MXPA06009068A - Panel assembly for traffic noise barrier wall - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel assembly (50) for a traffic noise barrier wall (48) of the type including opposing slots (18) formed in pairs of vertically-mounted posts (14) is described. The panel assembly (50) includes a sheet (54), which may be transparent, and a frame (62) disposed along at least a portion of the perimeter of the sheet (54). Side portions of the frame (62) capture at least a portion of the side edges (60) of the sheet (54) and are received within the opposing slots (18) in drop-down fashion. (Drawing Fig. 2)

Description

MOUNTING OF PANEL FOR WALL BARRIER AGAINST TRAFFIC NOISE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to walls barriers against traffic noise. More specifically, this invention relates to panels for walls barriers against traffic noise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Barrier walls "against traffic noise serve to otherwise protect areas of noise silence caused by traffic, automotive, rail, air, sea or bystanders.A typical wall barrier against traffic noise is approximately 4 to 18 feet high and is continuously projected along a selected section of a road, railroad tracks, airstrip, navigable stream, parking lot, corridor where people walk, and the like.These walls are typically constructed of acoustically absorbing or reflecting panels supported by vertically mounted posts Fig. 1 shows a common design of a traffic noise barrier wall, which is indicated as 10. In the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. panel 12 is constructed of wood or concrete and is supported between an adjacent pair of mounted posts REF.:174520 vertically 14, with the edges s 16 of the panel 12 received in notches 18 arranged in the posts 14 in a "downward" manner. That is, the side edges 16 of each panel 12 are aligned with the notches 18 and the panel 12 is lowered between the posts 14 to secure the panel 12 between the posts 14. Examples of such a noise barrier wall are found in the Patents US Nos. 5,713,170 and 5,537,788, both published by Elmore et al. Walls barriers against noise of this type are suitably firm and effective to reduce road noise. However, the support posts must be of adequate size to withstand the substantial weight of the wood or concrete panels under various environmental loads (eg, wind loads, tremor loads, etc.). As a result, the support posts found in the noise barrier walls are large and expensive to manufacture. However, if it becomes necessary to increase the height of the wall after the wall has been constructed, the addition of more concrete or wood panels to the post structure is sometimes sometimes impossible due to the inability of the posts to handle the wall. increasing load caused by the additional panels. Such addition in height may be required, for example, that noise regulations become stricter or that the amount of noise generated by traffic increases. Therefore, to increase the height of such noise barrier walls, the existing posts must be replaced with greater expense. Yet another disadvantage of using wood or concrete panels in a barrier wall against traffic noise is that they block the view of any business or roadside scenario from travelers on the road. To overcome this deficiency, wall systems using transparent panels have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,411 published by Pickett discloses transparent polycarbonate resin panels for use as a barrier acoustic barrier along the highway. Although these wall systems are effective in providing travelers with an exterior view of the road, they typically require unique mounting structures that do not allow them to modify back into the poles commonly used in the walls barriers against traffic noise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The above described and other disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated with a panel assembly for a traffic noise barrier wall of the type including opposite notches formed in pairs of vertically mounted posts. The panel assembly includes a sheet of material and a structure disposed along at least a portion of the perimeter of the sheet. The side portions of the structure capture at least a portion of the side edges of the sheet. The lateral portions of the structure are received within the opposite samples in descending order. Elastomeric seals can be arranged between the structure and the surfaces forming the opposing notches and the sheet can be formed of a transparent material. In a modality, the side portions of the panel assembly each include a base portion disposed outside the side edge of the sheet and the first and second flanges extending from the base portion. The flanges form at least a portion of a channel to capture the lateral edge of the sheet. The structure can be arranged outside the total perimeter of the sheet, with the channel formed by the base portion and the first and second flanges that capture each of the upper, lower and side edge of the sheet. The base portion and the first and second flanges can be formed with a single piece of material. Alternatively, the first and second flanges may be coupled with a surface of the base portion. An elastomeric gasket can cover at least a portion of the lateral edge of the captured sheet within the channel. The structure includes at least one projection and a recess disposed thereon to engage with a second panel assembly disposed in the opposite grooves. The details of one or more of the embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying figures and the following description. Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and the figures and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention will be fully understood with the detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which the same elements are numbered in the same way, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a barrier wall against traffic noise of the prior art having panels received between the posts in descending order; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevated view of a traffic noise barrier wall including panel assemblies of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of a traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is an elevation view with cross section of a portion of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of a portion of an alternate embodiment of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of the alternating mode of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 2; FIG. 8 is an elevation view with cross section of a traffic noise barrier wall including panel assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional plan view of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 8; ~ FIG. 10 is a detail view of a portion of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 8; FIG. 11 is an elevation view with cross section of the barrier wall against traffic noise of FIG. 8; FIG. 12 is an elevation view with cross section of a traffic noise barrier wall including panel assemblies according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 13, is a cross-sectional plan view of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 12; FIG. 14 is a detailed view of a portion of the traffic noise barrier wall of FIG. 12; and FIG. 15 is an elevation view with cross section of the barrier wall against traffic noise of FIG. 12 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 2 shows an elevation view with cross section of a traffic noise barrier wall 48 including panel assemblies 50 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the wall Barrier against traffic noise 48. The barrier wall against traffic noise 48 is of the type that serves to otherwise protect areas with noise silence caused by automotive, rail, air, marine or pedestrian traffic. The traffic noise barrier wall 48 can be placed along a selected section of a road, railroad tracks, airstrip, navigable stream, parking lot, corridor where people walk, and the like, and has a height that is appropriate For the requirements of the wall for the abatement of a particular noise, the height of the noise barrier wall can be formed from approximately 4 to 18 feet. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the noise barrier wall 48 includes vertically mounted, spaced posts 14 having panel assemblies 50 extending between each pair of posts 14. The panel assemblies 50 each include a sheet 54 of material having the top 56, bottom 58, and side edges 60 that form a perimeter of sheet 54, and a structure 62 disposed around the perimeter of sheet 54. At least a portion of each of the edges the upper, lower and - the sides 56, 58, 60 of the sheet 54 can be captured by the structure 62. The side portions 64 of the structure 62 capture at least a portion of the side edges 60 of the sheet 54 and are received within the opposite notches 18. descending By "descending" assembly means that the side portions 64 of each panel assembly 50 align with the notches 18 and the panel assembly 50 is lowered between the posts 14 and into the notches 18 to secure the panel assembly 50 to the vertically mounted posts 14, as shown in FIG. 1. While, in the embodiment shown, two panel assemblies 50 arranged between each pair of posts 14, it is contemplated that one or more panel assemblies 50 may be disposed between each pair of posts 14. Posts 14 may be part of a wall barrier against existing traffic noise, with the existing wood or concrete panels 12 (FIG.1) which are replaced with the assemblies of the panels 50. Alternatively, the posts 14 can be designed specifically for use with the panel assemblies 50. On the posts 14, the tabs 66 of the post extending from the sides of the post 14 define each of the notches 18. The width of the notch 18 is greater than the thickness "t" of the side portions 64 of the structure 62, with sufficient clearance between the structure 62 and the flanges 66 of the post so that the side portions 64 slide into the notches 18 to allow the downward insertion of the panele assemblies s 50 within the notches 18. The posts 14 are mounted to a secure base, such as, for example, the floor, a concrete platform, a traffic barrier or parapet, or the like. The posts 14 are formed of a rigid material such as, for example, concrete, steel or wood. In one embodiment shown, each structure 50 includes an upper portion 68, a lower portion 70, and side portions 64, with each portion 64, 68 and 70 that capture a portion of an upper, lower or side receiving edge 56, 58, or 60 of the sheet 54. The end of each of the portions 64, 68, and 70 interconnects with the end of the adjacent portions 64, 68 and 70 at the miter joints 72, which form corners of the structure 50. structure 50 is formed of a rigid material such as steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic and the like. Each of the miter joints 72 can be welded, secured or otherwise bonded to form a continuous, rigid