U.S. patent application number 12/504317 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-28 for noise silencer for construction equipment.
This patent application is currently assigned to VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT HOLDING SWEDEN AB. Invention is credited to Toshimichi Ikeda, Beom Seok Jeon, Ho Jun Lee, Wook Sung Yuk.
Application Number | 20100018798 12/504317 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41066517 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100018798 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jeon; Beom Seok ; et
al. |
January 28, 2010 |
NOISE SILENCER FOR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
Abstract
A noise silencer for construction equipment is used to minimize
outward propagation of noises generated from an engine room. The
noise silencer is mounted in air intake and/or discharge openings
of an engine room, and includes a frame mounted in the one of the
air intake and discharge openings of the engine room, and noise
damping members fixed to the frame at uniform intervals, and each
including a first member, which is disposed inside the engine room
in a horizontal direction such that cooling air introduced from
outside to inside of the engine room by operation of a cooling fan
smoothly flows, and a second member, which is integrally formed
with the first member and is disposed outside the engine room so as
to be inclined upwardly at a predetermined inclination.
Inventors: |
Jeon; Beom Seok; (Busan,
KR) ; Ikeda; Toshimichi; (Changwon, KR) ; Yuk;
Wook Sung; (Changwon, KR) ; Lee; Ho Jun;
(Changwon, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LADAS & PARRY LLP
26 WEST 61ST STREET
NEW YORK
NY
10023
US
|
Assignee: |
VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
HOLDING SWEDEN AB
|
Family ID: |
41066517 |
Appl. No.: |
12/504317 |
Filed: |
July 16, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
181/225 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F 9/0866 20130101;
F01P 11/10 20130101; F01P 11/12 20130101; E02F 9/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
181/225 |
International
Class: |
F01N 7/00 20060101
F01N007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 22, 2008 |
KR |
10-2008-0071088 |
Claims
1. A noise silencer for construction equipment, which reduces
noises propagated through air intake and discharge openings of an
engine room of the construction equipment, the noise silencer
comprising: a frame mounted in at least one of the air intake and
discharge openings of the engine room; and noise damping members
fixed to the frame at uniform intervals, and each including a first
member, which is disposed inside the engine room in a horizontal
direction such that cooling air introduced from outside to inside
of the engine room by operation of a cooling fan smoothly flows,
and a second member, which is integrally formed with the first
member and is disposed outside the engine room so as to be inclined
upwardly at a predetermined inclination.
2. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first member includes
a high-frequency sound absorbing material absorbing high-frequency
sound, and the second member includes a low-frequency sound
absorbing material absorbing low-frequency sound.
3. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first member includes
a low-frequency sound absorbing material absorbing low-frequency
sound, and the second member includes a high-frequency sound
absorbing material absorbing high-frequency sound.
4. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first and second
members have free ends of semi-circular and quadrilateral cross
sections respectively, in order to reduce air resistance on coming
into contact with the cooling air introduced into the engine room
through the air intake opening.
5. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first and second
members have free ends of triangular and quadrilateral cross
sections respectively, in order to reduce air resistance on coming
into contact with the cooling air introduced into the engine room
through the air intake opening.
6. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first and second
members have free ends of quadrilateral and semi-circular cross
sections respectively, in order to reduce air resistance on coming
into contact with the cooling air introduced into the engine room
through the air intake opening.
7. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first and second
members have free ends of quadrilateral and triangular cross
sections respectively, in order to reduce air resistance on coming
into contact with the cooling air introduced into the engine room
through the air intake opening.
8. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first and second
members have free ends of semi-circular cross sections, in order to
reduce air resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air
introduced into the engine room through the air intake opening.
9. The noise silencer of claim 1, wherein the first and second
members have free ends of quadrilateral cross sections, in order to
reduce air resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air
introduced into the engine room through the air intake opening.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2008-0071088, filed on Jul. 22, 2008, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a noise silencer for
construction equipment, which is mounted in air intake and/or
discharge openings of an engine room, smoothly guides a flow of air
introduced into the engine room, and makes it possible to absorb
low- and high-frequency noises using low- and high-frequency sound
absorbing materials having different sound-absorbing
characteristics.
