EP3822413A1

EP3822413A1 - Sound-absorbing wall composed of a plurality of panels

Info

Publication number: EP3822413A1
Application number: EP20207570.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adriano Sartor; Alberto Comin; Antonio Da Rios; Claudio Cunial; Andrea Prevedello; Marco Marton
Original assignee: Noise Srl
Current assignee: Noise Srl
Priority date: 2019-11-14
Filing date: 2020-11-13
Publication date: 2021-05-19
Also published as: IT201900021219A1

Abstract

A sound-absorbing wall or barrier is described comprising a plurality of panels arranged side-by-side. The wall is delimited by two opposite edges, where an edge comprises a spacer/repeller element which protrudes from the edge along said horizontal direction so as to be able to abut against an edge of the adjacent panel maintaining a certain distance between the edges of the adjacent panels, and a coupling groove which protrudes from the edge along said horizontal direction and is configured to receive and retain a rim of the adjacent panel so that such rim, integrally with the adjacent panel, can move away/get closer by a certain distance from/to the panel along said first horizontal direction before being blocked by the contact with a wall of the groove, the rim extending in a plane orthogonal to said horizontal direction.

Description

The invention relates - in general - to a sound-absorbing wall formed of a plurality of panels, and to the panel forming the wall.
Barriers are known composed of a tessellation of panels to shelter areas, generally residential areas, from the noise produced for example by car or rail traffic, or by civil or industrial activities.
Some panels are made from metal sheets (steel, aluminum), but they have poor sound-attenuation performance and are complicated to manufacture. The sheet metal bending operation is labor-intensive, not mechanically simple, and generates low-precision parts. On the other hand, there are panels made of plastic material with hot-bent sheets which have high residual stresses that could be released during sun exposure generating panel deformations and misalignments between panels. Other deformations occur as a result of perforation performed on the plastic sheets. Other panels are plastic boxes, see e.g. European Patent No. EP 2 799 621 B1 , with sound-absorbing material inside.
In any case, and especially for panels obtained from plastic sheets, a major problem is the dimensional stability of the panel wall. Temperature changes induce dimensional variations sufficient to upset the orderly and regular structure of the panels, thereby compromising not only the aesthetic appearance but above all the structural safety and soundproofing capabilities.
It is then desired to obviate the aforementioned problem with a wall and/or panel as in the attached claims, wherein the dependent ones define advantageous variants.
In particular, a wall or sound-absorbing barrier is presented comprising a plurality of panels placed side by side - in use - along a horizontal direction wherein
each panel comprises
a, preferably perforated, wall bounded by two opposite edges (vertical in use), where an edge comprises
a spacer/repeller element that protrudes from the edge along said horizontal direction so that it can abut against an edge of the adjacent panel maintaining some distance between the edges of adjacent panels,
a coupling groove that protrudes from the edge along said horizontal direction and is configured to receive and retain a rim of the adjacent panel so that said rim, integrally with the adjacent panel, can move away by some distance from the panel along said horizontal direction before being blocked by the contact with a wall of the groove,
the rim extending in a plane orthogonal to said horizontal direction.
The aforementioned barrier has the advantage that the individual panels remain free to move laterally (floating), e.g. supported by guides, and to expand following the thermal expansion that occurs during the day. This feature is achieved by ensuring the above mentioned distances, which act as a compensation space, e.g. of a few millimeters, between a panel and the adjacent one.
Preferably the compensation space between the panels is kept to the bare minimum, visually almost invisible, to ensure aesthetic continuity of the barrier.
The compensation space is achieved by means of the aforementioned retaining/repeller elements integrated into the panel that connect the individual panels like an elastic chain.
During the thermal expansion phases (hot), said elements act by keeping the individual panels equally spaced and yield elastically allowing the panel to elongate as a result of thermal expansion, by reducing the compensation space between them.
During the thermal contraction phases (cold), said elements keep the panels hooked to each other, while the panels contract in length as a result of thermal contraction. In this case, too, the retaining elements keep the distances between the panels virtually constant by means of widening the compensation space between the panels.
The above modular barrier effectively reduces noise pollution produced for example in road infrastructures (roads, freeways, railways, airports), or civil and industrial noise sources in general.
For example, the barrier may be installed on a supporting structure (e.g. made of concrete, masonry, drywall, etc.).
The wall is simple and quick to compose. For the aim it preferably comprises support rails (e.g. made of metal or other materials) installed on a bearing structure (wall, panel, etc.). For example, two horizontal parallel rails are installed, with a vertical pitch approximately equal to the height of the panels.
The panels are coupled to the guides for example sequentially, by hooking each individual panel to the guides using coupling portions comprised in the panel. The panels inserted in the guides are then placed side by side and hooked together to form the continuous barrier.
An (optional) sound-absorbing/thermal-insulation mat is placed behind the panels. The sound-absorbing mat inside the panel is generally made of polyester fiber, but it may also be made of other similar and equivalent materials,
The first and last panel of the row are preferably closed by an end cap.
The wall may comprise horizontal overlapping rows of panels to form a larger wall. Then the panels of each upper row are e.g. overlapped and clamped on those of the underlying rows, so that they can no longer get out of the guides.
The panels of the last upper row, for example, are secured by a special safety profile that prevents them from getting out.
As variants of the panel:

