form a curtain or a wall panel, comprising:

   - a wall (10) defining at least partially a hollow space (12), and having first openings (13);

   - a sound absorber material (20) arranged in said hollow space (12) and comprising second openings (21), with the first and second openings communicating with each other;
   characterised in that:

   - the absorber material (20) completely fills said hollow space (12),

   - the first (13) and second (21) openings are of substantially identical shapes.
2. Profiled element (1) according to claim 1, wherein the absorber material (20) has a first face (22) in contact with the wall (10) and a second face (23) that is free.
3. Profiled element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second openings (21) pass through the second face (23) perpendicularly to the plane (P) of said face (23).
4. Profiled element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first (13) and second (21) openings are regularly spaced, the first ones (13) between them, the second ones (21) between them.
5. Profiled element (1) according to one of the preceding claims wherein the absorber material (20) comprises sawdust, and a polymer.
6. Profiled element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising two lateral edges (14) provided with means of articulation (15) that make it possible to articulate one with respect to the other of such identical adjacent profiled elements (1).
7. Set (30) comprising several adjacent profiled elements (1) and connected together by means of articulation (15) such as defined each according to one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the second faces (23) together define closer and closer and jointly a substantially planar surface.
8. Curtain comprising at least one profiled element (1) such as defined in one of claims 1 to 6.
9. Non-articulated wall panel comprising at least one profiled element (1) such as defined in one of claims 1 to 6.
10. Office cabinet (40) comprising at least one mobile wall (42) in order to open and close the cabinet (40) and a fixed wall (41) characterised in that the fixed wall (41) and/or the mobile wall (42) comprises/comprise at least one profiled element (1) such as defined in one of claims 1 to 6.

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