Noise control system using smart materials
First Claim
1. An automotive vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis defining an engine compartment and a longitudinally spaced passenger compartment;
an engine mounted in said engine compartment and being operable to generate noise energy;
a transverse box-like structure interposed between said engine compartment and said passenger compartment within the transfer path of the noise energy being transmitted from said engine to said passenger compartment;
smart material affixed to the walls of said box-like structure, said smart material being operable to selectively change a property characteristic thereof, anda noise control system including a controller operatively coupled to said smart material to change said property characteristic to vary the acoustic resonance of said box-like structure to change the effectiveness of controlling the transmission of noise energy through said box-like structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A noise control system operable within a box-like structure provided by the dual bulkhead plenum of the vehicle dashboard positioned within the transfer path along which the noise is being transmitted from the source of the generated noise to the receiver of the noise in the passenger compartment of an automobile. The plenum is divided into discrete chambers into each of which is provided smart materials affixed to the walls of the plenum to be operable for selectively changing a property characteristic of the chambers to vary the acoustic resonance of the plenum and change the effectiveness of controlling the transmission of noise energy therethrough. A controller is coupled to the smart materials to change said property characteristic of the smart material in response to noise cancellation requirements.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automotive vehicle, comprising:
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a chassis defining an engine compartment and a longitudinally spaced passenger compartment; an engine mounted in said engine compartment and being operable to generate noise energy; a transverse box-like structure interposed between said engine compartment and said passenger compartment within the transfer path of the noise energy being transmitted from said engine to said passenger compartment; smart material affixed to the walls of said box-like structure, said smart material being operable to selectively change a property characteristic thereof, and a noise control system including a controller operatively coupled to said smart material to change said property characteristic to vary the acoustic resonance of said box-like structure to change the effectiveness of controlling the transmission of noise energy through said box-like structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A noise control system for an automobile having a noise generating apparatus producing generated noise energy and a passenger compartment receiving said generated noise energy, comprising:
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a box-like structure located along a transfer path extending between said noise generating apparatus and said passenger compartment; and smart material affixed to the walls of said box-like structure, said smart material being operable to selectively change a property characteristic thereof in response to a stimulus applied thereto, said smart material being operable to change a sound transmission property of said box-like structure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of controlling a transmission of noise energy in an automobile having a noise generating apparatus producing generated noise energy and a passenger compartment receiving said generated noise energy, comprising the steps of:
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intercepting said generated noise energy along a transfer path extending between said noise generating apparatus and said passenger compartment by a transversely extending box-like structure; applying smart material to said box-like structure, said smart material being operable to selectively change a property characteristic thereof in response to a stimulus applied thereto, said smart material being operable to change a sound transmission property of said box-like structure; and providing a controller operably coupled to said smart material to provide said stimulus for selectively changing said sound transmission property, said controller being operable to selectively change said sound transmission property of said box-like structure by stimulating said smart material to reduce the transmission of said generated noise energy into said passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification