EP4657428A1

EP4657428A1 - Acoustically insulated cover

Info

Publication number: EP4657428A1
Application number: EP25382476.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernardo Diéguez Morán
Original assignee: Isinac Acoustic World SL
Current assignee: Isinac Acoustic World SL
Priority date: 2024-05-30
Filing date: 2025-05-12
Publication date: 2025-12-03
Also published as: ES1309401U; ES1309401Y

Abstract

The present invention relates to an acoustically insulated cover, characterised in that it comprises:
an outer insulating PVC layer (1), between 0,70 and 1 mm thick;
a sound-absorbing lower layer (2) comprising a 265 g/m2 polyester flame retardant fabric; and wherein the thickness is comprised between 1,5 and 4 mm; wherein the lower layer is stitched to the outer layer and there is an air gap (3) between the two; and
a plurality of portions (4) of sound-absorbing fabric which are stitched to the lower layer and hung down, which are made of a 460 g/m2 wool fibre fabric; and

wherein the thickness of these portions is less than 5 mm;
so that the combination of these elements generates an acoustic absorption space where the noise produced inside the cover is mitigated.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention consists of a cover, such as an awning, a parasol, sails, a pergola, a tent or a canopy awning, which in addition to protecting users from the sun and/or rain, is characterised in that it comprises an acoustic insulator arranged underneath an outer fabric or layer of sun or water protection, wherein this acoustic insulator comprises a layer or base of sound-absorbing fabric from which in turn hang portions of sound-absorbing fabric, so that the combination of both generates an acoustic absorption space where the noise produced inside the cover is mitigated.
The invention is included within the systems of noise mitigation in open spaces, and more specifically, it falls within the systems that are installed on covers or enclosures to shelter from the sun, such as an awning, a parasol, sails, a pergola, a tent, or a canopy awning.

Background of the invention

It is well known that noise is produced in open and public spaces such as terraces, parks or pavements, which is a problem suffered by all citizens and is an environmental problem. It is also well known that recommendations on acoustic comfort indicate that appropriate noise levels on terraces are 55 dB, and inside an enclosed space it is recommended to keep noise thresholds below 44 dB. However, the reality is that normal noise levels are at the threshold of between 50 and 75 dB, and it is from 80 dB onwards that the noise level is considered to be loud and annoying. Combating this problem is the aim of the present invention.
In this context, there are known solutions aimed at reducing excessive noise, mainly in the construction and architecture sector, which are basically the development of acoustic insulation, with which the interior of a house is insulated; and acoustic screens that are placed on the verges or sides of highways/roads that mitigate traffic noise over populated areas or natural areas. These solutions do significantly reduce the problem of noise pollution, but they do not solve the problem of noise emitted by people in public spaces as they cannot be implemented in sun protective covers, such as an awning or an umbrella.
Returning to the problem of noise produced in bars, terraces, parks, attics or public events, the system disclosed in document ES1222251U is currently known; however, the system described in said document consists of a structure with a plurality of sound-absorbing sandwich-type fabric panels, which, although it reduces the noise generated inside an umbrella or awning type cover, it is known that in practice it is problematic in terms of the weight of the assembly, which is in the region of 5kg/m², which in turn generates problems in its daily use, both when manoeuvring, closing and opening the cover and/or problems of rigidity of the assembly in situations of strong winds.
Taking into account this problem, and in view of the known background, the present invention proposes an improved and differentiated system with respect to any other known in the state of the art, with a weight of less than 1kg/m2, which makes the system lighter and more flexible; which is based on the use of compostable and recyclable fabrics, with less fabric consumption, which means less time is spent on manufacturing; with which the thermal and acoustic insulation performance is improved; and which also allows it to be implemented in any type of sun protective cover. This not only reduces noise emissions to the outside of the cover, but also improves temperature, acoustics and sound quality of the group of people inside said cover or enclosure.
The applicant is not aware of any cover type similar to or as advantageous as the one described and claimed below.

Description of the invention

The cover of the present invention is intended to be used by users in open spaces, fulfilling the double objective of, on the one hand, protecting from the sun and/or rain and, on the other hand, reducing and mitigating the noise produced inside the cover. In this respect, the cover comprises:

an outer insulating PVC layer, between 0.70 and 1 mm thick, which provides protection from the rain
a sound-absorbing lower layer, which is stitched around the perimeter and in specific areas of its surface, creating a space between layers for ventilation, which favours thermal protection of users, and which is based on a 265 g/m2 flame-retardant polyester fabric; and wherein there may additionally be a fabric which may comprise a 200 g/m2 polyester fibre sheet, a cotton non-woven fabric sheet, or a combination of both; and wherein the thickness of the lower layer is between 1,5 and 4 mm; and
a plurality of sound-absorbing fabric portions hanging from the lower layer, which are stitched together, which are made of a 460 g/m2 wool fibre fabric; wherein these portions are arranged in parallel and equidistant rows; and wherein the thickness of these portions is less than 5 mm.

The invention is designed so that the combination of the sound-absorbing lower layer and the sound-absorbing fabric portions hanging from said layer, which are arranged in parallel, means that there is no air flow, and a space is created where the noise first passes through a vertical sound-absorbing area where the decibels are reduced, hits a sound-absorbing layer that mitigates said noise again, and then passes again through the vertical area where said noise is mitigated once again. The fact that, in addition, there is a gap between the outer layer and the lower layer, makes for additional noise reduction.
In addition, this structure is visually attractive, as it is integrated, housed and protected inside the enclosure in such a way that it is barely visible from the outside.
The present invention makes it possible to achieve a cover with less weight than any other known in the state of the art, with a weight of less than 1kg/m2, which makes it more flexible and easier to manoeuvre; which, by not comprising a plurality of sandwich-type layers, entails less fabric consumption, which makes it a cheaper cover, and also takes less time to make, therefore, a lower production cost; and above all, it improves thermal and acoustic insulation as well as acoustic absorption compared to known materials and systems.
In this respect, tests have been carried out for a 50 m2 cover with a conventional "A cover" consisting of a 0.85 mm thick PVC layer; a "B" cover comprising a 0.85 mm thick PVC outer layer, a 2.5 mm thick lower layer of 265 g/m2 polyester fire retardant fabric, and portions of 460 g/m2 wool fibre fabric, 13 cm high and with a 10 cm row spacing; a "C cover" comprising a 0.85 mm thick PVC outer layer, a 4 mm thick lower layer of 265 g/m2 polyester fire retardant fabric, and portions of 460 g/m2 wool fibre fabric, 13 cm high and with a 10 cm row spacing; and the results can be seen in Table 1 below. Table 1

Cover RT (m2K/W) U (W/m2) DT Thermal Load (W) Reduction

A 0.0666 14.118 10.8 7623.53

B 0.237556 1.560 10.8 842.46 89 %

C 0.430045 0.968 10.8 522.96 93 %
Table 1, wherein: RT is the thermal resistance; U is the heat transmission coefficient of the surface; DT is a tabulated value for Madrid, with an outside temperature of 33.6 °C and south-east facing sun, resulting in a stipulated coefficient of 10.8.
This table shows that the present invention reduces heat or cooling losses by around 90 % compared to conventional covers. With this thermal insulation improvement, in addition to the loss of radiation, system user comfort increases considerably.

In addition, tests have been carried out to check the noise mitigation by studying the noise in a 211.8m2 compartment according to the requirements of EN ISO 354:2003, where there is a conventional 0.85 mm PVC cover (C1); and the noise in the same compartment with a 6.25 m2 cover (C2) (an umbrella) comprising a 0.85 mm thick PVC outer layer, a 2.5 mm thick lower layer of 265 gr/m2 polyester fire retardant fabric, and portions of 460 gr/m2 wool fibre fabric 13 cm high and with a 10 cm row spacing. Table 2 below shows the results.

Table 2

f (Hz)	T1 (s)	T2 (s)	AT
100	8.87	7.09	1.0
125	7.92	5.55	1.8
160	8.91	4.98	3.0
200	9.87	4.46	4.2
250	9.90	4.20	4.6
315	8.94	3.81	5.1
400	8.98	3.56	5.7
500	9.42	3.57	5.9
630	8.82	3.35	6.2
800	8.40	3.27	6.3
1000	7.87	3.13	6.5
1250	7.07	2.93	6.8
1600	6.40	2.67	7.4
2000	5.56	2.46	7.7
2500	4.66	2.19	8.2
3150	3.75	1.96	8.2
4000	3.00	1.73	8.4
5000	2.26	1.46	8.3

Table 2, where T1 is the reverberation time with a conventional cover (C1); T2 is the reverberation time in the room with a canopy according to the subject of the present invention (C2); and where AT is the sound absorption equivalent of the canopy subject of the present invention with respect to a conventional canopy; and where noise is emitted at frequencies between 100 Hz and 5KHz.
In this table it can be seen that the present invention allows noise mitigation with respect to conventional solutions.
As previously mentioned, the cover of the present invention is intended to be used by users in open spaces such as a parasol, an awning, a tent or similar enclosures, and is a cover that fulfils the objective of thermal insulation, i.e. protection from the sun and/or rain and, on the other hand, allows to reduce and mitigate the noise produced inside the cover with respect to conventional solutions.

Brief description of the figures

As a complement to the description provided, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, in accordance with a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by a set of figures constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following:

Figure 1 schematically shows the noise mitigation or absorption that is achieved with the cover of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an exemplary umbrella with the cover of the present invention installed therein.
Figure 3 shows a detailed view of a portion of the umbrella of the previous figure.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

The cover that is the object of the present invention has a structure comprising:

an outer insulating PVC layer (1), between 0,70 and 1 mm thick, which provides protection from sunlight
a sound-absorbing lower layer (2), which is stitched around the perimeter and in specific areas of its surface, wherein there is a space (3) between layers for ventilation, which favours the thermal protection of users, and wherein this layer comprises a 265 g/m2 polyester flame retardant fabric; and wherein the thickness of the lower layer is comprised between 1.5 and 4 mm; and
a plurality of portions (4) of sound-absorbing fabric which are stitched to the lower layer and hung down, which are made of a 460 g/m2 wool fibre fabric; wherein these portions are arranged in parallel rows equidistant from each other; and wherein the thickness of these portions is less than 5 mm.

In this sense, as Figure 1 schematically shows, the noise reduction process is such that the system integrated inside the umbrella generates a space where the noise (R1) first passes through the vertical absorbing area where the hung portions (4) of fabric are located and where the decibels are reduced, hits against the lower layer (2) of sound-absorbing fabric, which again mitigates said noise (R2), and again passes through the vertical area of the portions (4) of fabric where the final noise (R3) is reduced and mitigated with respect to the original noise (R1).
Figures 2 and 3 show the application of the cover on an umbrella, where the skirts of the parasol are made of the material of the PVC outer layer (1), and wherein it can be seen how the lower layer (2) is stitched under the outer layer, and a plurality of portions (4) arranged in parallel rows equidistant from each other can be observed.

Claims

The present invention relates to an acoustically insulated cover, characterised in that it comprises:
an outer insulating PVC layer (1), between 0,70 and 1 mm thick;

a sound-absorbing lower layer (2) comprising a 265 g/m2 polyester flame retardant fabric; and wherein the thickness is comprised between 1,5 and 4 mm; wherein the lower layer (2) is stitched to the outer layer (1) and there is an air gap (3) between the two; and

a plurality of portions (4) of sound-absorbing fabric which are stitched to the lower layer and hung down, which are made of a 460 g/m2 wool fibre fabric; and wherein the thickness of these portions is less than 5 mm.
The cover according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer (2) is stitched to the perimeter and to specific regions of the surface of the outer layer (1).
The cover according to claim 1, wherein the portions (4) are arranged in parallel rows equidistant from each other.
The cover according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer (2) additionally comprises a 200 g/m2 polyester fibre sheet, a cotton non-woven fabric sheet, or a combination of both.