[0004] More particularly, the present invention relates to a noise
silencer for construction equipment, which is used to minimize
outward propagation of noises generated from an engine room, has a
horizontal structure inside an engine room in order to smooth a
flow of cooling air and an inclined structure outside the engine
room in order to prevent the noise from directly being propagated,
thereby making it possible to optimally exert its function.
[0005] Here, the cooling air refers to air that is introduced from
outside to inside of the engine room through the air intake opening
by operation of a cooling fan, cools a radiator, and then is
discharged through the air discharge opening along with noise.
[0006] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0007] In general, various kinds of construction equipment such as
excavators are used in the field of construction. Noise generated
from the field of construction is regarded as an environmental
problem, and thus regulation thereof is gradually increasing. As
low noise technology complying with increases in European noise
regulation takes the spotlight, there is a tendency to close side
doors or engine hoods mounted on engine rooms during work so as to
minimize outward propagation of noise from the engine room.
[0008] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a conventional noise silencer 5
for construction equipment is mounted in the air intake opening 3
of an engine room 2, wherein noise damping members 4 are fixed in
the air intake opening 3 at uniform intervals so as to absorb and
damp noise generated from the engine room 2 when an engine 1 and a
cooling fan 6 are driven.
[0009] Although not illustrated in the figures, the noise silencer
5 may be installed in an air discharge opening 7 through which
cooling air, which is introduced from outside to inside of the
engine room 3 through the air intake opening 3 by the driving of
the cooling fan 6 and then cools the radiator 8, is discharged.
[0010] Among reference numbers that have not yet been described, 9
indicates a muffler that discharges exhaust gas from the engine 1
to the air, and 10 indicates a hydraulic pump that is connected to
the engine 1 and supplies hydraulic oil to a hydraulic actuator
(e.g. a hydraulic cylinder).
[0011] Each noise damping member 4 has a symmetrical V-shaped cross
section. The noise generated from the engine room 2 when the engine
1 and the cooling fan 6 are driven is absorbed and shielded, i.e.
damped, by contact and collision with the noise damping members 4,
so that the noise damping members 4 reduce the noise of the engine
room 2 to some extent.
[0012] However, the noise damping members 4 largely employ only one
sound absorbing material out of sound absorbing materials having
different sound absorbing characteristics, specifically, only one
sound absorbing material out of a sound absorbing material having
high low-frequency sound absorptivity and a sound absorbing
material having high high-frequency sound absorptivity. As such,
the noise silencer 5 for reducing noises of low- and high-frequency
region noises generated from the engine room 2 has a low noise
reducing effect.
[0013] Further, a flow of cooling air introduced from outside to
inside of the engine room 2 when the cooling fan 6 is driven
interferes with the V-shaped noise damping members 4, which results
in remarkable reduction of cooling performance of the engine room
2.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a noise
silencer for construction equipment, capable of reducing noises
generated from an engine room and emitted to the outside, and
guiding a smooth flow of cooling air to maintain cooling
performance by optimizing shape and structure of noise damping
members.
[0015] Embodiments of the present invention are also directed to a
noise silencer for construction equipment, capable of
simultaneously reducing low- and high-frequency noises of an engine
room using low- and high-frequency sound absorbing materials, which
have different sound absorption characteristics and are attached to
each noise damping member, and thus optimally producing a function
of each noise damping member.
[0016] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a noise silencer for construction equipment, which reduces
noises propagated thorough air intake and discharge openings of an
engine room of the construction equipment. The noise silencer
includes a frame mounted in the air intake and/or discharge
openings of the engine room, and noise damping members fixed to the
frame at uniform intervals, and each including a first member,
which is disposed inside the engine room in a horizontal direction
such that cooling air introduced from outside to inside of the
engine room by operation of a cooling fan smoothly flows, and a
second member, which is integrally formed with the first member and
is disposed outside the engine room so as to be inclined upwardly
at a predetermined inclination.
