Acoustically absorptive modular partition assembly

Abstract

A partition assembly, for creating a partitioned space, includes a first partition wall panel and a second partition wall panel. The second partition wall panel is spaced apart from the first partition wall panel by an adjustable distance to form a cavity therebetween, whereby the partition assembly is tuned to mask sounds transmissible between the first and second partition wall panels within a selectable acoustical range.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A partition assembly, for creating a partitioned space, comprising:
 a first partition wall panel; and   a second partition wall panel spaced apart from the first partition wall panel by an adjustable distance to form a cavity therebetween, whereby the partition assembly is tuned to mask sounds transmissible between the first and second partition wall panels within a selectable acoustical range.   
     
     
         2 . The partition assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the partition assembly is tuned based on one or more of the adjustable distance and thicknesses of the first and second partition wall panels. 
     
     
         3 . The partition assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more sound-masking elements in the cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The partition assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the partition assembly is further adjustable based on at least one of a number of the one or more sound-masking elements and a composition of the sound-masking elements. 
     
     
         5 . The partition assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more sound-masking elements comprise mass loaded fabric curtains coupled to the first and second partition wall panels. 
     
     
         6 . The partition assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second partition wall panels, the mass loaded fabric curtains, or both comprise Helmholtz resonators. 
     
     
         7 . The partition assembly of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second partition wall panels comprises a ratio of a number of Helmholtz resonators to mass in a predetermined range. 
     
     
         8 . The partition assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more bases supporting the first and second partition wall panels along a surface at adjustable distances from each other. 
     
     
         9 . A partition assembly, for creating a partitioned space, comprising:
 a partition wall panel having a thickness, wherein the thickness of the partition wall panel is based at least in part on at least one speech privacy parameter;   a stable-levelling track coupled to a lower part of the partition wall panel, wherein the stable-levelling track is configured to provide movement along a sagittal axis of a horizontal plane to the partition wall panel; and   a header coupled to an upper part of the partition wall panel and configured to couple the partition wall panel to a beam of a structure in which the partition assembly is installed.   
     
     
         10 . The partition assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a resilient channel coupled at least to the inner surface of the partition wall panel for improving acoustic performance of a wall made up of the partition wall panel. 
     
     
         11 . The partition assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the stable-levelling track is configured to couple the partition wall panel to a floor of the structure in which the partition assembly is installed. 
     
     
         12 . The partition assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the partition wall panel includes a lightweight panel comprising an acoustically absorptive solid volume material. 
     
     
         13 . The partition assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the stable-levelling track comprises discontinuous fins such that the partition wall panel is configured to traverse adjacent fins along a length of the stable-levelling track. 
     
     
         14 . The partition assembly of  claim 9 , wherein one or more properties of the partition wall panel are selected to meet one or more acoustical requirements of the structure in which the partition assembly is installed. 
     
     
         15 . A partition assembly, for creating a partitioned space, comprising:
 a Helmholtz cavity panel assembly comprising:
 a layer of material having a mass; and 
 a Helmholtz cavity panel, 
 wherein the layer is positioned adjacent to the panel, and wherein the mass of the layer and characteristics of the panel are tuned to suppress transmission of sound in a predetermined frequency range. 
   
     
     
         16 . The partition assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the layer and the panel are configured to filter target frequencies corresponding to intelligible human speech such that the human speech is limited to the partitioned space. 
     
     
         17 . A partition assembly, for creating a partitioned space, comprising:
 a first beam coupled with a first partition wall panel having a first thickness;   a second beam coupled with a second partition wall panel having a second thickness; and   a column configured for load-bearing or stabilizing function for the partition assembly including the first and second beams, wherein the first and second partition wall panels are configured to be fixed at two sides of the column, and wherein a universal corner is formed at an intersection point of the beams with the column.   
     
     
         18 . The partition assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a group of connector devices of a plurality of connector devices that couples to a group of partition walls panels of a plurality of partition walls panels including the first and second partition wall panels for creating the partitioned space, wherein the partitioned space is adjustable using one of at least one speech privacy parameter. 
     
     
         19 . The partition assembly of  claim 17 , wherein one or more properties of the first and second partition wall panels are varied to meet one or more acoustical requirements of a structure in which the partition assembly is installed. 
     
     
         20 . The partition assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more properties of the first and second partition wall panels comprise the first thickness and the second thickness.