WO2024216316A1 - Acoustic insulating panel having a lateral profile for installation - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an acoustic insulating panel (1) comprising a natural fiber material consisting of a mixture of natural fibers, in particular wool fibers, and binder fibers, wherein the acoustic insulating panel (1) comprises a profile on at least one side face of the acoustic insulating panel, preferably on all four side faces, the profile having a projection (2) and a cover (3), wherein the projection (2) and the cover (3) are designed such that the acoustic insulating panel (1) is releasably connectable to a transverse rail (4) in that the transverse rail engages between the projection (2) and the cover (3) and the acoustic insulating panel (1) is elastically deformable in order to enter into a releasable snap-fit connection with the transverse rail (4).

Description

ACOUSTIC INSULATION PANEL WITH SIDE PROFILE FOR INSTALLATION

The present invention relates to an acoustic insulation panel comprising a natural fiber material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to reduce noise pollution, the walls and ceilings of rooms are fitted with acoustic insulation panels. These reduce the reflection of sound waves on the walls and ceilings and thus reduce the noise level in the room. An increased noise level, such as that which occurs in open-plan offices, sales areas or production halls, can be a nuisance for the people inside.

Some acoustic insulation panels have already been described in the state of the art, but most of them do not meet the technical and optical challenges posed. Customers are increasingly demanding sustainable raw materials, so that the acoustic insulation panels should be largely recyclable or naturally disposed of. An acoustic insulation panel with a wool fiber content and a process for its production are described in WO 2018/130635, for example.

In addition to reducing sound reflection, such acoustic insulation panels must also meet certain static properties. In addition, the acoustic insulation panels must also blend in visually with the room. In particular, visible edges in the area where adjacent panels meet, as well as other visible connecting and assembly aids, are perceived as disturbing.

Grid ceiling substructures are often available in the ceiling area for the attachment and installation of acoustic insulation panels. These are formed with ceiling profiles made of main and cross rails and form rectangular or square ceiling grids. The main and cross rails of the ceiling profiles form an inverted T in cross-section, with the cross rail forming the legs. The edge profiles are L-shaped. The ceiling profiles are typically made of metal. In a simple design, panels and/or cassettes, such as acoustic insulation panels, are inserted into the grid ceiling so that the supporting cross rails are visible from below. Various approaches are described in the state of the art in which the panel has a certain side profile in order to be able to be connected to the cross rail. In addition to a visually appealing solution, easy handling during installation is also desired.

GB 2200151 A discloses panels which have a profile with a two-stage recess on the front sides. The panels are assembled and disassembled by lifting and sliding, whereby the cross rail of the T-beam is received on one of the first sides by the deeper section so that the opposite side can accommodate the cross rail.

A further development is described in EP 1 154 089, which describes a metal or plastic element which is inserted into one end face of the fiber material of the panel to form a protruding ridge running transversely to the panel. This element is primarily intended to reduce the friction between the panel and the adjacent cross rail in order to facilitate positioning. For sagging side parts, EP 1 154 089 describes another clip element with a leaf spring.

US 6,230,463 Bl discloses a system in which assembly is carried out by lifting and sliding and the recesses on the front sides are intended to center the panels. In one embodiment, an external spring element is described.

US 3,832,816 describes a variation of the cross rails to facilitate installation.

US 2009/0173030 describes a panel structure made of several materials, in which the material forming the visible side is intended to conceal the cross rails when installed. US 6,260,325 also focuses on the visual appearance and describes a system with additional clip elements to facilitate the positioning of the panels.

US 3,640,042 and US 2008155927 Al disclose a system in which the assembly is also detachable by lifting and moving, whereby an improvement is to be achieved by the special design of the rails of the ceiling construction.

US 5,182,893, on the other hand, discloses a plate that can be bent during installation and is provided with external clip elements for fixing to the ceiling profiles. The challenges of simple and elegant assembly and disassembly of acoustic insulation panels made of natural fiber materials have not yet been adequately met by the state of the art. The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide an acoustic insulation panel that meets the above-mentioned properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object is achieved by an acoustic insulation panel comprising a natural fiber material made of a mixture of natural fibers, in particular wool fibers, and binding fibers, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel has a profile with a projection and a cover on at least one end face of the acoustic insulation panel, preferably on all four end faces, wherein the projection and the cover are designed such that the acoustic insulation panel can be connected to a cross rail by the cross rail engaging between the projection and the cover, and the acoustic insulation panel is elastically deformable in order to form a detachable snap connection with the cross rail.

The use of the acoustic insulation panel according to the invention not only has the advantage that the natural fibers are a naturally renewable, recyclable raw material, but it also turns out that the combination of side profile and elastic material properties makes it possible to produce an advantageously detachable snap connection with cross rails of a rail system, such as a grid ceiling substructure. The elasticity and flexibility of the natural fiber material and the side profile according to the invention make the installation of the acoustic insulation panels much easier. The acoustic insulation panel can be detachably inserted into a field of a grid ceiling substructure from below. The projection on the side profile or the acoustic insulation panel is deformed and the cross rails of a grid ceiling substructure can engage in the side profile from all four ends. Due to the elasticity, the projection or the acoustic insulation panel is formed again so that the cross rail engages in a recess between the projection and the panel. The projection, which comes to rest on the cross rail, carries the acoustic insulation panel. The cover stabilizes the connection with the cross rail, can cover it and serve as a handle to release the connection again. The acoustic insulation panel can be dismantled and reinstalled without damage. The Acoustic insulation panels can be fixed to a conventional cross rail without any external elements and, advantageously, no special tools are required for installation and removal.

The connection to the cross rail is a detachable snap connection.

The natural fiber material made from a mixture of natural fibers, particularly wool fibers, and binding fibers gives the acoustic insulation panel the desired material properties, in particular the desired flexibility (elasticity) and stability (dimensional rigidity). The elasticity contributes to the snap connection with the cross rail being made possible by a springy deformation of the acoustic insulation panel and in particular of the projection. The stability enables the engagement of the cross rail between the projection and the cover to be sufficient so that the acoustic insulation panel is fixed to at least one cross rail in a self-supporting manner via the projection.

In a preferred embodiment, the acoustic insulation panel can be mounted self-supportingly on the cross rail or the acoustic insulation panel is designed such that it can be mounted self-supportingly on the cross rail via the projection.

This is achieved in particular by the projection of one end resting on a cross rail when this engages between the projection and the panel when installed. The projection is preferably formed on all four end faces of the acoustic insulation panel so that the projection rests on the cross rails of various profile elements on the sides when installed.

The natural fiber material made from a mixture of natural fibers, especially wool fibers, and binding fibers not only provides the desired material properties that enable attachment to a grid ceiling substructure with cross rails, but also other properties that are advantageous for use as an acoustic insulation panel.

Due to the structure of the natural fiber material, the acoustic insulation board has a very positive effect on the room acoustics and the maintenance of the acoustic insulation boards. Due to the micro-movements of wool fibers and the self-cleaning properties of sheep's wool, the natural fiber material hardly gets dirty. If cleaning is desired or necessary, the acoustic insulation boards can be brushed, but also cleaned with a damp cloth, which is preferably carried out after loosening the connection with the cross rail of the ceiling construction (dismantled).

In a preferred embodiment, the acoustic insulation panel is essentially made of natural fiber material. In one embodiment, at least one core of the acoustic insulation panel is made entirely of natural fiber material from a mixture of natural fibers, in particular wool fibers, and binding fibers, but other elements such as possible (one-sided) coatings and adhesive layers made of other materials are not excluded. In one embodiment, the acoustic insulation panel is constructed in one piece from a natural fiber material. Alternatively, the acoustic insulation panel can also be constructed in multiple layers, for example from multiple natural fiber materials.

In any case, it is preferred that at least the projection is essentially made of the natural fiber material and/or in the case of a multi-layer structure, at least one layer which plays a significant role in the formation of the projection on the side profile is made of the natural fiber material, wherein this natural fiber material has the following preferred features with regard to the natural fiber material.

The acoustic insulation panel or the natural fiber material can be manufactured using fiber laying or blowing technology, whereby mechanical steps (e.g. pressing and needling) and thermal steps (heating and cooling) are preferably combined.

A method for producing an acoustic insulation panel with a cover fleece is disclosed in WO 2018/130635. Panels produced in this way are suitable as precursor panels for the acoustic insulation panel according to the invention. For example, the cover fleece is placed in a mold and then the wool fiber/binding fiber mixture is inserted or blown in the form of a wool fiber/binding fiber cake. This is preferably up to approx. 50 cm high. This wool fiber/binding fiber mixture is mechanically processed (needled) and heated using hot air. As soon as it has been completely heated through, the mixture is also pressed with the cover fleece to form a panel. This production process means that the panel consists of standing fiber. This results in a porous structure that enables high sound absorption and still produces a dimensionally stable panel. Due to the dimensional rigidity, the panel can be mounted on a system with cross rails without sagging. Therefore, the air space behind it also enables further sound absorption. At the same time, the Due to its elasticity, the plate can deform in 2D and 3D and can therefore be used in a wide variety of ways.

The side profile can be milled into a flat front side of a precursor panel made of natural fiber material. In a multi-layer structure, the side profile can be formed when arranging the several layers on top of each other by dimensioning the individual layers accordingly.

