The present invention relates to a sound suppressing fence. The fence comprises a series of fence parts comprising a first and a second pole and a first and a second opposing wall extending between the first and second pole, thereby defining an interior space for containing a sound suppressing material, wherein at least one of the first or second wall comprises at least one profile having opposing free ends for engaging the first and second pole.

The sound suppressing fence could e.g. be placed between an occupied house and a motorway, railroad, factory, airport or some other source of unwanted sound, so that the fence can suppress the sound from the source towards the house.

European patent application no. EP0843045 A discloses an acoustic insulating panel comprising a flat wall arranged between vertical rods. Each wall comprises a number of identical panels placed on top of each other, and each panel is on one side provided with a number of open compartments for housing a sound-absorbing material. Afterwards the sound- absorbing material has to be inserting into all the open compartments in each panel.

The main disadvantage of this known panel is that the process of adding the sound-suppressing material is a time consuming process .

In a first aspect according to the present invention is provided a fence of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph having an interior space capable of receiving and retaining a sound suppressing material in an easy and inexpensive way and at the same time provide a fence with an aesthetic outer appearance. In a second aspect according to the present invention is provided a fence of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph where the fence has a simple and cost-effective construction.

In a third aspect according to the present invention is provided a fence of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph where the fence parts can be assembled in an easy and inexpensive way.

In a fourth aspect according to the present invention is provided a fence of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph where one wall of the fence can be changed independently of the other wall .

In a fifth aspect according to the present invention is provided a fence of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph where the profiles can be stacked in a way that reduces the required space during storage and transporting.

The novel and unique way whereby this is achieved according to the present invention is that the at least one profile has a first section facing a free end of the poles, the first section extends into a second section that is closer to the interior space than the first section, each pole comprises at least one assembling track extending along the length of the pole, and the at least one assembling track is configured to accommodate at least a part of the free end of the profiles.

The assembling track provides for each profile to be assembled with the poles in an easy and reliable manner, because the assembling track and the at least part of the free end of the profile are configured so that they fit each other when brought together .

After having assembled two opposing walls, the interior space can in a very simple manner be filled with the sound suppressing material from one direction and in a single operation. That is in the direction from the free ends of the poles towards the base of the fence.

It is advantageously that the assembling track extends along the pole to allow the profile to be assembled with the pole at any given location along the assembling track. Even further advantageously the assembling track can be used to assemble a wall with a mutual distance between the profiles, while at the same time provide an interior space between two opposing walls, where the interior space is capable of retaining the sound suppressing material. The retention of the sound suppressing material is possible because the second section of each profile is closer to the interior space than the first section, so that the inside of the fence resembles a number of communicating funnels with one funnel after the other in the direction from the free ends of the poles towards the base of the fence.

At the same time a fence with an aesthetic outer appearance can be obtained if e.g. the sound suppressing material is soil and plants extends from the opening between the mutually spaced profiles in a wall.

In a preferred embodiment the first section may define a first plane and the second section defines a second plane which is offset towards the center of the interior space in relation to the first plane. While maintaining the above-mentioned funnel effect, the first section has the effect that the outside surfaces of the first sections can resemble a closed wall even if the profiles in a wall are placed with mutual distance.

In a preferred embodiment each profile may comprise at least one first assembling means defined at each free end of the profile, where the at least one assembling track and the at least one first assembling means are complementary shaped. The advantage is that each profile can be assembled with the poles in a more simple, reliable and secure way, because complementary shapes provides a maximum contact area between the first and second assembling means.

Each pole may preferably comprise a central bar defining the distance between the first and second wall and having a first end facing a support face and a second opposing end, at least two protruding members protruding towards each adjacent pole, each protruding member extends along at least a part of the length of the pole, and the at least one assembling track is defined at the intersection between the central bar and the protruding members.

In a typical straight fence according to the invention the at least two protruding members can protrude in parallel directions along the length of the fence, while the distance between the two protruding members defines the maximum width of the interior space between the walls.

Advantageously at least the first section of each profile may be detachably secured to the poles by means of engagement means or attachment means, each pole comprises at least one second assembling means extending along the length of the pole, a first part of the engagement means or attachment means is accommodated in the at least one second assembling means in the secured state, and a second part of the engagement or attachment means abuts the free end of the profile when the profile is secured to the poles.

In this way it is possible to detachably assemble the profiles with the poles without penetrating the profiles or the poles, because the first part of the engagement means or attachment means can slide in the second assembling means on the pole while the second part abuts the profile and thereby apply a force to the profile in the direction towards the pole, where the applied force serves for squeezing the profile towards the pole and thereby detachably assemble the profile with the pole.

