U.S. patent application number 13/329283 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-28 for exterior acoustic louvre.
This patent application is currently assigned to LEVOLUX A.T. LIMITED. Invention is credited to Peter Braybrook.
Application Number | 20120160603 13/329283 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43598925 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120160603 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Braybrook; Peter |
June 28, 2012 |
Exterior Acoustic Louvre
Abstract
An exterior acoustic louvre comprises a louvre body which
defines major upper and lower surfaces and minor side surfaces. The
louvre body includes a support element, a sound-energy absorption
element supported by the support element, and a flexible plastics
watertight element which watertightly encases the sound-energy
absorption element. The louvre body is arranged so that the
watertightly encased sound-energy absorption element can receive
sound energy in the directions of both the upper and lower major
surfaces of the louvre body.
Inventors: |
Braybrook; Peter;
(Gloucester, GB) |
Assignee: |
LEVOLUX A.T. LIMITED
Gloucester
GB
|
Family ID: |
43598925 |
Appl. No.: |
13/329283 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
181/294 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E06B 9/386 20130101;
F24F 13/082 20130101; F24F 2013/242 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
181/294 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/84 20060101
E04B001/84 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 23, 2010 |
GB |
1021888.1 |
Claims
1. An exterior acoustic louvre comprising a louvre body defining
major upper and lower surfaces and minor side surfaces, the louvre
body including a support element, a sound-energy absorption element
supported by the support element, and a flexible plastics
watertight element which watertightly encases the sound-energy
absorption element, whereby the watertightly encased sound-energy
absorption element is accessible in the directions of both the
upper and lower major surfaces of the louvre body.
2. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
flexible plastics watertight element is colour coordinated to at
least substantially match a colour of the support element.
3. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
flexible plastics watertight element is a membrane.
4. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
flexible plastics watertight element is vacuum formed around the
sound-energy absorption element.
5. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
flexible plastics watertight element has non-smoothly planar upper
and lower major surfaces, whereby reflected incident sound-energy
is dispersed.
6. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
sound-energy absorption element has a non-uniform cross-section in
at least one direction.
7. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 6, wherein the
sound-energy absorption element is at least in part ramped.
8. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a baffle element interposed between two parts of the
sound-energy absorption element.
9. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
baffle element forms at least part of the support element.
10. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
support element of the louvre body includes cover elements which
define at least in part the major upper and lower surfaces, each
cover element including at least one opening providing access to
the sound-energy absorption element.
11. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 10, wherein
each cover element is a plate.
12. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 10, wherein
each cover element has a plurality of apertures therethrough.
13. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 10, wherein
each cover element is perforated.
14. The exterior acoustic louvre as claimed in claim 10, wherein
the support element includes longitudinal end caps, the cover
elements being engagable with the longitudinal end caps.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(b) from
United Kingdom Patent Application No. GB1021888.1, filed Dec. 23,
2010, for Exterior Acoustic Louvre.
[0002] The present invention relates to an exterior acoustic
louvre, for example, for deadening or damping sound emanating from
exterior fan units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Exterior acoustic louvres are known and as mentioned above
commonly used to deaden or damp noise being generated by exteriorly
placed electromechanical units, such as fans, whilst also providing
adequate ventilation and shielding against ambient environmental
conditions, such as sun and rain.
[0004] However, to date known exterior acoustic louvres including
internal sound-insulating material are only open on a lower surface
to absorb incident sound energy. The upper surface is fully closed
by the louvre body to prevent or limit the ingress of rain and
other precipitation.
[0005] This is problematic, since in use any sound energy which is
reflected from the lower surface of the louvre is immediately
reflected by the solid upper surface of the neighbouring louvre
below.
[0006] The present invention seeks to provide a solution to this
problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided an
exterior acoustic louvre comprising a louvre body defining major
upper and lower surfaces and minor side surfaces. The louvre body
includes a support element, a sound-energy absorption element
supported by the support element, and a flexible plastics
watertight element which watertightly encases the sound-energy
absorption element. The watertightly encased sound-energy
absorption element is accessible in the directions of both the
upper and lower major surfaces of the louvre body.
