The present invention relates to a soundproof panel, for example for application in an soundproof wall for stopping sound, such as emitted by road traffic.
Known soundproof panels are arranged in rows along, for example, a road in a tight-fitting manner, mounted between or against mounting poles, such that a soundproof wall with sound insulating and sound absorbing properties is created. After installation of such a soundproof wall, it is possible to plant climbing plants on the front side as well as the back side of the panels, wherein the air roots of the plants can attach to the soundproof panel.
Such soundproof panels are usually constructed from concrete, which in the long run gives a less visually pleasing exterior, because the concrete gets contaminated, or wood. In view of exposure to a wide variety of weather conditions, the application of wood requires the use of hardwood, or a type of wood impregnated with environmentally unfriendly agents.
Another disadvantage is that with relatively heavy soundproof panels, such as concrete panels, a strong foundation is necessary. Moreover, use of such walls on soft soil requires piling or ramming.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a soundproof panel, having a light construction, such that no special measures with regard to foundation are necessary.
It is a further aim of the invention to obtain a soundproof wall, wherein the exterior of the wall remains the same in the long run.
Thereto, the soundproof panel according to the invention comprises the features of claim 1. It comprises in particular a main plane with, on both sides thereof, two main plane sides and a circumference delimiting the main plane sides, a row of tubes, covered with fiber material, arranged along a main plane side of the main plane, extending mutually parallel along the main plane side in a tube direction and covering the main plane side, wherein, near the ends of the tubes, at a first pair of opposing sides of the circumference, a corresponding first pair of U-profiles is provided, extending perpendicularly to the tube direction, wherein the ends of the tubes are clampingly received in the open sides of the U-profiles, wherein, at a second pair of opposing sides of the circumference, a corresponding second pair of U-profiles is provided, extending in the tube direction, wherein the first pair of U-profiles and the second pair of U-profiles connect in such a way, that a rectangular frame is formed.
Due to the low mass and thickness of both the panels, as well as the poles forming the foundation, material and transport costs are saved. Because with this type of panels the soundproof wall can be built without the use of cranes, also relatively large savings are achieved with regard to the installation thereof.
Due to clamping the ends of the tubes covered with fiber material against e.g. a plate with help of the U-profiles, the tubes covered with fiber material are prevented from co-vibrating or resonating when the plate itself is vibrating. The soundproof panel disclosed in
By using clamping of the tubes covered with fiber material in U-profiles, a compact, yet sturdy, panel is created, upon which further soundproof panels can be stacked. The U-shaped profiles can be produced from wood-like material, such as tropical hardwood, or synthetic materials, or metal, for instance steel or aluminum. Preferably the U-shaped panels are produced from steel, in particular galvanized steel, due to exposure to a wide variety of weather conditions.
'Main plane', by the way, means a plane in a geometric sense. In the soundproof panel, in the main plane, a plate, such as a sound insulating plate, is arranged, wherein the main plane sides are formed by the main planes of the plate and the plate is delimited by the circumference. In the soundproof panel, an elongated fixing element is provided, of which opposing ends are each clamped between one of the U-profiles of the second pair of U-profiles and the tubes or the plate at that position, wherein the elongated fixing element extends perpendicular to the tube direction and runs over the tubes transversally, at a position of 1/3 - 2/3 the tube length, more preferably 1/2 tube length, such that the tubes are kept against the plate by the elongated fixing element. It has turned out that, in particular with tube lengths of more than 0,5 m, the tubes are relatively sensitive to picking up vibrations, for example when a train passes by (i.e. when the soundproof panel is used next to a railway line), or otherwise. It has turned out that the sound insulating plate and the tubes both start vibrating due to deflection, consequentially leading to a near-complete cancellation of the soundproofing properties of the panel. The abovementioned elongated fixing element achieves that the tubes covered with fiber material are tightly kept against the plate, preventing vibration in an effective way. Moreover, the fixing element prevents vandalism, due to it being very hard to remove the tubes from the U-profiles.
An embodiment provides a soundproof panel, wherein the elongated fixing element is covered with fiber material, preferably the same fiber material as the fiber material used for covering the tubes. Thus, a naturally looking exterior is realized, wherein the fixing element does not stand out. The elongated fixing element can also concern a strand/bundle, or wire, of fiber material.
Preferably, a fixing member is arranged at the plate near the elongated fixing element, which fixing member engages the elongated fixing element to keep the elongated fixing element against the row of tubes. Thus, an even higher stiffness and resistance against vibrating/resonance is achieved.
In a preferred embodiment, the fixing member comprises an adjustable tensioning member, wherein, through adjustment, the pressure of the elongated fixing element against the row of tubes can be adjusted. Usually, the fiber material of the tubes will deteriorate after some time leading to a smaller outer diameter thereof. Consequently, the pressure with which the tubes are pressed against the plate decreases. By means of the aforementioned tensioning member this pressure can be increased again, as a result of which resonance of the tubes is prevented in the long run.