[0017] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first member may include a high-frequency sound absorbing material
absorbing high-frequency sound, and the second member may include a
low-frequency sound absorbing material absorbing low-frequency
sound.
[0018] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first member may include a low-frequency sound absorbing material
absorbing low-frequency sound, and the second member may include a
high-frequency sound absorbing material absorbing high-frequency
sound.
[0019] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first and second members may have free ends of semi-circular and
quadrilateral cross sections respectively, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room through the air intake opening.
[0020] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first and second members may have free ends of triangular and
quadrilateral cross sections respectively, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room through the air intake opening.
[0021] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first and second members may have free ends of quadrilateral and
semi-circular cross sections respectively, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room through the air intake opening.
[0022] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first and second members may have free ends of quadrilateral and
triangular cross sections respectively, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room through the air intake opening.
[0023] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first and second members may have free ends of semi-circular cross
sections, in order to reduce air resistance on coming into contact
with the cooling air introduced into the engine room through the
air intake opening.
[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first and second members may have free ends of quadrilateral cross
sections, in order to reduce air resistance on coming into contact
with the cooling air introduced into the engine room through the
air intake opening.
[0025] According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention,
the noise silencer for construction equipment provides the
following advantages.
[0026] Due to optimized shape and structure of the noise damping
members constituting the noise silencer, the noise silencer can
reduce noises generated from the engine room and propagated to the
outside of the engine room, guide a smooth flow of cooling air to
maintain cooling performance and thus improve reliability of a
product.
[0027] Further, the noise silencer reduces low- and high-frequency
noises generated from the engine room using low- and high-frequency
sound absorbing materials, which have different sound absorbing
characteristics and are used as sound absorbing materials attached
to the noise silencer, so that the noise silencer can produce an
optimal function and thus improve competitiveness of a product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary
embodiments of the invention, and together with the description
serve to explain the aspects of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates the operation of a conventional noise
silencer.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a noise
silencer for construction equipment according to a first embodiment
of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of a noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of a noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of a noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a third embodiment of the
present invention.
[0034] FIG. 6 illustrates the operation of a noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a fourth embodiment of the
present invention.
[0035] FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of a noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a fifth embodiment of the
present invention.
[0036] FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of a noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a sixth embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
explained below in detail so that one skilled in the art may easily
work the invention. However, the following description is not
intended to limit the technical ideas or scope of the present
invention.
[0038] According to embodiments of the present invention as
illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 8, a noise silencer for construction
equipment which is mounted in an air intake opening and/or an air
discharge opening of an engine room of the construction equipment
includes a frame 12 mounted at a predetermined position (e.g. in an
air intake opening 18 through which external air is introduced from
outside to inside of an engine room 11 when a cooling fan 20 is
driven) of the engine room 11, and noise damping members 15 fixed
to the frame 12 at uniform intervals in a vertical direction, and
each including a first member 13, which is disposed inside the
engine room 11 in a horizontal direction such that cooling air
introduced from outside to inside of the engine room 11 by
operation of the cooling fan 20 smoothly flows, and a second member
14, which is integrally formed with the first member 13 and is
disposed outside the engine room 11 so as to be inclined upwardly
at a predetermined inclination in order to contact and shield noise
(high-frequency noise caused by operation of an engine 21 and
low-frequency noise caused by the operation of the cooling fan 20)
propagated to the outside of the engine room 11.
[0039] At this time, the first member 13 is mounted with a
high-frequency sound absorbing material 16 (e.g. made of
polyurethane, polypropylene, glass fiber, felt, foam resin,
polyvinyl chloride, or the like) which mainly absorbs
high-frequency sound, and the second member 14 is mounted with a
low-frequency sound absorbing material 17 (e.g. made of inorganic
material such as mineral) that mainly absorbs low-frequency
sound.
