DE20110877U1 - Sound absorbers for offices - Google Patents

Description

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Sound absorbers for offices TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a sound absorber for office buildings. Sound absorption can improve communication in an office and reduce reverberation times, as there is less disruption caused by noise or sound reflections. This applies both to conversations between people in an office and to communications via telecommunications devices. Sound-absorbing measures can therefore significantly improve working conditions in offices. An overall improvement in the noise situation increases well-being and performance, thus ensuring a more pleasant working environment.

STATE OF THE ART

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It is known to provide sound-absorbing ceiling elements in offices. Such ceiling elements are usually attached to a frame construction below the ceiling construction. Such flat ceiling elements cover the structural ceiling body, which is present as a concrete body, for example, towards the interior. As a result, the concrete ceiling cannot take on a compensating "temperature control function" because the storage mass of the concrete ceiling cannot be activated. Flat ceiling cladding has a very detrimental effect if the concrete ceiling is provided with a so-called concrete core activation or component cooling. (Sound-absorbing) ceiling cladding

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the thermal radiation exchange between the solid ceiling and the people in the room is restricted and hindered. Sound-shielding partition walls are another measure to improve working conditions in an open-plan office that are affected by noise. However, if these sound-shielding walls are too low, the noise spread in an open-plan office caused by sound reflections on the concrete ceiling cannot be satisfactorily reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Based on this previously known state of the art, the invention is based on the object of achieving improved room acoustics for office spaces without hindering the thermal storage function of a solid room ceiling.

This invention is defined by the features of claim 1. Useful developments of the invention are the subject of further claims following claim 1.

The invention uses the knowledge that sound reflections can be greatly reduced by sound-absorbing ceiling areas. The sound absorber for office rooms therefore contains at least one slat made of sound-absorbing material that can be hung in an office room. To ensure that such slats do not hinder people walking back and forth in the room, such slats each have a height of only between 15 cm (centimeters) and 3 0 cm. Slats with a height of around 20 cm (centimeters) have proven to be particularly suitable. This one or more slats are'

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suspended from a suspension structure below the ceiling so that they are located above the free space required by people.

Such slats attached to an office space have the advantage that they do not close off the underside of the concrete ceiling, for example. This means that the solid ceiling can be equipped with component cooling, so that thermal radiation exchange can take place between the cooler (concrete) ceiling and the people in the room. The thermal storage function of the ceiling is retained. In the case of concrete or similar solid ceilings without component cooling, heat can be extracted from the ceiling by cooling the rooms at night via ventilation due to the "open" slatted ceiling.

The ceiling also remains virtually freely accessible for subsequent assembly work.

The slats, which are usually rectangular, preferably have a length between 1 m (meter) and 1.80 m. In particular, they are 1.20 m long. Their thickness is between about 2 cm and 5 cm.

The slat consists of a sound-absorbing material or at least contains such a material. Such a slat can also be designed largely as a hollow body. This can result in a noticeable reduction in weight. The 0 slat can also consist of a surrounding frame which is covered with a perforated film covering. If light materials such as plastic or the like are used for the frame, such a slat proves to be extremely light. · '

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Mineral fibres such as glass wool, plastics or wood fibres have proven to be particularly suitable as sound-absorbing materials.

To attach the slat to the suspension structure below the ceiling, it has proven advantageous to provide at least one opening in the slat. This opening can run transversely or lengthways through the slat. There can also be two openings, for example, which are located in particular in the corner areas of the slat, in the case of openings arranged transversely in the slat, or in the upper and lower longitudinal areas of the slat, in the case of openings running lengthways through the slat.

Guy cables or rod or pipe profiles that are present at a distance below the ceiling can be pushed through the openings. A construction of this type makes it possible to arrange any number of slats in a room in accordance with the respective sound requirements. The mutual distances between the slats can be arbitrary, depending on the respective acoustic requirements. Using a suspension construction of this type, the relatively low slats in a room can significantly increase the sound absorption. The structural ceiling construction, such as a concrete ceiling, remains largely freely accessible. The sound absorbers according to the invention can be installed quickly and easily. This also applies to their subsequent installation. Any partition wall relocations within an office zone, for example due to reoccupancy, regularly also change the room acoustics. The sound absorbers according to the invention can be easily adapted to the then changed acoustic conditions.

