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US5504281A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Perforated acoustical attenuators

Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1994-01-21
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Granted: 1996-04-02
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Expires: 2014-01-21
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Abstract

Abstract The invention provides an acoustical attenuator comprising: a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous material in the absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.

Inventors

  • 👤 Leland R. Whitney
  • 👤 Thomas J. Scanlan
  • 👤 Charles A. Marttila
  • 👤 Joseph G. Mandell

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 23:22
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04R; H04R1/00; H04R1/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
An acoustical attenuator comprising: a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous material in the absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 134 words
An acoustical attenuator comprising: a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous material in the absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein said through hole(s) have an average length of about 1/8 inch or greater.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
The attenuator of claim 2, wherein said through hole(s) have an average length of about 1/2 inch or greater.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein said through hole(s) have an average diameter of about 1/64 inch to about 6 inches.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The attenuator of claim 4, wherein said through hole(s) have an average diameter of about 1/16 inch to about 2 inches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein about 0.1 to about 90 percent of the surface area of the attenuator contains through hole(s).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 14 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein said through holes are in a symmetrical pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein said through hole(s) cross-section has a shape selected from the group consisting of circular, rectangular, triangular, elliptical, square and slit shaped.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein said through hole(s) are in an asymmetrical pattern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 23 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein the average length to diameter ratio of the through hole(s) ranges from about 1:1 to about 100:1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The attenuator of claim 1 wherein said porous material has a average thickness of about 1/64 inch or greater.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The attenuator of claim 1 wherein said material has an average thickness of about 1/2 inch or greater.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
The attenuator of claim 1 wherein the porous material contains a plurality of through holes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 142 words
An acoustical system comprising a sound source and an attenuator, the attenuator comprising: a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous material in absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 142 words
An acoustical system comprising a sound source and an attenuator, the attenuator comprising: a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous material in absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 23 words
The acoustical system of claim 14 wherein the sound source is a loudspeaker and the attenuator is a loudspeaker cabinet or loudspeaker housing.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 153 words
A method of of attenuating sound comprising the step of using an acoustical attenuator within an ambient medium, said acoustical attenuator comprising a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous acoustical material in the absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 153 words
A method of of attenuating sound comprising the step of using an acoustical attenuator within an ambient medium, said acoustical attenuator comprising a porous material comprised of particles sintered and/or bonded together at their points of contact, having at least a portion of pores continuously connected, wherein said porous material has an interstitial porosity of about 20 to about 60 percent, an average pore diameter of about 5 to about 280 micrometers, a tortuosity of about 1.25 to about 2.5, a density of about 5 to about 60 pounds per cubic foot, a modulus of about 12,000 pounds per square inch or above, wherein said porous material has at least one through hole and wherein said interstitial porosity, average pore diameter, density and modulus values are for the porous acoustical material in the absence of any through holes, wherein the average diameter of the through hole is greater than the average pore diameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein about 0.5 to about 50 percent of the surface area of the attenuator contains through holes(s).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
The attenuator of claim 1, wherein about 0.9 to about 25 percent of the surface area of the attenuator contains through hole(s).

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3802163A Cited
US3898063A Cited
US4109983A Cited
US4435877A Cited
US5108833A Cited
US5268541A Cited
US5304415A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-04-02 1999-10-02 2000-04-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-04-02 2003-10-02 2004-04-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-04-02 2007-10-02 2008-04-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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