Loosefill insulation blowing machine with reduced sound ratings

• US 10,137,455 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Cook, David M., Relyea, Christopher M., Robinson, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US14/680,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 241 18, 241236
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/142 with two or more inter-engaging rotatable cutter assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/2216 Discharge means
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/2291 Feed chute arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7604 fillings for cavity walls
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/085 for filling building cavity walls with insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/605 Hay unbaler

Abstract

A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is configured to receive compressed loosefill insulation material. The machine also includes a lower unit. The lower unit has a shredding chamber with a plurality of shredders configured to condition the loosefill insulation material thereby forming conditioned loosefill insulation material. The plurality of shredders is driven by one or more motors. A discharge mechanism is mounted to receive the loosefill insulation material. The discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism. A sound chamber is configured to receive the one or more motors and further configured to reduce the sound rating emanating from the machine.

Claims

1. A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:

a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end configured to receive compressed loosefill insulation material;

a lower unit having;

a shredding chamber configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material from the outlet end of the chute, the shredding chamber including a plurality of shredders configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material thereby forming conditioned loosefill insulation material, the plurality of shredders driven by one or more motors;

a discharge mechanism mounted to receive the conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber, the discharge mechanism configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream;

a blower configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism; and

a sound chamber configured to receive the one or more motors and further configured to reduce the sound rating emanating from the machine, wherein the sound chamber is defined by an outer surface of a first low speed shredder of the plurality of shredders, an outer surface of an agitator guide, a floor, an inside surface of a left side panel, an inside surface of a front panel and an inside surface of a back panel.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more motors received by the sound chamber includes a blower motor.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more motors received by the sound chamber includes a motor for driving rotary equipment.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the surfaces forming the sound chamber have an irregular cross-sectional shape.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the surfaces forming the sound chamber has surfaces forming form pockets configured to substantially capture sounds generated by the one or more motors.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the sound chamber is configured to reflect sounds waves generated by the one or more motors back into an interior of the sound chamber.

7. A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:

a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end configured to receive compressed loosefill insulation material;

a lower unit having;

a shredding chamber configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material from the outlet end of the chute, the shredding chamber including a plurality of shredders configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material thereby forming conditioned loosefill insulation material, the plurality of shredders driven by one or more motors;

a discharge mechanism mounted to receive the conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber, the discharge mechanism configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream;

a blower configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism; and

a motor enclosure configured to enclose the one or more motors, the motor enclosure configured to receive a flow of air and form a vortex of air around the one or more motors, the vortex of air configured to dampen sound waves generated by the one or more motors.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the one or more motors enclosed by the motor enclosure is a shredder motor.

9. The machine of claim 7, wherein the flow of air received by the motor enclosure flows from a port positioned in a floor of the machine.

10. The machine of claim 7, wherein the flow of air received by the motor enclosure is generated by the blower.

11. The machine of claim 7, wherein the motor enclosure forms a cavity between an exterior surface of the motor and an internal circumferential surface of the motor enclosure.

12. The machine of claim 7, wherein the vortex of air is further configured to dampen rotational vibrations generated by the one or more motors.

13. A method of operating a machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the method comprising the steps of:

loading compressed loosefill insulation material into a chute;

guiding the compressed loosefill insulation material from the chute into a lower unit, the lower unit having a shredding chamber, the shredding chamber including a plurality of shredders configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material, the plurality of shredders driven by one or more motors, the lower unit also having a discharge mechanism mounted to receive the conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber, the discharge mechanism configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream; and

providing a sound chamber within the lower unit to reduce the sound rating emanating from the machine, the sound chamber configured to receive the one or more motors and having an outer surface of an agitator guide, a floor, an inside surface of a left side panel, an inside surface of a front panel and an inside surface of a back panel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more motors received by the sound chamber includes a blower motor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the sound chamber is configured to reflect sound waves generated by the one or more motors back into an interior of the sound chamber.

16. The method of claim 13, including the steps of enclosing the one or more motors and providing a flow of air to the motor enclosure, the motor enclosure configured to form a vortex of air around the one or more motors, the vortex of air thereby dampening sound waves generated by the one or more motors.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more motors enclosed by the motor enclosure is a shredder motor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the flow of air received by the motor enclosure flows from a port positioned in a floor of the machine.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the flow of air received by the motor enclosure is generated by the blower.