TIZZONI Giampaolo, (Via De Gasperi 33, Pl Pontedera, 1-56025, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. Sound barrier comprising a supporting frame (2) and at least one, preferably a plurality of panels (3) overlapped and placed in use towards a noise source to protect a zone in general and characterized by the fact that said barrier comprises also at least an element (6) substantially sound-absorbing applicable to said barrier in use from the side of the sound source in such a manner to change locally the sound- absorbing features of said barrier. 2. Sound barrier, according to claim 1, where said panels (3) are prevalently sound-resistant, said panels being configured in correspondence of predetermined points of the barrier with variable thickness in such a manner to change locally in said points the sound- resistant features of the barrier. 3. Sound barrier, according to claim 1, where said supporting frame comprises visible posts (4) placed to contain the panels, said element being directly connected to said posts. 4. Sound barrier, according to claim 1, where said supporting frame comprises posts (4) placed inside the section constituting the panels, said element being directly connected on the surface of the panels. 5. Sound barrier, according to one or more of the previous claims, where said element (6) is connectable to the barrier through connecting means. 6. Sound barrier, according to claim 5, where said element (6) is an acoustic box (6) comprising a body that has a parallelepiped shape with square section and is hollowed inside in such a manner to be filled with sound-absorbing material. 7. Sound barrier, according to claim 6, where at least the surface of the box placed in use towards the sound source is a pierced surface. 8. Sound-absorbing element for sound barrier (1) and comprising a body containing sound-absorbing material and characterized by the fact that is configured in such a manner to result applicable in correspondence of the face of the barrier (1) placed towards the sound source in a way to change locally the sound- absorbing features of said barrier. 9. Sound-absorbing element, according to claim 9, where said body has a parallelepiped shape with square section and is of a predetermined length in such a manner to have a face to apply to the barrier and at least an pierced opposite surface, said body being hollowed in its inside in such a manner to be filled with sound-absorbing material to change locally the sound-absorbent features of the barrier. 10. Method to modify the sound-absorbing features of a sound barrier and characterized by the fact to comprise the application procedure of at least a sound-absorbing element (6) on the face of the barrier on the side where it is found the sound source in such a manner to increase locally the sound-absorbing features of the barrier. |
Technical Field The present ivention regards the protective barriers' technical field. In particular it refers to the technical field of the sound-resistant and/or sound- absorbent barriers specific to protect from noises buildup areas in general. State of the Art
Nowadays are well known sound barriers commonly assembled along the sides of the streets or of the railways with the aim to isolate and thus acoustically protect specific built-up areas closed to such routes. In other cases, as well known, the barriers can delimitate working areas that are extremely noisy, as for example airports. In all the above mentioned cases, the different structure and material types that are in commerce and are commonly used for the realization of noise barriers, allow to obtain different outcomes. In particular there are, according to the material used, noise barriers typically "soud-absorbent" and others typically "sound-resistant". Generally, a barrier of heavy type (or rather realized in concrete, or lightened concrete or similar) has well defined sound-resistant features. On the other hand a punched plate barrier with interposed material as rock wool, therefore typically a light type barrier, is essentially sound-absorbent.
The "sound-absorbent" feature of a barrier represents the quantity or the percentage of the sound absorbed from the barrier respect to the quantity of the sound reflected toward the source. In this case the "sound-absorbent" is measured with a sound transmitter and receiver placed on the same side of the barrier. On the other hand the feature of "sound-absorbent" represents the amount of sound that does not pass to the opposite part of the barrier respect to the sound transmitter. In this case the sound transmitter and the receiver will be positioned in the two parts that are opposite respect to the barrier.
It is clear how these two features are antithetic respect to each other, but it is also evident how both of them are important to obtain an efficient noise barrier. It is therefore really important a coexistence of elevated values of both features .
It is indeed frequent the case where the adoption of a solution with elevated sound-resistant performances, as for example in the case of protecting a street covered by vehicles, is always requested the necessity to realize a protection that is extremely long and placed on both sides of the street. However the two opposed barriers, in the case they result to be prevalently sound-resistant and therefore sound-absorbent, create a bothersome effect called "tunnel effect". Or rather who drives on the street is run over by the noise that bounces from one barrier to the other, creating this way big uneasiness.
