Acoustic panels and methods for preparing them

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11426758-B2
Application number	US-201916514484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2019
Priority date	Jul 17, 2018
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

The disclosure relates to acoustic panels and methods for preparing them. The disclosure relates more particularly to panels having a nonwoven facing and to methods for making such panels. A method for preparing an acoustic panel comprises providing a base structure. The base structure has one or more edges, an outward major surface having total area, and an inward major surface opposing the outward major surface. The base structure has a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of at least about 0.3. The method includes disposing directly against the outward major surface of the base structure a sprayable mixture comprising a plurality of fibers, one or more binders, and a dispersive medium. The method includes drying the disposed mixture to provide a facing layer disposed on the outward major surface of the base structure, the facing layer having an exterior major surface opposing the outward major surface of the base structure.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for preparing an acoustic panel comprising
providing a base structure having one or more edges, an outward major surface having a total area, and an inward major surface opposing the outward major surface, the base structure having independently a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of at least about 0.3, wherein the base structure comprises a plurality of perforations extending from the outward major surface towards the inward major surface, the plurality of perforations occupying an area of the outward major surface within the range of about 0.1% to about 10% of the total area of the outward major surface; and
disposing directly against the outward major surface of the base structure a sprayable mixture comprising
a plurality of fibers;
one or more binders; and
a dispersive medium; and

drying the disposed mixture to provide a facing layer disposed on the outward major surface of the base structure, the facing layer having an exterior major surface opposing the outward major surface of the base structure.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base structure comprises
one or more of mineral wool, fiberglass, gypsum, wood fiber, paper, cellulose fiber, wet-laid felt, and foam;
one or more fillers; and
one or more binders;
present in the base structure in a combined amount of at least about 85 wt. %, or at least about 95 wt. %, or at least about 97.5 wt. %, or at least about 99 wt. %.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the average depth of the perforations is at least about 3 mm.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base structure has a thickness within the range of about 2 mm to about 50 mm.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the base structure has independently a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of at least about 0.5.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, cellulose, polyvinyl chloride, or polyamide.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are of glass or natural fibers.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers have an average length within the range of about 0.5 mm to about 12.5 mm and an average linear mass density within the range of about 0.1 denier (D) to about 25 D.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are present in the sprayable mixture in an amount within the range of about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are present in the sprayable mixture in an amount within the range of about 1 wt % to about 30 wt %.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more binders of the sprayable mixture include one or more binders selected from polyurethanes, polyacrylates, styrene-acrylate copolymers, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), styrene-butadiene copolymers, poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) (EVA), ethylene-vinyl chloride copolymers, polystyrene, poly vinyl alcohol and starches.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more binders are present in the sprayable mixture in a combined amount within the range of about 0.5 wt. % to about 30 wt. %.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersive medium comprises
one or more of a viscosity modifier and a dispersant, present in the dispersive medium in a combined amount within the range of about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. %; and
water, present in the dispersive medium in an amount within the range of about 85 wt. % to about 99 wt. %.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of water in the sprayable mixture is in the range of about 20 wt % to about 98 wt %, e.g., about 50 wt. % to about 98 wt. %.

15. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the sprayable mixture further comprises a pigment.

16. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the sprayable mixture comprises
a plurality of fibers having an average length within the range of about 0.5 mm to about 15 mm and an average linear mass density within the range of about 0.1 D to about 25 D, present in the sprayable mixture in an amount within the range of about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %;
a binder, present in the sprayable mixture in an amount within the range of about 0.5 wt. % to about 30 wt. %;
a dispersive medium, present in the sprayable mixture in an amount within the range of about 80 wt. % to about 99 wt. %, comprising
one or more of a viscosity modifier and a dispersant, present in the dispersive medium in a combined amount within the range of about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. %; and
water, present in the dispersive medium in an amount within the range of about 85 wt. % to about 99 wt. %.

17. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the binder, fibers, dispersive medium, and pigment is at least about 85 wt. % of the sprayable mixture.

Assignees

• Certainteed Ceilings Corp

Inventors

• Jacek Steven
• You Sizhu
• Gacek Matthew
• Lembo Michael J

Classifications

• G10K11/168

  Plural layers of different materials, e.g. sandwiches · CPC title

• E04B9/045

  being laminated · CPC title

• B27N3/04

  from fibres · CPC title

• B05D7/54

  No clear coat specified · CPC title

• B27N3/002

  characterised by the type of binder (compositions of macromolecular compounds C08L) · CPC title