WO2008088598A2

WO2008088598A2 - Vibration attenuation panel with loudspeaker

Info

Publication number: WO2008088598A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/081464
Authority: WO
Inventors: Scott Freeman; Thomas Bailey; Mark Balcerzak; Ray Barnes; Victor Evjen; Marty Burke
Original assignee: Magna Aftermarket Inc.
Priority date: 2006-10-16
Filing date: 2007-10-16
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: WO2008048625A2; WO2008048625A3; WO2008088598A3

Abstract

A vibration attenuation panel comprising a substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an outer layer bonded to the outer surface of the substrate. A recess formed in at least the inner surface of the substrate divides the substrate into a body portion and an attenuation portion, the attenuation portion being adapted to engage an attenuator of an exciter on the inner surface of the substrate. The recess substantially separates the attenuation portion from the body portion to substantially vibrationally-isolate the body portion from the attenuation portion.

Description

VIBRATION ATTENUATION PANEL

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/829,613, filed October 16, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to vibration attenuation panels and, more specifically, to a vibration attenuation panel that also functions as trim panel.

BACKGROUND [0003] It is known in the art that exciters include an attenuator that is attached to a vibration attenuation panel in order to provide human audible frequencies. It is also known in the art that exciters require energy to drive the attenuator. As the thickness and/or surface area of the vibration attenuation panel increases, the amount of energy needed to drive the attenuator of the exciter correspondingly increases so as to maintain an audible characteristic (i.e., for example, volume) of the audible frequencies.

[0004] As such, a need currently exists to provide a vibration attenuation panel that reduces an amount of energy needed to drive an attenuator of an exciter so as to improve the operating efficiency of the exciter while maintaining audible characteristics of the audible frequencies provided by the vibration attenuation panel.

SUMMARY

[0005] A preferred vibration attenuation panel is disclosed herein, comprising a substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an outer layer bonded to the outer surface of the substrate. A recess formed in at least the inner surface of the substrate divides the substrate into a body portion and an attenuation portion, the attenuation portion being adapted to engage an attenuator of an exciter on the inner surface of the substrate. The recess separates the attenuation portion from the body portion to substantially vibrationally-isolate the body portion from the attenuation portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 is a plan view of a vibration attenuation panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0008] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of the vibration attenuation panel according to line 2-2 of Figure 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0009] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the vibration attenuation panel according to line 2-2 of Figure 1 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment; [0010] Figure 2C is a cross-sectional view of the vibration attenuation panel according to line 2-2 of Figure 1 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment;

[0011] Figure 2D is a cross-sectional view of the vibration attenuation panel according to line 2-2 of Figure 1 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment; and

[0012] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle assembly including the vibration attenuation panel of Figure 2A and a vehicle structure panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a vibration attenuation panel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. For brevity, the disclosure hereof will illustrate and describe a vibration attenuation panel that improves the operating efficiency of the exciter while maintaining audible characteristics of the frequencies transmitted by the vibration attenuation panel. It is appreciated that, while the vibration panel is shown in a particular embodiment, the vibration attenuation panel could be shaped to define any type of a panel, such as, for example, a rim panel associated with a vehicle, a wall structure of a building, or the like. Based on the foregoing, it is to be generally understood that the nomenclature used herein is simply for convenience and the terms used to describe the invention should be given the broadest meaning by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] A vibration attenuation panel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is generally shown at 1Oa-IOd throughout the accompanying Figures. According to an embodiment, the vibration attenuation panel 1Oa-IOd is formed in the shape of a substantially planar panel, including an outboard surface 12 and an inboard surface 14 (Figures 2A-2D).

[0015] Referring to Figure 2 A, the vibration attenuation panel 10a includes, at least, for example, a first, inboard layer, which is shown generally at 16 including an inboard layer thickness, Ti, and a second, outboard layer, which is shown generally at 18 including an outboard layer thickness, To, that both, in combination, define a potential thickness, T_H, of the vibration attenuation panel 10a. The first, inboard layer 16 may be referred to as an "A-surface" or a "skin surface," thereby providing an exposed portion of the vibration attenuation panel 10a that is intended to be viewable whereas the outboard layer 18 provides a base or substrate that is not intended to be viewable.

