Metal panel assembly
First Claim
1. A metal panel assembly, comprising:
- a sound damping adhesive layer;
a body layer; and
an outer layer having a plurality of contact sections that confront the body layer through the sound damping adhesive layer and a plurality of raised sections that are spaced from the body layer, wherein at least some of the contact sections that confront the body layer through the sound damping adhesive are located in an interior of the outer layer and at least some of the raised sections are arranged in a grid-like pattern so that they intersect one another, and the contact sections are arranged to help dampen vibrations and/or noise in the metal panel assembly and the grid-like pattern of raised sections are arranged to help stiffen the metal panel assembly so that the outer layer both reduces vibrations and/or noise and stiffens the underlying body layer.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A metal panel assembly that may be used in a number of different applications, particularly those that are concerned with improved stiffness and/or reduced vibration and noise. According to an exemplary embodiment, the metal panel assembly has a multi-layer or sandwich construction and includes a metal body layer, a sound damping adhesive layer, and a metal outer layer. The outer layer is bonded to the body layer via the adhesive layer and improves the stiffness and/or reduces vibrations in the metal panel assembly. The outer layer may include a number of contact sections that confront the body layer through the adhesive layer, as well as a number of raised sections that are spaced from the body layer and increase or otherwise improve the stiffness of the metal panel assembly. In one embodiment, the raised sections resemble channels and are generally arranged in a column-like pattern; in another embodiment, the raised sections resemble ribs and are generally arranged in a grid-like pattern.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A metal panel assembly, comprising:
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a sound damping adhesive layer; a body layer; and an outer layer having a plurality of contact sections that confront the body layer through the sound damping adhesive layer and a plurality of raised sections that are spaced from the body layer, wherein at least some of the contact sections that confront the body layer through the sound damping adhesive are located in an interior of the outer layer and at least some of the raised sections are arranged in a grid-like pattern so that they intersect one another, and the contact sections are arranged to help dampen vibrations and/or noise in the metal panel assembly and the grid-like pattern of raised sections are arranged to help stiffen the metal panel assembly so that the outer layer both reduces vibrations and/or noise and stiffens the underlying body layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A metal panel assembly, comprising:
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a thin sound damping adhesive layer having a thickness of about 0.005 mm to 0.05 mm, inclusive; a metal body layer; and a metal outer layer having a plurality of flat contact sections that confront the body layer through the thin sound damping adhesive layer to form a constrained layer structure, and a plurality of raised sections that are spaced from the body layer across a plurality of spaces to form a series of stiffening features, wherein the metal outer layer is a patch that is attached to a particular area of interest on the metal body layer and includes a non-uniform distribution of contact sections and raised sections across the metal outer layer with a concentration of contact sections located in a damping area to help dampen vibrations and/or noise in the metal panel assembly and with a concentration of raised sections located in a stiffening area to help stiffen the metal panel assembly.
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15. A method for manufacturing a metal panel assembly, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a metal body layer; (b) providing a metal outer layer having one or more elongated contact sections and one or more elongated raised sections; (c) applying a sound damping adhesive layer between the metal body layer and the metal outer layer by roll coating the adhesive to the underside of the metal outer layer so that only the contact sections are coated with adhesive; (d) bringing the metal outer layer and the metal body layer together so that the contact sections of the metal outer layer confront the metal body layer through the sound damping adhesive layer; and (e) curing the sound damping adhesive layer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification