FR2877483A1 - A NEW MATERIAL COMBINING A MATERIAL THAT REFLECTS THE SOUNDBOWS AND A MATERIAL THAT ABSORBS THE SOUND WAVES AND APPARATUSES IN PARTICULAR FOR TELEPHONE CABINS OR SPACES - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention comprises a new material exhibiting unique and remarkable acoustic properties due to a new technical function providing both exceptional listening comfort for the user, and confining the sounds in the cabin or space, therefore with a very low noise emission to the outside, while also very strongly reducing even strong noise emissions from the outside. The material according to the invention comprises a zone 1 reflecting sound waves, in particular a smooth zone, in combination with an absorbent zone 2, in particular perforated.

Description

New material combining a material that reflects sound waves and

  a material that absorbs sound waves and applications, in particular for cabins or spaces

  TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the technical sector of materials or combinations of materials having particular acoustic properties, and their applications in particular to enclosures for receiving at least one person and forming a telephone booth, in particular loudspeakers. conch or egg shape or more elaborate forms as described below, or telephony spaces that can accommodate at least one person and preferably adapted to receive several, with in any case the realization of a quality acoustic environment very particular.

  These materials and applications are intended to be used in any location, land, sea, rail, camping, commercial spaces, train stations, aircraft, space, where one or more people wish to use a telephone (fixed or mobile or portable), as well as among other related applications than the adaptation to mobile computing and the use of a laptop or other screen for making calls by having the image of its correspondent, including the videophone type.

  For simplicity, the non-limiting set of these applications will be hereinafter referred to as cabins and / or telephony spaces and / or cabins or telephone or telephone spaces, and this type of term will cover, in the description as in the claims, these applications and comparable applications that would be accessible to the skilled person upon reading the present application.

  Technical problem and prior art: It is known that when using a telephone, including mobile or portable, and especially in public places, there is a discomfort or at least constraints and disadvantages for both the user himself (need to speak loud enough) than for the people around him (there is an exponential increase in places where the use of mobile phones is now prohibited), and also for the person with whom he communicates (sometimes difficult reception); in responding, this person experiences and creates the same problems.

  There are various accessories (headsets, wired microphones, BluetoothTM system, etc ...) that can improve these conditions.

  However, their use creates constraints (clutter, parameterization, cost, etc ...) that go against the miniaturization of the phones, and solves only a small extent the above problems.

  Also known are cabins for fixed positions, which can be closed by doors, which creates constraints (footprint, cost, maintenance, lack of comfort (cramped), etc ... and which are not at all suitable for mobile or mobile phones.

  Conch-shaped enclosures are also known for fixed stations, generally perforated surface material, which eliminate some disadvantages of closed cabins, but which offer a very bad sound and acoustic environment in and around the enclosure. And which are not suitable for mobile or mobile phones either.

  The technical problem posed is therefore to allow one or more users of telephones, fixed or mobile or portable, and especially mobile or portable, to have cabins or telephony spaces allowing them to converse with at least one interlocutor with excellent listening, excellent acoustic comfort, and without creating discomfort for people nearby.

  All at a cost compatible with market requirements, with the least possible maintenance, and the least possible footprint.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: The present invention comprises a new material having unique and remarkable acoustic properties due to a new technical function.

  The present invention also includes cabins or telephony spaces of appropriate 3D geometry.

  The present invention further comprises the combination of these shapes and this material.

  The present invention finally comprises the various applications of these materials, shapes and combinations of shapes and materials, as indicated above and detailed below.

  Detailed description of the invention

  The invention therefore relates in the first place to a new material having unique acoustic properties responding to the above problems (hereinafter simply material or acoustic material, due to a new technical function performed by this material.

  It has been discovered that the combination, to form an acoustic material capable of becoming a wall or part of a wall or a wall covering or a part of a wall covering, to realize a cabin or telephony space, or a space a user-friendly device with interesting acoustic properties, a material with an outer surface (that is to say facing the user) reflecting the sound waves and a material with an outer surface that absorbs sound waves, performs a new technical function and unexpected, which is to provide both an exceptional listening comfort for the user, and confines the sounds in the cabin or space, so with a very low noise emission to the outside, while also reducing very strongly even powerful sound emissions from the outside.

  According to its most general mode, the invention covers any combination described above and providing said new function.

  According to a particular embodiment of the mocle, the outer surface reflecting the sound waves will be a smooth surface.

  By smooth is meant here a roughness surface defined substantially by Ra 12.5pm (Ra = arithmetic mean difference of the roughness with respect to the average line according to NF E 05-015). As an indication, for the surface of a sheet Ra <1.8pm.

  According to a particular embodiment, and preferred, the outer surface absorbing the sound waves is a perforated surface.

  By perforation is meant here a generally smooth surface and which has a large number of perforations of any geometry and surface of the order of 1 mm 2 to 150 mm 2.

  Preferably, the geometry of the perforations will be circular, or square, or rectangular, or oval, or a rhombus, and the like, or a combination of these geometries in repetitive patterns, each repeating pattern possibly having perforations of identical geometry (in particular circles of the same diameter), of comparable geometry (including circles of different diameters), or of different geometries (for example repeating combinations of circles and squares or diamonds or ovals of identical or different surfaces) and other combinations that will be obvious for the skilled person.

  A clearly repetitive pattern will be formed by four circular perforations, on two horizontal lines, the first line having a circle on the left and 6 mm in diameter and a circle on the right 4 mrn in diameter, and the second line on the left a circle of diameter 3 mm and on the right a circle of diameter 5 mm.

  According to a particular embodiment, said surface reflecting the sound waves is located substantially facing the user, and substantially at the height of his face, that is to say that this user speaks in his telephone substantially in the direction of this reflective surface, especially smooth.

  According to another particular embodiment, and preferred, said reflective surface, in particular smooth, is surrounded by said absorbent surface, in particular perforated.

  A non-limiting example of acoustic material according to the invention consists of a reflecting surface, in particular smooth, unique surrounded by an absorbent surface, in particular perforated.

  According to another example, said reflecting surface, especially smooth, is divided into several elements each surrounded by said absorbent surface, all of said reflecting elements, including smooth, being of geometry and dimensions, with respect to the absorbent surface, in particular perforated surrounding, adapted to perform the function of the invention.

  (That is, the absorbing surface gaps between the reflecting elements, especially smooth, must be sufficiently small so that the technical contribution of the reflective surface is not significantly reduced by said absorbent material intervals).

  A reflective zone / (absorbent zone + reflective zone) ratio is preferably 25 to 55%, with an optimum ratio at 40%, especially 37%. Examples will be given below, without limitation.

  The constituent materials of the reflective or absorbent surfaces will be chosen in particular from: steels, in particular stainless steel, aluminum, - special alloys, especially light alloys when the weight is an important factor (aviation field for example) ) plastics capable of being shaped and able to be smooth or perforated, in particular thermoplastic, thermosetting, including but not limited to PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyesters, - plastics of this type reinforced by glass fiber, carbon fiber, titanium fiber, plastics of this type loaded with natural or synthetic fibers or powders, in particular hemp fibers or powder, natural or precipitated carbonate powder (PCC), chalk, talc, kaolin, plastics of this type further comprising conventional additives such as anti-UV, coloring agents, pigments, and the like of foams of elastics such as polyurethane foams (PUR) - composite materials such as metal or alloy / plastics, plastics / plies of natural, synthetic, or metal fibers, metal or alloy / fiber web, and the like, glass, polycarbonate - used either as such or with an outer coating, for example a perforated raw polycarbonate to form the absorbent surface, with the polycarbonate a metal coating to form at the desired location the reflective surface, here smooth, or again with projection of an absorbent coating (eg projection of a pasty coating for acoustic correction).

  Naturally, these materials will be used with a surface state either reflecting sound waves, including smooth, or absorbing sound waves, including perforated, to have two types of surface required in combination by the invention.