A suitable parameter for characterizing the mechanical properties of the acoustic insulation panel or the natural fiber material can be the elastic modulus, also called E-modulus. In one embodiment, the acoustic insulation panel, or independently of one another in particular the projection and the cover, have an elastic modulus between 0.01 GPa and 0.1 GPa or between 10 MPa and 100 MPa.

The natural fiber material is made of a mixture of natural fibers and binding fibers. It is preferably provided that the natural fiber material is a mixture of wool fibers and binding fibers. The binding fibers are preferably made of thermoplastic materials and can be made of recycled and/or recyclable material. In one embodiment, the binding fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactide (PLA), polypropylene (PP) and mixtures thereof. The mixture can, for example, comprise the binding fibers PE, PLA or PP.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the mixing ratio in the mixture of wool fibers and binding fibers based on the respective mass is between 70:30 and 50:50.

The mixture of wool fibers and binding fibers preferably has an impregnation with insect repellent. For example, the wool fibers of the mixture of wool fibers and binding fibers are impregnated with an insect repellent before mixing. The wool fibers of the mixture can also be pretreated in another way and impregnated with aflammite, for example. They can then be cut and mixed with binding fibers. Acoustic insulation panels that have different areas with different densities have proven to be advantageous for particularly good sound insulation. To this end, the mixture of wool fibers and binding fibers can be introduced into the mold in such a way that different amounts of mixture are evenly compressed in certain areas before heating, or equal amounts of mixture are compressed to different degrees. The first variant, however, shows better properties.

In one variant, it is provided that the wool fibers or binding fibers or that the wool fibers and binding fibers are provided with a thickener. For example, the respective fibers (wool fibers or binding fibers) or the fiber mixture (wool fibers and binding fibers) can be soaked in a thickener. The thickener can include, for example, water glass. The thickener increases stability. Color pigments, moth or fire protection can also be added.

The mixture of wool fibers with binding fibers also shows a very high level of efficiency in reducing sound reflection. In addition, the mechanical stability of such panels is sufficient to accommodate lamps or light sources on the ceiling, for example, or to attach objects (pictures, boards, etc.) to walls. The acoustic insulation panel is self-supporting.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the acoustic insulation panel is about 10 to 15 mm, eg about 12 mm, thick and/or has a surface weight of 2 to 2.5 kg/m ² , eg about 2.2 kg/m ² . These measures ensure a high mechanical stability of the finished acoustic insulation panel and the desired flexibility for the snap connection through the side profile.

The appropriate dimension of the projection is also determined by the necessary stability. In a preferred embodiment, the projection extends over the entire length of the end face on which the acoustic insulation panel has the profile. Even more preferably, the projection is formed all the way around the entire circumference of the acoustic insulation panel (on all four end faces). It has been shown that a circumferential projection with a length of about 2 mm and a height of about 2 mm is sufficient to form an acoustic insulation panel with a surface weight of about 2.2 kg/m ² for typical grid sizes of, for example, 625 mm x 625 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the projection therefore has a length a of 2 mm to 5 mm and, independently thereof, a height b of 2 mm to 5 mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the acoustic insulation panel has an area of approximately 0.20 to 2 m ² , preferably 0.25 to 1 m ² , for example 50 cm x 50 cm, approximately 62.5 cm x 62.5 cm or 125 cm x 62.5 cm.

It goes without saying that the dimensions of the acoustic insulation panels and the profile on the front side must be subject to a certain tolerance, since the natural fiber material - as such - exhibits natural fluctuations and does not form clear edges due to the roughness of the surface.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover extends over the entire length of the front side on which the acoustic insulation panel has the profile. Even more preferably, the cover is formed all the way around the entire circumference of the acoustic insulation panel (on all four front sides). In another preferred embodiment, the cover protrudes beyond the projection. The cover therefore preferably has a length that is at least equal to, preferably greater than, the length a of the projection. The extent to which the cover extends relative to the projection can be chosen relatively freely. In a preferred embodiment, the cover is dimensioned so that it is the same length as each leg of a typical cross rail. Acoustic insulation panels mounted next to each other thus touch each other at their covers and thus cover the cross rail from below. Another optical advantage is that joints between adjacent, adjoining acoustic insulation panels cannot be seen with the naked eye. This is due to the fact that the acoustic insulation panels are compressible at the edges on the one hand and have a slight roughness on the other, so that when two panels meet, no joint remains visible.

Preferably, all four end faces of the acoustic insulation panel have the same side profile. The combination of flat end faces and end faces with a side profile may be desired in designs that are mounted in an arrangement in which there is no cross rail on one side.

In a further aspect, the invention also relates to an arrangement comprising at least one acoustic insulation panel according to the invention and a rail system, for example a Grid ceiling substructure, wherein the rail system comprises at least one substantially rectangular grid, which grid has four sides with cross rails, wherein the acoustic insulation panel is connected to the cross rails by the cross rail engaging between the projection and the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Further advantages and details of the invention are explained below with reference to the examples, figures and figure descriptions.

Example 1 :

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of an arrangement with two acoustic insulation panels in connection with a metal profile of a ceiling construction.

As shown in Fig. 1, the acoustic insulation panel 1 has a profile on the front side that has a projection 2 and a panel 3, so that a recess is created between them. A cross rail 4 is arranged in this recess so that the projection rests on the cross rail 4. The projection 2 carries the acoustic insulation panel. The cross rail 4 is a leg of a T-shaped metal profile 5, as used in typical grid ceiling substructures. Alternatively, the cross rail 4 can be the leg of an L-shaped metal profile, as used for the edges of grid ceiling substructures.

For installation, the acoustic insulation panel 1 is placed or pressed onto the cross rail 4 with the projection 2, whereby the projection 2 can avoid the point pressure of the cross rail 4 due to its elasticity and then returns to its original shape. This means that the acoustic insulation panel 1 can also be easily inserted into an existing grid in which all four sides are designed with cross rails 4.

The projection 2 has a length a which - as shown in Figure 1 - results from the distance between the maximum extension of the projection and the recess in the side profile. The length a of the projection 2 is in preferred embodiments approximately 2 to 5 mm. The projection has a height b, as shown in Figure 1. The height b of the projection 2 is approximately 2 to 5 mm in preferred embodiments.

The panel 3 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 extends approximately over the length of the cross rail 4. As a result, when installed, the cross rail 4 or the metal profile 5 is almost completely covered from below. Acoustic insulation panels 1 installed next to each other appear as if they were laid end to end or even as a single unit.

If the panel 4 is pulled at a specific point, the acoustic insulation panel 1 can be released from the cross rail 4. The projection 2 gives way due to its elasticity and then snaps back into its original shape. The connection between the acoustic insulation panel 1 and the cross rail 4 is therefore easy to release. The acoustic insulation panel can be repeatedly and reversibly installed and removed, which allows easy access to the air space behind it covered by the ceiling construction, for example for cleaning.

Example 2:

An acoustic insulation panel with side profiles, as described in example 1, was manufactured in one piece from a natural fiber material. The natural fiber material consists of 50% European wool treated against moths, 5% black European wool, 45% biodegradable PET fiber. In the manufacturing process, the fibers were needled to 13 mm at 2200 g/ ^m2 and then thermally fixed and punched. The profile with projection and cover was milled all the way around all four ends of the acoustic insulation panel 1.

A projection with a length of about 2 mm and a height of about 2 mm allowed the acoustic insulation panel produced in this way with an area of, for example, 50 cm x 50 cm or 62.5 cm x 62.5 cm to be self-supporting. The acoustic insulation panel has the desired deformability in order to be mounted on the fixed cross rails of a ceiling construction with a grid of this size, as described in Example 1.

Claims

1. Acoustic insulation panel (1) comprising a natural fiber material made of a mixture of natural fibers, in particular wool fibers, and binding fibers, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1) has a profile with a projection (2) and a cover (3) on at least one end face of the acoustic insulation panel, preferably on all four end faces, wherein the projection (2) and the cover (3) are designed such that the acoustic insulation panel (1) can be detachably connected to a cross rail (4) by the cross rail engaging between the projection (2) and the cover (3) and the acoustic insulation panel (1) being elastically deformable in order to enter into a detachable snap connection with the cross rail (4). 2. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1) can be mounted self-supportingly on the cross rail via the projection (2). 3. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1) is essentially made of the natural fiber material. 4. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the natural fiber material is a mixture of wool fibers and binding fibers, wherein the mixing ratio of wool fibers and binding fibers based on the respective mass is between 70:30 and 50:50. 5. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the binding fibers comprise PE, PET, PLA or PP. 6. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1), in particular the projection (2), has a modulus of elasticity between 10 MPa and 100 MPa. 7. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1) is between 10 mm and 15 mm, approximately 12 mm, thick. 8. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1) has a surface weight between 2 kg/m ² to 2.5 kg/m ² , approximately 2.2 kg/m ² . 9. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acoustic insulation panel (1) has an area of at least 50 cm x 50 cm, approximately 62.5 cm x 62.5 cm or 125 cm x 62.5 cm. 10. Acoustic insulation panel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projection has a length a of between 2 to 5 mm, approximately 4 mm, and a height b of between 2 to 5 mm, approximately 3 mm.