EP4159946A1

EP4159946A1 - A sound-absorbing assembly

Info

Publication number: EP4159946A1
Application number: EP22195833.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuliana MILANI; Robertino CARNIELLI
Original assignee: Milani Srl
Current assignee: Milani Srl
Priority date: 2021-09-30
Filing date: 2022-09-15
Publication date: 2023-04-05
Also published as: IT202100025169A1

Abstract

A sound-absorbing assembly comprising at least one sound-absorbing panel (2) and at least one interwoven cover (4) stably coupled to at least one face of the sound-absorbing panel (2). Said cover comprises two or more swelling elements (7) and two or more fabrics (8) each at least partially wrapped around the visible surface (11) of at least a respective one of the swelling elements (7).

Description

Field of application

The present invention is generally applicable to the furniture and services sector and refers to elements of interior cladding, for example, of walls and ceilings.
In more detail, the present invention refers to a sound-absorbing assembly.

Background art

In the field of furniture, in particular in interior furniture, the use of sound-absorbing panels which are used to clad ceilings and walls is known.
Generally, the sound-absorbing panels are built by applying a surface decoration (a cover) to the surface of a base material having sound-absorbing performance such as, for example, a rock wool panel.
Such a surface decoration, in a conventional sound-absorbing panel, can be made by applying a paint directly onto the sound-absorbing substrate. However, by directly applying a paint to the base substrate, a film is formed which impairs its performance, as the sound incident on the sound-absorbing panel is reflected by the paint film itself.
As a countermeasure to the decrease in the acoustic absorption performance in the prior art, many holes are made on the surface to suppress the reflection of the sound by the coating film. However, this solution is to the detriment of the design which, as a result of the holes, is not appreciated.
Alternatively, such base panels made of sound-absorbing material may be covered by applying a surface layer to the sound-absorbing substrate to form a surface coating, or by wrapping a breathable material around the panels themselves.
However, even in these cases, the ability of the sound-absorbing panels to absorb the sounds is greatly impaired by such coatings. In addition, the conventional sound-absorbing panel has a low strength and stiffness and, therefore, the application of such coatings can lead to the bending of the panels themselves with the consequent decrease in the sound-absorbing capacity.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a sound-absorbing assembly that allows to overcome at least partially the drawbacks highlighted above.
In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a sound-absorbing assembly comprising a coating that can be coupled to a sound-absorbing panel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly whose coating limits, if not eliminates, the decrease in the sound-absorbing performance.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sound-absorbing assembly which does not damage the structural integrity of a panel, i.e. which does not cause a decrease in the strength and in the stiffness of the latter.
Said objects, as well as others which will become clearer below, are achieved by a sound-absorbing assembly according to the following claims, which are to be considered an integral part of the present patent.
In particular, it comprises at least one sound-absorbing panel and at least one interwoven cover stably coupled to at least one face of the sound-absorbing panel itself.
According to another aspect of the invention, such a cover comprises two or more swelling elements and two or more fabrics each at least partially wrapped around the visible surface of at least one respective swelling element.
Advantageously, the assembly of the invention allows to obtain a sound-absorbing panel coupled to a cover that improves its design.
Unlike the sound-absorbing panels present in the prior art, the fabrics of the invention are not wrapped directly on the sound-absorbing panels, so that, still advantageously, the structural integrity of the sound-absorbing panels is not altered in any way.
Furthermore, given the presence of the swelling elements, the cover takes on a rounded shape that still advantageously allows to limit the decrease in the sound-absorbing performance compared to the equivalent devices present in the prior art.

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages of the invention will become more evident in light of the detailed description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of a sound-absorbing assembly according to the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents the sound-absorbing assembly according to the invention in a view from above;
FIG. 2 represents a portion of the assembly of FIG. 1 in an axonometric view.
FIG. 3 represents a section of the cover of the sound-absorbing assembly of FIG.1;
FIGs. 4 and 5 represent details of the section of FIG. 3.

