GB2562310A

GB2562310A - Audio-visual viewing room

Info

Publication number: GB2562310A
Application number: GB1707677.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Thorne Steven
Original assignee: Cipod Ltd
Current assignee: Cipod Ltd
Priority date: 2017-05-12
Filing date: 2017-05-12
Publication date: 2018-11-14
Also published as: GB201707677D0; WO2018206972A1

Abstract

A kit for constructing an audio-visual room comprises a set of acoustic insulation panels 164. Each panel comprises a facing, and at least one of the panels comprises a speaker mounting recess that extends through the facing, and a plurality of the panels comprise one or more pre-installed trunking elements 212 mounted on the facing to define a cable route. The panels may include a mounting structure 218 for fixing a light fitting, control panel or screen, as well as tracks for attaching a fabric material. A cable loom may be provided in the cable route. Support sheet panels may form a base assembly of the room and may include bushings for receiving adjustable feet. The support panels may include interlocking edges for joining adjacent panels together. The panels may include a foam core, with the recess extending into the core. Also claimed is a method of producing a kit for constructing an AV room, including the steps of constructing at least part of the room off-site and dismantling the room to provide parts of the kit.

Description

AUDIO-VISUAL VIEWING ROOM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to rooms for viewing audio-visual presentations. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a kit of parts for use in the construction of home cinema rooms and the like.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Audio-visual viewing rooms, such as home cinema rooms, provide an environment in which an audio-visual presentation, such as a motion picture, can be experienced by one or more viewers in a comfortable and relaxing way.

Typically, a dedicated home cinema room will be designed to enhance the audiovisual experience in several ways. For example, the room may be designed to optimise the acoustic performance of the audio-visual system by the inclusion of acoustic absorption, diffusion and reflection materials. The room may also be soundproofed, so that sound from the audio-visual system is not heard outside the room, and to isolate the viewers from external noise. Adjustable lighting may be provided to allow the viewer to select a comfortable lighting intensity and hue. The room may be equipped with suitable heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems to maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels. Staging may be used to provide an elevated floor area for seating, particularly when multiple rows of seats are installed. The environment provided by the room may be further enhanced by the use of high specification interior design elements, such as wall and floor coverings, seating and other furniture, light fittings, audio-visual equipment enclosures and so on.

The creation of dedicated home cinema rooms in existing or new buildings or during extension, renovation or conversion work is becoming increasingly popular. However, it can take several months to design, install and commission a high specification home cinema room. Before work starts on site, a planning phase may include site surveys, selection and sourcing of suitable audio-visual equipment, architectural, interior and mechanical/electrical design, materials selection and sourcing, identification and retention of skilled tradespeople, obtaining and collating quotations, and so on. Construction itself must be carefully managed, and typically involves multiple contractors with different skills who are required to work in a relatively confined area in an appropriate order. The construction process can take weeks or months, with associated noise, dust and disruption. Because of all of these factors, it is not uncommon for the costs of designing and building a high-specification home cinema room to reach several hundred thousand pounds.

Against this background, it would be desirable to provide apparatus and methods for use in creating an audio-visual viewing room that overcome or mitigate at least some of the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

From a first aspect, the present invention provides a kit for constructing an audiovisual viewing room, comprising a set of acoustic insulation panels arrangeable to form a wall assembly of the room, each acoustic insulation panel comprising a facing, wherein at least one of the acoustic insulation panels comprises a pre-made speaker mounting recess that extends through the facing, and at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise one or more pre-installed trunking elements mounted on the facing to define a cable route upon construction of the room.

By providing acoustic insulation panels with pre-made speaker recesses and preinstalled trunking elements, a substantial reduction in installation time and complexity can be achieved when the room is constructed at an installation site.

The room can be at least partially constructed at an off-site location, then dismantled to form the parts of the kit, then re-assembled at the installation site. In this way, a substantial part of the fit-out, installation, testing and calibration work involved in the construction of the room can be undertaken in a pre-installation phase, minimising disruption and time spent at the installation site.

Preferably, the kit comprises a further set of acoustic insulation panels arrangeable to form a roof assembly of the room. At least one of the acoustic insulation panels of the roof assembly may comprise a pre-made speaker mounting recess that extends through the facing, and/or at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels of the roof assembly may comprise one or more pre-installed trunking elements mounted on the facing to form part of the cable route upon construction of the room. Thus the wall assemblies and roof assembly of the room can be constructed using similar components and similar methods, again simplifying installation.

To simplify further the installation process, at least one of the acoustic insulation panels may comprise a pre-installed mounting structure for mounting one or more of a light fitting, a control panel, a screen, an acoustic diffuser panel and/or a video projector. Preferably, a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise preinstalled tracks for attaching a fabric material thereto. The tracks are preferably mounted to the facings. At least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels may comprise an acoustic foam material affixed to the facings.

The kit may further comprise a cable loom. The cable loom may be routable in the cable route upon construction of the room. In one arrangement, at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise one or more first trunking elements to define an electrical supply cable route upon construction of the room and one or more second trunking elements to define a signal cable route upon construction of the room, and the second trunking elements are spaced apart from the first trunking elements to separate the electrical supply cable route from the signal cable route. In this case, the kit may further comprise a first cable loom comprising electrical supply cables and being routable in the electrical supply cable route and a second cable loom comprising signal cables and being routable in the signal cable route.

Where one or more cable looms are provided, the or each cable loom preferably comprises a plurality of cable loom elements connectable by plug-and-socket connectors. In this way, the electrical and/or audio-visual equipment in the room can be easily connected during installation without specialist electrical or electronic work.

The kit may comprise a plurality of support sheet panels arrangeable to form a support layer of a base assembly of the room. Preferably, each of the support sheet panels comprises a plurality of pre-installed bushings for receiving adjustable feet for levelling the support layer during construction of the base assembly. In this way, the support layer can be levelled during installation to provide a level surface upon which the wall assemblies of the room can be constructed. To increase the strength and stiffness of the support layer, the support sheet panels may comprise interlocking edges for connecting adjacent support sheet panels together upon construction of the room.

The kit may comprise a further set of acoustic insulation panels arrangeable to form an insulation layer of a base assembly of the room. Preferably, the kit comprises a plurality of bearers for supporting the insulation layer, the bearers being attached or attachable to the support sheet panels. The bearers may space the insulation layer from the support sheet to accommodate top parts of the adjustable feet, when provided. Preferably, the kit comprises a plurality of base sheet panels arrangeable to form a base layer upon an existing floor. The base layer serves to protect the existing floor and to provide a sound surface for supporting the base assembly.

The acoustic insulation panels of the kit preferably comprise interlocking edges for connecting adjacent acoustic insulation panels together upon construction of the room. In this way, when assembled, the acoustic insulation panels form a self-supporting structure.

The acoustic insulation panels may comprise an inner facing, a foam core, and an outer facing. The foam core may be of a plastics material, and the facings may be of a metal material. The or each speaker mounting recess may extend into the core of the respective acoustic insulation panel, so that protrusion of the speakers into the interior of the room from the inner facing of the acoustic insulation panels can be minimised. A pre-fitted speaker mounting frame is preferably provided in the or each speaker mounting recess and, to maintain sound attenuation through the insulation panel, a sound proof material is preferably disposed between the or each speaker mounting frame and a back of the corresponding recess.

The kit may comprise a plurality of corner brackets arranged to join two of the insulation panels in a right angled corner configuration. For example, each corner bracket may comprise two C-shaped sections arranged at right angles.

The invention also extends to an audio-visual viewing room constructed from a kit according to the first aspect of the invention, and a method for constructing an audiovisual viewing room using a kit according to the first aspect of the invention.

In a further aspect, the invention extends to a method for producing a kit for constructing an audio-visual viewing room, comprising constructing at least part of the audio-visual viewing room at an off-site location and dismantling the room to provide parts of the kit. Constructing at the off-site location preferably comprises arranging acoustic insulation panels to form wall, base and/or ceiling assemblies of the room, and dismantling the room preferably comprises separating the acoustic insulation panels. Constructing at the off-site location may comprise forming a premade speaker mounting recess in at least one of the acoustic insulation panels.

Constructing at the off-site location may comprise affixing, to at least one of the acoustic insulation panels, one or more of: a trunking element; a mounting structure for mounting one or more of a light fitting, a control panel, a screen, an acoustic diffuser panel and/or a video projector; acoustic foam material; and/or tracks for attaching a fabric material thereto. Constructing at the off-site location may, alternatively or in addition, comprise producing at least one cable loom for connecting audio-visual equipment in the room and/or providing electrical supply to equipment in the room.

Throughout this specification, the term “audio-visual viewing room” may be taken to encompass home cinema rooms, home media rooms, audio-visual rooms, home theatre rooms, home entertainment rooms and similar and related terms. It will be appreciated such rooms are in no way limited to the viewing of motion pictures, and that substantially any audio-visual feed, including television, video games, presentations and so on could be experienced in the room. It will also be appreciated that such rooms are not limited to domestic or home use, but could also find application in commercial and industrial settings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs are used for like parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of an audio-visual viewing room according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the interior of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on plane III of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on plane IV of a bottom corner of the room of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Figures 5a and 5b are plan views on an enlarged scale showing the layout of flooring and walling components in part of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a corner bracket of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 7 shows components of a side wall assembly of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 8 shows components of a front wall assembly of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 9 shows components of a back wall assembly of the room of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view on plane X-X through two adjacent panels of the side wall of Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a plan view showing the layout of ceiling and walling components of the room of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figures 1 and 2 show, schematically, the exterior and interior of an audio-visual viewing room 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The room 100 is a free-standing structure that comprises a base assembly 102, side wall assemblies 104, 106, front and back wall assemblies 108, 110, and a top or roof assembly 112.

The room 100 is designed so that the components of the room 100 can be provided as a kit of parts, transported in kit form to an installation location, and then assembled at the installation location. In this way, the time taken for installation of the room 100 at the installation location is substantially reduced compared to prior art installation methods, as will be explained further below.

As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the interior of the room 100 is furnished with a projection screen 114, lighting units 116, acoustic diffuser panels 118, 120 and a projector mounting point 122. Part of the floor area, furthest from the screen 114, is provided with staging 124 to raise the floor level, creating a lower part 126 and a raised part 128 of the floor. The staging 124 includes step areas 130 to allow access to the raised part 128 of the floor. Although not shown, suitable chairs or other seating can be placed on the lower and raised parts 126, 128 of the floor in an appropriate configuration, for example with a first row of chairs on the lower part 126 of the floor and a second row of chairs on the upper part 128 of the floor.

At the front of the room, underneath the projection screen 114, an enclosure 132 is provided to house audio-visual equipment, including sources such as media players, sound processors, amplifiers and the like. Referring additionally to Figure 3, which is a cross-sectional view taken parallel to the side wall assemblies 104, 106, the staging 124 provides a compartment 134 between the upper part 128 of the floor and the base assembly 102 of the room 100, in which electrical equipment, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and other components can be housed. Optionally, equipment can also be mounted on top of the roof assembly 112.

Figure 4 shows the structure of the base assembly 102 on an enlarged scale, sectioned on a plane parallel to the front wall 108 of the room. The base assembly 102 comprises a base layer 140, which is laid upon the existing floor (not shown) of the building at the installation site. In this example, the base layer 140 comprises a plurality of base layer sheets 142 of plywood material, such as birch ply, with a thickness of approximately 18 mm and with standard sheet length and width dimensions of approximately 1.45 m by 2.8 m. The sheets 142 of the base layer 140 are laid in a “floating” or “loose lay” manner, without adhesive or other fixing means to join the sheets 142 to one another or to the existing floor. A structural support layer 144 is laid above the base layer 140. The support layer 144 comprises a plurality of support layer sheets 146, also of plywood material of standard sheet length and width dimensions, but in this case the support layer sheets 146 are approximately 25 mm thick. The sheets 146 of the support layer 144 are joined to one another by tongue and groove joints 148, which are preferably glued.

The support layer 144 is suspended above the base layer 140 by a plurality of adjustable feet 150. Each foot 150 includes an enlarged bottom end 152 that rests on the base layer 140 and a threaded shank 154 that extends upwardly from the bottom end 152. The shanks 154 of the feet 150 are engaged with correspondingly threaded captive inserts or bushings 156 that are disposed in through-thickness holes formed in the sheets 146 of the support layer 144.

Referring additionally to Figure 5a, each sheet 146 of the support layer 144 is supported by a plurality of the feet 150. In the illustrated example, at least ten feet 150 are provided for each sheet 146, with additional feet 150 being provided for the sheets 146a at the edges and corners of the support layer 140. As seen most clearly in Figure 4, the shanks 154 of the feet 150 project above the top of the support layer 144, so that, during installation, the feet 150 can be turned in the bushings 156 to raise or lower the support layer 144 with respect to the base layer 140. In this way, the support layer 144 can be levelled, with height variations in the existing building floor being compensated for by suitable adjustment of the feet 150.

The support layer 144 therefore provides a level, stable platform upon which the remainder of the room 100 can be constructed. A plurality of bearers 160 are laid on top of the support layer 144. In the illustrated example, each bearer 160 is a plywood plank approximately 100 mm wide and approximately 25 mm thick. As seen most clearly in Figure 5a, the bearers 160 are placed in parallel rows in an end-to-end arrangement, with the rows running parallel to the side wall assemblies 104, 106 and avoiding the positions of the feet 150.

Referring back to Figure 4, the bearers 160 together support an insulation layer 162 of the base assembly 102. The insulation layer 162 is constructed from a plurality of self-supporting insulation panels 164 that are suitably connected to form a continuous, acoustically-insulating floor structure. In one example, the insulation panels 164 comprise a polyurethane foam core layer with external facings of steel sheet, forming a sandwich panel with an overall thickness of 100 mm, a length of approximately 3000 mm and a width of approximately 450 mm.

Figure 5b is a plan view showing the layout of the insulation panels 164 of the base assembly 102 with respect to the underlying bearers 160 and support layer sheets 146 (shown with heavy dashed lines). The joints between the short edges 166 of the insulation panels 164 are staggered to increase the stiffness of the insulation layer 162. As can also be seen in Figure 5b, each of the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 comprises vertically-oriented insulation panels 164 of the same type.

The edges of each insulation panel 164 are shaped to engage in an interlocking manner with the respective edges of adjacent panels 164 when assembled. In the illustrated example, one long edge 168 and one short edge 166 of each panel comprise a male rib, and the opposite long and short edges 168, 166 respectively comprise a female channel for receiving the rib of an adjacent panel 164. One example of a suitable panel is sold under the registered Italian trade mark “Isopar” (Lattonedil s.p.a., Milan, Italy).

Referring again to Figure 4, the bearers 160 act as spacers that create a cavity 170 above the support layer 144 that accommodates the upper ends of the shanks 154 of the feet 150, thus ensuring that the lower facings of the insulation panels 164 in the base assembly 102 are not pierced by the shanks 154.

The top of the insulation layer 162 is covered with a multi-layer floor covering. The floor covering includes a vapour-permeable waterproof membrane 172 laid on the top face of the insulation layer 162. The membrane 172 is overboarded with a further layer 174 of 18 mm thick birch plywood sheets with tounge-and-groove joints 176. The plywood layer 174 is covered with an acoustic foam underlay 178, preferably of around 12 mm thickness. The top layer of the floor covering comprises a high-specification carpet 180, preferably with a thickness of approximately 9 mm. The carpet is stretched between gripper rods 182 attached around the periphery of the plywood layer 174, and skirting boards 184 are provided to conceal the edge of the carpet 180.

Still referring to Figure 4, U-shaped channel brackets 186 are mounted on the top side of the support layer 144 of the base assembly 102 along each edge. Each channel bracket 186 accepts and retains the bottom edge of the vertical insulation panels 164 of the adjacent wall assembly 104, 106, 108, 110 to join the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 to the base assembly 102. The shanks 154a of the feet 150a at the periphery of the support layer 144 extend upwardly through apertures in the channel brackets 186 and may extend into the foam core of the insulation panel 164 above. The channel brackets 186 are preferably of a pressed steel or light alloy material.

