Noise screens, their components and their construction

Abstract

The invention provides sound insulating panels for use in noise screens, the panels being formed from mineral wool of substantially uniform density and average density from about 100 to about 2000 kg/m 3 and thickness not more than about 200 mm. These panels may advantageously be used in noise screens comprising one or two upright support members having I-profile cross-section of width greater than the panel thickness.

1 . A sound insulating panel suitable for use in a noise screen, wherein the sound insulating panel is formed from mineral wool having a substantially uniform density, wherein the average density of the mineral wool is from about 100 to about 200 kg/m 3  and the thickness of the mineral wool is not more than about 200 mm.  
     
     
         2 . A sound insulating panel according to    claim 1    which has a density×thickness value of at least about 12 kg/m 2 .  
     
     
         3 . A sound insulating panel according to    claim 2    in which the mineral wool has a density×thickness value of not more than about 25 kg/m 2 , preferably not more than about 20 kg/m 2 .  
     
     
         4 . A sound insulating panel according to    claim 1    in which the mineral wool has density about 120 to about 160 kg/m 3 , preferably from about 140 to about 150 kg/m 3 .  
     
     
         5 . A sound insulating panel according to    claim 1    having a thickness of from about 100 to about 160 mm  
     
     
         6 . A sound insulating panel according to    claim 1    formed from two layers of mineral wool, each layer having substantially the same average density and each layer having substantially uniform density.  
     
     
         7 . A sound insulating panel according to    claim 6    in which the two layers of mineral wool are of substantially equal thickness.  
     
     
         8 . A noise screen comprising a first upright support member having an I-profile cross-section of width x 1  and comprising a cross-piece and two end-pieces, 
 a sound insulating panel according to    claim 1    having panel thickness y and having first and second opposite ends,    and which the sound insulating panel is supported by the support member in a substantially vertical position and a first end of the sound insulating panel is positioned between the two end pieces of the I-profile and the panel thickness y is not more than I-profile width x 1 .    
     
     
         9 . A noise screen according to    claim 8    additionally comprising a second upright support member having a second I-profile cross-section of width x 2  and comprising a cross-piece and two end-pieces and the second end of the sound insulating panel is positioned between the two end-pieces of the second I-profile.  
     
     
         10 . A noise screen comprising 
 (a) a first upright support member having an I-profile cross-section of width x 1  and comprising a cross-piece and two end-pieces,    (b) a sound insulating panel of panel thickness y consisting essentially of MMVF wool and having first and second opposite ends,    and in which the sound insulating panel is supported by the support member in a substantially vertical position and a first end of the sound insulating panel is positioned between the two end-pieces of the first I-profile and the panel thickness y is not more than I profile width x 1 .    
     
     
         11 . A screen according to    claim 10    additionally comprising a second upright support member having a second I-profile cross-section of width x 2  and comprising a cross-piece and two end-pieces and the second end of the sound insulating panel is positioned between the two end-pieces of the second I-profile.  
     
     
         12 . A screen according to    claim 11    in which the dimensions of the first and second I-profiles are substantially identical.  
     
     
         13 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which panel thickness y is from about 60 to about 200 mm.  
     
     
         14 . A screen according to    claim 11    in which I-profile widths x 1  and x 2  are the same and are each from about 120 to about 220 mm, preferably from about 150 to about 200 mm.  
     
     
         15 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which at least one major horizontal edge of the sound insulating panel is provided with an L-profile contiguous with both the vertical side face and the horizontal top face of the sound insulating panel which form the horizontal edge.  
     
     
         16 . A screen according to    claim 15    in which all four major horizontal edges of the sound insulating panel are provided with an L-profile contiguous with the relevant vertical side face and the relevant horizontal top or bottom face.  
     
     
         17 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which at least one vertical edge of the sound insulating panel is provided with an L-profile contiguous with both the vertical end face and the vertical side face of the sound insulating panel which form the vertical edge.  
     
     
         18 . A screen according to    claim 17    in which all vertical edges of the sound insulating panel are provided with an L-profile contiguous with the relevant vertical end face and the relevant vertical side face.  
     
     
         19 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which the vertical side faces of the sound insulating panel are provided with a covering of protective netting, preferably formed from polymeric material, more preferably polyethylene.  
     
     
         20 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which both vertical side faces of the sound insulating panel are provided with a covering of metal netting, preferably steel or aluminium netting.  
     
     
         21 . A screen according to    claim 20    in which the metal netting is formed from electroplated steel.  
     
     
         22 . A screen according to    claim 20    in which at least one major horizontal edge or at least one vertical edge is provided with an L-profile which is formed of metal and is welded to the metal netting.  
     
     
         23 . A screen according to    claim 17    in which the portion of the L-profile contiguous with the vertical side face is also contiguous with and secured to the inner surface of an end-piece of the I-profile.  
     
     
         24 . A screen according to    claim 22    in which the metal netting is positioned between the L-profile and the MMVF wool.  
     
     
         25 . A screen according to    claim 23    in which the L-profile is secured to the end-piece of the I-profile by means of at least one self-tapping screw.  
     
     
         26 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which the sound insulating panel has two substantially parallel vertical side faces and comprises at least one reinforcing plate in a plane perpendicular to these vertical side faces.  
     
     
         27 . A screen according to    claim 26    in which the reinforcing plate is formed from steel.  
     
     
         28 . A screen according to    claim 10    in which the sound insulating panel is impregnated with wetting agent.  
     
     
         29 . A method of constructing a noise screen according to    claim 10    comprising providing the first upright support member, providing the sound absorbing panel, and positioning a first end of the panel between the two end-pieces of the first I-profile so that the panel is supported in a vertical position.  
     
     
         30 . A sound insulating panel suitable for use in a noise screen and having panel thickness y of from about 60 to about 200 mm and consisting essentially of a panel of mineral wool which has two substantially parallel vertical side faces and each of these vertical sides faces if provided with a covering of protective netting formed from polymeric material and the surface of the protective netting is provided with a covering of metal netting.  
     
     
         31 . A panel according to    claim 30    in which the polymeric material is polyethylene and the metal netting is formed from galvanized steel.  
     
     
         32 . A panel according to    claim 30    in which each of the four major horizontal edges is provided with an L-profile contiguous with both the vertical side face and the horizontal top or bottom face of the sound insulating panel which form the relevant horizontal edge.  
     
     
         33 . A panel according to    claim 30    in which each vertical edge of the panel is provided with an L-profile contiguous with both the vertical end face and the vertical side face which form the relevant vertical edge.  
     
     
         34 . A panel according to    claim 32    in which each L-profile is formed of metal and is welded to the outer surface of the metal netting.  
     
     
         35 . A noise screen comprising 
 (a) a first upright support member    (b) a sound insulating panel consisting essentially of MMVF wool    and the first upright support member supports the sound insulating panel in a substantially vertical position and the panel has two substantially vertical side faces and comprises at least one reinforcing plate with the sound insulating panel in a plane perpendicular to the two substantially vertical side faces.    
     
     
         36 . A noise screen comprising 
 (a) a first upright support member    (b) a sound insulating panel consisting essentially of MMVF wool    and the first upright support member supports the sound insulating panel in a substantially vertical position and the panel has two substantially vertical side faces which are each provided with netting and the netting is secured to the panel by means of a connecting device extending across at least part of the upper substantially horizontal surface of the panel.    
     
     
         37 . A screen according to    claim 20    in which the panel is provided with a connecting plate of so that part of the surface of the connecting plate is welded to the outer surface of the metal netting and part of the same surface of the connecting plate is positioned in contact with the outer surface of the end-piece of the I profile.