Ventilation duct including sound dampning materials with different density and a valve.
Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ventilation duct that comprises a casing that on its interior is covered with a sound absorption material . According to a preferred embodiment of the invention a damper is provided inside the ventilation duct .
Prior Art
Ventilation ducts are previously known, said ducts on its interior being covered with a sound absorption material, usually an insulation material of rock wool or glass wool. An example of such a ventilation duct is shown in US-A-3 , 980, 007 and from this ventilation duct the air is distributed further on to distribution chambers along the length of the ventilation duct.
In case a damper is provided in the ventilation duct reference is made to US-A-5, 465 , 756 as an example of prior art . In this case the sound absorption is effected by means of perforated sound barriers that are provided in the area of the periphery of the damper.
Objects and Features of the Invention A primary object of the present invention is to present a ventilation duct of the type defined above, where the sound absorption ability is essentially improved compared to known ventilation ducts.
Still an object of the present invention is to provide a proper sound absorption over the entire frequency area.
At a preferred embodiment where the ventilation duct is equipped with a damper it is a further object of the present invention to have an overall sound absorption during the passage of the damper, i.e. the increase in the sound level that the damper brings about is to an essential degree compensated by the effect of the sound absorption material .
At least the primary object of the present invention is realised by means of a ventilation duct that has been given the features of the adherent independent claim 1. Pre erred
embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings Below two embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through a ventilation duct according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a section along II-II in figure 1; Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through a ventilation duct according to the present invention, said ventilation duct being equipped with a damper; Figure 4 shows a section along IV-IV in figure 3 ; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the lid of the damper; Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section through a further embodiment of a ventilation duct according to the present invention, said ventilation duct being equipped with a damper; Figure 7 shows a section along VII-VII in figure 6; and Figure 8 shows a section along VIII-VIII in figure 6.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
The ventilation duct that is shown in figures 1 and 2 comprises a casing 1 that normally is manufactured of sheet metal. In the disclosed embodiment the casing 1 has a rectangular cross section, see figure 2. At its ends the casing 1 is equipped with sleeves 3 that in the disclosed embodiment has circular cross-section. O-rings 5 are provided on the outer side of the sleeves 3, said O-rings 5 effecting a sealing when the sleeves 3 are received in connecting external sleeves. Each of the sleeves 3 has an extension from its free end up to the line 7, i.e. the sleeves 3 connect to the casing 1 at the lines 7.
Inside the rectangular casing 1 two layers 9 and 10 of sound absorption material are provided. Closest to the casing 1 a first layer 9 of sound absorption material is provided and inside said first layer 9 a second layer 10 of sound absorption material is provided. The first layer 9 has a higher density than the second layer 10. In exemplifying and
non-restricting purpose it may be mentioned that the first layer 9 may have a density in the interval 100-140 kg/m3 and the second layer 10 may have a density in the interval 35-50 kg/m3. Preferably the layers 9 and 10 constitute insulation in the shape of rock wool and glass wool .
The layers 9, 10 of sound absorption material are maintained in place by longitudinal corner profiles (not shown) and frames (not shown) provided at the transition to the sleeves 3 , said frames being transverse to the air flow direction.
As is evident from figure 2 the second layer 10 defines in the shown embodiment a rectangular cross section area, in which the air flows. The inwardly facing second layer 10 is allotted type approval as regards cleansing accessibility, fibre relief and emission.
As is evident from figure 1 collars 11 of insulation are externally pushed on the sleeves 3, said insulation will not be in contact the air flow inside the ventilation duct.
The ventilation duct shown in figures 1 and 2 functions in the following way. When air enters the ventilation duct sound walls will penetrate into the second layer 10 that constitutes the surface layer inside the ventilation duct . This layer is relatively porous since it consists of sound absorption material of relatively low density. Therefore, the sound waves may relatively easy penetrate this second layer 10 that will absorb the high frequent sound waves. When the sound waves reaches the first layer 9 that consists of a sound absorption material of a higher density than the sound absorption material in the second layer 10, the sound absorption material in the first layer 9 will absorb sound waves with lower frequence .