[0008] In this way, incident sound energy from above or below the
in use exterior acoustic louvre can be attenuated as it passes
through the watertight housing.
[0009] The invention will now be more particularly described, by
way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic lateral cross-sectional view of
one embodiment of an exterior acoustic louvre, in accordance with
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring to the drawing, there is shown one embodiment of
an exterior acoustic louvre 10 which comprises a louvre body 12
connectable to an exterior support system (not shown due to being
widely available and therefore understood by the skilled addressee
in this field). Preferably, the exterior support system includes a
plurality of brackets for engaging a plurality of the said acoustic
louvres 10 in spaced apart relationship. Furthermore, the brackets
may locate a lateral extent of the or each said acoustic louvre 10
at an angle to a horizontal plane or a vertical plane.
[0012] The louvre body 12 includes opposing longitudinal capping
elements 14, lateral end caps (not shown) for interengaging the
capping elements 14, and upper and lower cover elements 16, 18
which extend between the longitudinal capping elements 14 and the
lateral end caps. The capping elements 14 and the end caps define
minor side surfaces 20 of the louvre body 12, whereas the cover
elements 16, 18 define at least a major portion of the upper and
lower major surfaces 22, 24 of the louvre body 12.
[0013] The capping elements 14 are preferably metal or plastics
extrusions, and may for example be aerodynamically profiled to
reduce wind resistance when in use. Each capping element 14
includes a slot 26 along its upper and lower rear-facing
longitudinal edges 28 for receiving a longitudinal edge 30 of the
respective cover element 16, 18.
[0014] The end caps may also be metal or plastics, and are
preferably fastened via screw-threaded fasteners to screw-ports 32
of the capping elements 14. Additional or alternative fastening
means can also be considered, such as welding and bonding.
[0015] The cover elements 16, 18 are also preferably metal or
plastics planar plates 34. In this case, each plate 34 is
perforated with a multiplicity of small spaced-apart apertures 36.
However, fewer and larger apertures may be considered. It is even
possible that only a single large aperture may be utilised whereby
the cover element 16, 18 forms a perimeter border interconnecting
the capping elements 14 and the end caps.
[0016] The longitudinal capping elements 14, the lateral end caps,
and the upper and lower cover elements 16, 18 form a support
element 38 in which is housable a sound-energy absorption element
40. The sound-energy absorption element 40 is preferably an
insulator, such as rockwool or open-cell polyurethane foam, for
example. An advantage of utilising substantially rigid polyurethane
foam board as the insulator will be described hereinafter.
[0017] In this embodiment, the sound-energy absorption element 40
includes upper and lower sound-energy absorption parts 42, 44
interposed between which is a baffle element 46. The baffle element
46 is a preferably solid sheet of metal, such as aluminium, or
plastics and to which the upper and lower sound-energy absorption
parts 42, 44 are mounted or abut.
[0018] The sound-energy absorption element 40 extends substantially
fully between the capping elements 14 and the end caps, and
substantially fully between the upper and lower cover elements 16,
18.
[0019] The baffle element 46, similarly, extends substantially
fully between the capping elements 14 and the end caps, and may
extend slightly beyond the outer side faces 48 of the upper and
lower sound-energy absorption parts 42, 44.
[0020] To protect or shield the sound-energy absorption element 40
from the elements, the louvre body 12 includes a, preferably soft
and/or tactile, flexible plastics watertight element 50 which fully
encases the sound-energy absorption element 40 and the baffle
element 46. The watertight element 50 is preferably a lightweight
membrane 52, for example, formed from rubber, silicon or plastics,
which extends along the minor side surfaces 48 and the upper and
lower major surfaces 54, 56 of the sound-energy absorption element
40.
[0021] Optionally, instead of utilising a single membrane 52 to
cover both upper and lower sound-energy absorption parts 42, 44,
each sound-energy absorption part 42, 44 may be separately encased,
and then mounted on the baffle element 46.
[0022] Furthermore, the watertight membrane or element 50 may be
double skinned for improved durability.
[0023] The watertight membrane 52 may be a bag, and/or may be a
vacuum formed or pressure formed layer or film. Preferably, the
sound-energy absorption element 40 may be coated with a base layer
of adhesive prior to the membrane being applied. This would provide
greater puncture resistance.