A good sound-resistant barrier, indeed, protects well everything that is found "behind" the protections, but on the other hand a great quantity of sound "bounces" on the barrier. On the other side, the constructive choice of a solution that is typically "sound-absorbent" as far as its efficiency, allows always the passage of a certain measure of noise through the barrier, although the "bounce-back" effect of the noise is highly contained.
Independently from the fact that the barrier can be built with distinctively sound-resistant features, distinctively sound-absorbent features or both, it will however maintain those mechanical features that are almost homogeneous and unchanged along its entire length. All this introduces a very important technical problem.
It often happens that the areas to protect requires soundproofing features highly variable along the length and/or height of the barrier, even for very short routes. This introduces the necessity to realize for example along the routes some routes of barriers with features that are highly sound-absorbent and remaining routes with sound- resistant features. It is clear how it is difficult, nowadays, to give an efficient solution to such requirement. A solution that realizes together barriers of sound-resistant type with barriers of sound-absorbent type implies realizations and design costs that are very elevated. All the more so, nowadays, the realization of barriers where it is possible to locally change such features according to the necessities specific to the installation place implies very elevated costs and outcomes that are not much satisfactory. Indeed it always results hardly expectable to know with accuracy which routes need specific types of acoustic protection, even more in the cases where these change even along the height of the barrier. The whole gets translated thus with the installation of a hybrid protection that is inadequate to the requirements and at a design and constructive cost that is highly more elevated respect to the case where it is chosen a normal barrier of homogeneous type.
According to what has been said above, it usually comes up the case where, only after the assemblage, it is- found the necessity of a specific protection that is for example typically sound-absorbent rather than sound- resistant. In other cases, on the other hand, the requirements change with the time because of changes that have caused an increasing or a variation of the noise source. By just thinking about a length of road that is enlarged and is driven by a greater number or by different type of vehicles. Or to new built-up areas that get extended on old sound-resistant barriers . All this requires an adaptation of the barrier that becomes the necessity to change or improve locally the mechanical features of sound-absorbing or sound-resistant. Nowadays, the present problem cannot be resolved without an expensive and often inefficient integral substitution.
Disclosure of invention It is therefore the aim of the present invention to give a sound barrier that allows to resolve the above mentioned inconvenient.
In particular it is the aim of the present invention to give a traffic sound barrier realized in such a way to allow to change locally, in an economic and fast manner, its sound-absorbing and sound-resistant features.
It is therefore the aim of the present invention to give a traffic sound barrier that is versatile to the specific requirements relative to the installation place. These and other aims are obtained with the present traffic sound barrier comprising a supporting frame (2) and at least one, preferably a plurality of panels (3) overlapped and placed in use towards a noise source to protect a zone in general and characterized by the fact that the barrier comprises also at least a sound-absorbing element (6) applicable to said barrier in use from the side of the sound source in such a manner to change locally the sound-absorbing features of said barrier.
The use of the element 6, typically sound-absorbent as described above, allows this way to realize a small barrier overlapped to the original barrier. The element 6 works as a protective shield that absorbed the sound impeding locally to the barrier to function according to its original constructive features. Moreover the element 6 makes the surface of the barrier irregular making it non-homogeneous and therefore increasing the sound- absorbing features.
The application thus of a plurality of such elements in the specific areas where it is required, allows to realize a barrier configuration that is versatile where it is possible to change the homogeneity of the same making it adaptable to the different requirements.
Moreover to what has been said, according to the a further solution of the invention, the panels (3) constituting the barrier can be prevalently of sound- resistant type. Moreover, in correspondence of predetermined points of the barrier, these can be of variable thickness in a way to locally change in said points the sound-resistant features of the barrier.
Indeed the panels (3) constitute the element with prevailing sound-resistant feature according to their thickness. By simply changing the used thickness along the entire barrier it is obtained a local variation of the sound-resistance piece by piece and according to the needs .
According to such solution the barrier is such to change at the same time and locally both its sound- absorbing and sound-resistant features.
In both cases where the barrier is realized in such a way to locally change only the sound-absorbance by using the elements 6 or both the sound-absorbance and sound- resistance, the supporting frame comprises visible posts (4) placed to contain the panels. In such case then the element 6 is directly connected to the posts. In a further solution of the invention, in the case where the barrier comprises a supporting element which posts (4) are placed, inside the section constituting the panels, the above mentioned element (β) is directly connected on the surface of the same panels.
