U.S. patent application number 11/819420 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for floor covering having a strong noise-reducing properties.
This patent application is currently assigned to HP-CHEMIE PLELZER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD.. Invention is credited to Norbert Nicolai, Volkmar Schulze.
Application Number | 20070298215 11/819420 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26007002 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070298215 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nicolai; Norbert ; et
al. |
December 27, 2007 |
Floor covering having a strong noise-reducing properties
Abstract
A floor covering with strong noise-reducing properties for the
interior trim of means of transport having on the passenger side a
textile or non-textile surface, acoustically coupled through at
least one microperforated sheet to a fibrous non-woven and/or
foamed plastic. A microperforated sheet having a hole diameter from
0.2 to 0.5 mm and an interhole distance from 3 to 7 mm.
Inventors: |
Nicolai; Norbert;
(Schermbeck, DE) ; Schulze; Volkmar; (Schierling,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VENABLE LLP
P.O. BOX 34385
WASHINGTON
DC
20043-9998
US
|
Assignee: |
HP-CHEMIE PLELZER RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT LTD.
Waterford
IE
|
Family ID: |
26007002 |
Appl. No.: |
11/819420 |
Filed: |
June 27, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10363981 |
Aug 8, 2003 |
7279214 |
|
|
PCT/EP01/10101 |
Sep 1, 2001 |
|
|
|
11819420 |
Jun 27, 2007 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/138 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 13/01 20130101;
Y10T 428/24331 20150115; B60N 3/048 20130101; Y10T 428/24322
20150115; Y10T 428/23979 20150401; Y10T 428/31989 20150401; B60R
13/083 20130101; Y10T 428/31678 20150401; Y10T 428/24273
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/138 |
International
Class: |
B32B 3/10 20060101
B32B003/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 9, 2000 |
DE |
100 44 761.9 |
Jan 17, 2001 |
DE |
101 01 819.3 |
Claims
1. A floor covering for the interior trim of means of transport,
which has, on the passenger side, a textile or non-textile surface,
characterized in that this surface is acoustically coupled to a
floor covering sublayer made of a fibrous non-woven and/or foamed
plastic through at least one microperforated sheet having a hole
diameter of the microperforated layer of from 0.2 to 0.5 mm and an
interhole distance of the microperforated layer of from 3 to 7
mm.
2. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the fiber bonding of a textile surface is effected with a
microperforated sheet which simultaneously adopts the coupling
function to a floor covering sublayer.
3. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the surface consists of a textile carpet floor which is provided
with a microperforated plastic layer on its backside.
4. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the surface consists of a flocked carpet on a textile or polymeric
microperforated substrate.
5. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the surface consists of a polymeric microperforated surface having
a one-layer or two-layer structure, especially heavy layer coated
with a thermoplastic polyolefin layer.
6. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the surface consists of a metallic microperforated surface,
especially of stainless steel or aluminum with different surface
profiles.
7. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the surface consists of an organic microperforated surface,
especially wood, cork, leather or artificial leather.
8. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the hole diameter of the microperforated layer is from 0.3 to 0.4
mm.
9. The floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that
the interhole distance of the microperforated layer is from 3.5 to
5.5 mm.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation from application Ser. No.
10/363,981 filed Aug. 8, 2003, pending; and is a U.S. National
Stage application from PCT/EP01/10101 filed Sep. 1, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a floor covering with a
strong noise-reducing effect for the interior trim of means of
transport.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In DE 197 54 107 C1 and the prior art cited therein, which
is incorporated herein by reference, the absorption behavior of
microperforated building elements is examined. In the specification
mentioned, baffle structures composed of layers of microperforated
sheets which are pending from a ceiling or a roof as so-called
compact absorbers are examined. The microperforated sheets are
suitable for very efficiently absorbing from the space sound waves
impinging on one or both sides normally, at an angle or in a
grazing manner, especially at higher frequencies.
[0006] Further, structures are known in which a sound-impermeable
surface is provided with perforations to achieve an absorptive
effect of the underlying absorber, see, for example, DE 30 18 0172
A, DE 41 23 593 A and WO 92/01587.
[0007] DE 295 07 971 U1 relates to a floor damping system for
automobiles having a porous carpet floor structure, without stating
hole sizes.
[0008] DE 299 15 428 U1 relates to a sound screening element for
protection from sound propagation from the noise area of, in
particular, motor vehicles and other machines and devices using a
layer having a multitude of openings, characterized in that the
layer is formed as a self-supporting sound-protection molded part
and has a hole area ratio (LV) of between 0.001 and 20% at a
thickness (d) of the molded part of between 0.02 and 50 mm and an
average width (b) or an average diameter (D) through openings of
between 0.001 and 2 mm.