[0024] In any event, the watertight element 50 is sufficiently thin
to allow substantially unobstructed passage of sound energy into
the sound-energy absorption element 40, whilst being sufficiently
robust or resilient to protect against being punctured, for
example, from flying debris or detritus. Preferably, the watertight
element 50 is drawn tightly across the sound-energy absorption
parts 42, 44, so that at least the outer surfaces 58 are smooth and
at least substantially uncreased or unwrinkled.
[0025] Beneficially, the watertight element 50 is coloured to match
or substantially match at least the outer surface 60 of the
adjacent cover element 16, 18. This is particularly important from
an aesthetic perspective, since architects and designers are not
inclined to specify parts or features which detract from the
overall appearance of a building or installation. By colour
matching the watertight element 50 to the cover element 16, 18, the
watertight element 50 becomes barely noticeable through the
apertures 36 of the upper and lower cover elements 16, 18,
especially at distance.
[0026] In use, the exterior acoustic louvre 10 can thus be utilised
to absorb incident sound energy directed onto both the upper and
lower major surfaces 22, 24 of the louvre body 12. The baffle
element 46 prevents or limits the passage of unabsorbed sound
energy through and back out of the louvre body 12, and by having
open upper and lower major surfaces 22, 24, any reflected sound
energy is typically directed to an adjacent major surface 22, 24 of
a neighbouring like exterior acoustic louvre 10, whereby it is
absorbed or dissipated.
[0027] The watertight element 50 prevents the ingress of moisture,
precipitation and other particulate matter into the sound-energy
absorption element 40, thereby maintaining its integrity and
functionality.
[0028] The apertured upper and lower cover elements 16, 18 aid in
protecting the watertight element 50 and the sound-energy
absorption element 40 from environmental conditions, and disguise
the watertight element 50 especially when formed with the same or
similar colour.
[0029] In a modification to the embodiment described above, the
watertight element 50 may be non-uniformly planar, for example, by
including a rippling or sinusoidal wavy outer surface. This may be
beneficial in dispersing or dissipating reflected sound energy. In
this case, any reflected sound energy may be incident on an
underside surface 62 of the adjacent cover element 16, 18, and thus
be reflected again back to the watertight element 50 and into the
sound-energy absorption element 40.
[0030] In a further modification, the cover elements 16, 18 may be
dispensed with, whereby the upper and lower surfaces 64, 66 of the
watertight element 50 thus at least in part define the upper and
lower major surfaces 22, 24 of the louvre body 12. In this case,
the longitudinal capping elements 14 hold the watertight element 50
and the sound-energy absorption element 40, creating a rigid or
substantially rigid louvre body 12. The watertight element 50 would
need to be suitably resilient to withstand environmental conditions
without being punctured or perforated.
[0031] To promote better drainage either with or without the cover
elements 16, 18, the watertight element 50 and/or the sound-energy
absorption element 40 may have at least one major surface,
typically being the upper major surface 64, which is sloped or
ramped to promote runoff. The sloping or ramped surface may be
planar, multifaceted, curved or domed, by way of example. Other
non-uniform cross-sectional profiles along one or more dimensional
axes can also be considered to improve the aerodynamics of the
louvre body 12, drainage, airflow and pressure drops
thereacross.
[0032] Although preferably planar, the cover elements 16, 18 may
also be non-planar in at least one dimension or direction as
necessity dictates.
[0033] It may also be feasible that the watertightly encased
sound-energy absorption element 40 defines, fully or at least in
part, the minor and major outer surfaces of the louvre body 12.
This would be particularly achievable by utilising the
aforementioned polyurethane foam board. This may enable the
longitudinal capping elements 14 and/or the lateral end caps to be
dispensed with. In this case, the baffle element 46 may be utilised
to provide a hidden or discrete bracket for supporting the exterior
acoustic louvre 10 and for connection to the supports of the
exterior louvre system.
[0034] It is thus possible to provide an exterior acoustic louvre
whereby the watertightly encased sound-energy absorption element is
accessible by incident sound energy in the directions of both the
upper and lower major surfaces of the louvre body.
[0035] The embodiments described above are provided by way of
examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to
persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *