Pipes and tubular conduits – Distinct layers – With intermediate insulation layer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-03-20
Hook, James (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
Distinct layers
With intermediate insulation layer
C138S141000, C181S224000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202702
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a tubular acoustic damping pipe cover to be used on a pipe for a water supply/drainage system or air-conditioning system of a building, which is lightweight and excellent in manipulation and acoustical damping performance.
(2) Background Art
There are ever increasing demands of late for a quieter water supply/drainage system backed by general demands for quieter living environments.
There has been introduced a multi-layered acoustic damping structure comprising a sound insulation layer such as an asphaltic sheet and a sound absorptive layer such as a sheet-like air cushion bag, glass wool sheet or felt sheet.
In order to improve the acoustic damping performance of such an acoustic damping structure, it has been conventionally attempted to increase the material density per area (to be referred to as “area density” throughout the specification and claims for convenience) of the sound insulation layer and/or the thickness of the sound absorptive layer.
To conventionally provide the sound insulation layer with a sufficient sound insulation property, the area density of the sound insulation layer need be 5.0-10.0 kg/m2 or over, which will make the sound insulation layer too heavy to conveniently handle and too thick to be used conventionally on a water pipe, thus impractical.
To conventionally provide the sound absorptive layer with a sufficient sound absorptive property, the thickness of the sound absorptive layer is required to be 10.0-20.0 mm or over, which is too thick to be conventionally used on a water pipe, thus impractical.
It will be readily appreciated that a conventional acoustic damping structure incorporating such a heavy and thick sound insulation layer and such a thick sound absorptive layer is impractical, though it may provide a satisfactory acoustic damping performance.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a laminated acoustic damping pipe cover which is lightweight, easy to manipulate and capable of providing an excellent acoustic damping performance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tubular acoustic damping pipe cover which is ready to be applied on a water pipe.
Other objects of the present invention will be appreciated from the description of this specification.
It should be noted that “pipes” used throughout the specification and claims such as a water supply pipe or water drainage pipe where the acoustic damping pipe cover of the present invention is to be applied are intended to include other types of pipes which produce sounds or noises that are desired to be reduced or damped.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A laminated acoustic damping pipe cover of the present invention, which is lightweight, easy to handle and excellent in acoustic damping performance, is generally and basically comprised of a sound insulation layer having an area density of 1.5-5.0 kg/m2 and a sound absorptive layer having a thickness of 4.0-10.0 mm, with a thin heat-contractile layer covering the sound insulation layer, where the heat-contractile layer is to be the outermost layer, and the sound absorptive layer is generally to be the innermost layer, with the sound insulation layer being sandwiched therebetween.
The laminated acoustic damping pipe cover of the present invention, which is basically provided in a form of a “tubular” pipe, is provided on a water pipe. Then the outermost heat-contractile layer is heat treated or heated to contract so that the acoustic damping pipe cover is provided on the pipe tightly and securely enough. It is important and advantageous that the acoustic damping pipe cover is still capable to slide somehow on he water pipe so as to assist in manipulation during its installment and setting. Use of an adhesive is therefore not required for the purpose of securely holding the acoustic damping pipe cover on the water pipe, which further improves the maneuverability and workability of the acoustic damping pipe cover.
The acoustic damping pipe cover of the present invention may further comprise, if and as desired, a vibration damping layer and/or vibration insulation layer so as to further improve its acoustic damping performance.
The sound insulation layer may be selectively formed from a variety of materials as long as its area density is held within 1.5-5.0 kg/m2. The sound absorptive layer may be advantageously formed of recycled urethane chips to reduce the manufacturing costs. The thin heat-contractile layer or film may be formed of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene or polystyrene among others. Any other suitable material can be used to manufacture the hat-contractile layer as long as it provides a suitable heat shrinkage and is durable and strong.
The acoustic damping pipe cover of the present invention is basically provided in a tubular configuration so that it can be readily applied on a tubular pipe.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3900648 (1975-08-01), Smith
patent: 4190131 (1980-02-01), Robinson
patent: 4231436 (1980-11-01), Waller
patent: 4239064 (1980-12-01), Gilman
patent: 4304268 (1981-12-01), Gilman
patent: 4614016 (1986-09-01), Laing et al.
patent: 4634615 (1987-01-01), Versteegh et al.
patent: 4874648 (1989-10-01), Hill et al.
patent: 4878520 (1989-11-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 4915139 (1990-04-01), Landry et al.
patent: 5548093 (1996-08-01), Sato et al.
Hori Mitsuo
Ohira Yasuyuki
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Hook James
Shishiai-Kabushikigaisha
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