structure 50 around the entire periphery of the sheet 5. While the structure 50 is shown to include the side portions 64 and the upper and lower portions 68 and 70 to capture at least a portion of the four side edges 56, 58, and 60 of the sheet 54, it is also within the reach of the invention of the structure 50 to only be present at two opposite edges of the sheet 54 or the three edges of the sheet 54. For example, it is contemplated that the structure 50 may include only the side portions 64 within the upper and lower portions 68 and 70. In this embodiment, only the side edges of the sheet 54 will be captured by the structure 50. Each of the sheets 54 is made with an acoustically absorbent and / or reflective material that is suitable for the individual application of the wall barrier against traffic noise 48. For example, the sheet 54 can be made of a transparent material where it is desired that travelers on a road, railways, airstrip, navigable stream , parking lot, corridor where people walk, adjacent to wall 48 have a view through wall 48. An example of a preferred transparent material for use as a sheet 54 is the acrylic sheet PARAGLASS SOUNDSTOP® commercially available from CYRO Industries, 100 Enterprise Drive, Roc away, NJ. Where transparency is not desired, other materials such as wood, steel, opaque acrylic, plastic, and the like may be used. The sheet 54 can be corrugated or otherwise to add strength. Referring now to FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of the post 14 and the side portions 64 of the adjacent structures 62 is shown. Each side portion 64 includes a base portion 80 disposed outside the respective side edge 60 of the sheet 54. The flanges 82 project "from the base portion 80 on the opposite sides of the sheet 54. The base portion 80 and the flanges 82 from a channel for capturing the side edges 60 of the sheet 54. An elastomeric seal 84 may cover the side edge 60 of the sheet 54 within the channel for securing the sheet 54 within the channel The base portion 80 and the flanges 82 are received in the notch 18. As shown in FIG., the flanges 82 can extend along the entire lateral edge 60 of the sheet 54. An elastomeric seal 86 is disposed between each of the flanges 82 of the side portions 64 and the post 14. The elastomeric seal 86 occupies any space between the flanges 82 and the post 14. When sizing the structure 50 for a particular application, the thickness "s" of the sheet 54 and the thickness "f" of the flanges can be selected to provide the required total thickness "t" of the structure 50 for the particular application. For example, where the panel assembly 50 is to replace a panel of wood or concrete that is thicker than the sheet 54, the thickness "f" of the tabs can be selected such that the total thickness "t" of the structure 62 is equal to the thickness of the wooden panel or concrete that is to replace. The thickness "s" of the sheet 54 may be substantially less than the width of the notches 18. "Substantially" less than the width of the notches 18, means that the thickness of the sheet 54 is less than 50% of the maximum width of the grooves 18, and more preferably less than 30% of the thickness of the grooves 18. For example, the maximum width of the grooves 18 can be from about 4 inches to about 5 inches to accept a standard wood or concrete panel, and the thickness "s" of an acrylic sheet 54 may be about one inch. Because the structure 62 supports a relatively thin sheet 54, the panel assembly 50 is much lighter than the wood or concrete panel than the replacement one. As a result, the load applied by the panel assembly 50 to the posts 14 is less than that which would be applied by the wood or concrete panel. Because the load is smaller, a greater number of panel assemblies 50 can be used instead of concrete or wood panels. In other words, it. it becomes necessary to increase the height of the wall 48, the concrete or wood panels can simply be removed and replaced with a greater number of panel assemblies 50.

If the height of the posts 14 is insufficient to accommodate the increase in the number of assemblies of the panels 50, can be added extensions to the tops of the posts 14 to support the increasing number of assemblies of the panels 50. In any case, because the assemblies of the panels 50 are lighter than the panels of wood or concrete, the panels of wood or concrete can be replaced without having to develop the - Costly procedure of removing and replacing posts 14. Referring to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of a lower portion 70 of a panel assembly 50 is shown proximate to an upper portion 68 of another panel assembly 50. Such an arrangement can occur when two or more panel assemblies 50 are disposed between a simple pair of posts 14, as shown in FIG. 2. The comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5 shows that the cross section of the side portions 64 of FIG. 4 are substantially 0 similar to the cross section of the upper and lower portions 68, 70 of FIG. 5. It is contemplated that each of the portions 64, 68 and 70 of the structure 62 are substantially similar in construction, each having a base portion 80 with flanges 82 extending from it, and with the associated edge 56, 68 or 60 of the sheet 54 that is captured between the flanges 82. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the flanges 82 of each is formed of a tube, which is attached by welding, fasteners, or the like to a plate forming the base portion 80. Preferably, the materials used to make the flanges 82 are the same for each of the upper, lower or side portions 68, 70, and 64 of the structure 62. That is, a simple type of tube can be cut as necessary to form the flanges 82 for any portion of the structure 62. Similarly , the plate used to make the base portion 80 is preferably the same for each of the upper, lower and side portions 68, 70 and 64 of the structure 62. Using the same materials for each of the upper portions, bottom and side 68, 70 and 64 of the structure 62 allows the manufacturing costs of the structure 62 to be reduced. It is also contemplated that the manufacturing costs of the structure 62 will be further reduced, the flanges 82 may be preassembled to the The plate forming the base 80, and the cutting of the entire assembly is necessary to form any of the upper, lower or lateral portions 68, 70 and 64 of the structure 62. FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternate construction of the structure 62. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the upper, lower, and lateral portions 68, 70 and 64 of the structure 62 are formed by extruding, molding, forging or otherwise shaping a single piece of metal to obtain a unitary structure which includes the flanges 82 and the base portion 80. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the flanges 82 and the base portion 80 may be preformed for use in any of the upper, lower and side portions 68, 70 and 64 of the structure 62. The material formed afterwards may be cut for any portion of the structure. structure 62. Referring to FIGS 5 and 7, each panel assembly 50 may include a locking means with an adjacent panel assembly 50 to prevent relative movement of the assemblies of the panels 50 when they are stacked between the posts 14. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, for example, the upper portion 68 of a structure 50 and the lower portion 68 of an adjacent structure 50. each includes a projection 90 extending therefrom. The projection 90 on the upper portion 68 is placed on one side of its associated base 80, and the projection 90 on the lower portion 70 is placed on the opposite side of its associated base 80. Each projection 90 extends longer than the plate which forms its associated base 80 such that when the lower portion 70 of a panel assembly 50 rests on the upper portion 68 of the other panel assembly 50, the projections 90 capture the plate assemblies therebetween to prevent relative lateral movement of the assemblies of the panels 50. The locking means of FIG. 7 includes a pair of projections 92 extending from the lower portion 70 of the structure 62 in a panel assembly 50, and a projection 94 extending from the upper portion 68 of the structure 62 in an adjacent panel assembly 50. The single projection 94 extends between the pair of projections 92-when the lower portion 70 of a panel assembly 50 rests on the upper portion 68 of the other panel assembly 50 to prevent relative lateral movement of the panel assemblies 50. In each of the modalities of FIG. 5 or FIG. 7, the projections 90, 92 and 94 may extend along the entire length of the upper and / or lower portions 68, 70 of the structures 62. Referring to FIGS 8 and 9, a noise barrier wall is shown. of traffic 48 including assemblies of panels 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The noise barrier wall 48 includes vertically mounted, spaced posts 14 having panel assemblies 100 that extend between each pair of posts 14. The pole assemblies 100 each include a sheet 54 of material having the top edges 56. , lower 58 and lateral 60 that form a perimeter of the sheet 54, and a structure 102 arranged around the perimeter of the sheet 54. At least a portion of each of the upper, lower and side edges 56, 58, 60 of the the sheet 54 can be captured by the structure 102. The side portions 104 of the structure 102 capture at least a portion of the side edges 60 of the sheet 54 and are received into the opposite notches 18 in a downward manner. While, in the embodiment shown, the two panel assemblies 100 are arranged between each pair of posts 14, it is contemplated that one or more panel assemblies 100 may be arranged between each pair of posts 14. The posts may be part of a wall barrier against traffic noise, with the existing wood or concrete panels 12 (FIG 1) being replaced with the assemblies of the panels 100. Alternatively, the posts 14 can be specifically designed to be used with the assemblies of the panels 100. In the posts 14, the flanges 66 of the post extending from the sides of the posts 14 define each of the notches 18. The width of the notches 18 is greater than the thickness "t" of the side portions 104 of the structure 102 , with sufficient free space that exists between the structure 102 and the flanges of the post 66 so that the lateral portions 102 slide into the notches 18 to allow the descending insertion of the assemblies of the panels 1 00 into the notches 18. The posts 14 are mounted to a secure base, such as, for example, the floor, a concrete platform, a traffic barrier or parapet, or the like. The posts 14 are formed of a rigid material such as, for example, concrete, steel or wood. In the embodiment shown, each structure 102 includes an upper portion 106, a lower portion 108 and the side portions 104, with each portion 106, 108 and 104 that capture a portion of a respective upper, lower or side edge 56, 58 or 60 of the sheet 54. The ends of each portion 104, 106 and 108 are interconnected with the ends of