[0016] It will be appreciated that the inboard layer 16 may include any desirable material, texture and/or characteristic resembling, for example, fabric, vinyl, leather, or the like. The inboard layer 16 may include any material ranging from, for example, a highly flexible, soft, gel- type material to a stiff, rigidified, dense material. According to an embodiment, the inboard layer 16 may include a film of material including, for example, any one or a combination of (ASA) Acrylonitrite Styrene Acrylate, thermoplastic olefin (TPO), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), silicons/ (RTV) Room Temperature Vulcanizing Silicone, supported and unsupported textiles/fabrics, rubber or rubberized materials, paper, foil, metals, wood, and other natural earth compounds including, for example, mica, calcium, copper or the like.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the inboard layer 16 may or may not include an adhesive, a heat transfer bond, chemically-bonding properties, or a mechanical-bonding property to permit the outboard layer 18 to be affixed to the inboard layer 16. Additionally, the inboard layer 16 may also be formed by dipping (hydrographies, PVC Dip), chrome/metal plating, powdercoating, in-mold film lamination, spray skin (PUR or Elastomer), plating (i.e., the deposition of metal by either electrolytic or electroless process), vacuum coatings, thermoforming lamination, in-mold painting, printing (i.e., liquid coating), sublimation, dyeing, labeling, decaling, or the like. Inventive methods for presenting the inboard layer 16 to the outboard layer will be disclosed herein below. [0018] It will be appreciated that the outboard layer 18 may include any one or a combination of any desirable material such as, for example, Aluminum Composite, Aluminum Honeycomb, Monolithic Panels, Corrugated Cardboard Panels, Corrugated Plastic Panels, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Foam, Nomex Honeycomb Panels, Paper Honeycomb Panels, Polystyrene Foam Panels, Rigid Polyurethane Foam Panels, Rohacell, Transparent Optical Panels, polycarbonate (PC), polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS), polypropylene(PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), acrylic, honey-pan (e.g., honeycomb sandwich panels), cardboard corrugated products (e.g., packaging materials), dense packing foam/ foam roll products, metals, wood, synthetic products, fiberboard, plastics, rubber, Formica, urethanes, epoxies, or the like.

[0019] Referring to Figures 1 and 2A, when an exciter 20, according to an embodiment, is positioned adjacent the outboard surface 12 of the outboard layer 18, the vibration attenuation panel 10a and exciter 20 may provide, in combination, a speaker assembly 22 that transmits audible frequencies. Prior art exciters 20 are heretofore known; and, therefore, for brevity, inventive aspects of the vibration attenuation panel 10a will be disclosed herein.

[0020] As seen in Figure 2 A, the vibration attenuation panel 10a is adapted to transmit audible vibrational frequencies in the direction of arrow V away from the inboard surface 14 toward an area or volume of space 24. According to an embodiment, the area 24 may be, for example, a vehicular cabin/passenger compartment area such that the vibrational frequencies V include any desired audible transmission, for example, music from a radio, CD/MP3 player, or the like that is associated with a vehicle's sound system 25.

[0021] Alternatively, according to an embodiment, the area 24 may include ambient surroundings of a vehicle (i.e., an exterior area relative the passenger compartment area) such that the vibrational frequencies V provide any desired audible transmission, for example, music from a radio, CD/MP3 player, or the like that is associated with a vehicle's sound system 25 toward people congregating outside of the vehicle. It will be appreciated, however, that the volume of space/area 24 is not limited to an area within or exterior of a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and may include, for example, any desirable area including, for example, an interior area or an exterior area of a building such as, for example, a home, office, store, or the like such that the vibration attenuation panel 10a defines a fixed or non- fixed panel that is integral with or separate from the building structure.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the inboard surface 14, proximate at least, for example, a length L (FIG. 1), and width W of the exciter 20, provides a substantially uninterrupted surface area 26 as defined by the inboard layer 16. Accordingly, if, for example, the vibration attenuation panel 10a is an interior trim panel for a vehicle, the uninterrupted surface area 26 permits the vibration attenuation panel 10a to function as a substantially seamless interior trim panel for a vehicle having no openings formed therein that are typically associated with the mounting location and/or exposure of an attenuator of a conventional 4-inch speaker, "6x9" speaker, tweeter, or the like. As such, because the vibration attenuation panel 10a does not include openings formed proximate the surface area 26, the vibration attenuation panel 10a provides a substantially hidden or stealth speaker assembly 22 whereby vehicle occupants in the passenger compartment area 24 may not visually identify the location of the exciter 20 positioned adjacent the outboard surface 12. [0023] As seen in Figures 2A-2D, alternative embodiments of the vibration attenuation panel 10a- 1Od are disclosed according to an embodiment. First, referring to Figure 2 A, the vibration attenuation panel 10a is described according to an embodiment. As illustrated, the inboard layer 16 includes, according to an embodiment, a unitary, seamless layer of material whereas the outboard layer 18 is generally defined to include a substrate attenuation portion 28 that is isolated from a substrate body portion 30.

