WO2015039772A1

WO2015039772A1 - Soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels

Info

Publication number: WO2015039772A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/060396
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luigi LAPSUS
Original assignee: Carpenteria Leggera Aerotecnica - C.L.A. - S.R.L.
Priority date: 2013-09-19
Filing date: 2014-05-21
Publication date: 2015-03-26
Also published as: EP3047215A1; ITMI20131540A1

Abstract

A soundproofing device (1), particularly for ventilation channels, comprising a multilayer structure, the multilayer structure comprising a first layer (3) made of flexible material, which defines the outer surface of the device (1), and a second layer (5) made of flexible material, which defines the inner surface of the device (1), soundproofing material (7) being comprised between the first layer (3) and the second layer (5), the multilayer structure being adapted to pass from a flat configuration to a tubular configuration.

Description

SOUNDPROOFING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR VENTILATION CHANNELS

The present invention relates to a soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, and to an associated method for providing it.

In the field of soundproofing ventilation or aeration channels it is known to use tubular silencers constituted by rigid tubular modular elements inserted in the opening of a ventilation channel, in a series and/or parallel arrangement, allowing the passage of the air stream in a longitudinal direction, but at the same time absorbing the noise generated by said air stream in passing through the channel.

Such tubular silencers of a known type are devoid of drawbacks, which include in particular the fact that the rigid tubular modular elements have a significant bulk, such as to make their transportation particularly expensive.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, that solves the technical problem described above, obviates the drawbacks and overcomes the limitations of the background art, having a very small space occupation with respect to devices of the known type.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a soundproofing device that can be transported easily, thanks to the fact that it has a small space occupation and is particularly lightweight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that can be cleaned easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that is easy and straightforward to install in ventilation channels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that is versatile and can be adapted easily to the dimensions of the ventilation channel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that has excellent efficiency in equalizing the air flow and has low load losses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that has excellent noise absorption efficiency and can be used also as a thermal barrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soundproofing device that is easy to provide and economically competitive if compared with the background art.

This aim, these objects and others which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, comprising a multilayer structure, characterized in that said multilayer structure comprises a first layer made of flexible material, which defines the outer surface of said device, and a second layer made of flexible material, which defines the inner surface of said device, soundproofing material being comprised between said first layer and said second layer, said multilayer structure being adapted to pass from a flat configuration to a tubular configuration.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, according to the invention, in the tubular configuration;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the soundproofing device of Figure 1, according to the invention, in the flat configuration; Figure 3 is a cutout perspective view of a detail of the soundproofing device of Figure 2;

Figures 4 to 8 are views of a sequence of steps of provision of the soundproofing device, according to the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a plurality of soundproofing devices, according to the invention, mutually associated in a modular manner.

With reference to the figures, the soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a multilayer structure.

According to the invention, the multilayer structure comprises a first layer 3 made of flexible material, which defines the outer surface of the device 1, and a second layer 5 made of flexible material, which defines the inner surface of the device 1. Soundproofing material 7 is comprised between the first layer 3 and the second layer 5. The multilayer structure is adapted to pass from a flat configuration to a tubular configuration.

The first layer 3 of flexible material and the second layer 5 of flexible material are advantageously made of a textile fiber material, preferably of the hygienic fabric type. The material of which the first layer 3 and the second layer 5 are made is furthermore advantageously washable and can be made of fireproof materials.

The soundproofing material 7 is advantageously a material such as rock wool, or glass fiber, or the like. Said soundproofing material 7 has advantageous also thermal barrier properties.

The soundproofing device 1 advantageously comprises fixing elements 9 adapted to keep the multilayer structure in the tubular configuration. The multilayer structure can comprise at least two lateral flaps 1 1, 13, which can be folded onto themselves and can be fixed mutually to the respective ends by means of said fixing elements 9 so that the multilayer structure assumes the tubular configuration.

The fixing elements 9 can comprise a plurality of press-studs distributed along the ends of the lateral flaps 11 and 13, or a strip of material known by the trade-name Velcro, whose strips of loop fabric and hook fabric are arranged respectively along the ends of the lateral flaps 1 1 and 13.

A plurality of pockets 15 adapted to receive the soundproofing material 7 are defined advantageously between the first layer 3 and the second layer 5.

Advantageously, the pockets 15 are separated by longitudinal joining lines 17, along which the first layer 3 and the second layer 5 are joined.

Moreover, the pockets 15 are closed advantageously at the longitudinal ends by transverse joining lines 19, along which the first layer 3 and the second layer 5 are joined.

Advantageously, the multilayer structure can be folded onto itself at the longitudinal joining lines 17 in order to define the tubular configuration.

The joining between the first layer 3 and the second layer 5 along said longitudinal joining lines 17 and transverse joining lines 19 can be provided by sewing, or by adhesive bonding, or also by means of high-frequency, or ultrasound joining methods.

The soundproofing material 7 comprises advantageously a plurality of panels 21 of soundproofing material, each inserted in a respective pocket 15.

The soundproofing device 1 , in the tubular configuration, can have advantageously a square cross-section, as shown in the accompanying figures, but also a rectangular, or triangular shape, or other shape deemed suitable. Moreover, the soundproofing device 1 can have different dimensions depending on the type of use and on the type of desired acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics.