the adjacent portions 104, 106 and 108 with miter joints 72, which form corners of the structure 102. The structure 102 is formed with a rigid material such as, for example, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic and the like. Each miter joint 72 can be welded, clamped, or otherwise bonded to form a continuous, rigid structure 102 around the entire perimeter of the sheet 54. Since the structure 102 is shown to include the side portions 104 and the portions upper and lower 106 and 108 to capture at least a portion of the four side edges 56, 58, and 60 of the sheet 54, this is also within the scope of the invention for the structure 102 to only be present on two opposite edges of the sheet 54 or on three of the edges of the sheet 54. For example, contemplate that the structure 104 may include only the side portions 104 without the upper and lower portions 106 and 108. In this embodiment, only the edges of the sheet 54 will be captured by the structure 102. Each sheet 54 is made of an acoustically absorbent material and / or reflector that is suitable for the individual application of the traffic noise barrier wall 48. For example, the sheet 54 can be made of a transparent material where travelers on the road, railways, airstrip, are desired. navigable stream, parking lot, corridor where the people walk, adjacent to the wall 48 have a view through the wall 48. An example of a preferred transparent material for use as a sheet 54 is the PARAGLASS SOUNDSTOP® acrylic sheet. Where transparency is not desired, other materials such as wood, steel, opaque acrylic, plastic, and the like may be used. The sheet 54 can be corrugated or otherwise to add strength. Referring to FIG. 10, a cross-sectional view of the post 14 and the side portions 104 of the adjacent structures 102 is shown. Each side portion 104 includes a base portion 110 disposed outside the respective lateral edge 60 of the sheet 54. The flanges 112 project from the base portion 110 on the opposite sides of the sheet 54. The base portion 110 and the flanges 112 form a channel for capturing the side edge 60 of the sheet 54. An elastomeric seal 114 can cover the side edge 60 of the blade 54 within the channel to secure the sheet 54 within the channel. The base portion 110 and the flanges 112 are received in the notch 18 of the post 14. As shown in FIG. 8, the flanges 112 may extend along the entire side edge 60 of the sheet 54. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the base portion 110 generally has a triangular cross section, with the flanges 112 extending from a vertex of a triangle and with the base of the triangle forming the thickness "t" of the side portions 104 of the structure 102. Arranged between each side of the base portion 110 and the post 14 is an elastomeric seal 116. The elastomeric seal 116 occupies any space between the base portion 110 and the post 14. When sizing the structure 102 for a particular application, the thickness "s" of the sheet 54 and the thickness "t" of the side portions 104 may be selected for the particular application. For example, where the panel assembly 100 is to replace a panel of wood or concrete that is thicker than the sheet 54, the thickness "t" of the side portions 104 can be made equal to the thickness of the wood or concrete panel that the panel. panel assembly 100 is to replace. As a result, the thickness "s" of the sheet 54 can be substantially less than the width of the notches 18. Because the structure .102 supports a relatively thin sheet 54, the panel assembly 100 is much lighter than the panel. of wood or concrete that is to replace. As a result, the load applied by the panel assembly 100 to the posts 14 is less than that which would be applied by the wood or concrete panel. Because the load is smaller, a greater number of panel assemblies 100 can be used instead of concrete or wood panels. In other words, it becomes necessary to increase the height of the wall 48, the concrete or wood panels can simply be removed and replaced with a greater number of panel assemblies 100. If the height of the posts 14 is insufficient to accommodate the increase in the number of assemblies of the panels 100, extensions may be added to the tops of the posts 14 to support the increasing number of assemblies of the panels 100. In any case, because the assemblies of the panels 100 are lighter than the wood or concrete panels, the wood or concrete panels can be replaced without having to develop the costly procedure of removing and replacing the posts 14. Referring to FIG. . 11, a cross-sectional view of a lower portion 108 of a panel assembly 100 is shown proximate an upper portion 106 of another panel assembly 100. Such an arrangement can occur when two or more panel assemblies 100 are arranged between a pair simple of posts 14, as shown in FIG. 8. Each panel assembly 100 may include a locking means with an adjacent panel assembly 100 to prevent relative movement of the assemblies of the panels 100 when they are stacked between the posts 14. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the upper portion 106 of a structure 102 and the lower portion 108 of an adjacent structure 102 each include a projection 120 extending therefrom and a recess 122 formed therein. The projection 120 on the upper portion 106 is received within the recess of the lower portion 108, and vice versa. The comparison of FIGS. 10 and 11 shows that the cross section of the side portions 104 of FIG. 10 are substantially similar to the cross section of the upper and lower portions 106, 108 of FIG. 11. In the modality of FIGS. 8-11, of the base portion 110 and the flanges 112 can be formed by extrusion, molding, forging or otherwise shaping a single piece of metal to form a unitary structure. It is contemplated that each of the portions 104, 106 and 108 of the structure 102 are substantially similar in construction, with each having a base portion 110 with the flanges 112 extending therefrom, and with the associated edge 56, 68 or 60 of the sheet 54 that is captured between the flanges 112. Similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 7, the base portion 110 and the structure of the flange 112 can be preformed for use in the upper, lower and side portions 106, 108 and 104 of the structure 102. The material formed afterwards can be cut off when necessary for any of the portions of the structure 102. Using the same materials for each of the upper, lower and lateral portions 106, 108 and 104 of the structure 102 that allows the manufacturing costs of the structure 102 to be reduced. Referring to FIGS. . 12 and 13, there is shown a traffic noise barrier wall 48 which includes panel assemblies 200 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The noise barrier wall 48 includes vertically mounted, spaced posts 14 having panel assemblies 200 that extend between each pair of posts 14. The panel assemblies 200 each include a sheet 54 of material having the edges of the part. upper 56, lower 58, and laterals 60 forming a perimeter of sheet 54, and a structure 202 disposed around the perimeter of sheet 54. At least a portion of each of the edges the upper, lower and lateral 56 , 58, 60 of the sheet 54 can be captured by the structure 202. The side portions 204 of the structure 202 capture at least a portion of the side edges 60 of the sheet 54 and are received within the opposite notches 18 of descending shape . While, in the embodiment shown, two panel assemblies 200 arranged between each pair of posts 14, it is contemplated that one or more panel assemblies 200 may be disposed between each pair of posts 14. Posts 14 may be part of a barrier wall against existing traffic noise, with the existing wood or concrete panels 12 (FIG.1) which are replaced with the panel assemblies 200. Alternatively, the posts 14 can be specifically designed for use with the panel assemblies 200. At the posts 14, the flanges 66 of the post extending from the sides of the post 14 define each of the notches 18. The width of the notch 18 is greater than the thickness "t" of the side portions 204 of the structure 202, with sufficient clearance between the structure 202 and the flanges 66 of the post so that the side portions 202 slide into the notches 18 to allow the downward insertion of the panel assemblies 200 into the notches 18. The posts 14 are mounted to a secure base, such as, for example, the floor, a concrete platform, a traffic barrier or parapet, or the like. The posts 14 are formed of a rigid material such as, for example, concrete, steel or wood. In one embodiment shown, each structure 202 includes an upper portion 206, a lower portion 208, and side portions 204, with each portion 206, 208, and 204 that capture a portion of an upper, lower, or lateral receiving edge 56, 58, or 60 of the sheet 54. The end of each of the portions 204, 206, and 208 is interconnected with the end of the adjacent portions 204, 206 and 208 at the joints 209, which form corners of the structure 202. The structure 202 it is formed of a rigid material such as, for example, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic and the like. Each of the joints can be welded, secured or otherwise joined to form a structure 202 continuous, rigid around the entire periphery of the sheet 54. While the structure 202 is shown to include the side portions 204 and the upper and lower portions 206 and 208 to capture at least a portion of the four side edges 56, 58, and 60 of the sheet 54, it is also within the scope of the invention for the structure 202 to only be present on two opposite edges of the sheet 54 or on the three edges of the sheet 54. For example, it is contemplated that the structure 202 it may include only the side portions 204 within the upper and lower portions 206 and 208. In this embodiment, only the side edges of the sheet 54 will be captured by the structure 202. Each of the sheets 54 is made with an acoustically absorbent material and / or reflector that is suitable for the individual application of the traffic noise barrier wall 48. For example, the sheet 54 may be made of a transparent material where it is desired to That travelers on a road, railroad, airway, navigable stream, parking lot, corridor where people walk, adjacent to wall 48 have a view through wall 48. An example of a preferred transparent material to be used as a lamina- _-54 is the acrylic sheet PARAGLASS .SOUNDSTOP®. Where transparency is not desired, other materials such as wood, steel, opaque acrylic, plastic, and the like may be used. The sheet 54 can be corrugated or otherwise to add strength. Referring now to FIG. 14, a cross-sectional view of the post 14 and the side portions 204 of the adjacent structures 202 is shown. Each side portion 204 includes a base portion 210 disposed outside the respective side edge 60 of the sheet 54. The flanges 212 are formed as the ends of a generally U-shaped structure, which are joined to the base 210 by welding, fasteners, and the like. The generally U-shaped structure forms a channel for capturing the side edge 60 of the sheet 54. An elastomeric seal 214 can cover the side edge 60 of the sheet 54 within the channel to secure the sheet 54 within the channel. The base portion 210 is received in the notch 18 of the post 14. As shown in FIG. 12, the flanges 212 may extend along the entire side edge 60 of the sheet 54. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 114, the base portion 210 of the side portions 204 are formed with a generally rectangular tube, with the U-shaped structure forming the flanges 212 attached to a flat side of the tube. The thickness "t" of the side portions 204 of the structure 202. An elastomer seal 216 is disposed between each of the sides of the base portion 210 and the post 14. The elastomer seal 216 occupies any space between the base portion 210 and the post 14. When sizing the structure 202 for a particular application, the thickness "s" of the sheet 54 and the thickness "t" of the side portions 204 can be selected for the particular application. For example, where the panel assembly 200 is to replace a panel of wood or concrete that is thicker than the sheet 54, the thickness "t" of the side portions 204 may be equal to the thickness of the wood or concrete panel as the panel. 200 mounting panel that is to replace. As a result the thickness "s" of the sheet 54 can be substantially less than the width of the notches 18. Because the structure 202 supports a relatively thin sheet 54, the panel assembly 200 is much lighter than the wooden panel or concrete than the replacement one. As a result, the load applied by the panel assembly 200 to the posts 14 is less than that which would be applied by the wood or concrete panel. Because the load is smaller, a greater number of panel assemblies 100 can be used instead of concrete or wood panels. In other words, if it becomes necessary to increase the height of the wall 48, the concrete or wood panels can simply be removed and replaced with a greater number of panel assemblies 200. If the height of the posts 14 is insufficient to accommodate the increase in the number of assemblies of the panels 200, extensions can be added to the upper parts of the posts 14 to support the increasing number of assemblies of the panels 200. In any case, because the assemblies of the panels 200 are lighter than the wooden or concrete panels, the wooden or concrete panels can be replaced without having to develop the costly procedure of removing and replacing the posts 14. Referring to FIG. 15, a cross-sectional view of a lower portion 208 of a panel assembly 200 is shown proximate the upper portion 206 of another panel assembly 200. Such an arrangement can occur when two or more panel assemblies 200 are disposed between a pair simple of posts 14, as shown in FIG. 12. The base portion 210 of each of the upper and lower portions 206, 208 is formed with a flat plate, with the U-shaped structure forming the flanges 212 attached to a flat side of the plate. Each of the panel assemblies 200 includes a locking means with an adjacent panel assembly 200 to prevent relative movement of the panel assemblies 200 when stacked between the posts 14. In the embodiment of FIG. 15, the means for locking is substantially similar to that described with reference to FIG. 7, wherein a single projection 94 extends between a pair of projections 92 when a panel assembly 200 rests on the other panel assembly 200. The panel assemblies 50, 100 and 200 herein describe many advantages over the panels used. on the walls barriers against traffic noise. The assemblies of the panels 50, 100 and 200 are relatively less heavy when compared to the wooden or concrete panels, typically used in the walls barriers against traffic noise. As a result, the assemblies of panels 50, 100 and 200 allow systems to be expanded without having to replace existing poles and without sacrificing the structural integrity of existing poles. Also the structures 62, 102 and 202 of the panel assemblies 50, 100 and 200 are designed to receive any number of different sheets 54, which may include transparent sheets, thus allowing flexibility in the type of barrier used in the wall. The replacement of the wooden or concrete panels can be made as modifications to the posts 14, using the same technique of downward mounting. Various embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, it will be understood that different modifications can be made without departing from the scope and perspective of the invention. Therefore, . other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (28)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property. Barrier wall against traffic noise comprising: a first vertically mounted post including a first notch disposed therein, the first notch extending longitudinally along one side of the first post; a second post vertically mounted spaced apart from the first post, the second post including a second slot disposed therein, the second slot extending longitudinally along one side of the second post; and a first panel assembly extending between the first and second posts, the first panel assembly, characterized in that it includes: a sheet of material having upper, lower and lateral edges forming a perimeter of the sheet, and a structure arranged along at least a portion of the perimeter of the sheet, wherein the side portions of the structure capture at least a portion of the side edges of the sheet, the side portions of the structure are received within the first and second. second notches in descending form.