The advantage of not penetrating the profiles and poles by any kind of attachment means, such as screws, is that the resulting holes could allow dirt and humidity to enter into the profiles and poles and thereby reduce the durability of the fence.

Due to the detachable securing the longitudinal position of a profile in relation to the poles can easily be changed or a profile can easily be replaced if desired, e.g. if the profile is damaged.

In a preferred embodiment the at least one second assembling means may be a T-slot, notch or groove, which can be made very easily and inexpensively in a pole in the same process as when manufacturing the pole. Thus no features are to be added to the pole and the second assembling means are an integrated part of the pole.

In a preferred embodiment both the first section and the second section at each free end of the profiles may be detachably secured to the poles by means of the engagement means or attachment means and the at least one second assembling means. By securing each free end of the profiles to a pole at two separate locations is provided a more reliable and durable assembly than if only the first section or only the second section is assembled with the pole. This is especially import if the profiles are relatively long and/or if the sound suppressing material exerts a substantially pressure force on the profiles in the direction away from the fence.

In a preferred embodiment opposing profiles may be detachably connected by at least one connection member. The sound suppressing material will exert a pressure force on the profiles in the direction away from the fence, substantially orthogonal to the plane of the walls. The pressure force can be counteracted by the at least one connection member and thereby making the fence more stable and reliable. The connection members can preferably be placed evenly distributed along the assembled profiles. Especially the middle part of two opposing profiles can be stabilized by placing a connection member substantially midway between the two poles.

In a preferred embodiment each connection member may comprise at least one third assembling means defined at each free end of the connection member, each profile comprises at least one fourth assembling means extending along the length of the profile, the third and fourth assembling means are complementary shaped, and opposing profiles are detachably connected via the third and fourth assembling means. The third and fourth assembling means facilitates an easy installation of the connection members at any desired location along the length of the opposing profiles. The complementary shapes provide a maximum contact area resulting in a more simple, reliable and secure fence, and at the same time the connection members can even be repositioned along the profiles after the fence is assembled by sliding them along the fourth assembling means.

In a preferred embodiment the connection member may be shaped as a plate, the third assembling means is T-shaped and the fourth assembling means is a T-slot. This means that the connection member can easily be inserted into the T-slots of two opposing profiles, even when the profiles already are assembled with the poles, and then turned substantially 90° around the longitudinal axis of the connection member into the final locked position. When filling the sound suppressing material into the interior space between the walls, the material will exert forces in different directions on the already installed connection members. Unwanted movement of the connection members in this situation is counteracted due to the connection members locked position. In a preferred embodiment the at least one connection member may connect opposing profiles from the first and second wall using the third and fourth assembling means, and opposing profiles along the length of the poles using fifth assembling means on the connection member. This means that a connection member cannot only connect opposing profiles of two opposing walls but at the same time also provide a connection between two neighboring profiles of a wall, and thereby provide a further stabilization of the fence. Preferably the fifth assembling means comprises two indentations into which the lower part of the second section of the two relevant profiles fits into.

In a preferred embodiment the cross section of the at least one profile may be substantially S-formed or Z-formed. These shapes have the advantages that the profiles when assembled provides the above-mentioned funnel effect, that the profiles can be stacked in a way that reduces the required space during storage and transporting and at the same time can be extruded.

In a preferred embodiment the at least one profile's surface facing away from the fence may have a sound reducing shape and/or is covered with a sound reducing material so that the fence can provide an even further sound suppressing effect.

In a preferred embodiment the at least one profile's surface facing away from the fence may have a different form, color or be coated in another way than the profile's opposite surface facing toward the interior of the fence. Using identical profiles having one outer apperance (form, color or coating) on one surface and another outer apperance (form, color or coating) on the other surface, it is possible to choose which of these two apperances is desired on the surface facing away from the fence. Hereby it is possible to give the end user two differenct apperances to choose from without having to produce two batches of profiles.

In a preferred embodiment the poles and/or the profiles may be extruded and/or made from composite material, preferably composed of 30% wood and 70% plastic. Extruded elements naturally have many manufacturing advantages. Additionally it is very easier to construct the fence when the poles are symmetric in the extruded direction, because both ends of an extruded pole can be used as a free end.

Generally, composite materials are engineered materials made from two or more components with different physical or chemical properties, and possible also one or more additives such as e.g. a coupling agent that improves the compatibility between the components, lubricants, colorants, heat stabilizers, or photostabilizers . The mixture can be moulded or extruded into a complex form, to obtain a strong and coherent composite material with exceptional physical, mechanical and chemical properties.

Wood fiber composites normally resemble aluminium in dimensional stability, look and feel like natural wood, are paintable and stainable, are resistance to rot and heat, have low moisture absorption, have density strength higher than normal wood, have lower costs, and have superior flexural strength .

In a preferred embodiment the interior space of the fence may be divided into two separate interior spaces by means of a interior partition wall extending between the first and second pole. This means that these two spaces can be filled with different sound suppressing materials if it is desired to construct a fence having different characteristics on either side, and that each of these two spaces can be filled from one direction and in a single operation. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a fence according to the present invention seen oblique from above,

Fig. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view of four profiles shown ready to be assembled according to the present invention,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pole shown in fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V in fig. 4,

Fig. 6 illustrates the encircled detail of the assembling of a pole with profiles as shown fig. 1 in an enlarged scale,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in fig. 6,

Fig. 8 corresponds to fig. 6 but shows an alternative embodiment of the engagement means or attachment means,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in fig. 8 showing a part of the profile and a part of the pole 4,

Fig. 10 shows an exploded view of the engagement or attachment means shown in fig. 8,

Fig. 11a, lib and lie are sectional views of different embodiments of profiles according to the present invention,

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a connection member according to the present invention,

Fig. 13 is a perspective fragmentary view of four profiles connected by the connection member shown in fig. 12, Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a pole and a profile according to the present invention,

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of fig. 15,

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a pole according to the present invention,

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken along line XVI 11-XVI 11 in fig. 17,

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a pole according to the present invention,

Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken along line XX-XX in fig. 19,

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the pole shown in fig. 1 and an end piece according to the present invention, shown in the unassembled position,

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken along line XXII-XXI in fig. 21,

Fig. 23 shows the pole and end piece of fig. 21 but in the assembled position, and

Fig. 24 is a sectional view taken along line XXIV-XXIV in fig. 23.

The invention is described below under the assumption that the fence is constructed on vertical ground and that the poles are rising vertical from the ground. It is however within the scope of the invention that the poles could also be rising from the ground in a non-vertical angel or the ground could be uneven. The invention is not limited to the shown shapes of the poles and the profiles as will become more clear in the below description.

Fig. 1 shows a part of a fence where the fence is designated in general by the reference numeral 1. A first wall 2 and a second wall 3 are opposing each other and extending between a first pole 4 and a second pole 5. From the second pole 5 extends another set of walls 2,3 towards a third pole (not shown), and the fence continues in this way with the desired number of poles. Each wall 2,3 has ten profiles 6 having opposite free ends 7,8 engaging the two belonging poles 4,5. Any other number of profiles 6 in a wall 2,3 could also be used. For each neighboring pair of poles 4,5 an interior space 9 is defined between the poles and the two walls 2,3, which space is filled with a sound suppressing material (not shown) . Each profile 6 has a first section 10 extending along the length of the profile 6. When assembled, the first section 10 faces a free end 12 of the poles 4,5 and extends towards the base 13 of the poles 4,5 into a second section 11.

The profile is exemplified by a longitudinal member 6 with rectangular shaped and parallel first and second sections 10,11 connected by skew part .

Each pole 4,5 can e.g. be held in place by simply digging its lower part into the ground. Alternatively a concrete block can be inserted into the ground, the block having an aperture configured for receiving the lower part of the pole 4,5.

Fig. 2 and 3 show in an enlarged scale the shape of the profiles 6 from fig. 1. When looking at two opposing profiles 6 from each their wall 2,3 - the distance A between their opposing first sections 10 is larger than the distance B between their opposing second sections 11, which provides the earlier mentioned resemblance with a funnel. Access to the sound suppressing material is provided through the openings 17 between the profiles 6 in the wall 2,3.

Fig. 4 and 5 show further details of the poles 4,5 from fig. 1. Especially is it clearly shown that the poles 4,5 have a central bar 14 with two protruding members 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d at each end of the bar 14. The poles 4,5 are shaped with right angles between the central bar 14 and the protruding members 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d. It is at and around this transition between the central bar 14 and the protruding members 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d that the four assembling tracks 16 on the poles 4,5 are defined, where the assembling tracks 16 extends along the pole 4,5 from its free end 12 to its base 13.