  According to another particular embodiment, said materials may be so-called sandwich structures that is to say an outer surface (turned towards the user) in one of the above materials, an opposite wall of any material ( either one of the above materials, or also glass, wood, concrete, plasterboardTM, bricks or any other building material that may have a decorative effect), and between the two materials an acoustic insulation layer , acoustic correction, or both in combination, chosen without limitation from: air acoustic correction foam (possibly flame retardant). an acoustic insulation mass a foam or a material that corrects the acoustic properties an acoustic complex formed of an acoustic insulation mass and an acoustic correction foam.

  a layer of expanded metal or honeycomb or similar light reinforcing structure a combination of these materials According to another particular embodiment, the outer surface (that is to say that facing the user) comprises a coating, in particular a reflective or absorbent coating.

  Thus, it will be possible to use a single material to form the entire outer surface, with the desired locations a coating either absorbent or smooth (depending on the nature of the raw material starting).

  By way of non-limiting examples: perforated polycarbonate comprising a metallic or metallized coating to form the reflective surface, a metal sheet such as stainless steel, thus smooth reflecting, coated with an absorbent coating on the surface to be absorbent ( can also obtain the absorbent effect without coating but perforating the metal sheet) and other examples which will become apparent to the skilled person.

  The present invention also covers booths or telephony spaces - in the general sense given above characterized in that their outer surface, that is to say that which turns towards the user comprises at least partly a material described hereinafter. above, that is to say comprising a combination of absorbent surface, in particular perforated, and surface reflecting sound waves, including smooth.

    at least in part here means - that said cabin or said space may be made of other materials, with the express condition that the part of the outer surface located at least in relation to the upper half of the torso and the face of the user , and a little above this face, that is to say between about 80 cm and 2 m in height, consists of the combination of the invention.

  that said surface reflecting the sound waves, especially smooth, is as has been said above substantially at the height of the face of the user, especially between 1.2 m and 1.9 m.

  Naturally, the entire height of the cabin or space may consist of said combination.

  Likewise, the indicated heights are representative of a majority population, but can be adapted either for children or for larger people. There is no precise limit other than common sense.

  According to another particular embodiment, said space or said cabin consists of one or more of the materials described above, provided only that its outer surface, that is to say the one facing the user, presents the combination of materials and surfaces according to the invention, at the respective locations described.

  Said cabin or said space may adopt any geometric shape enveloping at least part of the user or users, being reminded that the combination of reflective surfaces and absorbent surface must be placed so that the surface reflecting sound waves, particularly smooth, is placed substantially at the height of the face of the user or users, and being specified that said surface reflecting sound waves, including smooth, must be in the closed part of the cabin or space.

  By closed part is meant here the opposite part to the entrance of the cabin or space.

  This gives the user or users a very surprising set of acoustic effects which are as follows: the user hears his own voice better, and with a more comfortable sound the user does not receive external noise emissions, including powerful (machines, station and airport environments, road traffic, etc ...) that extremely attenuated - the user's voice virtually does not reach the outside of the cabin or enclosure.

  The skilled person will note that it is quite surprising that the zone reflecting the sound waves does not produce the opposite effect that is to say to return the voice of the user to the outside of the cabin or space , which would have been contrary to the problem posed, nor the effect also inverse to return to the face of the user sounds coming from the outside, which would have been naturally very disturbing and also contrary to the aim.

  The reflective zone thus produces, in combination with the absorbent zone surrounding it, an acoustic effect exactly opposite to that which could be expected by those skilled in the art.

  This is probably the reason why no telephone booth has a zone reflecting the sound waves, especially a smooth zone, and that, on the contrary, the existing booths do not have (at best) only an integral perforated covering which provides a poor or even illusory comfort. and more psychological than real.

  One of the merits of the invention is to overcome this obviously important and permanent prejudice.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawing in which: FIG. 1, which consists of FIGS. 1A to 1D, represents four non-existent examples. limiting the disposition of the zone 1 reflecting the sound waves, in particular the smooth zone, in the absorbent zone 2, in particular the perforated zone. Two examples of single zone 1 and two examples of fractional zone 1 within zone 2 have also been shown.