Advantageously the element (6) is connectable to the barrier through connection means.
According to a possible pattern realization of the element (6), this is as a matter of fact an acoustic box (6) comprising a body with a parallelepiped shape with squared section and hollowed inside in a way to be filled with sound-absorbent material.
In particular the acoustic box is punched at least in correspondence of the surface of the box that is towards the noise source. Generally, the sides of the box exposed to the sound are three and therefore, according to this, it is frequent the case where all three sides that are exposed to the noise have a plurality of holes. In such way the sound waves can enter in the box impacting this way against the sound-absorbing material that is placed inside the cavity of the box, getting highly damped.
It is also described the sound-absorbing element (6) for sound barrier (1) and comprising a body containing sound-absorbing material and characterized by the fact that is configured in such a manner to result applicable in correspondence of the face of the barrier (1) placed towards the sound source in a way to change locally the sound-absorbing features of the barrier.
Advantageously the body has a parallelepiped shape with square section and is of a predetermined length in such a manner to have a face to apply to the barrier and said body being hollowed in its inside in such a manner to be filled with sound-absorbing material to change locally the sound-absorbent features of the barrier.
It is also described a method to modify the sound- absorbing features of a sound barrier and characterized by the fact to comprise the application procedure of at least a sound-absorbing element (6) on the face of the barrier on the side where it is found the sound source in such a manner to increase . locally the sound-absorbing features of the barrier.
Brief description of drawings
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be clearer with the description of some of its pattern realization that follows, made to illustrate but not limit, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 shows a sound-barrier comprising a plurality of acoustic boxes 6 applied directly on the supporting posts of the barrier.
- Figure 2 shows an exploded view where are highlighted the boxes during phase of installation on a module relatively to the barrier.
- Figure 3 shows a section of the module that highlights the section of the sound-absorbing acoustic box.
- Figure 4 shows an assembly view of a barrier without visible posts on which have been applied acoustic panels directly on the panels .
- Figure 5 shows an assembly view of the back of the barrier, or rather of the side opposite to the one where the acoustic boxes are applied, where it is highlighted the variable thickness of each panel along the entire length of the barrier.
Description of some chosen pattern realizations With reference to figure 1, a sound barrier 1 generally comprises a supporting frame 2 for a plurality of panels 3 overlapped on top of each other. In the specific of figure 1, the frame is made of posts 4 protruding upwards from a supporting base 5 and that frame the panels, allowing a firm connection in order to support them. In the specific case of figure 2, it is represented a single module where the overlapped panels 3, of predetermined length, are connected to a couple of posts 4 emerging upwards from the base. As well known, generally, the described module results to be easily transportable in loco for the installation along the route to which it has been assigned in such a way to realize the barrier as in figure 1.
Still as described in figure 1, the barrier comprises at least an element 6 that is typically sound-absorbent and applicable to the barrier on the side of the sound source, or rather on the side where the sound wave will impact in propagation. In such way, the application of the mentioned element will allow to locally change the sound-absorbing features of the barrier. In the specific of figure 1 it is for example represented an entire barrier on which are placed a plurality of sound-absorbent elements β with the aim to increase such technical feature exclusively in correspondence of the specific application areas or points.