The pole including the protruding members is exemplified by the I-shaped pole 4 most clearly shown in figs. 4 and 5.

The outer surface of the profile 6 at each free end 7,8 of the first section 10 is complementary shaped in relation to the shape of the assembling tracks 16, which means that it is easy to slide the profile 6 along the assembling tracks 16 into the desired longitudinal position on the poles 4,5 and to detachably secure it. This assembling is very secure and reliable since the shapes are complementary as in the embodiment shown in the figures.

The distance C (shown in fig. 3) between the outer surfaces of two opposing profiles 6 from each their wall 2,3 is the same as the distance C (shown in fig. 5) between opposing protruding members 15c, 15d at each their end of the central bar 14.

Increasing the distance C, e.g. by making the central bar 14 longer, provides room for more sound suppressing material and therefore a more effective suppression of the sound by the fence 1. Figs. 6 and 7 show how each profile 6 can be detachably secured to the neighboring poles 4,5 by means of the engagement means 18. First the profile 6 is positioned so that it engage the poles 4,5 at the desired location along the assembling track, then it is detachably secured to the poles 4 by means of the engagement means 18 and the second assembling means 21 (shown e.g. in fig. 4-5) on each protruding member 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d. The engagement means 18 has a first part 19 that is T-shaped and is inserted into the second assembling means 21, where it is inserted in the direction from the free end 12 towards the base 13 of the pole 4 until the engagement means 18 engages with the profile 6. The detachably securing is achieved since the second part 20 of the engagement means 18 provides a force on the first section 10 of the profiles 6 in the direction towards the protruding member 15a, 15c that it is secured to.

In figs. 6 and 7 the second assembling means is exemplified by a T-shaped groove 21, and the engagement means or attachment means is exemplified by the means 18 having a U-shaped cross section as shown in fig. 7 and a T-shaped first part 19 that fits the T-shaped groove 21.

In figs. 6 and 7 the profiles 6 are positioned so that their top surfaces are made to flush with the top surface of the pole

4, which means that the first parts 19 are not totally inserted into the second assembling means 21. The position of the profiles 6 that are closest to the free end 12 of the poles could also be lowered so that the first part 19 of the engagement means 18 would be totally inserted into the second assembling means 21, and thereby provide a larger contact between the first part 19 and the second assembling means 21.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show an alternative embodiment of the engagement means 49 comprising an at least partly threaded rod

50 with a head 51, an engagement part 52, and a tightening part 53 with a threaded hole (e.g. a nut) . The engagement part is exemplified by a L-shaped means 52. The rod 50 and the tightening part 53 are shown without being threaded. To the right in fig. 8 is the engagement means 49 shown in an assembled position with the protruding member 15c, to the left is the engagement means 49 absent. In this alternative embodiment the engagement part 52 is provided with a through going bore 54, said bore 54 being adapted to receive the rod 50. The head 51 has a shape that is complementary to the shape of the second assembling means 21, e.g. the shape shown in figs. 9 and 10. When assembled the head 51 is located in the second assembling means 21 and the rod 50 is going through the bore 54 and projecting from the side of the engagement part 52 facing away from the protruding member 15c. The width w (shown in fig. 10) of the part of the engagement part 52 that abuts the pole 4 are wider than the width of the second assembling means 21 at contacting surface between engagement part 52 and the pole 4. The detachable securing of the profile 6 to the pole 4 is obtained by screwing the tightening part 53 onto the projecting part 52 until the engagement part 52 applies a suitable force on the profile 6 in the direction towards the protruding member 15c. The profile 6 can be removed by simply unscrewing the tightening part 53 and if desired moved to another location along the pole 4,5 and secured at this location.

The shape of the second assembling means 21 is not limited to being a T-slot, any other shape is possible as long as the engagement or attachment means 18,49 is restrained from moving towards the interior of the fence 1 when inserted into the second assembling means 21. The shape could e.g. also be a dove tail.

A wall 2,3 is build by first positioning the two poles 4,5 on the ground; secondly securing the profile 6 closest to the base

13 of the pole 4,5 with one engagement means 18,49 at each free end 7,8 of the profile 6; and then thirdly securing one profile 6 at the time until finishing off with the profile 6 closest to the free ends 12 of the poles 4,5. The openings 17 between the profiles 6 facilitate room for the engagement means 18,49.

Figs. 11a, lib and lie show different embodiments of the profiles 22,23,24 all a first section 25,26,27, respectively, to be attached to the poles 4,5 and extending into a second section 28,29,30, respectively, closer to the interior space 9 in the assembled state.