[0040] In order to reduce air resistance on coming into contact
with the cooling air introduced into the engine room 11, each of
the first and second members 13 and 14 has a free end formed in a
quadrilateral cross section.
[0041] Although not illustrated, the first member 13 may be mounted
with the low-frequency sound absorbing material that mainly absorbs
low-frequency sound, and the second member 14 may be mounted with
the high-frequency sound absorbing material that mainly absorbs
high-frequency sound.
[0042] Among reference numbers that have not yet been described in
the figures, 26 indicates a muffler that discharges exhaust gas
from the engine 21 to the air, and 24 indicates a hydraulic pump
that is connected to the engine 21 and supplies hydraulic oil to a
hydraulic actuator (e.g. a hydraulic cylinder).
[0043] Now, a configuration of the noise silencer for construction
equipment according to a first embodiment of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the case of construction
equipment such as an excavator, when an engine 21 and a cooling fan
20 are driven, cooling air is introduced into an engine room 11
through an air intake opening 18, cools a radiator 22, and then is
discharged to the outside of the engine room 11 through an air
discharge opening 19.
[0045] Further, when the engine 21 and the cooling fan 20 are
driven, noises are also generated from the engine room 11, and then
are propagated to the outside of the engine room 11 along the
cooling air. At this time, the generated noises are shielded and
damped by a noise silencer mounted in the air intake opening
18.
[0046] In detail, the noises generated from the engine room when
the engine 21 and the cooling fan 20 are driven are sorted into
high-frequency noise generated by the operation of the engine 21
and low-frequency noise generated by the operation of the cooling
fan 20. These noises can be absorbed and shielded, i.e. damped by
first and second members 13 and 14 constituting each noise damping
member 15.
[0047] At this time, the first member 13 of each noise damping
member 15 is disposed inside the engine room 11 in a horizontal
direction, and the second member 14 of each noise damping member 15
is disposed outside the engine room 11 so as to be inclined in an
upward direction. With this configuration, the cooling air
introduced into the engine room 11 through the noise damping
members 15 by the operation of the cooling fan 20 can be smoothly
guided without interference.
[0048] In this manner, since the first member 13 of each noise
damping member 15 is disposed inside the engine room 11 in the
horizontal direction, and the second member 14 of each noise
damping member 15 is disposed outside the engine room 11 so as to
be inclined in the upward direction, the high- and low-frequency
noises generated from the engine room 11 by the operation of the
engine 21 and the cooling fan 20 are absorbed and damped by a
high-frequency sound absorbing material 16 mounted on the first
member 13 of each noise damping member 15 and a low-frequency sound
absorbing material 17 mounted on the second member of each noise
damping member 15.
[0049] According to the noise silencer for construction equipment
as described above, a flow of the cooling air introduced into the
engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18 when the cooling
fan 20 is driven does not interfere with the noise damping members
15, so that the cooling air can be smoothly introduced into the
engine room 11. Thus, an amount of the introduced cooling air is
increased to effectively cool the radiator 22 and the engine 21, so
that cooling efficiency can be improved.
[0050] Further, the high- and low-frequency noises generated from
the engine room 11 by the operation of the engine 21 and the
cooling fan 20 are absorbed and shielded by the high-frequency
sound absorbing material 16 of the first member 13 and the
low-frequency sound absorbing material 17 of the second member 14,
so that a function of the noise silencer can be optimized. In other
words, when passing through the high-frequency sound absorbing
material 16 of the first member 13 and the low-frequency sound
absorbing material 17 of the second member 14, the high- and
low-frequency noises are subjected to conversion of sound pressure
energy into frictional energy. As a result, high- and low-frequency
noises can be absorbed and shielded, i.e. damped.
[0051] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a second embodiment of the
present invention is configured so that, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18, the
first member 13 of each noise damping member 15 has the free end of
a semi-circular cross section, and the second member 14 of each
noise damping member 15 has the free end of a semi-circular cross
section.