[0009] DE 92 00 439 U1 relates to a non-crush rigid molded part,
especially for the floor area in the passenger compartment of
automobiles, which has a substructure layer which is stable under
load and made of a rot-resistant first plastic material and a
decorative layer provided towards the viewing side over said
substructure layer and made of a second plastic material or natural
material and optionally one or more sealing layers provided between
said substructure layer and decorative layer and/or on the backside
of said substructure layer and made of further plastic materials,
wherein all the layers are laminated to form a multilayer
structure. The molded part is characterized in that said
substructure layer has a fibrous component and a thermoplastic
binder component distributed therein whose proportion is suitable
for producing the required stiffness of the molded part.
[0010] DE 39 05 607 A1 describes a layer structure for the
preparation of sound insulations and a method for their
preparation. For this purpose, the acoustically effective layer
consists of a thermodeformable absorbing plastic which can be
processed into a foam and/or at least one layer consisting of a
non-woven. The layer structure and the sound insulation produced
with it can be employed, in particular, for the floor covering of
motor vehicles.
[0011] The floor coverings employed in the automobile field
integrate different functions which must be considered in the
preparation: aesthetic demands (surface appearance, pleasant feel),
leveling of surface contours of the body, acoustic functions
(damping, absorption and insulation), optimum use properties
(minimum wear, high crush resistance, good cleanability, high light
resistance), foam-integrating of additional structural parts
(attachment of floor mats, parts for increasing crush resistance),
openings for rear heating and for wire troughs, application by
welding of crush protector and foot rest. In these considerations,
suitability for process also is to be ensured: extreme
deep-drawability without loss of functionality, through-foaming
resistance of the material structure, recyclability. In recent
times, the emission behavior is hugely gaining importance. Thus,
the material structure of a floor covering in the automobile field
which is usual today is as follows:
[0012] Pile/tufting support/bonding/backing adhesive/heavy
sheet/cover fleece/soft foam. In middle class and luxury class
vehicles, tufting velours qualities are employed, and in compact
class vehicles, flat-needle webs and dilours qualities. Also,
flocked, knitted, machine-knitted and woven materials as well as
malivlies are found here. As a coating, latex and polyolefins
(especially PE) as well as thermoformable non-woven constructions
are employed. Instead of a PUR soft foam (with specific gravities
of .gtoreq.60 kg/m.sup.3), loosely compressed textile fibrous
non-wovens with thermoset or thermoplastic bonding as well as
combinations of foam or non-woven layers having different flow
resistances are also employed. The sound absorption property of the
floor covering can be increased when a porous layer which is open
to air and thus to sound is inserted between the actual top web and
the process-caused sealing layer or heavy sheet. As the porous
layer which is open to air and thus to sound (absorption layer),
polyester and mixed fiber non-wovens are employed here; to prevent
the entry of water into the material structure of the floor
covering, the latter is furnished with a hydrophobic property. The
sealing sheet which is often employed in addition to the heavy
sheet is supposed to prevent the breakthrough of foam in foam
backing. For saving weight, today, the heavy sheet (the specific
gravities are between 0.8 and 10 kg/m.sup.2) is also in some cases
completely dispensed with, depending on the engine and body
designs, in which case only sealing sheets (multilayer sheets with
specific gravities of between 0.04 and 0.35 kg/m.sup.2) are
employed.
[0013] It is disadvantageous in all known floor coverings that
sound absorption is restricted solely to the surface and a thin
sublayer and thus absorption can become effective only
conditionally.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] It is the object of the invention to provide a floor
covering having a strong noise-reducing effect for the interior
trim of means of transport which has, on the passenger side, a
textile or non-textile surface, such as of plastic, rubber, metal
or a natural substance, and thus allows an easy assembly.
[0015] According to the invention, this object is achieved by
providing the surface of the floor covering with a sound-permeable
design irrespective of its material and thus effecting a coupling
to the floor covering sublayer which lays towards the body
panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a floor covering having a textile top web
connected to a non-woven or foam backing through a microperforated
layer.
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a floor covering embodiment where a sublayer
web is interposed between the textile top web and the
microperforated layer, which microperforated layer is connected to
a non-woven or foam backing.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a another floor covering embodiment where a a
mocroperforated floor surface is connected through a first
non-woven or foam absorber system and a microperforated sheet to a
non-woven or foam layer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS.
[0019] The floor coverings according to the invention have,
especially on the passenger side, a textile or non-textile surface,
such as plastic, rubber, metal or a natural substance, which is
preferably acoustically coupled through at least one
microperforated sheet to a floor covering sublayer made of a
fibrous non-woven and/or foamed plastic. The microperforated sheet
adopts the function of 1) a heavy layer in the mass-spring system
and 2) an absorber.
[0020] To achieve a defined absorption, in a preferred embodiment,
the sound permeability is achieved by an air-permeable bonding of
the fibers in carpets and/or by a micro perforation of the topmost
material layer in closed surfaces and/or further layers in the
structure of the floor covering.
[0021] Depending on the design of the floor covering, the side
facing the interior may have a structure as follows:
[0022] a) a textile carpet surface consisting of a [0023] tufted
carpet; [0024] or a needle-punched carpet with different
needling.
[0025] To achieve the air permeability and the associated acoustic
coupling, the type of fiber bonding is selected to form a
microporous structure.
[0026] b) a textile carpet surface provided with a thick plastic
layer on the backside;
[0027] c) a flocked carpet on a textile or polymer substrate;
[0028] d) a polymeric surface having a one-layer or two-layer
structure, such as a TPO-coated heavy layer;
[0029] e) a metallic surface, such as a stainless steel or aluminum
sheet with different surface profiles; or
[0030] f) an organic surface, such as wood or cork;
[0031] g) leather or artificial leather.
[0032] For the structures mentioned under b) to g), the desired
sound permeability is achieved by a microperforation.
[0033] The microperforation has such a design that, due to the hole
diameter, the interhole distance and the given or realized distance
from the body panel and the thickness of the material, a strong
acoustic effect is achieved by the microperforation, especially for
low frequencies (<350 to 550 Hz). By the coupling to the floor
covering sublayers, absorption in a high frequency range is
achieved.
[0034] In addition, the hole diameters should be selected so large
that plain water (water without altered surface tension) does not
permeate the layer without additional action. Further, the surface
of the floor covering sublayer can be furnished with a hydrophobic
property so that a further water barrier exists.
[0035] Especially when only one hole layer is present, the hole
diameters are from 0.2 to 0.5 mm, preferably from 0.3 to 0.4 mm,
and the hole distance is from 3 to 7 mm, preferably from 3.5 to 5.5
mm. Of course, it is possible, when several microperforated layers
are present, to design them with different or equal hole area
fractions. The holes can be made in the layer with any geometry by
methods per se known in the prior art, for example, by punching
with piercing or needle rollers or laser irradiation.
[0036] When the hole area fraction is selected too low, a
sound-absorbing effect is not or not sufficiently produced, while
on the other hand, when the hole area fraction is selected too
high, the sound-absorbing effect of the microperforated absorber is
again reduced. In addition, accordingly prepared trim or molded
elements in the vehicle field are weakened mechanically.
[0037] The surface layers of the materials mentioned under b) to g)
simultaneously serve as a heavy layer in the mass-spring
system.
[0038] Due to the rigid structure, this surface layer additionally
adopts the function of stabilizing the structure of the floor
covering.
[0039] The carpet floor structure according to the invention can be
bonded to a foam and/or non-woven absorber which is lying beneath
towards the body panel, for example, by adhesive bonding,
needle-bonding or direct foam backing, and or it may also lie
loosely on top thereof.
[0040] In the following, the present invention will be further
illustrated by some Examples.
[0041] In FIG. 1, a floor covering prepared according to the
invention and having a strong noise-reducing effect is
described.
[0042] The textile top web 1, which consists, for example, of a
needle web or a tufting, is connected to a usual non-woven or foam
backing 3 through a microperforated heavy layer 2.
[0043] FIG. 2 also describes a floor covering prepared according to
the invention in which the textile top web 1 may be, for example, a
needle web or tufting. This is additionally applied to a sublayer
web 4 which is coupled to a usual non-woven or foam backing 3
through a microperforated separation sheet, for example, a heavy
layer 2 or sealing sheet.
[0044] In FIG. 3, another variation of the floor coverings
according to the invention is shown. The microperforated useful
floor surface 5, for example, made of a thermoplastic polyolefin
sheet (TPO), is connected through a first non-woven or foam
absorber system 3a and a microperforated separation sheet, for
example, a heavy layer 2 or sealing sheet, to a non-woven or foam
layer 3b provided on the backside.
* * * * *