Fig. 12 shows a connection member 31 with a protruding third T- shaped assembling means 32 at each short free end. Figs. 13 and 14 show the connection member 31 in the final position where it is used to detachably connect two opposing profiles 33,34 from each their wall 2,3. This connection can be obtained by inserting the third assembling means 32 into the fourth assembling means 37, such as complementary shaped tracks 37, on the corresponding profiles 33,34, and then sliding the connection member 32 along the profiles 33,34 into a desired position. In a preferred embodiment the third assembling means 32 and fourth assembling means 37 are complementary shaped, but the shape of the fourth assembling means 37 is not limited to the shown T-slot shape, as any other shape is within the scope of the invention as long as the force exerted on the profiles 33,34 by the sound suppressing material in the direction away from the fence 1 is counteracted by the connection member 31. The shape of the fourth assembling means 37 could e.g. also be a dove tail.

In figs. 12 - 14 the connection member 31 also has two indentations 38 in the side of the connection member 31 that faces the two neighboring profiles 35,36 towards the free ends 12 of the poles 4,5. The indentations 38 are made so that they align with the lower part 39 (see fig. 13) of the second section 11 of both neighboring profiles 35,36 in the assembled state of the fence 1. Hereby is provided a stabilization of the second section 11 of the profiles 6 which becomes more important the longer the distance between the first 10 and second 11 section of a profile 6 is. The shape of the indentations 38 is preferably complementary to the shapes of the lower parts 39.

Figs. 15 and 16 show an alternative embodiment of the pole 40 where the bar 14 in addition to the two protruding members 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d at each end also have two centrally protruding members 41. Each centrally protruding member 41 has two second assembling means 42 extending along the pole 40. With this embodiment both the first section 10 and the second section 11 of the profiles 6 can be detachably secured to the poles 40 by means of the engagement or attachment means 18,49 (not shown in figs. 15 and 16) . The free ends 7,8 of the profiles 6 are in this way secured to the pole 40 by securing the first section 10 to a protruding member 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d at the end of the bar 14 as described earlier in connection with figs. 6-10. At the same time the second section 11 is secured to the neighboring protruding member 41 at the center of the bar 14 by means of the engagement means 18,49 with a first part 19,51 inserted into the second assembling means 42 shaped as a T-slot and the second part 20,52 of the engagement means 18,49 provides a force on the second section 11 of the profile 6 in the direction towards the protruding member 41 that it is secured to.

Fig. 15 shows how a part of the free end 8 of a profile 6 is accommodated in the assembling track 16 at the intersection between the bar 14 and the protruding member 15c while another part of the free end 8 is accommodated in the assembling track

16 at the intersection between the bar 14 and the central protruding member 41. In this embodiment the pole 40 has a total of eight assembling tracks for receiving a total of four profiles. The engagement or attachment means 18,49 are not shown in fig. 15.

Figs. 17 and 18 show an alternative embodiment of the pole 43 used to provide a bend of 90° in the fence 1. The fence 1 extends in the directions along the arrows D and E, where two parallel walls in the direction along the arrow D are secured to the protruding members 44c, 44d and two parallel walls in the direction along the arrow E are secured to the protruding members 44a, 44b.

Figs. 19 and 20 show an alternative embodiment of the pole 45 used to provide a bend of 135° in the fence 1. The fence 1 extends in the directions along the arrows F and G, where two parallel walls in the direction along the arrow F are secured to the protruding members 46c, 46d and two parallel walls in the direction along the arrow G are secured to the protruding members 46a, 46b.

Other angles between 180° (straight fence) and 90° or even below are naturally also possible.

Figs. 21 - 24 show how the ends of the fence can be terminated by means of an end piece 47 assembled with the pole 4 at the end of the fence. The end piece 47 is provided with longitudinal extending fifth assembling means 48, which is complementary shaped in relation to the second assembling means 21. This means that the end piece 47 can be assembled with any of the poles 4,5,40 shown in figs. 4-5 and 15-20. Figs. 23-24 show a pole 4 assembled with an end piece 47 where the fence 1 extends in the direction of the arrow G.

Profiles having a symmetric shape, such as the ones show in fig. 11a and lib, has the advantage that they can be stacked such that less space is required during storage and transporting. Combinations of the exemplary assembling and engagement means are foreseen within the scope of the present invention to provide a new and unique appearance of a sound suppressing fence which is very easy and inexpensive to manufacture and erect, and does not take much space during storage.