The front and back wall assemblies 108, 110 are joined to the side wall assemblies 104, 106 using corner brackets 188, one of which is shown in isolation in Figure 6. Each corner bracket 188 is formed to define two C-shaped channels 190, 192 arranged at right angles to one another. In this way, each corner bracket 188 is shaped to accept the end insulation panel 164 of a side wall assembly 104, 106 in one of the channels 190 and the end insulation panel 164 of the adjacent front or back wall assembly 108, 110, as can be seen in Figures 5a and 5b.

Figure 7 is an inside view of one of the side wall assemblies 104, with the insulation panels 164 spaced apart. Figures 8 and 9 are corresponding views of the front wall assembly 108 and the back wall assembly 110. Each of the insulation panels 164 spans the full height of the room, with the exception of two adjacent short panels 164a in the side wall assembly 104 of Figure 7 that are positioned to define a doorway 194 below. The doorway 194 is provided with a lining 196 and a suitable door (not shown), which is preferably sound-proof. The other side wall assembly 106, which is not illustrated in detail, does not include a doorway but is otherwise similar to the side wall assembly 104 of Figure 7.

Various components are mounted on the inside facings of the insulation panels 164 of the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110.

Firstly, cable trunking is mounted to the inside facings of the insulation panels 164 to define cable routes across the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110. A first cable route 200, comprising trunking 202 that carries electrical supply cable, extends generally along the lower parts of the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110. For example, in the side wall assembly 104 of Figure 7, the electrical supply cable trunking 202 extends along a lower part of each of the panels 164, but parts 202a of the trunking also extend vertically upwards on the panels 164 adjacent the doorway 194 to continue the cable route 200 across the doorway. Branches 202b of the electrical supply trunking 202 also extend vertically upwards on two of the side panels 164 to allow electrical supply to the wall lights (not shown in Figure 7). Blocks 208 of sheet material, such as medium-density fibreboard (MDF), are also affixed to these panels 164 to provide a mounting structure for the wall lights.

The first cable route 200 extends from the electrical supply trunking 202 on the side wall assemblies 104, 106 to corresponding trunking 202 mounted on the panels 164 of the front wall assembly 108, as shown in Figure 8. The trunking 202 continues inwardly towards a central region of the front wall assembly 108, where connections to the audio-visual equipment and to an external electrical supply can be made. These connections can be hidden from view by the enclosure 132 (the position of which is marked by dashed lines in Figure 8). A second cable route 210, formed from trunking 212 that carries signal cables of the audio-visual system, extends generally along the upper part of the wall assemblies 164. In this way, the signal cables are spaced apart from the electrical supply cables in the first cable route 200 to minimise interference.

On the front wall assembly 108 (see Figure 8), branches 212a of the signal cable trunking 212 extend vertically upwards from the enclosure 132 to meet horizontally-mounted signal cable trunking 212b that extends across the width of the front wall assembly. In this example, two parallel sets of horizontal signal cable trunking 212b are provided to accommodate the signal cables. Further branches 212c of signal cable trunking extend downwards to three centre speakers 214, which are mounted behind the projection screen (not shown in Figure 8), and to two subwoofer speakers 216. MDF panelling is provided on the facings of the central seven panels 164 to provide a mounting structure 218 for the projection screen.

Referring back to Figure 7, the second cable route 210 continues with signal cable trunking 212 that extends across the length of the side wall assemblies 104. One downwardly-extending branch 212d provides for signal connection to a control panel, for which a mounting block 220 is provided on the insulation panel 165 adjacent to the doorway 194. A further downwardly-extending branch 212e provides for signal connection to a side speaker 222. Upwardly-extending branches 212f are also provided to allow signal connection to ceiling speakers mounted in the roof assembly 112, as will be discussed further below.

The first and second cable routes 200, 210 continue into corresponding electrical supply trunking 202 and signal cable trunking 212 mounted on the panels 164 of the back wall assembly 110, as shown in Figure 9. The electrical supply trunking 202 extends towards a central region of the back wall assembly 110, from where branches 202c extend upwardly to provide an electrical supply to ceiling lighting mounted in the roof assembly. Branches 202d also extend downwardly to provide an electrical supply to the air conditioning equipment that is housed under the staging 124 (see Figures 2 and 3, not shown in Figure 9). An electrical supply is also provided to electrical sockets that are mounted in the staging 124, for example for supplying power to electrically-adjustable seating. Referring again to Figure 9, the signal cable trunking 212 provides for signal connections to rear speakers 224.

Whilst the electrical supply trunking 202 and the signal cable trunking 212 are surface-mounted on the inside facings of the insulation panels 164, each of the speakers 214, 216, 222, 224 is mounted in a recess formed in the respective insulation panel 164, as will now be described.

Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view taken on plane X-X through two adjacent insulation panels 164 of the back wall assembly 110. The rear speaker 224 is mounted in a recess 226 in one of the panels 164. To form the recess 226, the inside facing 164b of the panel 164 is cut out, along with a portion of the foam core material 164c. In this way, the recess 226 extends through the facing 164b. An aluminium speaker frame or casement 228 is mounted in the recess 226 to support the speaker 224. A layer of sound-proof material 229, such as a vinyl foam material, is positioned between the frame 228 and the back of the recess 226 to optimise the acoustic performance of the speaker 224 and to prevent sound leakage to the exterior of the room.