The ventilation duct shown in figures 3 and 4 corresponds in principle the ventilation duct shown in figures 1 and 2. For that reason the same reference numerals have been used in figure 3 as in figures 1 and 2 as regards the ventilation duct and the appurtenant components . The layers of sound absorption material 9, 10 are attached to the inner side of the casing 1 in a corresponding way as for the embodiment according to figures 1 and 2.
In the embodiment of the present invention, shown in figures 3 and 4, a damper 20 is provided inside the casing 1 of the ventilation duct, said casing 1 on its inner side being covered with two layers 9, 10 of sound absorption material, in a corresponding way as for the ventilation duct according to figures 1 and 2.
The damper 20 that is included in the ventilation duct according to figures 3 and 4 comprises a lid 21 that has a shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape defined by the inner layer 10 of sound absorption material. The lid 21 is pivotally journalled by means of a shaft 22 that is provided in connection with, preferably parallel to, an inner layer of a sound absorption material . The reason for the location of the shaft 22 is that the damper 20 in open position exposes the major part of the flow area of the ventilation duct, this in principle being necessary to fulfil the demands of the ventilation duct to be cleanable.
As is evident from figure 5 the lid 21 of the damper comprises a reinforcement in the shape of a perforated sheet 23, preferably of metal. Around this sheet a frame 25 is provided that supports sound absorption material 24 on both sides of the sheet 23. In the shown embodiment sound absorption material of the same density is attached on both sides of the sheet 23. When air bypasses the damper 20 sound is generated and said sound generation being dependent from the opening degree of the damper 20. Due to the sound absorption material 24 that is attached to the sheet 23 of the damper 20 a certain sound reduction is also effected when the air passes the damper 20. In this connection the perforated sheet 23 functions as a resonator, i.e. it reduces sound of low frequency.
In figures 6-8 a further alternative embodiment of a ventilation duct according to the present invention is shown, said ventilation duct being equipped with a damper 120. The ventilation duct according to figures 6-8 comprises an external casing 101 that has a rectangular cross section, see figures 7 and 8. In a first portion of the ventilation duct two layers of sound absorption material are provided, a first
outer layer 109 adjoining the inner side of the casing 101. Inside the first layer 109 a second, internal layer 110 of sound absorption material is provided, said second layer 110 in cross section having a shape that defines a circular air flow area. As regards sound absorption this portion functions on principle in the same way as the ventilation ducts described above, said ventilation ducts being equipped with double internal layers of sound absorption material .
In a second portion of the ventilation duct according to figures 6-8 only one layer 108 of a sound absorption material is provided on the inner side of the casing 101, this second portion having a widened cross section compared to the first portion. As is evident from figure 8 this second portion has an internal rectangular cross section and the damper 120 is provided in this second portion. On principle the damper 120 has the same structural design as the damper 20 in the embodiment according to figures 3-5. The damper 120 also functions in the corresponding way as regards sound generation and sound reduction.
Feasible Modifications of the Invention
In the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2 the ventilation duct has a rectangular cross section. Of course a ventilation duct according to the present invention, i.e. a duct having no damper, may have a circular cross-section in accordance with what is shown in figure 7.
In the embodiments described above of the present invention the casing of the ventilation duct is at its inner side covered with two layers of sound absorption material . However, within the scope of the invention it is also feasible that three or more layers of sound absorption material are provided on the inner side of the casing.
In the embodiments described above according to figures 3-5 and figures 6-7 respectively the sound absorption material 24; 124 of the same density are attached to both sides of the sheet 23; 123. However, within the scope of the present invention it is also feasible that sound absorption materials of different densities are attached to both sides of the sheet 23.
As regards the design of the lid 21; 121 of the damper 20; 120 it is feasible within the scope of the present invention that for instance two layers of sound absorption material are attached to the same side of the sheet, the sound absorption material having the lower density is located first in the air flow direction.
Within the scope of the present invention it is also feasible that the sheet metal included in the lid is solid, i.e. not perforated. Within the scope of the present invention it is also feasible that the lid has no sheet metal, i.e. that the layers of sound absorption material have a sufficient stiffness to be mounted in the frame of the lid.