  FIG. 2, which consists of FIGS. 2A to 2D, represents non-limiting examples of repeating patterns of perforations 3 (in this case circles without limitation) of the absorbent zone 2. It can be seen that the circles may have identical diameters, or different, and in various combinations.

  The repeating pattern of said figure has been isolated in FIG. 2C by a dotted line, which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

  FIG. 3 represents the optimal shape, in a top view, of a telephone booth 5 according to the invention, which consists of an enveloping shape in two adjacent arcs of circles 6, 10 and 7 forming a side wall and the bottom 9 of the cabin, and a linear surface 8 forming the other side surface. The material according to the invention, a combination of a sound wave absorbing surface and a reflective zone, must be located at least between points A and B, ie towards the bottom 9 of the cabin; the reflecting zone, in particular a smooth zone, must lie between the points C and D and the user U must speak (arrow) towards this reflecting zone.

  As stated above, the positions of the points A and B and C and D, as well as the respective surfaces of the zones 1 and 2, are defined by the above rules and by the practical sense of any person skilled in the art. , with some simple tests of pure routine to determine the forms, positions and optimal surfaces (also depending on the application envisaged: a cabin for a TGV will not have the same constraints as a cabin located in a workshop noisy industrial, for example.The skilled person will adapt the parameters without difficulty, the optimal shape shown here was defined in a noisy workshop and it is surprising to note that the noise of machines penetrates very little Ila cabin, which is yet open).

  FIG. 4, which consists of FIGS. 4A to 4F, represents variants of cab shapes according to the invention, with naturally the same kind of relative arrangement of the points A and B and C and D. the invention can therefore be adapt to any congestion requirement.

  Figure 4D shows a hinged door variant 14 although, as indicated above, the effect of the invention is achieved even without any door.

  FIG. 4E represents a sliding door variant 15.

  FIG. 4F represents a variant in which the cabin comprises a wall 12 which may for example be made of glass, concrete, masonry, bricks, etc. and a wall 11 which consists of or carries the material according to the invention ; between the two elements 11 and 12 can be disposed either a foam or an acoustic corrector material, or a fireproof or insulating acoustic or thermal foam or expanded metal etc ...

  Figure 5 and Figure 6 show two examples of double cabins that is to say contiguous.

  Figure 7 shows a non-limiting example of telephony space, for example for airport lounge, or conference room etc ... where several users can take place and converse without interference.

  FIG. 8 represents another telephony space where, in each cabin which is in fact a small space, two or three users can take place around a furniture M, the disposition of the users (thanks to the furniture M) being such that they speak towards the smooth zone CD of each space.

  It will be noted that in the spaces of FIGS. 7 and 8, the geometries, dimensions and numbers of users will be defined so that (arrows) the users can either speak towards the bottom 9 of each cabin (where a videoconferencing screen can be located or a videophone whose surface forms part of the necessary smooth zone) is to speak to each other, their voices being in all cases directed towards the reflecting zone CD, cf. the various arrows, either converse through their laptops with or without videophone.

  It is also possible to envisage cabins mounted on a rotary base, the rotation bringing the opening of the cabin against a fixed wall, thus creating a closed cabin.

  The skilled person will be able to imagine without any effort many variants of this type, which will therefore be part of the invention.

  The invention also relates to cabins and spaces thus equipped, including videoconferencing applications.

  The invention also covers all the applications defined above, which may be recalled in a non-limiting manner: telephone speakers in the form of conch or egg or more elaborate forms (open or possibly closed cabins) as described herein. above, or telephony spaces that can accommodate at least one person and preferably adapted to receive several or in contiguous mono-cabins, or in small telephony spaces also contiguous to each other, with including bottom panels videoconferencing screen , or having a mirror forming part of the smooth surface required, to be used at any location, land, sea, rail, camping, commercial spaces, industrial workshops, factories, railway stations, airports, aircraft, space, where one or more people want to use a telephone device (fixed or mobile or portable).

  The invention also covers all the embodiments and all the applications which will be directly accessible to the person skilled in the art upon reading the present application, of his own knowledge, and possibly of simple routine tests.

Claims (17)

  1 New material with unique acoustic properties (hereinafter simply material or acoustic material), consisting of the combination of a surface-facing (ie user-facing) material reflecting (1) sound waves and a material with an outer surface that absorbs (2) the sound waves.   2 material according to claim 1 characterized in that the outer surface reflecting (1) the sound waves is a smooth surface that is to say a roughness surface defined substantially by Ra <12.5 m (Ra = arithmetic average deviation of the roughness relative to the average line according to NF E 05-015).   3 Material according to claim 2 characterized in that said material comprises a sheet or sheet of Ra <1.8 m.   4 Material according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said outer surface absorbing (2) the sound waves is a perforated surface, it being understood that perforated means here a generally smooth surface and which comprises a large number of perforations (3) of any geometry and surface of the order of 1 mm 2 to 150 mm 2.   Material according to claim 4 characterized in that the geometry of the perforations (3) will be circular, or square, or rectangular, or oval, or a rhombus, or a combination of these geometries, in repetitive patterns, each repeating pattern may comprise perforations (3) either of identical geometry (including circles of the same diameter), of comparable geometry (in particular circles of different diameters), or of different geometries (for example repetitive combinations of circles and squares or diamonds or ovals of identical or different surfaces).   6 Material according to claim 5 characterized in that a repeating pattern is formed by four perforations (3) circular on two horizontal lines, the first line having a circle on the left and 6 mm diameter and a circle on the right of diameter 4 mm, and the second line has a circle with a diameter of 3 mm on the left and a circle with a diameter of 5 mm on the right.   7 Material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said reflecting surface (1) the sound waves is located substantially facing the user, and substantially at height of his face, that is to say that this user speaks substantially in the direction of this reflective surface (1), including smooth.   8 material according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that said reflecting surface (1), in particular smooth, is surrounded by said absorbent surface (2), in particular perforated.   9 Material according to claim 8 characterized in that it consists of a reflective surface (1), in particular smooth, unique surrounded by an absorbent surface (2), in particular perforated.   Material according to claim 8 characterized in that said reflecting surface (1), in particular smooth, is divided into several elements each surrounded by said absorbent surface (2), all of said reflecting elements, including smooth, being of geometry and dimensions , with regard to the absorbent surface (2), in particular perforated, surrounding, adapted to perform the function of the invention (that is to say that the absorbing surface gaps between the reflective elements, including smooth, must be sufficiently small so that the technical contribution of the reflecting surface (1) is not significantly reduced by said intervals of absorbing material).   Material according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the reflective zone (1) / (absorbent zone (2) + reflective zone (1)) ratio is preferably 25 to 55%, with an optimum ratio at 40%. , especially 37%.   12 Material according to any one of claims 1 to 11 10 characterized in that the constituent materials of the reflective surfaces (1) or absorbent (2) will be selected from: steels, stainless steel, aluminum, - alloys special, especially light alloys when weight is an important factor (aviation field for example) plastics capable of being shaped and able to be smooth or perforated, including thermoplastic, thermosetting, including non-limiting PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyesters, plastics of this type reinforced with glass, carbon, titanium fibers, plastics of this type loaded with natural or synthetic fibers or powders, in particular fibers or powder of hemp, natural or precipitated carbonate powder (PCC), chalk, talc, kaolin, plastics of this type further comprising conventional additives such as UV, coloring agents, pigments, and the like plastic foams such as polyurethane foams (PUR) composite materials such as metal or alloy / plastics, plastics / plies of natural, synthetic, or metallic fibers, metal or alloy / fiber web, and the like, glass, polycarbonate 13 Material according to claim 12 characterized in that said materials are used - either as such or with an outer coating, for example a raw polycarbonate perforated to form the surface absorbent (2), with the polycarbonate a metal coating to form at the desired location the reflective surface (1), here smooth, - is still with projection of an absorbent coating (2) (eg projection of a coating pasty for acoustic correction.   and use these materials with a surface state either reflecting the sound waves, including smooth, or absorbing sound waves, including perforated, to have two types of surface required in combination by the invention.   