It is formed of a concave shell, with a square or rectangular plan, which has two opposite sides on which there are the aforementioned spacer/repelling elements, the groove and the rim;
in particular the shell comprises
a central dome, formed e.g. by the union of N flat parts (N >= 2) each lying on different and incident planes, or a central body, formed e.g. by the union of N parts of varying shapes (N >= 2), and
two flat parallel walls, projecting from two opposite edges of the dome and orthogonal to said opposite sides; and/or
it has as dimensions: one side of about 400 - 600 mm and the other side of about 400 -600 mm, in particular it has dimensions of about 500 x 500 mm (dimensions that keep the thermal deformations acceptable and that require compensation spaces of small dimensions, in order not to alter the aesthetic appearance and structure of the wall), and/or
it is made of plastic material, e.g. by injection molding (which gives dimensional accuracy, quality of the product, and low cost) and/or
it is equipped with fins for coupling with guides, and/or
it is equipped with surface and/or internal stiffening ribs, which give greater mechanical strength to the panel and reduce the problems of deformation due to molding and temperature changes); and/or
it is equipped, on the inner surface, with retaining ribs for the sound-absorbing mat, so that the panel can be supplied complete with the internal sound-absorbing part, avoiding the separate assembly of the two components on site.

Another aspect of the invention is a panel forming said barrier.
The advantages of the invention will be clearer from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the panel, reference being made to the attached drawing in which

Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional view from below of a panel;
Fig. 2 shows a three-dimensional view from above of the panel;
Fig. 3 shows a side view of the panel;
Figs. 4-6 show three-dimensional views of different configurations of a retaining/repulsion system provided in the panel;
Fig. 7 shows a schematic front view of a panel wall;
Fig. 8 shows variations of the panel.