The trunking 202, 212, speakers 214, 216, 222, 224, mounting structures 208, 218, 220, and other components mounted on the inside of the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 are concealed by a fabric material 230, as shown in Figure 10. To attach the fabric material 230 to the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110, tracks in the form of timber battens 232 are mounted on the inside facings 164b of the insulating panels 164, as can be seen in Figures 7, 8 and 9. Referring again to Figure 10, the fabric material 230 is attached to elongate clip profiles 234 that are in turn mounted on the battens 232. In this way, the fabric material 230 can be stretched between the battens 232 to create a planar decorative surface. The fabric material 230 is preferably visually highly opaque, to conceal the underlying components, but acoustically transparent, so that the sound from the speakers is not affected by the fabric material 230.

An acoustic foam material 235 is affixed to the inside facings 164b of the insulating panels 164, as shown in Figure 10 (the acoustic foam material 235 is omitted from the other figures for clarity). The acoustic foam material 235 is preferably a sheet material that may have a self-adhesive side for ease of installation. The acoustic foam material 235 may, for example, be an open-cell melamine foam material or another open-cell foam material. One example of a suitable acoustic foam material is sold under the registered UK Trade Mark “Melatech” (Η & H Acoustic Technologies Limited, Northants, UK).

The acoustic foam material 235 is positioned in the spaces between the trunking 202, 212 (not shown in Figure 10), speaker recesses 228, battens 232 and other components mounted on the inside facings of the wall assemblies 101, 106, 108. 110 to enhance further the acoustic performance of the room 100.

Although a gap is present between the acoustic foam material 235 and the fabric material 230 in the example of Figure 10, it will be appreciated that in other arrangements the fabric material 230 could run across the surface of the acoustic foam material 235. In the illustrated example, acoustic foam material 235a is also affixed to the outside facings 164c of the insulation panels 164.

The top of the room 100 is closed by the roof assembly 112, which is shown in Figure 11. The roof assembly 112 is of generally similar construction to the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110, and thus comprises a plurality of interconnected insulation panels 164 that together form an insulation layer of the roof assembly 112. The insulation panels 164 of the roof assembly 112 may be connected to and supported by the upstanding insulation panels 164 of the wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 by corner brackets 188 of the type shown in Figure 6. Mounting panels 234 for light fittings are disposed on the inside facings of the panels 164. Ceiling speakers 236 are mounted in recesses in the insulation panels 164 in the same way as described above with reference to Figure 10, with suitable signal cable trunking 212. Signal cable trunking 212 also extends to the projector mounting point 122. Battens 232 are also provided to support a stretch fabric material (not shown in Figure 11) to conceal components of the roof assembly 112 from view. An acoustic foam material (not shown) may also be affixed to the inside facings of the panels 164 in the same way as described above with reference to Figure 10.

The roof assembly 112 also incorporates ducting 240 for the HVAC system. In this example, the ducting 240 extends in a loop around the rear half of the roof assembly 112. Low profile ducting 240 is used, so that the ducting 240 can be accommodated between the insulation panels 164 and the stretch fabric material of the roof assembly 112. Suitable vents (not shown) are provided in the ducting 240, but preferably the stretch fabric material allows sufficient passage of air to avoid the need for visible apertures in the ceiling of the room 100.

The ducting 240 of the roof assembly 112 is connected to the HVAC equipment housed in the staging by vertically-extending ducting 242 provided on the back wall assembly 110, as shown in Figure 9. The vertical ducting 242 is concealed behind the acoustic diffuser panel 120 (see Figure 2), which is also mounted to the insulation panels 164.

All of the components required to construct the room 100 at an installation site are preferably provided together as a kit. Typically, the kit includes the basic constructional elements of the room 100, including the components of the base, wall and roof assemblies 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, constructional timber for the staging 124, channel brackets 186 and corner brackets 188. The insulation panels 164 used in the base, wall and roof assemblies 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, and the sheet materials for the base layer 140 and the support layer 144 of the base assembly are all pre-cut to the appropriate size, so that no cutting is required at the installation site. The insulation panels 164 and sheet materials are preferably numbered or otherwise identified to aid assembly. As will be explained further below, at least some of the insulation panels 164 provided in the kit include pre-made speaker mounting recesses, pre-fitted acoustic foam material on the panel facings, pre-fitted trunking elements and/or pre-fitted tracks for the fabric material. A suitable door, lining and (if necessary) equipment for automatic door operation can also be provided. The kit preferably also includes the floor covering (including the membrane 172, plywood sheets for the overboarding 174, underlay 178, carpet 180, gripper rods 182 and skirting boards 184), the fabric material 230 and the acoustic diffuser panels 118, 120. Seating can also be included in the kit.

The kit may also include the audio-visual enclosure 132 and the audio-visual equipment, including a projector and its mounting 122, speakers 214,216, 222, 224, 236, projection screen 114, and the audio-visual sources, processors, amplifiers and so on, together with associated racking and other associated equipment. Control equipment for the room 100, including for example a wall-mounted controller, one or more wireless controllers, associated communication and control modules, and light fittings 116 are also supplied. The HVAC equipment and ducting 240, 242 may also be supplied in the kit.