14 Material according to any one of claims 1 to 13 characterized in that said materials used may be so-called sandwich structures that is to say an outer surface (facing the user) in one of the materials according to the preceding claims, an opposite wall of any material (either one of the materials according to the preceding claims, or also glass, wood, concrete, plasterboardTM, bricks), and between the two materials an insulation layer acoustic, acoustic correction, or both in combination, selected from: air - acoustic correction foam (possibly flame retardant). an acoustic insulation mass - an acoustic complex consisting of an acoustic insulation mass and an acoustic correction foam.   a layer of expanded metal or honeycomb or similar light structure of reinforcement a combination of these materials material according to any one of claims 1 to 14 characterized in that it comprises an outer surface (that is, that is, facing the user) which itself has a coating, in particular a reflective (1) or absorbent (2) coating, and consists in particular of a single material forming the whole of the outer surface, with the desired locations a coating that is either absorbent or smooth (depending on the nature of the starting raw material).   Material according to Claim 15, characterized in that a perforated polycarbonate having a metallic or metallized coating is used to form the reflective surface (1). A metal sheet, such as stainless steel, is therefore smooth and therefore reflective and coated with an absorbent coating. on the surface to be absorbent (it is also possible to obtain the absorbent effect without coating but by perforating the metal sheet) 17 Cabins or telephony spaces (hereinafter simply cabins characterized in that their outer surface is - say that turns to the user comprises at least partly a material according to any one of claims 1 to 16, that is to say having a combination of absorbent surface (2), in particular perforated, and reflecting surface (1) sound waves, especially smooth.   Cabin according to claim 17, characterized in that at least in part here means that said cabin or said space (5) may be made of other materials, with the express condition that the part of the outer surface located at least in the the upper half of the torso and the face of the user, and a little above this face, that is to say between about 80 cm and 2 m in height, is made of the combination of the invention .   that said reflecting surface (1) the sound waves, in particular smooth, is substantially at the level of the face of the user, in particular between 1.2 m and 1.9 m 19 cabin according to claim 17 or 18 characterized in that it consists of one or more of the materials according to any one of claims 1 to 16, provided only that its outer surface, i.e. the user-facing surface, has the combination of materials and surfaces described in any one of claims 1 to 16, at the respective locations described in any one of claims 1 to 16.   Cabin according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that it can adopt any geometric shape enveloping at least part of the user or users, being reminded that the combination of reflecting surfaces (1) and absorbing surface (2) must be placed so that the reflecting surface (1) the sound waves, especially smooth, is placed substantially at the height of the face of the user or users, and being specified that said reflecting surface (1) sound waves, including smooth, must be find in the closed part of the cabin or space (5) (by closed part here means the part opposite the entry of the cabin or space).   Cabin according to Claim 20, characterized in that it consists of an enveloping shape in two adjacent arcs of circles 6, 10 and 7 forming a side wall and the bottom 9 of the cabin, and a linear surface 8 forming other side surface, the material according to the invention, combining an absorbing surface (2) the sound waves and a reflective zone, to be located at least between the points A and B, that is to say towards the bottom 9 of the cabin; the reflective zone (1), in particular a smooth zone, to be located between the points C and D and the user U must speak (arrow) towards this reflecting zone (1).   Cabin according to claim 21, characterized in that the position of the points A and B and C and D, as well as the respective surfaces of the zones 1 and 2, are defined according to the shapes, positions and optimal surfaces.   23 Applications of materials and booths or spaces according to any one of claims 1 to 22, selected from: telephone speakers in the shape of conch or egg or more elaborate forms (open or possibly closed cabins), or telephony spaces capable of accommodating at least one person and preferably adapted to receive several of them either in contiguous single cabins, or in small telephone spaces also contiguous to each other, with including bottom panels with a videoconferencing screen, or comprising a mirror forming part of the smooth surface required, intended for use anywhere, land, sea, rail, camping, commercial spaces, industrial workshops, factories, railway stations, airports, aircraft.