Acoustic Panel With Drop Seal

Abstract

The invention(s) disclosed herein include various panels, components of panels, partitions, systems, and / or methods that increase acoustic insulation by mitigating sound (e.g., before it enters an area and / or a room). For example, some embodiments include a movable partition that is comprised of a plurality of panels that each hang from the ceiling, where the interface between two partitioned panels includes various gaskets, damping elements, and perforations that mitigate sound transmission from one side of the partition to the other. Other features of the partition (and panels that make up the partition) include upper and lower drops seals that in some embodiments have a labyrinth-like design and thus mitigate the flow of air between the partition and the ceiling / floor. Also, a membrane positioned inside the panel is disclosed that is especially effective at mitigating low frequency sound, for example.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a Divisional application of patent application Ser. No. 13 / 684,151, filed Nov. 21, 2012 on behalf of the present inventor, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 673,325, filed Jul. 19, 2012 on behalf of the present inventor. All of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]One or more embodiments of the invention(s) described herein relate to the field of acoustics and, more specifically, architectural acoustics. Even more particularly, one or more embodiments of the invention(s) involve an acoustic panel, while others involve a partition of a plurality of acoustic panels. While the embodiments described herein typically relate to movable acoustic panels and partitions, i.e., panels and partitions that are movable as part of a movable panel system and / or a movable partition system, a number of the aspects / compone...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is about creating panels, parts of panels, systems, and methods that can reduce sound and increase acoustic insulation. The patent discusses various techniques for reducing air and sound flow through panels, such as using gaskets, drop seals, and damping components. It also mentions using a membrane to absorb sound. Additionally, the patent mentions using perforated panels to allow sound to flow out of a passage between panels, with some of the sound being absorbed by insulation after it flows out of the passage. Overall, the invention has various techniques to reduce sound and increase acoustic insulation.

Problems solved by technology

In fact, prior art partitions typically include some methods / components for limiting air flow in one or more of these areas; however, they are not very effective.

In essence, prior art drop seals tend to create a new problem (i.e., creating or enlarging a gap / channel between the drop seal and the panel body) by attempting to solve the original one (i.e., minimizing the gap between the panel and the floor).

On the other hand, one of the reasons that vibration can be so problematic is that panel frames are typically constructed out of materials that transmit it well, such as sheet steel or aluminum.

Despite the fact that exteriors and interiors (i.e., non-frame portions) of acoustic panels are often comprised of various sound insulating materials—such as drywall, laminates, wood agglomerates, polyurethane, polystyrene, glass, mineral fibers, acoustic blankets, or a mixture of two or more of these, among other materials known to those skilled in the art—many prior art panels still typically do not sufficiently / significantly mitigate sound of certain frequencies, such as low octave bands in the audible spectrum (e.g., 125 Hz, 63 Hz and 31.5 Hz), from substantially passing from one side of the panel and / or partition to the other.

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