[0024] As illustrated, the substrate attenuation portion 28 is selectively isolated from the substrate body portion 30 according to a separation 32 provided in the outboard layer 18. According to an embodiment, the thickness To of the outboard layer 18 proximate the separation 32 is approximately equal to 0mm. However, it is conceived that To can be greater than 0mm such that the separation 32 may be formed using a precision depth cutting, grooving, or slitting process, including, for example, molding (e.g., with a mold tool), scraping, scoring, milling, routing, sawing, chiseling, rasping, embossing, chipping, chiseling, breaking, bending, shearing, crushing, abrasive blasting (e.g., by sand/ grit/ bead-blasting), electrically charged/spark eroding, engraving, chemical eroding, hot-knife cutting, high-pressure water-jet-cutting, laser cutting, plasma-cutting, flame-cutting, impact-cutting (e.g., cookie-cutting), or the like.

[0025] It will be appreciated, however, that the outboard layer 18 may not necessarily be formed from a unitary body of material that is, for example, cut, as described above, and may be, for example, formed as/from separate components/materials that are subsequently joined/bonded to the inboard layer 16. In an embodiment, the outboard layer 18 may originate from two separate panels. It will become appreciated upon considering this disclosure that the foregoing two separate panels may be comprised of similar, or different, material, and the invention should not be so limited thereby. In an embodiment, each of the substrate attenuation portion 28 and the substrate body portion 30 are prefabricated as separate panels, which are subsequently connected to one another through the application of the inboard layer 16. In an embodiment, the inboard layer 16 is a vehicular skin layer as described herein.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the substrate attenuation portion 28 provides an engagement surface 34 for an attenuator 36 of the exciter 20. According to an embodiment, the separation 32 may circumscribe at least the attenuator 36, or, alternatively, the entire exciter 20 as defined by the length L and width W. When the attenuator 36 engages the engagement surface 34, the exciter 20 is said to be vibrationally-coupled to the vibration attenuation panel 10.

As such, through the inclusion of the separation 32 in the outboard layer 18, the substrate attenuation portion 28 is substantially vibrationally-isolated from the substrate body portion 30 to thereby direct vibrational oscillations from the attenuator 36 directly to the substrate attenuation portion 28 / inboard layer 16 and not to the substrate body portion 30.

[0027] Because the attenuation portion 28 is vibrationally-isolated from the substrate body portion 30, the dimensions of the vibration attenuation panel 10 may be increased to any desirable length, width, and thickness T_H without having to provide the exciter 20 with additional energy to excite the attenuator 36. Thus, the amount of energy needed to drive the exciter 20 in order to maintain an audible characteristic (e.g., for example, volume) of the audible frequencies emanating from the speaker assembly 22 is independent of the dimensions of the vibration attenuation panel 10, whereas, as described in the prior art, the amount of energy needed to drive an exciter was dependent on the dimensions of the panel.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 2B, the vibration attenuation panel 10b is described according to another embodiment. The vibration attenuation panel 10b is substantially similar to the vibration attenuation panel 10a except that the thickness To of the outboard layer 18 proximate the gap 32 is greater than 0mm. As such, the thickness To of the outboard layer 18 proximate the gap 32 is defined to include a valley portion 38 that joins the attenuation portion 28 to the substrate body portion 30. The valley portion 38 may provide additionally rigidity/stiffness to the outboard layer 18 proximate the gap 32. Additionally, according to an embodiment, the vibration attenuation panel 10b may also include fastener-receiving portions 40 extending from the substrate body portion 30 that receive fasteners 42 that extend through the exciter 20 to positively secure the exciter 20 to the substrate body portion 30.

[0029] Referring now to Figure 2C, the vibration attenuation panel 10c is described according to another embodiment. The vibration attenuation panel 10c is substantially similar to the vibration attenuation panel 10a except that the thickness To of the outboard layer 18 at the separation 32 is greater than Omm. According to an embodiment, the gap 32 is filled with an isolation material 44 having a material property that vibrationally-isolates the attenuation portion 28 from the substrate body portion 30. According to an embodiment, the filler material 44 may include a flexible elastomeric material. It is appreciated that the filler material 44 may be included independent of the thickness To such that the isolation material may be applied when said thickness is Omm.

