PARKER, Brian Ronald (386 Seafront, Hayling Island, Hampshire PO11 OBD, GB)
| CLAIMS 1. A door seal which, in use, is located on or adjacent to a door stop, the seal comprising a closed cell foam part of which is retained within sides of a housing. 2. A door seal according to claim 2, wherein the cross-section of the foam seal is generally rectangular. 3. A door seal according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the housing includes an elongate tongue extending into the foam to provide a channel to direct sound waves into the foam. 4. A door seal according to claim 3, wherein the tongue extends into the housing beyond the side wall of the housing such that sound waves entering the foam have to turn 180 degrees in order to exit the foam. 5. A door seal according to claim 4 wherein the housing includes two or more spaced-about tongues extending into the foam. 6. A door seal according to any of one claims 1 to 5, wherein the housing has arms which retain the foam seal therebetween. 7. A door seal according to claim 6, wherein the housing has one or separate fully enclose compartments. 8. A door seal which, in use, is located between a door and a door threshold, the seal comprising a closed cell foam part of which is retained within sides of a housing. 9. A door seal according to claim 8, two closed cell foams retained in individual housings, wherein the first housing has a first arm fixed to the bottom of the door and a second arm which extends into the foam within the second housing, and wherein second housing has a first arm that extends into the foam within the first housing and a second cross-arm that rests over a floor. 10. An acoustic door having a laminate structure of wood and glass. 11. An acoustic door according claim 10, wherein the structure comprises a pane of glass sandwiched between wooden panels. 12. A door seal as hereinbefore described and referred to in the accompanying Figures. 13. An acoustic door as hereinbefore described and referred to in the accompanying Figures. |
The present invention relates to a door seal. More especially, the invention relates to a door seal that provides an acoustic barrier.
There are many locations that require an acoustic door to dampen the sound emitted from the location. Acoustic doors are available but are expensive and built mainly for industrial and commercial use, being made substantially of steel.
A major disadvantage of such doors is that, no matter how efficient the acoustic properties of the door itself are, sound waves will still travel between and through gaps between the door and/or the door frame and threshold.
The Applicant is of the view that are no door seals currently on the market that provide effective barriers to sound and energy (draughts). The only door seals currently available are complex in design and suffer from not being robust and sustainable. Brush seals and rubber seals, for example, are not effective and deteriorate quickly through wear and tear. Moreover, the seals are design to fit to the door or door frame. The Applicant has found that such locations do not provide for effective performance. The present invention seeks to provide a sustainable door seal that acts as an acoustic barrier as well as a draught barrier and which is designed for location on or against the door stop, door bottom seal and threshold plate.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a seal for location on or adjacent to a door stop, comprising a closed cell foam retained within a rectangular housing.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an acoustic door having a laminate structure of wood and glass.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures in which :
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a first embodiment a door seal constructed in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment a door seal constructed in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of a door seal forming part of a door stop, constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a fourth embodiment of a door seal forming part of a door stop, constructed in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a fifth embodiment of a door seal, located between a door and a threshold, constructed in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 6 is schematic illustration of an acoustic door for use with the seal embodiments of figures 1 to 5.
Several embodiments of the invention will now be described. The main components of each embodiment are the same and so will be given the same reference numerals for ease of understanding.
Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is a basic form for general use. A seal 10 for a door 12 comprises a closed cell foam 14 having acoustic dampening properties retained within a housing 16. The housing 16 which retains the foam within the rectangular shape is constructed of a plastics material in this particular embodiment and may form the complete door stop, but can be constructed of any other material, such as for example, steel or aluminium, to suit the market for which the seal 10 is to be used. The housing 16 may be extruded and the cross section of the overall seal 10 is generally rectangular, the housing 16 extending around three of the sides of the foam 14 which protrudes slightly beyond the rectangular side.
In use, the seal 10 is located against the door stop 18 and, between the door frame 18 and the door 12. The "open side" of the seal 10 (i.e. the side that does not have the housing 16) faces the door 12. The housing 16 is placed flush against the door stop 18 and the door frame 18.
During use, sound waves coming from one side of the door 12 (marked as A in the figure) will flow through an inevitably present gap 20 between the door 12 and the frame 18 whereupon they will be dampened to some extent when it reaches the foam 14 of the seal 10. In the basic embodiment of figure 1, the seal 10 acts to dampen the sound, but the seal's main purpose it to act as a barrier against a draught which would otherwise flow between the gap 20.
Figure 2 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention, whereby the main purpose of the seal 10 is to act as a semi-acoustic barrier.
In this embodiment elongate tongue 22 extends perpendicularly from the end surface of the door 12 towards the seal 10 and into the foam 14. The presence of tongue 22 extends the channel formed initially by the gap 20 and causes the sound waves to have to turn 180° through the foam 14 if they are to reach the other side of the door 12. The 180° turn acts to cancel out a substantial proportion of the sound waves. As such, the seal provides a semi-acoustic barrier. Figure 3 illustrates yet a further embodiment of the invention, whereby the main purpose of the seal 10 is to provide a full acoustic barrier. In this embodiment, several spaced-apart tongues or flanges 22 extend perpendicularly from the door 12. Although not shown, further tongues may extend perpendicularly from the door stop 18 and between the tongues 22 on the door 12.
The tongues 22 provide a "chicane" for the sound waves to travel through, within the foam 14. Each turn causes cancellation and deadening of the sound waves to such an extent that practically no sound waves make it beyond the foam 14 through to the other side of the door 12. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the housing 16 and tongues 22 are constructed from steel or similar metal.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate further embodiments of the invention whereby the housing 16 itself forms the door stop 18.
In these embodiments the housing 16 has arms 23 to simply retain the foam 14 in position, rather than encompassing some or all of the sides of the foam 14. It is clearly envisaged though that that the housing 16, or a part thereof may take the form as described in previous embodiments.
In the illustrations shown the housing 16 is shaped to provide a separate fully enclosed compartment 24 in which can be located, for example, electrical wires 25 and the like. More than one compartment 24 may be provided within the housing 16. The housing 16 may be designed to any shape or size to suit its use. For example, the housing 16, or a compartment thereof, may be sufficiently large to encompass an intruder alarm or door bell speaker.
A preferred housing material for these embodiments would be aluminium or similar metal.
Figure 6 illustrates yet a further embodiment of the present invention. Here, the seal(s) 10 are designed for location between the door 12 and the door threshold 26. The seal(s) 10 act as an acoustic barrier as well as a draught excluder.
In this embodiment, two closed cell foams 14A, 14B are retained in individual housings 16A, 16B. The first housing 16A has a first arm 28 fixed to the bottom of the door 12 and a second arm 30 which extends into the foam 14B within the second housing 16B. The second housing 16B has a first arm 32 that extends into the foam 14B within the first housing 16A and a second cross-arm 34 that rests over the carpet or other flooring 36 (for example laminate flooring).
It is clearly envisaged that each housing 16A, 16A could be of alternative shapes and that, for example, the first arm 28 of the first housing 16A may be fixed to a side surface of the door 12 and not the bottom surface as shown in the figure. Figure 7 illustrates a acoustic door 38 for use with the any of the seals 10 described above.
The door 38 is formed as a laminate structure and comprises a pane of glass 40 or the like, sandwiched between wooden panels 42.
By having such a structure, the door 38 is lightweight, certainly compared to acoustic doors on the market that require steel reinforcement. The glass pane 40 within the door structure itself increases the acoustic properties of the door.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing are merely an examples of embodiments and just some examples of their use. The skilled reader will readily understand that modifications can be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the inventions.