DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an acoustically insulating multilayer panel for an opaque partition wall to divide a common space into di f ferent separate areas , for example to divide a large lounge into a plurality of rooms or of fices .

[0002] The present invention also relates to a partition wall comprising one or more of said multilayer panels . Background art

[0003] In the field of a work space set-up comprising a plurality of rooms , e . g . , a professional of fice , a bank, a technical of fice of a company, or other similar accommodations , the need is known to divide a very large area, such as a large lounge , into a plurality of smaller rooms by arranging non-stone made removable partition walls .

[0004] This need is linked to the fact that the possibility to easily modi fy the work space layout according to the activity performed is desired .

[0005] Such partition walls are often required to have high acoustic insulation so as to prevent the worker working in a room from disturbing a worker working in an adj acent room, or so as to ensure the confidentiality of each person' s work, or to acoustically insulate a room used for making phone calls , etc .

[0006] A known technique provides for the construction of partition walls comprising panels made of plasterboard and layers of materials contributing to the acoustic insulation, such as rock wool , for example .

[0007] However, although these materials ensure a certain acoustic insulation, they cannot achieve an acoustic abatement level adequate for the use described above .

[0008] Therefore , the need is felt to provide a new opaque wall capable of achieving a high acoustic abatement level while maintaining a high acoustic insulation value . Summary of the invention

[0009] It is the obj ect of the present invention to devise and provide an acoustically insulating multilayer panel for an opaque partition wall , and a partition wall having such a multilayer panel , which allows the aforesaid needs to be met and the above drawbacks complained with reference to the prior art to be obviated at least partially .

[0010] In particular, it is the obj ect of the present invention to provide a multilayer panel for a partition wall capable of achieving a high acoustic abatement level .

[0011] It is a further obj ect of the present invention to provide a multilayer panel for a partition wall capable of achieving a high acoustic absorption level .

[0012] Therefore , it is an obj ect of the present invention to provide a multilayer panel for a partition wall capable of achieving a high level of overall acoustic insulation .

[0013] These and further obj ects and advantages are achieved by an acoustically insulating multilayer panel for an opaque partition wall to divide a common space into di f ferent separate areas , as well as an opaque partition wall comprising one or more of such panels , according to the independent claims .

[0014] Further obj ects , solutions and advantages are present in the embodiments described below and claimed in the dependent claims .

Brief description of the drawings

[0015] The invention will be shown below by the description of some embodiments thereof , given by way of non- limiting example , with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which :

[0016] - Figure 1 shows a section view of a partition wall comprising acoustically insulating multilayer panels according to a first embodiment of the invention; [0017] - Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail of the section view in Figure 1 , showing some details of a support structure carrying and surrounding the multilayer panels according to the first embodiment of the invention;

[0018] - Figure 3 shows a section view of a partition wall comprising acoustically insulating multilayer panels according to a second embodiment of the invention . Description of preferred embodiments

[0019] With reference to the drawings , an acoustically insulating multilayer panel according to the invention is indicated as a whole by numeral 10 in a first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 , and by numeral 50 in a second embodiment shown in Figure 3 .

[0020] The aforesaid acoustically insulating multilayer panel 10 , 50 is configured to construct an opaque partition wall 1 , 2 to divide a common space into di f ferent separate areas for a work or living activity, for example .

[0021] "Opaque" partition wall means a wall which is not transparent to visible light , or which thus prevents seeing beyond the wall .

[0022] Such a multilayer panel comprises a first assembly 20 , 60 of associated sandwiched layers , comprising a middle laminated glass panel 21 formed by a plurality of glass sheets glued-sandwiched to one another by means of the interposition of respective intermediate layers of polyvinyl butyral PVB, defining a middle panel front surface 22 and a middle panel rear surface 23 ; a first layer 24 of fibrous material which is not transparent to visible light , associated with said middle panel 21 along said middle panel front surface 22 .

[0023] Such a first assembly 20 , 60 of associated sandwiched layers , comprising a laminated glass panel and a panel made of non-transparent fibrous material , gives the opaque partition wall a high acoustic abatement value as compared to conventional partition walls made of plasterboard and filled with layers of rock wool , for example .

[0024] According to an embodiment , for example shown in Figures 1 and 2 , the first assembly 20 can comprise a non-transparent second fibrous material layer 25 associated with said middle panel 21 along said middle panel rear surface 23 , said first layer assembly 20 defining a first outer surface 26 of first assembly and a second outer surface 27 of first assembly, each formed by a respective outer surface of said first fibrous material layer 24 and said second fibrous material layer 25 .

[0025] According to an embodiment , the first fibrous material layer 24 comprises , or is made of , mineral wool , preferably rock wool . [0026] According to an embodiment , the second fibrous material layer 25 comprises , or is made of , mineral wool , preferably rock wool .

[0027] According to an embodiment , the first mineral wool layer 24 , preferably made of rock wool , has a weight between 50 and 100 kg per m ³ , more preferably between 60 and 90 kg per m ³ .

[0028] Preferably, the second mineral wool layer 25 , preferably made of rock wool , for example shown in Figures 1 and 2 , has a weight between 50 and 100 kg per m ³ , more preferably between 60 and 90 kg per m ³ .

[0029] According to an embodiment , the first mineral wool layer 24 , preferably made of rock wool , has a thickness between 20 and 30 mm, preferably has a thickness of about 25 mm .

[0030] Preferably, the second mineral wool layer 25 , preferably made of rock wool , has a thickness between 20 and 30 mm, even more preferably has a thickness of about 25 mm .

[0031] According to an embodiment , for example shown in Figures 1 and 2 , the multilayer panel 10 comprises two second layer assemblies 30 , each comprising a layer 31 of polyester RPG and a panel 32 made of medium density fiber MDF sandwiched with said polyester layer 31 along a first face 33 of said polyester layer . [0032] Each of said two second layer assemblies 30 is sandwiched with said first assembly 20 along a respective one of said two outer surfaces 26 , 27 of first layer assembly so that a second surface 34 of said polyester layer faces a respective outer surface of said first mineral wool layer 24 and second mineral wool layer 25 .

[0033] These second layer assemblies 30 serve the function of achieving a high acoustic absorption value , which is added to the high acoustic abatement value achieved by the first layer assembly 10 .

[0034] According to an embodiment , said medium density fiberboard 32 has a thickness between 10 mm and 30 mm, preferably has a thickness of about 16 mm .

[0035] According to an embodiment , said medium density fiberboard 32 is microperforated .

[0036] According to an embodiment , the medium density fiberboard comprises a microperforated sound-absorbing wood panel .

[0037] For example , the microperforated wood panel comprises a wood veneer with paper support having a thickness between 0 . 3 and 0 . 9 mm, preferably of 0 . 6 mm, having a number of perforations greater than or equal to 25 , 000 per square foot , each perforation having a diameter between 0 . 3 and 0 . 7 mm, preferably of 0 . 5 mm .

[0038] The microperforated wood panel comprises a sub-layer having a thickness between 15 mm and 24 mm, preferably of 19 mm, with holes having a diameter between 6 mm and 12 mm, preferably of 9 mm, spaced apart from one another according to a hexagonal arrangement in which the veneer is applied to the sub-layer .

[0039] According to an embodiment , said polyester layer 31 has a weight between 15 and 45 kg per m ³ , preferably between 20 and 40 kg per m ³ .

[0040] According to an embodiment , said polyester layer 31 has a thickness between 20 mm and 35 mm, preferably has a thickness of about 28 . 5 mm .

[0041] According to an embodiment , for example shown in Figures 1 and 2 , said plurality of glass sheets is formed by two glass sheets , each having a thickness of about 6 mm, and in which the overall thickness of said middle panel 21 is about 13 mm .

[0042] Such a multilayer panel 1 comprising the first layer assembly 20 , which is capable of maximi zing the acoustic abatement capacity, and the at least a second layer assembly 30 , which is capable of maximi zing the acoustic absorption capacity, thus allows the overall acoustic insulation performance to be brought to a very high level as compared to the panels of the prior art .

[0043] In particular, such a multilayer panel 1 for an opaque partition wall allows achieving an overall acoustic insulation level of R _w /STC40-42 dB, measured by the Helmholtz method .

[0044] According to another aspect of the present invention, the aforesaid obj ects and advantages are met by a partition wall 1 , for example shown in Figures 1 and 2 , to divide a common space into di f ferent separate areas , for example for a work or living activity, comprising a multilayer panel 10 having any one of the features of the first embodiment of the multilayer panel described above , and a wall frame 40 surrounding said multilayer panel 10 along a perimeter edge of said multilayer panel .