As described in detail in figure 2, the sound- absorbent elements 6 are constructively realized by means of acoustic boxes filled up with sound-absorbent material. More in detail, the box is made by a body which shape is generally a parallelepiped with rectangular section in a way to have a face 9 suitable for the application on the panel. As specified in the section of figure 3, the body of the box is hollowed inside in such a way to be filled up with sound-absorbent material, as rock wool. The external structure of the box is then realized by means of punched frames, or rather comprising a plurality of openings through which the sound that impacts passes through. Different constructive solutions propose punched frames 7 in wood, or frames in metal or simply in plastic. Moreover, a possible substitution to the rock wool could be the use of filling material as polystyrene, leca or other, anyway suitable to accomplish the sound-absorbent function. Still according to the present invention (look at figure 5) the panels constituting the same barrier can be realized with different thickness in the interested specific points. In such manner it is obtained, over to what has been said, a loca variation also in the sound- resistance features. The undertaken figure, for example, shows some modules constituting the barrier where the thickness is reduced respect to the rest of the barrier. For example are shown on a quality level the panels 3' that have a lower thickness respect to the panels 3 and thus lower sound-resistance features. It is obviously shown how such thickness variation can be limited to reduced portions also of a single module constituting the entire barrier, with the aim to change the sound-resistant features exclusively in the mentioned interested point. According to a first pattern realization of the invention, the boxes are made in such a manner to result to be directly applicable to the frame of the same barrier. In such case (look figure 2), the barrier is a traffic noise barrier constituted by the visible supporting elements 4. For such aim, as specified in the figure, the boxes result to be directly connected to the post of each module by means of a firm connection between the post and the end of the box. In order to realize such connection, where the box perfectly matches in the space offered by the two posts, the boxes comprise two lateral wings 7 respectively obtained on the two edges 8. In this way it is realized a ledge of reference that is required to frame correctly the box between the posts. The connection can then be of different kind, or rather by means of bolts and similar or bonding agents. The bolts solution results advantageous as removable at any time.
As described in figure 4, a second pattern realization of the invention comprises the possibility to apply the boxes directly to the panels constituting the same barrier. This is a technical solution typically adoptable in the case of a continuous barrier, or rather a barrier where the supporting elements are hidden inside the section constituting the same panels. In such case the bozes will be directly connected to the same panels through connection means that are similar to what has been described above, or better through bolts or bonding agents. In this case it is not strictly necessary anymore the shaping of the edges 8 as described above. Structurally described the invention in the most essential aspects, it is now briefly described, in order to clarify, the assemblage of the boxes to the barrier and their functionality.
For what has been said and the way it has been described by the attached figures, the boxes are applied on the face of the barrier that is facing towards the noise source, or rather the face destined to be run over by the sound wave. The application happens exclusively in those areas of the barrier where it is necessary to locally increase the sound-absorbent features.
One of the many cases where this can be retained necessary is where, for example, a specific resident area is realized after the installation of the barrier in a position that s against the same. According to such solution, having to place a further barrier against the preceding one, to avoid the tunnel effect between the two barriers it is required to increase the sound-absorbing features of the first assembled barrier. The application of such boxes resolves the mentioned problem. The boxes, once are applied, are thus impacted by the sound wave, as the entire face of the barrier, being able anyway to locally absorb big part of the disturb and in a more efficient way respect to how would have done the panels constituting the original barrier.
From the above description it results clear how the invention allows not only an application on the new barriers during the construction phase but also an adaptation or modification to existing barriers that have been installed since a long time. Where it is required to locally increase the sound-absorbing features, or rather specifically in a predetermined area of the entire barrier, it is then possible to have such boxes exactly as described above. The possibility to apply indeed the boxes directly to the panel of the barrier or to the frame leaves a wide selection by simply realizing the same with the suitable length.
Moreover the assemblage of the panels 3 in section or with variable thickness adds to what has been said the possibility to locally change also the sound-resistance, where it is requested.
It is at this point clear how all the aims of the present invention have been reached. The acoustic boxes can be applied to the barrier also after the assemblage of the same and after the specific isolation requirements have been verified. For such aim it is thus possible to upholster different areas of the barrier with the mentioned boxes increasing locally the sound-absorbing features of the barrier. Moreover it is also possible to realize the barrier with the thickness of the panels (3) that is variable in a way to vary the sound-resistance. Moreover there can be overlapped to each other the panels (3) in order to increase the thickness.
Such solution confers thus a huge flexibility to- the barrier which can be easily adapted point by point to the specific requirements of the route. According to such solution, it is thus possible to add further acoustic boxes even after a long time in a way to resolve the changeable requirements of acoustic isolation, without having for this reason incur to expensive integral substitution of the barrier. The connection by bolts results then easily removable other than easy to apply, allowing this way to remove easily eventual boxes placed in areas that result to be non critical.
The above description of a specific shape is able to show the invention from the conceptive point of view, in a way that others, by using the art, can modify and/or adapt in different applications this specific shape without any further research and without going apart from the inventive concept, and, therefore, it is intended that these adaptations and transformations will be considered as equivalent to this specific realization. The means and materials to make the many described functions can be of various nature without exiting the area of the invention, it is intended that the expressions or the terminology used have a simple descriptive aim and therefore not limiting.