[0030] According to an embodiment the filler material 44 and material comprising the outboard layer 18 is formed in a multi-shot (e.g., two-shot) molding operation such that the outboard later 18 is formed by a first shot of material that is cured such that a second shot of material defined by the filler material 44 is shot into the separation 32 formed by the outboard layer in the first shot of material. Similar to the valley portion 38, the filler material 44 may provide additionally rigidity/stiffness to the outboard layer 18 proximate the separation 32.

[0031] Referring now to Figure 2D, the vibration attenuation panel 1Od is described according to another embodiment. The vibration attenuation panel 1Od is substantially similar to the vibration attenuation panel 10a and also includes a thickness To of the outboard layer 18 proximate the gap 32 that is approximately equal to 0mm. According to an embodiment, the gap

32 may be covered by a bridge material 46 that joins the attenuation portion 28 to the substrate body portion 30 while having a material property that vibrationally-isolates the attenuation portion 28 from the substrate body portion 30. It is appreciated that the bridge material 46 may be applied when said thickness is greater than 0mm and the invention should not be so limited thereby.

[0032] According to an embodiment the bridge material 46 and material comprising the outboard layer 18 may be formed in a well-known insert-molding operation, or, alternatively, in a multi-shot (e.g., two-shot) molding operation as described above. Similar to the valley portion 38 and filler material 44, the bridge material 46 may provide additionally rigidity/stiffness to the outboard layer 18 proximate the separation 32.

[0033] Referring now to Figure 3, the vibration attenuation panel 10a is shown attached to structure 48 to define an assembly 100, such as, for example, a vehicular assembly having a cavity 50 between the structure 48 and the vibration attenuation panel 10a. According to an embodiment, the structure 48 may be structure of a vehicle, such as, for example, sheet metal body structure of a door, A-pillar, B-pillar, C-pillar, or the like. [0034] This disclosure has been described herein with reference to various exemplary embodiments and it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure, including the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations may be made to the illustrative, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A vibration attenuation panel, comprising: a substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface; an outer layer bonded to the outer surface of the substrate; the substrate having a recess formed in at least the inner surface thereof, the recess dividing the substrate into a body portion and an attenuation portion, the attenuation portion adapted to engage an attenuator of an exciter on the inner surface of the substrate, the recess substantially separating the attenuation portion from the body portion to substantially vibrationally-isolate the body portion from the attenuation portion.

2. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, wherein the recess extends partially through the substrate.

3. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, wherein the recess extends through the substrate.

4. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, further comprising an isolation material within the recess.

5. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 4, wherein the isolation material is a flexible elastomeric material.

6. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, further comprising a bridge covering at least part of the recess and connecting the attenuation portion to the body portion of the substrate.

7. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 6, wherein the bridge is made from a flexible elastomeric material.

8. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, wherein the outer layer is a unitary, substantially seamless layer of panel material.

9. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, further comprising means for mounting an exciter on the substrate.

10. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 1, wherein the substrate and outer layer are made from different materials.

11. A vibration attenuation panel, comprising: a first layer of panel material having an inner surface and an outer surface; a second layer of panel material joined to the outer surface of the first layer of panel material, the first layer of panel material including an attenuation portion adapted to engage an attenuator of an exciter on the inner surface of the first layer of panel material, a body portion and a recess formed on at least the inner surface of the first layer of panel material, the recess substantially separating the attenuation portion from the body portion to substantially vibrationally-isolate the body portion from the attenuation portion.

12. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, wherein the recess extends partially through the first layer of panel material.

13. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, wherein the recess extends through the first layer of panel material.

14. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, further comprising an isolation material within the recess.

15. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 14, wherein the isolation material is a flexible elastomeric material.

16. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, further comprising a bridge connected to the attenuation portion and the body portion and covering at least part of the recess.

17. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 16, wherein the bridge is made from a flexible elastomeric material.

18. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, wherein the second layer is a unitary layer of panel material that is bonded to the first layer of panel material.

19. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, further comprising means for mounting an exciter on first layer of panel material.

20. The vibration attenuation panel as recited in Claim 11, wherein the first and second layers are made from different materials.