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This adaptation can consist of a spatial reorientation of the existing absorbers or in an additional installation of absorbers according to the invention.

Instead of threading the absorbers onto rod or rope-shaped support structures, they can also be attached to such support structures in other ways, such as hanging them. For example, rod-shaped hanging elements can be anchored in the slat on the one hand and hung or threaded onto the ropes or rods on the other. It is also possible to provide indentations or protrusions in the side faces of the slat, for example, so that the slat can be hung with these indentations or protrusions on a tensioning rope, for example. These indentations or protrusions can be part of corresponding molded parts that are attached to the slat.

Suitable locking devices can be used to prevent the slats from accidentally slipping on the suspension structure or from swinging too much. Such a locking device can be implemented using appropriate clamping devices, for example. The clamping device can be a separate component from the slat.

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Further embodiments and advantages of the invention can be taken from the features further listed in the claims and the following embodiments.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawing. They show:

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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of several sound absorbers according to the invention suspended in an office room,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with sound absorbers according to the invention suspended differently than in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 a single sound absorber lamella of the type shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 a single sound absorber lamella of the type shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 a differently attachable sound absorber lamella according to the invention,

Fig. 6 a partial view of a sound absorber lamella with lateral curvature as 0 attachments,

Fig. 7 another sound absorber slat with lateral bulge as a hanging aid,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another type of sound absorbing lamella consisting of a frame with a perforated foil covering,

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, with double-sided suspended sound absorbers according to the invention.

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WAYS TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

In the interior of an office room 10, a desk 12 is shown in Fig. 1. The desk 12 is located laterally in front of an outer wall 16 provided with windows 14. A front wall 20 provided with a door 18 closes off the office room 10 located between the outer wall 16 and an opposite side wall 21.

In the present case, three tension cables 24 are stretched between the outer wall 16 and the side wall 21 beneath the solid ceiling 22. The tension cables 24 represent a suspension structure 26 for the plate-like slats 28 suspended from the tension cables 24. The tension cables 24 are attached at a distance 29 beneath the ceiling 22. The slats 28 are positioned so high in the room that their underside 30 is above the door 18. This prevents people moving back and forth in the room from bumping into the slats.

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Fig. 3 shows one of the slats 28 shown in Fig. 1. The slat has a length 32 of 1.20 m, a height 34 of 20 cm and a thickness 36 of 4 cm. Glass wool is used as the material for the slat 28. The dimensions of the slat are preferably between 1.00 m and 1.80 m in length ^, between 15 cm and 30 cm in height and between 2 cm and cm in thickness.

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In the upper area of the slat 28 there is a hole 38 running lengthwise through it. A tensioning cable 24 can be inserted through this hole 38. In Fig. 3 there is also another hole 38.3 in the lower area of the slat 28 through which another tensioning cable 24.3 can be threaded.

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The two tensioning cables 24, 24.3 can be used to prevent the slat 28 from rocking back and forth.

Swinging or unintentional displacement of the slat 28 along the tensioning cable 24 could also be prevented by clamping devices not shown separately in the drawing. Such a clamping device could, for example, clamp the cable 24 in the opening 38. Such a clamping device could also be attached to the outside of the slat 28, for example on one of the end faces.

In the office room 10.2 shown in Fig. 2, tension cables 24.2 are stretched parallel to the window 14. Each of the existing slats 28.2 is attached to both tension cables 24.2. The orientation of the slats 28.2 in the room is the same as that of the slats shown in Fig. 1

In Fig. 4, one of the slats 28.2 shown in Fig. 2 is shown enlarged. On the upper narrow side 42 of the slat 28.2, a screw sleeve 44 is screwed in on the left and right sides. A holding member 46 provided with an external thread is screwed into each of the two screw sleeves 44. The upper end of the holding member 46 is designed in the form of an eyelet 48. A single tensioning cable 24.4 is pulled through both eyelets 48. However, it would also be possible to pull separate tensioning cables 24.2 through both eyelets 48 of the two holding members 46, as shown in Fig. 20. The eyelet openings of the two holding members

4 6 would then not be aligned with each other. The tensioning cables • 24.2 would then, as shown in Fig. 2, be attached to the

r ': .Front wall 20 must be held braced.

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The slat 28.5 shown in Fig. 5 has a through hole 38.5 in each of its two upper right and left corner areas. Two tensioning cables 24.5 can be pulled through the two through holes 38.5 and the slat 28.5 can then be positioned in a room 10.2 at a distance from its ceiling 22, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the slat 28.6 partially shown in Fig. 6, a shaped profile 50 is attached to its narrow side surface 52, for example glued or screwed on. An upper and lower screw axis 54 is indicated. The profile 50 has a curvature 56 with an upper undercut 58. The area of the undercut allows the slat 28.6 to be suspended laterally from a tensioning cable 24. A comparable profile 50 is present on the opposite narrow side surface of the cuboid slat 28.6.

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In the slat 28.7 shown in Fig. 7, the profile 50.7 attached to the two narrow side surfaces 52 has an upper bend 60. The bend 60 allows the slat 28.7 to be suspended from a tensioning cable 24. The bend 60 represents a bulge with respect to the slat 28.7.

The slat 28.8 shown in Fig. 8 has a frame profile 62 along its edges. A film covering 64 is attached around the frame profile and thus around the slat 28.8. This film covering 64 has perforations 66. Such a slat also represents a sound-absorbing body. To attach the slat 28.8 to a suspended construction, a sleeve profile is attached to the inside of the frame profile 62 in the area of its two narrow side surfaces.

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A tensioning cable 24 can be pushed or threaded through this sleeve profile 68. The sleeve profile 68 is located above the center of gravity of the slat. Instead of the sleeve profiles 68, suspension structures, for example of the type shown in Fig. 6 and 7, could also be attached to the frame profile 62.

Instead of the tension cables 24, rod-shaped support members can also be used. In order to minimize existing deflections of the tension cables or the rod-shaped rod profiles, these support members could also be (additionally) suspended from the ceiling 22.

In the office room 10.3 shown in Fig. 9, three slats 28.9, 28.10 and 28.11 are suspended from two tension cables 24.3 and 24.4. These two tension cables 24.3, 24.4 are suspended parallel to each other and at a constant distance below the ceiling 22 of the office room 10.3 on opposite room walls, of which the front wall 20 is shown.

The individual slats 28.9, 28.10 and 28.11 are attached to the two tension cables 24.3 and 24.4 in the area of their opposite left and right narrow sides 42.2 and 42.3. The slat 28.9 is attached to the two tension cables 24.3 and 24.4 by means of four holding elements 46.1, 46.2, 46.3 and 46.4. These four holding elements can be rigid or flexible. In the case of slat 28.9, its four holding elements 46.1 to 46.4 are the same length. As a result, the slat 28.9 is aligned in the same way as the tension cables 24.3 and 24.4, and is therefore parallel to the ceiling 22. Any possible deviation from parallelism due to sagging of the tensioning cables 24.3 and 24.4 is not taken into account in this analysis.

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Slat 28.10 is also attached to the two tension cables 24.3, 24.4 via four holding links 46.5, 46.6, 46.7 and 46.8, as is similarly the case with slat 2. Slat 28.10 is attached to the tension cable 24.4 on the left in the drawing with two relatively short, equally long holding links 46.5 and 46.6. This slat 28.10 is attached to the other tension cable 24.3 with two longer holding links 46.7 and 46.8, which are also the same length as each other. Due to the different lengths of the holding links, the slat is tilted relative to the horizontal. The tilt angle 70 depends on the difference in length between the holding links 46.7 and 46.8 and the holding links 46.5 and 46.6.

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The slat 28.11 is also attached to the two tension cables 24.3 and 24.4 with four retaining links 46.9, 46.10, 46.11 and 46.12. In contrast to the slat 28.10, the two upper retaining links 46.9 and 46.12 in the drawing, with which this slat 28.11 is attached to the two tension cables 24.3 and 24.4 at its upper end in the drawing, are the same length and relatively short. The two lower retaining links 46.10 and 46.11 in the drawing, with which the slat 28.11 is attached to the two tension cables 24.3 and 24.4 in its lower area in the drawing, are also the same length but longer in relation to the upper retaining links. As a result, the slat 28.11 also has a tilted orientation with respect to the ceiling 22. The tilt angle 72 formed here also depends on the length difference of the individual holding elements.

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While the two slats 28.10 and 28.11 are each tilted about a tilt axis that runs parallel to the ceiling 22, four different length holding members for a slat could also enable a tilted orientation of the slat in question, which is tilted about a tilt axis that is slanted in the room. By variable design of the holding members 46, any tilted orientation of the respective slat can be achieved.

Instead of the four holding elements 46.1 to 46.12, the individual slats could also be threaded onto the tensioning cables 24.3 and 24.4, as can be seen in Fig. 3. With regard to the slat 28.9, the two tensioning cables 24.3 and 24.4 would have to be arranged parallel to the ceiling 22, as shown in Fig. 9. For the slat 28.10, this means that the right tensioning cable 24.3 in Fig. 9 would have to be at a greater distance from the ceiling 22 than the left tensioning cable 24.4. Both tensioning cables 24.3 and 24.4 are, however, aligned parallel to the ceiling 22.

In the case of the slat 28.11, again with a threaded bearing as shown in Fig. 3, the two tensioning cables 24.3 and 24.4 would have to be aligned at an incline to the ceiling 22. The angle of inclination for both tensioning cables would be the same and would correspond to the tilt angle 72.

The slats of an office room can also be suspended in different ways, as can be seen in the above figures 0. This means that a combination of the different suspension structures and orientations of the slats in the room can also be used.

Claims (15)

1. Sound absorbers for office spaces characterized by - at least one slat ( 28 ) which can be suspended in an office room ( 10 ), - which consists of or at least contains sound-absorbing material, - whose height ( 34 ) is approximately between 15 cm and 30 cm, in particular approximately 20 cm, - which can be suspended from a suspension structure ( 24 ) located below the ceiling ( 22 ). 2. Sound absorber according to claim 1, characterized in that - the slat ( 28 ) is rectangular. 3. Sound absorber according to claim 2, characterized in that - the longer side length ( 32 ) of the rectangular slat ( 28 ) is approximately 1 m to 1.80 m, in particular approximately 1.20 m long. 4. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the thickness ( 36 ) of the slat ( 28 ) is approximately 2 cm to 5 cm. 5. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the lamella ( 28.8 ) is designed as a hollow body. 6. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the slat ( 28.8 ) has a perforated film covering ( 64 ). 7. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the material of the slat ( 28 ) contains - at least partially - mineral fibres such as glass wool, plastics and/or wood fibres. 8. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - at least one opening ( 38 ) is provided in the slat ( 28 ) for a hanging attachment of the same to the suspension structure ( 24 ). 9. Sound absorber according to claim 8, characterized in that - at least one opening ( 38 ) passes through the slat along the longer slat side ( 32 ). 10. Sound absorber according to claim 8, characterized in that - in two corner areas of the slat ( 28.5 ) there is an opening ( 38.5 ) running across the slat. 11. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - in the two opposite lateral end faces ( 52 ) of the lamella ( 28.6 , 28.7 ) there is a recess ( 56 ) or a bulge ( 60 ) such that - the slat with this indentation or bulge can be attached to a rod-shaped attachment structure ( 24 ). 12. Sound absorber according to claim 11, characterized in that - the indentation or bulge is formed in a molded part ( 50 , 50.7 ) attached to the slat. 13. Sound absorber according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that - the suspension structure comprises a rope ( 24 ) or rod or tube profile ( 26 ) attached to the ceiling and/or walls of the office space. 14. Sound absorber according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a locking device for the slat ( 28 ) is provided to prevent slipping and/or rocking of the slat ( 28 ). 15. Sound absorber according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that - a clamping device for the rope or for the rod or pipe profile is available, - the clamping device can be attached to the slat.