2. 2. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the lateral portions of the structure includes: a base portion disposed outside one of the side edges of the sheet; the first and second portion of the flange are arranged in the base portion, the first and second flanges form at least a portion of a channel for capturing the lateral edge of the sheet, wherein at least the base portion is received in a of the first and second notches.
3. 3. Wall barrier against traffic noise according to claim 2, characterized in that the sheet has a thickness substantially less than a width of each of the first and second notches. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 3, characterized in that the sheet has a thickness substantially less than a thickness of the first flange and less than a thickness of the second flange. Wall barrier against traffic noise according to claim 3, characterized in that the elastomeric seal is arranged between the outer surfaces of the side portions of the structure and the surfaces forming the channel. 6. Wall barrier against traffic noise according to claim 2, characterized in that the base portion and the first and second flanges are formed from a single piece of material. 7. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 2, characterized in that the first and second flanges are formed of a pipe coupled with a plate forming the base portion. 8. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastomeric gasket covers at least a portion of the lateral edge of the captured sheet inside the channel - Barrier wall against traffic noise in accordance with the claim 2, characterized in that the base portion is arranged outside the entire perimeter of the sheet, and the channel formed by the base portion and the first and second flanges capture a portion of each of the upper, lower and side edges of the sheet. 10. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 9, characterized in that the base portion of the structure and the first and second flanges disposed on each of the upper, lower and lateral edges of the sheet are formed of a single piece of material. 11. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 9, characterized in that the first and second flanges arranged on each of the upper, lower and lateral edges of the sheet are coupled to a surface of the base portion. 12. Barrier wall against traffic noise according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises: a second panel assembly extending between the first and second posts, and the structure of the first panel assembly includes at least one projection and a recess disposed on the base portion to be locked with the second mounting Panel 13. Wall barrier against traffic noise according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet is formed of a transparent material. 14. Wall barrier against traffic noise according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure extends along the entire perimeter of the sheet and captures at least a portion of each of the upper, lower and side edges of the sheet . 15. Panel assembly for a traffic noise barrier wall of the type including opposite notches formed in wall of vertically mounted posts, characterized in that the panel assembly comprises: a sheet of material having top, bottom and side edges forming a perimeter of the sheet, and a structure disposed along at least a portion of the perimeter of the sheet, wherein the side portions of the structure capture at least a portion of the side edges of the sheet, the side portions of the sheet structure are received in opposite notches in descending order. Panel assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that each of the side portions of the structure includes: a base portion disposed outside one of the side edges of the sheet; the first and second flanges extend from the base portion, the first and second flanges form at least a portion of a channel for capturing the side edge of the sheet, wherein the base portion and at least a portion of the first and Second tabs are received in one of the opposite notches. Panel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that the sheet has a thickness substantially less than a width of each of the opposite notches. 18. Panel assembly according to claim 17, characterized in that the sheet has a thickness substantially less than a thickness of the first flange and less than a thickness of the second flange. Panel assembly according to claim 17, characterized in that an elastomeric seal is arranged between the outer surfaces of the side portions of the structure and the surfaces forming the channel. Panel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that the base portion and the first and second flanges are formed from a single piece of material. Panel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that the first and second flanges are coupled to a surface of the base portion. 22. Panel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that the elastomeric seal covers at least a portion of the lateral edge of the captured sheet within the channel. Panel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that the base portion is disposed outside the entire perimeter of the sheet, and the channel formed by the base portion and the first and second flanges capture a portion of each of the upper, lower and lateral edges of the sheet. Panel assembly according to claim 23, characterized in that the base portion of the structure and the first and second flanges arranged on each of the upper, lower and lateral edges of the sheet are formed from a single piece of material . Panel assembly according to claim 23, characterized in that the first and second flanges arranged on each of the upper, lower and lateral edges of the sheet are coupled to a surface of the base portion. 26. Panel assembly "according to claim 23, characterized in that it further comprises at least one projection and a recess disposed on the base portion to be locked with a second panel assembly 27. Panel assembly in accordance with claim 15 , characterized in that the sheet is formed with a transparent material 28. Panel assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that the structure extends along the entire perimeter of the sheet and captures at least a portion of each of the sheets. the top, bottom and side edges of the sheet.