Speaker noise path shield

• US 7,410,204 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Foamade Industries, Inc. (UFP Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Foamade Industries, Inc. (UFP Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koa, Chi H
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTMAN, HILARY L
• Application Number:
  US11/214,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 296/152, 296/146.1, 296/146.5
• US Class Current: 296/152
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0416 Assembly panels to be installed in doors as a module with components, e.g. lock or window lifter, attached thereto

Abstract

A door assembly comprises an interior panel and an exterior panel. A first semi-rigid barrier sheet is disposed between the interior and exterior panels. One or more features are formed in the first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between the interior and exterior panels. A second semi-rigid barrier sheet is offset from the first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through the first semi-rigid barrier sheet.

Claims

1. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels;

and a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet,

wherein at least one of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheet is formed of a water resistant material.

2. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels; and

a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet,

wherein at least one of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheet is formed of a thermally formable material.

3. The door assembly of claim 2 wherein said thermally formable material is selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic polymeric material and a thermoplastic olefin (TPO).

4. The door assembly of claim 3 wherein said TPO comprises a cross-linked polypropylene and polyethylene blend.

5. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels; and

a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet, and a linear low density polyethylene film and a silicon-based coating applied to a surface of at least one of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheet.

6. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels; and

a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet, and layer of sound attenuation material that absorbs non-diffused sound waves that pass through at least one of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheet.

7. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels; and

a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet, and a pressure sensitive adhesive material that adhesively engages at least one of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheet.

8. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels; and

a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet,

wherein one or both of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheets comprises a plurality of resonance frequency diffusion (RED) reliefs formed in said semi-rigid barrier sheet that diffuse sound waves directed toward said semi-rigid barrier sheet.

9. The door assembly of claim 8 wherein said RED reliefs are semi-spherical in shape.

10. A door assembly, comprising:

an interior panel and an exterior panel;

a first semi-rigid barrier sheet disposed between said interior and exterior panels;

one or more features formed in said first semi-rigid barrier sheet accommodating components housed between said interior and exterior panels; and

a second semi-rigid barrier sheet offset from said first semi-rigid barrier sheet to diffuse sound waves directed toward an aperture formed through said first semi-rigid barrier sheet,

wherein at least one of said first and second semi-rigid barrier sheets comprises a relief pattern comprising a plurality of raised regions relative to a plurality of lower regions, said relief pattern arranged to diffuse sound waves.

11. The door assembly of claim 10 wherein said raised regions comprise protrusions of said semi-rigid moisture barrier material outward from a surface of the second semi-rigid barrier sheet.

12. The door assembly of claim 10 wherein said raised regions comprise material deposited on a surface of said second semi-rigid barrier sheet.

13. The door assembly of claim 12 wherein said deposited material is the same as said semi-rigid barrier sheet.