Acoustical insulator for a vehicle

Abstract

An acoustical and thermal insulator provided which is suitable for use in a vehicle. The insulator includes a nonlaminate acoustical and thermal insulating layer of blend of polymer fibers and natural fibers. The fiber blend provides a lower cost material with similar acoustical, thermal properties. The insulator includes a relatively high density, nonlaminate layer of the fiber blend and / or one or more facing layers constructed from various materials.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of related U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 939,284 (Filed Aug. 24, 2001), U.S. Pat. No. ______ the entirety of which is here in incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of acoustical and thermal insulation and, more particularly, to a trim panel insulator for a vehicle including a mixture of polymer and natural fibers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Acoustical and thermal insulators and liners for application to vehicles are well known in the art. These insulators typically rely upon both sound absorption, i.e. the ability to absorb incident sound waves and transmission loss, i.e. the ability to reflect incident sound waves, in order to provide sound attenuation. They also rely upon thermal shielding properties to prevent or reduce the transmission of heat from various heat sources (e.g. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a trim panel insulator for a vehicle. That insulator comprises a low cost blend of natural and polymeric fibers that provide acoustical and thermal insulating layer of polymer fiber selected from a group consisting of polymer and natural fibers including polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, rayon, nylon and any mixtures thereof and natural fibers of cotton and kenaf and any mixtures thereof. The polymer fibers are preferably bicomponent fibers.

Problems solved by technology

While a number of adhesives, adhesive webs and binding fibers have been specifically developed over the years to secure the various layers of the laminates together, laminated shields and insulators have an inherent risk of delamination and failure.

The potential is, in fact, significant mainly due to the harsh operating environment to which the shields and insulators are subjected.

As a result, the shields and insulators are often subjected to temperatures in excess of 200° F. which have a tendency to degrade the adhesives and binders over time.

Additionally, many shields and insulators are subjected to water from the surface of the roadways which has a tendency to be drawn by capillary action into the interface between the layers of the shields and the insulators.

Such water may have a deleterious effect upon the integrity of the adhesive layer over time.

This is particularly evident when one considers that water may also include in solution salt or other chemicals from the roadway which are corrosive and destructive.

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