Detailed description of an exemplary preferred embodiment

With reference to the aforementioned figures, a sound-absorbing assembly 1 is described, as can be seen in FIG. 1, according to the invention In particular, it comprises a sound-absorbing panel 2 and an interwoven cover 4.
According to one aspect of the invention, said cover 4 is stably coupled to a face 6 of the sound-absorbing panel 2, generally in the visible face.
According to another aspect of the invention, the interwoven cover 4, as can be seen in FIG. 3 and in the detail of FIGs. 4 and 5, comprises swelling elements 7 and fabric 8. Obviously, the number of swelling elements and fabrics should not be considered limiting for different embodiments of the invention.
According to the embodiment of the invention that is described, each of the swelling elements 7 is made as a single flexible body. This advantageously makes it possible to simplify the interweaving operations of the cover 4.
Obviously, this aspect also should not be considered as limiting for different embodiments of the invention where, for example, the swelling elements comprise a plurality of non-homogeneous particles such as polystyrene balls/chips or feathers.
According to a further aspect of the invention, each fabric 8 is, at least partially, wrapped around the visible surface 11 of a respective swelling element 7.
In other words, the interwoven cover 4 consists of the swelling elements 7 wrapped by means of fabrics 8. These swelling elements 7 advantageously allow to create a cover 4 with a rounded shape, as can be seen in FIG. 2, which is then coated by the fabrics 8 so as to realize a particular design.
Furthermore, the typical rounded shape of the cover 4 of the assembly 1 allows, still advantageously, to limit the decrease in the sound-absorbing capacity with respect to the equivalent panels present in the prior art, since, as can be seen in the mentioned FIG. 2, the cover 4 creates a convexity such as to direct the sound waves towards the sound-absorbing panel and, thus, not to reflect them in the environment.
Furthermore, still advantageously, the weave characterizing the cover 4 has, unlike the sound-absorbing panels present in the prior art, interstices 15 in the cover 4 that allow the sound waves to reach the sound-absorbing panel 2.
In addition to this, the sound-absorbing assembly 1 of the invention allows the cover 4 to be coupled to the sound-absorbing panel 2 without compromising its structural integrity.
According to the embodiment of the invention that is described, the fabrics 8 are tubular 18 shaped to contain the swelling elements 7 therein.
In other words, by using the tubulars 18 the fabrics 8 are no longer wrapped around the swelling elements 7 but the latter are inserted therein.
This advantageously means that the swelling elements 7 are not compressed by the wrapping of the fabrics 8 and, therefore, there is no risk of deforming or damaging them.
Furthermore, since the swelling elements 7 are inserted inside the tubulars 18, the risk of them being removed is eliminated, or at least limited.
Moreover, in the event that, as mentioned, such swelling elements are not made as a single body, the use of tubulars allows them to be filled with a plurality of elements since it is the tubular itself that guarantees the compactness and the shape of the swelling elements.
With regard to the swelling elements 7, according to an embodiment variant of the invention, not represented in the figures, they also comprise sound-absorbing material.
Advantageously, the presence of sound-absorbing material also in the swelling elements improves the capacity of the assembly 1.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the fabrics 8 wrap, at least partially, also the sound-absorbing panel 2. Advantageously, this makes it possible to improve the coupling between the cover 4 and the panel 2.
Obviously, also such an aspect must not be considered as limiting for different embodiment variants of the invention where, for example, the fabrics only concern the cover.
In addition to this, according to different embodiments of the invention not represented in the figures, the assembly also comprises coupling means and a framework that is typically, but not necessarily, constituted by a frame.
These means are stably coupled to the sound-absorbing panel and are shaped to fix the assembly of the invention to a wall, or to a ceiling, so as, advantageously, to facilitate the operations of implementation of the sound-absorbing assembly of the invention.
As regards the framework, it is stably coupled to the cover so as to stiffen it in order to advantageously avoid bendings and deformations of the swelling elements and, consequently, of the cover.
In light of the foregoing, it is therefore understood that the sound-absorbing assembly of the invention achieves all the intended objects.
In particular, the assembly of the invention allows a sound-absorbing panel to be coated with a cover.
Furthermore, this is done by limiting the loss of sound-absorbing capacity of the panel compared to equivalent panels present in the prior art.
Moreover, the cover included in the assembly of the invention is coupled to the panel without damaging its structural integrity or, in any case, limiting possible deteriorations.
The invention is subject to numerous modifications and variants, which are all included in the appended claims. Moreover, all the details and steps may furthermore be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials may be different depending on needs, without departing from the protection scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A sound-absorbing assembly comprising:
- at least one sound-absorbing panel (2);

- at least one interwoven cover (4) stably coupled to at least one face (6) of said at least one sound-absorbing panel (2),
said sound-absorbing assembly (1) being characterized in that said cover (4) comprises:
- two or more swelling elements (7);

- two or more fabrics (8) each at least partially wrapped around the visible surface (11) of at least a respective one of said two or more swelling elements (7).
Sound-absorbing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said two or more swelling elements (7) is made as a single flexible body.
Sound-absorbing assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said two or more fabrics (8) are tubular (18) and shaped to contain said two or more swelling elements (7) therein.
Sound-absorbing assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said two or more swelling elements comprise sound-absorbing material.
Sound-absorbing assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said two or more fabrics wrap at least partially also said at least one sound-absorbing panel.
Sound-absorbing assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises coupling means stably coupled to said at least one sound-absorbing panel, said coupling means being shaped to couple said one sound-absorbing assembly at least to a wall.
Sound-absorbing assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one framework stably coupled to said at least one cover so as to stiffen it.
Sound-absorbing assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said at least one framework is a frame.