[0045] The aforesaid wall frame 40 comprises a tubular support section bar 41 defining an outer surface 42 of tubular section bar, and an engagement section bar 43 fastened to said tubular support section bar 41 and defining a coupling surface 44 configured to be coupled, at least partially by shape coupling, to at least two adj acent faces of said outer surface 42 of tubular support section bar, said engagement section bar 43 further defining an engagement seat 45 to receive and engage a perimeter edge of said laminated glass panel 21 , said engagement seat 45 being arranged on the opposite side of said engagement section bar 43 with respect to said coupling surface 44 . [0046] According to an embodiment , the partition wall 1 comprises a further multilayer panel 1 ' having any of the features described above , where the wall frame 40 comprises a further engagement section bar 43 ' fastened to said tubular support section bar 41 on the opposite side with respect to said engagement section bar 43 , and defining a further coupling surface 44 ' configured to be coupled, at least partially by shape coupling, to at least two further adj acent faces of said outer surface 42 of tubular support section bar .

[0047] The further engagement section bar 43 ' further defines a further engagement seat 45 ' to receive and engage a perimeter edge of said laminated glass panel of said further multilayer panel 1 ' , said further engagement seat 45 ' being arranged on the opposite side of said further engagement section bar 43 ' with respect to said further coupling surface 44 ' .

[0048] According to an embodiment , said tubular support section bar 41 is made of steel and said engagement section 43 is made of aluminum .

[0049] According to an embodiment , said engagement section bar 43 and said further engagement section bar 43 ' are made of aluminum .

[0050] According to another aspect of the present invention, the aforesaid obj ects and advantages are met by an acoustically insulating multilayer panel 50 , for example shown in Figure 3 , for a partition wall 2 to divide a common space into di f ferent separate areas , comprising a first assembly 60 of associated sandwiched layers , comprising a middle panel 21 defining a middle panel front surface 22 and a middle panel rear surface 23 ; a first mineral wool layer 24 associated with said middle panel 21 along said middle panel front surface 22 ; where said middle panel 21 is a laminated glass panel formed by a plurality of float glass sheets glued- sandwiched to one another by means of the interposition of respective intermediate layers of polyvinyl butyral PVB, where said multilayer panel 50 comprises a nonmicroperforated medium density fiberboard MDF 51 associated with said first assembly 60 and arranged along an outer surface of said first mineral wool layer 26 .

[0051] Such a panel allows achieving a high acoustic insulation level , where the first layer assembly 60 achieves a high acoustic abatement value , and where the medium density fiberboard achieves a high acoustic absorption value .

[0052] According to an embodiment of the multilayer panel 50 , the aforesaid non-microperf orated medium density fiberboard MDF 51 has a thickness between 15 mm and 20 mm, preferably has a thickness of about 18 mm . [0053] According to an embodiment , the multilayer panel 50 comprises a microperforated medium density fiberboard MDF 52 associated with said first assembly 60 and arranged along a middle panel rear surface 27 .

[0054] According to an embodiment of the multilayer panel 50 , said microperforated medium density fiberboard MDF 52 has a thickness between 15 mm and 22 mm, preferably has a thickness of about 19 mm .

[0055] According to an embodiment of the multilayer panel 50 , the first mineral wool layer 24 is made of rock wool . [0056] According to an embodiment of the multilayer panel 50 , the first mineral wool layer 24 has a weight between 50 and 100 kg per m3 , preferably between 60 and 90 kg per m3 .

[0057] According to an embodiment of the multilayer panel 50 , said plurality of glass sheets is formed by two glass sheets , each having a thickness between 3 and 7 mm, preferably having a thickness of about 5 mm .

[0058] According to another aspect of the present invention, the aforesaid obj ects and advantages are met by a partition wall 2 , for example shown in Figure 3 , to divide a common space into di f ferent separate areas , in particular for a work or living activity, comprising a multilayer panel 50 having any one of the above-described features and a wall frame 70 surrounding said multilayer panel 60 along a perimeter edge of said multilayer panel . [0059] The wall frame 70 comprises : a middle section bar 71 ; a first side section bar 72 and a second side section bar 73 configured to be fastened to the middle section bar 71 on two opposite faces of said middle section bar 71 .

[0060] The aforesaid middle section bar 71 and the aforesaid first side section bar 72 comprise a first and a second support surface 73 , 74 , respectively, configured to form an engagement seat therebetween to receive and engage a perimeter edge of said laminated glass panel 21 , where said first and second support surfaces 73 , 74 are configured to be arranged abutting against said front and rear surfaces of said laminated glass panel 21 .

[0061] In order to meet contingent needs , those skilled in the art may make changes and adaptations to embodiments of the multilayer panels and partition walls described above , or may replace elements with others which are functionally equivalent , without departing from the scope of the following claims .

[0062] Each of the features described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be implemented irrespective of the other embodiments described .