In the figures equal numbers indicate equal or conceptually similar parts.
To avoid crowding the figures, some elements are not numbered.
A sound-absorbing wall 100 (Fig. 7) comprises a plurality of panels MC placed side-by-side in a row - in use - along a horizontal direction or axis X. The wall 100 may have several rows stacked on top of each other to create a higher wall than shown.
The panel MC is shown in detail in Figs. 1-3, and has a square or rectangular plan.
The central portion comprises a surface 10 formed of two flat surfaces 12, 14 angled to each other and pierced uniformly by through-holes (for simplicity not shown).
The morphology of the surface 10 is not essential, and may still be different from the example of Figs. 1-3, see e.g. other variations shown in Fig. 8. E.g. the surface 10 may be all flat, or comprise more than two flat surfaces angled to each other, or be composed of surfaces in different numbers and shapes, and/or have through-openings of various shapes and numbers. Among the variations of Fig. 8, it can be seen, e.g. that the surface 10 may form a four-sided cusp in relief or negative, may have various steps joined by inclined planes, may have a central polygonal-shaped opening, or various adjacent openings.
The surface 10 is bounded at the base by a smooth wall 30 and at the top by a smooth wall 32, wherein the walls 30, 32 are parallel to each other and orthogonal to an imaginary plane orthogonal to the X axis. From the smooth wall 32 protrude fins 34 for suspending the panel MC to a horizontal guide 40, while from the smooth wall 30 protrude fins 36 for lining up the panel MC on a horizontal guide 42, parallel to and spaced from the guide 40 (fig. 7) and/or on the underlying panel, in case of several rows of overlapping panels.
In the concavity formed by the flat surfaces 12, 14, or in general in the concavity inside the panel MC and formed by the surface 10 and the walls 30, 32, a sound-absorbing mat 15 may be mounted, in order to increase the sound absorption (fig. 3). The fins 34 may also serve for retention of the mat 15.
An edge 16 of the panel MC, corresponding to the overall edge of the walls 30, 32, comprises a, e.g., continuous, rim 18 extending substantially in a plane orthogonal to the X axis.
The opposite edge 50 of the panel MC, corresponding to the overall opposite edge of the walls 30, 32, e.g. also comprises a, e.g. continuous, rim 52, extending substantially in a plane orthogonal to the X axis.
On the edge 50 (Figs. 4-6.) there are connecting (and retaining/repelling) means for connecting the panel MC to the adjacent panel MC. Figs. 4-6 show as examples the rims 18, 52 of three adjacent MC panels on the rails 40, 42.
Such means comprise two adjacent portions of the rim 52, which may be repeated in a row even multiple times for greater connection stability.
The first portion of the rim 52 comprises a tab 52 that projects from the rim 52 parallel to the X-axis toward the outside of the panel MC. A groove 54 is obtained in the tab 52, bounded on one side by the rim 52 and on the other side by a step 56, having a retaining function, extending parallel to the rim 52.
The second portion of the rim 52 comprises a tab 60 on the free end of which is a relief 62. The tab 60 is part of the rim 52 and the relief 62, with a repulsion function, projects from the tab 60 parallel to the X-axis toward the outside of the panel MC.
At opposite position with respect to the tab 52 and tab 60, the rim 18 has a substantially flat wall 70, 72, respectively.
To connect two adjacent panels, they are brought closer together until the wall 70 engages within the groove 54 and the relief 62 abuts against the wall 72. To aid the interlocking, preferably the tab 52 has an end that, toward the outside of the panel MC and along the X axis, is tapered or wedge-shaped.
At rest, the panels MC are arranged relatively as in Fig. 5: the wall 70 stays approximately in the middle of the groove 54, while the thickness along X of the relief 62 ensures a small separation distance D between the panels MC.
Fig. 4 illustrates the behavior of the panels MC when, due to temperature, they expand along the X axis, see arrows.
The walls 72 and/or tabs 60 can compensate the expansion by flexing slightly with fulcrum at the relief 62. In this way, the distance D is reduced or nullified, but the overall structure of the panels MC does not go into mutual compression and does not suffer destructive internal stresses. With the same effect, in turn the walls 70 can slide into the groove 54 parallel to the X axis.
Fig. 6 illustrates the behavior of the panels MC when, due to temperature, they contract along the X axis, see arrows.
The walls 72 and/or tabs 60 can compensate for the contraction by moving relatively far apart. In this way, the distance D increases, but the overall structure of the panels MC is not subjected to destructive internal stresses. With the same effect, in turn, the tabs 70 can slide into the groove 54 in the opposite direction to the previous one, up to ultimately reaching the step 56.

Claims

A sound-absorbing wall or barrier comprising a plurality of panels arranged - in use - side-by-side along a horizontal direction, wherein each panel comprises
a wall delimited by two opposite edges, where an edge comprises
a spacer/repeller element which protrudes from the edge along said horizontal direction so as to be able to abut against an edge of the adjacent panel maintaining a certain distance between the edges of the adjacent panels,
a coupling groove which protrudes from the edge along said horizontal direction and is configured to receive and retain a rim of the adjacent panel so that such rim, integrally with the adjacent panel, can move away/get closer by a certain distance from/to the panel along said first horizontal direction before being blocked by the contact with a wall of the groove,
the rim extending in a plane orthogonal to said horizontal direction.
Wall or barrier according to claim 1, comprising two support guides installed on a bearing structure such as a wall, the two guides being horizontal, parallel and with a vertical pitch equal approximately to the height of the panels.
Wall or barrier according to claim 2, wherein a or each panel comprises coupling portions configured to be hookable to the guides.
Wall or barrier according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein a or each panel comprises a sound-absorbing and/or heat-insulating mat.
Wall or barrier according to any previous claim, wherein a or each panel is formed of a concave shell with a square or rectangular plan, which has two opposite sides on which the aforesaid spacer/repeller element, the groove and the rim are.
Wall or barrier according to claim 5, wherein the shell comprises a central part and
two flat and parallel walls that protrude from two opposite edges of the central part and are orthogonal to said opposite sides.
Wall or barrier according to any previous claim, made of plastic material.
Wall or barrier according to claim 5 or 6 or 7, wherein the shell is provided with superficial and/or internal stiffening ribs.
Wall or barrier according to claim 4 and one among claims 5 or 6 or 7 or 8, wherein the shell is provided, on the inner surface thereof, with retaining ribs for the sound-absorbing mat.
Wall or barrier according to claim 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9, wherein the shell has as dimension: one side of about 400 ÷ 600 mm and the other side of about 400 ÷ 600 mm.