Preferably, the fiber material comprises coconut fiber. Also, in an advantageous manner, polypropylene wire can be used, wound through the fiber material. Preferably, the fiber material is impregnated with a flame retardant. The tubes are preferably produced from a hard synthetic also having flame retarding properties. To provide sufficient resistance against deflection/bending, the tubes preferably have an outer diameter of 2-6 cm, such as 2-4 cm, preferably 3,2 cm.
In an advantageous embodiment one of the tubes is received in a U-shaped reception space formed by a pair of projecting flanges attached to the plate and extending on both sides of the tube in the tube direction, between the first pair of U-profiles. The inventors have found that the stiffness of the plate itself increases tremendously and the tendency to resonating decreases strongly. Of course, a U-profile can be mounted to the plate to achieve the same effect. Preferably, the middle tube of the row of tubes is received in the U-shaped reception space. When a U-profile is used to form the reception space, preferably a screw or a similar connection means is provided in the first pair of profiles to tightly mount the first pair of U-profiles to the U-profile, to obtain a construction having maximal stiffness. This also prevents bulging out and prevents the panel interior from disintegrating.
In an advantageous embodiment, two adjacent U-profiles are connected to each other by means of a carriage bolt and a nut. By using a carriage bolt and a nut, the U-profiles can be connected to each other relatively easily. A great advantage is that welding is not necessary. When the tubes are worn out and need replacement, the carriage bolt and nut can be easily taken apart and the tubes can be removed from the profiles. This is virtually impossible with welds. Also, the elongated fixing elements can be removed easily, further facilitating the above-described replacement process.
An embodiment relates to a soundproof panel, wherein between the row of tubes covered with fiber material and the (sound insulating) plate a layer of mineral wool is arranged. Thus, a soundproof panel with high-absorbent acoustic properties is created.
Another embodiment concerns a soundproof panel, wherein, along a tube-free main plane side, mineral wool is arranged. It is also possible to arrange mineral wool near the tube-free main plane side, instead of mineral wool being arranged between the row of tubes covered with fiber material and the plate, or in addition thereto.
In an embodiment the mineral wool is arranged between the tube-free main plane side on the one hand and a synthetic separation net, optionally combined with a netting, on the other hand. Also, the mineral wool can be covered with wind cloth to obtain increased durability.
An advantageous embodiment provides a soundproof panel, wherein on both sides of the sound insulating plate a row of tubes covered with fiber material is arranged. Thus, the soundproof panel obtains a visually pleasing exterior on both sides. At the same time the increase in panel mass is relatively low. For example, in residential areas, such as along the boundary of a garden, near busy roads and in countryside intersected by roads and railway lines, use of such a soundproof panel can be desirable.
The invention also concerns a soundproof wall according to claim 14, comprising one or more of the aforementioned panels.
A preferred embodiment concerns a soundproof wall, wherein between adjacent panels an elongated support member, such as a support pole, is arranged with an H-shaped cross-section, wherein each adjacent panel is tightly received in an open side of the H-shaped cross-section. Thus, a soundproof connection between adjacent panels is created, preventing the soundproofness of the wall from being compromised, which would have been the case with the presence of a space between adjacent panels.
The invention will be elucidated by means of the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures, wherein:
Near the ends 8 of the tubes 5, at a first pair of opposing sides Z1, Z2 of the circumference 4, a corresponding first pair of U-profiles 9 is provided. This first pair of U-profiles 9 extends perpendicular to the tube direction. The ends 8 of the tubes 5 are clampingly received in the open sides of these U-profiles 9. At a second pair of opposing sides Z3, Z4 of the circumference 4 a corresponding second pair of U-profiles 18 is provided, extending in the tube direction. The first pair of U-profiles 9 and the second pair of U-profiles 18 connect to each other in such a way that a rectangular frame 11 is formed. The U-profiles 8, 19 may have a thickness of for example 1-3 mm, such as 1,25 mm or 2 mm, depending on the size of the panel 1.
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As can be seen in particular in
The frame 11 is formed by letting the ends of two horizontal and two vertical U-profiles 8, 19 overlap in the corners and by connecting the overlapping parts to each other. Establishing this connection can be done in any conceivable way. For instance, a glued, a welded or a screwed connection are all conceivable. Preferably though, the U-shaped profiles 9, 18 are connected by means of a carriage bolt 12 and a nut 13, wherein beforehand a hole, such as a square hole, corresponding to the carriage bolt is created in one of the upstanding legs of the U-shaped profiles 9, 18. In this way, the U-shaped profiles 9, 18 are connected to each other in a torque-resistant fashion and a solid/sturdy rectangular or square frame 11 is obtained.
The upstanding legs of the horizontal U-profiles 9, 18 can be turned further inwards, such that tubes, covered with fiber material, with a smaller diameter can also be clamped between the legs.
With the present invention, in general hollow tubes 5 covered with fiber material are used. By connecting three U-profiles 9, 18 of the frame 11 in a U-shape, wherein one of the four sides of the frame 11 thus stays open, the tubes with fiber material 5 can be slid into the frame 11 via the open side of the frame 11.
In
The exemplary embodiment shown in
Thus, the invention has been described by reference to the embodiments discussed above. It will be recognized that the embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms well known to those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, although specific embodiments have been described, these are examples only and are not limiting upon the scope of the invention.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.