The signal cables and electrical supply cables are provided as pre-assembled cable looms (not illustrated). For example, a signal cable loom includes cables to connect the speakers 214, 216, 222, 224, 236 to the audio source. Each individual cable element in the loom is of the appropriate length to extend from the audio source, housed in the enclosure 132, to the respective speaker 214, 216, 222, 224, 236, through the signal cable trunking 212. Each cable element is terminated with an appropriate connector at both ends to allow the cables to be rapidly connected during installation, preferably using plug-and-socket connectors. The cable elements are bundled together in the loom so, where possible, the routing of individual signal cables in the trunking 212 can be avoided. The signal cable loom may also include video signal cables and control signal cables to connect the audiovisual equipment in the enclosure 132 to the projector mount 122 and the control panel mount 220.

Similarly, an electrical supply cable loom includes individual cable elements to distribute electrical power around the room, with each individual cable element being of an appropriate length and rating to extend from a power supply unit housed in the enclosure 132 to the required location through the electrical supply trunking 202. Again, each cable element is preferably terminated with an appropriate plug or socket connector so that no hard wiring is required during installation, and the cable elements are bundled together in the loom to aid installation in the electrical supply trunking 202. The power supply unit, in turn, receives power from the existing building through a single plug-in connector, which is preferably an IEC 60309-type connector. A suitable power source is provided in the building, with a corresponding connector, so that the room 100 can be electrically connected the building upon installation without specialist electrical work.

For convenience of installation, two or more signal cable looms and/or two or more electrical cable looms may be provided. Furthermore, one or more of the looms may be split into two or more sections for ease of installation, with the sections preferably being connectable by plug-and-socket connectors.

To prepare the kit of parts, the room can be at least partly pre-assembled in a preinstallation phase at an off-site location before being dismantled into transportable components for delivery to the installation site as part of the kit. The pre-installation phase also provides the opportunity to test and optimise the audio-visual and air conditioning systems.

During a typical pre-installation phase, the base assembly 102 is first constructed, using the adjustable legs 150 to level the support layer 144 as described above with reference to Figure 4. To allow the support layer sheets 146 to be separated later, during the pre-installation phase the tongue-and-groove joints 148 are not glued. The channel brackets 186 and the bearers 160 may either be cut to match the dimensions of the support layer sheets 146 and affixed to the sheets 146, or may be longer than the sheets 146 but not permanently affixed to the sheets during the pre-installation phase.

The wall assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 and the roof assembly 112 are then constructed on the level base assembly 102, using the corner brackets 188. The inside facings of the insulation panels 164 of the wall and roof assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 exposed to the interior of the room. The staging 124 is also assembled.

The recesses 226 for the speakers 214, 216, 222, 224, 236 are formed in the appropriate insulation panels 164, and the sound-proof material 229 and the speaker mounting frames 228 can be installed in the recesses 226. Conveniently, the speaker recesses 226 may be formed and the frames 228 installed before the insulation panels 164 are incorporated into the wall and roof assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110. Alternatively, the speaker recesses 226 may be formed after construction of the wall and roof assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110 during the pre-installation phase.

The trunking 202, 212 for the electrical supply cables and the signal cables, the battens 232 for the stretch fabric material 234, the mounting structures 208, 218, 220 and the acoustic foam material 235. 235a can also be fitted to the inside facings 164b and the outside facings 164c of the appropriate insulation panels 164.

To allow the insulation panels 164 to be separated later, the trunking 202, 212 is split into separate trunking elements on each insulation panel 164, as can be seen in Figures 7 to 9. None of the trunking elements spans over more than one insulation panel 164, but when the insulation panels 164 are arranged into their assembled positions during construction, the trunking elements of adjacent panels 164 align to create continuous trunking runs 202, 212. The trunking elements could be cut to the appropriate length for the panels 164 prior to installation or, alternatively, the trunking could be affixed across the panels 164 in longer lengths and then cut in-situ at the joins between the panels 164 to create the trunking elements. Likewise, the acoustic insulation material 235, 235a (see Figure 10) can be pre-cut so that it does not extend across the joins between the panels 164, or can be cut after assembly to allow the panels 164 to be separated. Similarly, none of the battens 232 or the mounting structures 208, 218, 220 extend across more than a single insulation panel 164.

The HVAC equipment is also installed during the pre-installation phase, including the ducting 240, 242 in the roof assembly 112 and the rear wall assembly 110. The audio-visual equipment is also installed, with the speakers 214, 216, 222, 224, 236 mounted in the respective speaker recesses and connected to the audio-visual sources by the signal cable loom, which is routed through the signal cable trunking 212. The electrical supply cable loom is installed in the electrical supply trunking 202 to allow connection of the equipment to the power supply. Conveniently, the signal cable loom and/or the electrical supply cable loom can be manufactured during the pre-installation phase, by cutting appropriate cable stock to length, terminating each cable element with a suitable connector, and then wrapping the cable elements together to form the looms.

Finally, the floor covering, acoustic diffuser panels 118, 120, lighting units 116 and fabric material 230 are installed. The air conditioning equipment, audio-visual equipment, lighting and other components can then be fully tested and calibrated if necessary.

After testing, the room 100 is disassembled to form the kit of parts for transportation to the installation site. To keep on-site construction to a minimum, in this example, the speaker casements 228, trunking 202, 212, battens 232 and mounting structures 208, 218, 220 are not removed from the insulation panels 164 during disassembly.

Thus, the insulation panels 164 provided in the kit for forming the wall and roof assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110, 112 include panels with pre-formed speaker recesses 226, which are pre-fitted with casements 228 and associated sound proofing material 229. The insulation panels 164 also, where appropriate, carry acoustic foam material 235, 235a, elements of the trunking 202, 212, battens 232 and clip profiles 234 forming tracks the fabric wall covering, and/or mounting structures 208, 218, 220. In this way, when the insulation panels 164 are erected at the installation site in the appropriate order to construct the wall and roof assemblies 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, a large number of construction steps can be avoided.

Other components that are assembled during the pre-installation phase can also remain assembled in the kit. For example, the plywood sheets 146 provided in the kit to form the support layer 144 of the base assembly 102 are pre-fitted with the bushings 156 for the adjustable feet 150 and the battens 160. The timber carcassing for the staging 124 can be cut and bolted together in the pre-installation phase and then dismantled, so that the kit includes pre-cut lengths of timber that can be easily re-assembled at the installation site.

Furthermore, since testing and calibration can take place during the pre-installation phase, it is not generally necessary for specialist audio-visual or HVAC engineers to attend the installation site.

Throughout construction in the pre-installation phase, a flexible acoustic-grade sealant (also known as caulk or mastic), such as a silicone sealant, can be applied to close any openings or joints in the structure. The sealant can be cut where necessary to allow disassembly of the room and re-sealed upon re-assembly at the installation site. Thus, since at least some of the sealant is pre-applied, the amount of sealant that must be applied at the installation site is substantially reduced.

The extent to which the room 100 is constructed in the pre-installation phase depends upon the circumstances. Where the room 100 has been customised for a particular installation, for example in relation to its dimensions, furnishings or audiovideo equipment selection, it may be appropriate to fully construct the room 100 in the pre-installation phase, including surface coverings and decoration, to allow testing and full calibration of all of the components in the finished environment of the room 100 at the off-site location. In other cases, it may be sufficient to only partly pre-assemble the room. For example, it may not be necessary to lay floorcoverings, install the stretch fabric material on the wall and roof assemblies, or install lighting and/or seating during the pre-installation phase.

The construction approach described above also allows multiple rooms of a standardised design to be replicated. In these cases, the speaker mountings, trunking, tracks and other elements can be pre-installed on individual insulation panels in the appropriate configuration to allow a standardised design to be replicated at the installation site, without the need for pre-construction of the base, wall and floor assemblies in advance. If the same audio-visual system is used in each standardised room of this type, a pre-set calibration can be applied to the system to avoid the need for on-site calibration. Rooms of different sizes can be readily designed by changing the number of insulation panels that make up each wall assembly.

It will be understood that the room 100 can be installed inside an existing building with minimal impact on the existing structure. The bottom layer of the base assembly protects the existing building floor, and is laid without adhesive or other fixings. The components of the wall assemblies are supported on the base assembly, so that fixings between the wall assemblies and the existing building are not needed. Similarly, the roof assembly can be supported entirely by the wall assemblies. It is necessary only to provide a single suitable electrical power source with the appropriate connector at the installation location. No further connections to the building are required.

As a result, the room is suitable for installation in a wide range of building environments. For example, the room could be installed within an existing space that is only slightly larger than the room. The room could instead be installed in a larger space, such as a hall, showroom or exhibition space, in which the exterior of the room is visible. In such cases, the exterior of the room can be finished with an appropriate covering, such as the same fabric material as used for the interior surfaces.

It will be appreciated that various modifications and variations of the above-described examples are possible.

For example, in the illustrated example, the insulation panels are interlocking and self-supporting, so that additional framework components are not required to support the structure. However, it is conceivable that the insulation panels could be supported by a timber or metal framework. It is also possible that multiple layers of insulation panels could be provided, for example to improve the sound insulation of the room or to allow the use of thinner panels. Similarly, multiple layers of acoustic foam material may be provided on the inside and/or outside facings of the insulation panels as appropriate for a given application. It is also conceivable that the acoustic foam material could be omitted or provided only on one of the inside or outside facings of the insulation panels.

Various means for connecting adjacent insulation panels to one another can be contemplated. For example, an additional gasket or seal may be used to seal the joint between adjacent panels, either in combination with or instead of the interlocking features illustrated. Adjacent insulation panels may be bolted, screwed or otherwise mechanically fastened together. As an alternative to the corner brackets illustrated in Figure 6, the wall assemblies could be connected to one another at the corners by a different means, such as by an L-shaped insulation panel. The insulation panels may be of any suitable material. For example, panels with a polyisocyanurate foam core may be used.

Various parts of the room could be omitted to suit certain applications. For example, the base layer of the base assembly need not be provided if the existing building floor is suitable to accept the feet of the support layer directly. The staging can be omitted, for example for small rooms or where alternative means for raising the back rows of seating are provided. In this case, an additional enclosure may be provided inside or outside the room to accommodate equipment that would otherwise be housed in the staging.

The positions of various components could vary from those illustrated. For example, the air conditioning ducting and other components could be mounted on the upper side of the insulation panels in the roof assembly, with suitable ports through the insulation panels to connect the ducting to the interior of the room. The position and number of the lighting units, enclosures and so on could be varied from that shown. In the illustrated example, no ducting or trunking is provided in the base assembly, but in other arrangements the base assembly may include such components.

Any suitable audio-visual system could be installed in the room, with the location and number of speakers being selected accordingly. Preferably, the audio-visual system includes one or more wireless controllers that can also be used to control the lighting and air conditioning systems. The audio-visual system may support remote access for diagnostics.

The design of the room provides for considerable flexibility in interior finishing, allowing for both aesthetic and acoustic design considerations. For example, acoustically reflective or diffusive surfaces can be incorporated into the enclosure for the audio-visual equipment and the lighting units. The acoustic diffuser panels may be omitted, or may be of any suitable number and size. The speakers may be concealed behind the wall covering, or may be exposed, and so on.

The size of the components, and in particular the acoustic insulation panels, can be selected as appropriate for a particular application. In the illustrated example, the insulation panels are approximately 3000 mm long approximately 450 mm wide, but insulation panels with different dimensions could be used. In another embodiment, for example, insulation panels with a width of approximately 1000 mm are used, so that fewer insulation panels are required for a given length of wall, base or roof assembly. Conveniently, the length of each insulation panel is chosen to match the desired height of the room (typically between 2 m and 4 m, although greater room heights are also possible). However, it is also conceivable that the insulation panels in the wall assemblies could be stacked vertically to create a room height that exceeds the length of the insulation panels.

Further modifications and variations are also possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A kit for constructing an audio-visual viewing room, comprising a set of acoustic insulation panels arrangeable to form a wall assembly of the room, each acoustic insulation panel comprising a facing, wherein: at least one of the acoustic insulation panels comprises a pre-made speaker mounting recess that extends through the facing; and at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise one or more pre-installed trunking elements mounted on the facing to define a cable route upon construction of the room.

2. A kit according to Claim 1, comprising a further set of acoustic insulation panels arrangeable to form a roof assembly of the room.

3. A kit according to Claim 2, wherein at least one of the acoustic insulation panels of the roof assembly comprises a pre-made speaker mounting recess that extends through the facing, and/or wherein at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels of the roof assembly comprise one or more preinstalled trunking elements mounted on the facing to form part of the cable route upon construction of the room.

4. A kit according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the acoustic insulation panels comprises a pre-installed mounting structure for mounting one or more of a light fitting, a control panel, a screen, an acoustic diffuser panel and/or a video projector.

5. A kit according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise pre-installed tracks for attaching a fabric material thereto, wherein the tracks are mounted to the facings.

6. A kit according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise an acoustic foam material affixed to the facings.

7. A kit according to any preceding claim, further comprising a cable loom, and wherein the cable loom is routable in the cable route upon construction of the room.

8. A kit according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein at least a plurality of the acoustic insulation panels comprise one or more first trunking elements to define an electrical supply cable route upon construction of the room and one or more second trunking elements to define a signal cable route upon construction of the room, wherein the second trunking elements are spaced apart from the first trunking elements to separate the electrical supply cable route from the signal cable route, and wherein the kit further comprises a first cable loom comprising electrical supply cables and being routable in the electrical supply cable route and a second cable loom comprising signal cables and being routable in the signal cable route.

9. A kit according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the or each cable loom comprises a plurality of cable loom elements connectable by plug-and-socket connectors.

10. A kit according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of support sheet panels arrangeable to form a support layer of a base assembly of the room.

11. A kit according to Claim 10, wherein each of the support sheet panels comprises a plurality of pre-installed bushings for receiving adjustable feet for levelling the support layer during construction of the base assembly.

12. A kit according to Claim 11, wherein the support sheet panels comprise interlocking edges for connecting adjacent support sheet panels together upon construction of the room.

13. A kit according to any of Claims 10 to 12, comprising a further set of acoustic insulation panels arrangeable to form an insulation layer of the base assembly.

14. A kit according to Claim 13, wherein the kit comprises a plurality of bearers for supporting the insulation layer, wherein the bearers are attached or attachable to the support sheet panels.

15. A kit according to any of Claims 10 to 14, wherein the kit comprises a plurality of base sheet panels arrangeable to form a base layer upon an existing floor.

16. A kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the acoustic insulation panels comprise interlocking edges for connecting adjacent acoustic insulation panels together upon construction of the room.

17. A kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the acoustic insulation panels comprise an inner facing, a foam core, and an outer facing.

18. A kit according to Claim 17, wherein the or each speaker mounting recess extends into the core of the respective acoustic insulation panel.

19. A kit according to any preceding claim, wherein a pre-fitted speaker mounting frame is provided in the or each speaker mounting recess.

20. A kit according to Claim 19, wherein a sound proof material is disposed between the or each speaker mounting frame and a back of the corresponding recess.

21. A kit according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of corner brackets, and wherein each corner bracket is arranged to joining two of the insulation panels in a right angled corner configuration.

22. An audio-visual viewing room constructed from the kit of any preceding claim.

23. A method for producing a kit for constructing an audio-visual viewing room, the method comprising constructing at least part of the audio-visual viewing room at an off-site location and dismantling the room to provide parts of the kit.

24. A method according to Claim 23, wherein constructing at the off-site location comprises arranging acoustic insulation panels to form wall, base and/or ceiling assemblies of the room, and wherein dismantling the room to provide parts of the kit comprises separating the acoustic insulation panels.

25. A method according to Claim 24, wherein constructing at the off-site location comprises forming a pre-made speaker mounting recess in at least one of the acoustic insulation panels.

26. A method according to Claim 24 or Claim 25, wherein constructing at the offsite location comprises affixing, to at least one of the acoustic insulation panels, one or more of: a trunking element; a mounting structure for mounting one or more of a light fitting, a control panel, a screen, an acoustic diffuser panel and/or a video projector; acoustic foam material; and/or tracks for attaching a fabric material thereto.

27. A method according to any of Claims 23 to 26, wherein constructing at the off-site location comprises producing at least one cable loom for connecting audio-visual equipment in the room and/or providing electrical supply to equipment in the room.