3D Sound Absorbing Material With Controlled Ventilation Layer Thickness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sound absorbing materials struggle to maintain consistent performance when applied to complex-shaped sound sources due to variations in thickness of ventilation resistant membranes, leading to suboptimal noise suppression.

Innovation Solution

A sound absorbing material with a core layer and ventilation resistant layer, where the ventilation resistant layer maintains a thickness variation of 40% or less of its average value, ensuring consistent sound absorption across a three-dimensional shape, and is produced using molds to control thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a ventilation resistant membrane is applied to complex-shaped sound sources, then the sound absorbing material can be used for complicated component shapes, but the membrane thickness varies during formation leading to suboptimal noise suppression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to complex shapesVSAvoidthickness consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies different functional layers (core layer and ventilation resistant layer) with specific properties to different regions of the sound absorbing material. The ventilation resistant layer is specifically designed with controlled thickness variation (≤40%) to maintain optimal acoustic properties in regions where it is applied, while the core layer provides sound absorption in three-dimensional spaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sound absorbing material is segmented into distinct functional layers: a core layer for sound absorption and a ventilation resistant layer for noise suppression. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently for its specific function, with the ventilation resistant layer's thickness carefully controlled to maintain performance while adapting to complex shapes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Shape

If the ventilation resistant layer thickness varies significantly, then the material can conform to complex three-dimensional shapes, but the sound absorption coefficient decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethree-dimensional conformabilityVSAvoidsound absorption performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention controls the thickness parameter of the ventilation resistant layer to vary by 40% or less from the average thickness. This parameter control ensures that the acoustic properties of the ventilation resistant layer remain within optimal ranges, maintaining sound absorption coefficient and noise suppression effectiveness while still allowing the material to conform to three-dimensional shapes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If a single-layer structure is used, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the sound absorbing performance is insufficient for complex shapes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsound absorbing performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite structure consisting of a core layer and a ventilation resistant layer bonded together. This composite material approach combines the sound absorption capabilities of the core layer with the noise suppression properties of the ventilation resistant layer, achieving superior overall performance while maintaining manufacturability through established lamination processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The material achieves improved sound absorption performance by maintaining consistent ventilation resistance and thickness, effectively suppressing noise even on complex-shaped components.

Implementation Method 1

a sound absorbing material including a core layer and a ventilation resistant layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentUS12525215B2Sound absorbing material and method of producing sound absorbing material

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES CO

AI summary

A sound absorbing material according to an embodiment is a sound absorbing material (1) absorbing sound from a component, the sound absorbing material including a rising portion (4) rising from an attachment portion P to which the sound absorbing material (1) is attached, and an opposing portion (5) opposing the component on a side of the rising portion (4) opposite to the attachment portion P, wherein each of the rising portion (4) and the opposing portion (5) includes a core layer (11) and a ventilation resistant layer (12), and in at least a part of the opposing portion (5) and the rising portion (4), a variation in thickness T of the ventilation resistant layer (12) is 40% or less of an average value of the thickness T of the ventilation resistant layer (12).