As shown by way of example in Figure 9, a plurality of soundproofing devices 1 in a tubular configuration can be associated in a modular manner, in a series and/or parallel arrangement, to cover appropriately the opening of a ventilation channel for a desired length.

The method for providing a soundproofing device, particularly for ventilation channels, is described hereinafter with particular reference to the sequence of steps shown in Figures 4 to 8.

The method for providing the soundproofing device 1 comprises the steps of:

- mutually superimposing a first layer 3 of flexible material and a second layer 5 of flexible material (Figure 4);

- sewing together the first layer 3 and the second layer 5 along a plurality of longitudinal joining lines 17 in order to define a plurality of pockets 15 (Figure 5);

- inserting soundproofing material 7 in each one of the pockets 15 (Figure 6);

- sewing together, at their longitudinal ends, the first layer 3 and the second layer 5, along transverse joining lines 19, in order to close the soundproofing material 7 in the pockets 15, and provide a multilayer structure (Figure 7);

- applying fixing elements 9 to the lateral ends of the multilayer structure, for example at the lateral flaps 11 and 13 of said structure.

In this manner a soundproofing device 1 is obtained, in the flat configuration, as shown in Figure 2.

The method for providing a soundproofing device 1 can comprise furthermore the steps of:

- folding onto itself the multilayer structure, along the longitudinal joining lines 17 (Figure 8);

- fixing the lateral ends of the multilayer structure by means of the fixing elements 9 (Figure 8).

In this manner a soundproofing device 1 is obtained, in the tubular configuration, as shown in Figure 1.

The soundproofing devices 1, in the flat configuration, have extremely small bulks and can be transported easily, for example stacked together.

The soundproofing device 1 can assume the tubular configuration during installation in a ventilation channel, simply by folding the multilayer structure onto itself and closing it by way of the fixing elements 9. In other words, the operator can carry easily the soundproofing devices 1 , in the flat configuration, to the vicinity of the ventilation channel in which they are to be installed and provide the tubular configuration required for installation simply by folding the several flaps of the soundproofing device 1 and fixing its lateral ends by way of the fixing elements 9. This operation can be repeated rapidly for every soundproofing device that is needed.

In practice it has been found that the soundproofing device particularly for ventilation channels, according to the present invention, achieves the intended aim and objects, since it can be transported easily, thanks to its minimal space occupation when it is in the flat configuration.

Another advantage of the soundproofing device, according to the invention, resides in that it can assume the tubular configuration directly at the installation site, by way of simple and natural gestures on the part of an operator.

Another advantage of the soundproofing device, according to the invention, resides in that it ensures high noise absorption efficiencies and also acts as a thermal barrier.

Another advantage of the soundproofing device, according to the invention, resides in that it is easily washable.

Another advantage of the soundproofing device, according to the invention, resides in that it can be provided easily in various shapes and dimensions depending on the desired use.

The soundproofing device thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. ΜΓ2013Α001540 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A soundproofing device (1), particularly for ventilation channels, comprising a multilayer structure, characterized in that said multilayer structure comprises a first layer (3) made of flexible material, which defines the outer surface of said device (1), and a second layer (5) made of flexible material, which defines the inner surface of said device (1), soundproofing material (7) being comprised between said first layer (3) and said second layer (5), said multilayer structure being adapted to pass from a flat configuration to a tubular configuration.

2. The soundproofing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises fixing elements (9) adapted to keep said multilayer structure in said tubular configuration.

3. The soundproofing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said multilayer structure comprises at least two lateral flaps (1 1, 13), which can be folded onto themselves and can be fixed mutually to the respective ends by means of said fixing elements (9) in order to define said tubular configuration.

4. The soundproofing device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of pockets (15) adapted to receive said soundproofing material (7) are defined between said first layer (3) and said second layer (5).

5. The soundproofing device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pockets (15) are separated by longitudinal joining lines (17), along which said first layer (3) and said second layer (5) are joined.

6. The soundproofing device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pockets (15) are closed at the ends by transverse joining lines (19), along which said first layer (3) and said second layer (5) are joined.

7. The soundproofing device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said multilayer structure can be folded onto itself at said longitudinal joining lines (17) in order to define said tubular configuration.

8. The soundproofing device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said soundproofing material (7) comprises a plurality of panels (21) of soundproofing material inserted in said pockets (15).

9. A method for providing a soundproofing device (1), particularly for ventilation channels, characterized in that:

- a first layer of flexible material is superimposed on a second layer of flexible material;

- said first layer and said second layer are sewn together along a plurality of longitudinal joining lines in order to define a plurality of pockets;

- soundproofing material is inserted in said pockets;

- said first layer and said second layer are sewn together at their longitudinal ends along transverse joining lines in order to close said soundproofing material in said pockets and provide a multilayer structure;

- fixing elements are applied to the lateral ends of said multilayer structure.

10. The method for providing a soundproofing device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

- folding onto itself said multilayer structure along said longitudinal joining lines;

- fixing said lateral ends of said multilayer structure by means of said fixing elements.