[0052] At this time, the configuration other than that of the
second member 14, the free end of which has the semi-circular cross
section in order to minimize the air resistance caused by the
contact with each noise damping) member 15 when the cooling air is
introduced from the outside into the engine room 11 through the air
intake opening 18 by the operation of the cooling fan 20, is
substantially identical to that described in the first embodiment
of the present invention (see FIG. 3), and thus detailed
description thereof is omitted, and the same reference numerals are
used to designate the same components.
[0053] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a second embodiment of the
present invention is configured so that, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18, the
first member 13 of each noise damping member 15 has the free end of
a quadrilateral cross section, and the second member 14 of each
noise damping member 15 has the free end of a semi-circular cross
section.
[0054] At this time, the configuration other than that of the
second member 14, the free end of which has the semi-circular cross
section in order to minimize the air resistance caused by the
contact with each noise damping member 15 when the cooling air is
introduced from outside to inside of the engine room 11 through the
air intake opening 18 by the operation of the cooling fan 20, is
substantially identical to that described in the first embodiment
of the present invention (see FIG. 3), and thus detailed
description thereof is omitted, and the same reference numerals are
used to designate the same components.
[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a third embodiment of the
present invention is configured so that, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18, the
first member 13 of each noise damping member 15 has the free end of
a quadrilateral cross section, and the second member 14 of each
noise damping member 15 has the free end of a triangular cross
section.
[0056] At this time, the configuration other than that of the
second member 14, the free end of which has the triangular cross
section in order to minimize the air resistance caused by the
contact with each noise damping member 15 when the cooling air is
introduced from outside to inside of the engine room 11 through the
air intake opening 18 by the operation of the cooling fan 20, is
substantially identical to that described in the first embodiment
of the present invention, and thus detailed description thereof is
omitted, and the same reference numerals are used to designate the
same components.
[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a fourth embodiment of the
present invention is configured so that, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18, the
first member 13 of each noise damping member 15 has the free end of
a semi-circular cross section, and the second member 14 of each
noise damping member 15 has the free end of a quadrilateral cross
section.
[0058] At this time, the configuration other than that of the first
member 13, the free end of which has the semi-circular cross
section in order to minimize the air resistance caused by the
contact with each noise damping member 15 when the cooling air is
introduced from outside to inside of the engine room 11 through the
air intake opening 18 by the operation of the cooling fan 20, is
substantially identical to that described in the first embodiment
of the present invention, and thus detailed description thereof is
omitted, and the same reference numerals are used to designate the
same components.
[0059] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a fifth embodiment of the
present invention is configured so that, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18, the
first member 13 of each noise damping member 15 has the free end of
a triangular cross section, and the second member 14 of each noise
damping member 15 has the free end of a quadrilateral cross
section.
[0060] At this time, the configuration other than that of the first
member 13, the free end of which has the triangular cross section
in order to minimize the air resistance caused by the contact with
each noise damping member 15 when the cooling air is introduced
from outside to inside of the engine room 11 through the air intake
opening 18 by the operation of the cooling fan 20, is substantially
identical to that described in the first embodiment of the present
invention, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted, and
the same reference numerals are used to designate the same
components.
[0061] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the noise silencer for
construction equipment according to a sixth embodiment of the
present invention is configured so that, in order to reduce air
resistance on coming into contact with the cooling air introduced
into the engine room 11 through the air intake opening 18, the
first and second members 13 and 14 of each noise damping member 15
have free ends of a semicircular cross section.
[0062] At this time, the configuration other than that of the first
and second members 13 and 14, the free ends of which have the
semi-circular cross section in order to minimize the air resistance
caused by the contact with each noise damping member 15 when the
cooling air is introduced from outside to inside of the engine room
11 through the air intake opening 18 by the operation of the
cooling fan 20, is substantially identical to that described in the
first embodiment of the present invention, and thus detailed
description thereof is omitted, and the same reference numerals are
used to designate the same components.
[0063] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the present invention
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus,
it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications
and variations of this invention provided they come within the
scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *