Centralized appliance hubs with improved acoustic performance and related methods

Abstract

The present technology is generally directed to centralized appliance hubs with enhanced acoustic performance and related methods. In at least some embodiments, an appliance hub includes a frame, one or more panels attached to the first side of the frame, and an insulating layer attached to the second side of the frame opposite the first side. The insulating layer can be tuned or otherwise configured to absorb and/or attenuate sound within a first frequency range, and all or a subset of the one or more panels can be configured to absorb and/or attenuate sound within a second frequency range different than the frequency range. In some embodiments, at least one of the panels may be made of a perforated metal having perforations arranged in a manner to attenuate sound within the predetermined frequency range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An appliance hub, comprising:
 a frame having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;   one or more panels positioned on the first side; and   an insulating layer positioned on the second side,   wherein—
 the one or more panels are configured to attenuate sound within a first frequency range, and 
 the insulating layer is configured to attenuate sound within a second frequency range different that the first frequency range. 
   
     
     
         2 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein individual ones of the one or more panels comprise perforated metal having perforations and an acoustically insulating material. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance hub of  claim 2  wherein perforated metal has an area, and wherein the perforations define about 23% of the area of the perforated metal. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance hub of  claim 2  wherein the acoustically insulating material comprises an acoustically insulating fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance hub of  claim 2  wherein the acoustically insulating material comprises a cotton acoustic blanket. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein individual ones of the one or more panels comprise medium density acoustic insulation. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance hub of  claim 6  wherein the medium density acoustic insulation has a thickness of about 2 inches (5.08 cm). 
     
     
         8 . The appliance hub of  claim 6  wherein the medium density acoustic insulation has a thickness of about 1 inch (2.54 cm). 
     
     
         9 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein the insulating layer includes a baffle system having a thickness of up to 12 inches (30.48 cm). 
     
     
         10 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein the insulating layer comprises low density acoustic insulation. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance hub of  claim 10  wherein the low density acoustic insulation has a thickness of 4-6 inches (10.16-15.24 cm). 
     
     
         12 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein the first frequency range is lower than the second frequency range. 
     
     
         13 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein the first frequency range is up to 500 Hz, and wherein the second frequency range is greater than 2,000 Hz. 
     
     
         14 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein:
 the one or more panels and the insulating layer attenuate sound in both the first frequency range and the second frequency range; 
 relative to the insulating layer, the one or more panels have improved attenuation in the first frequency range; and 
 relative to the one or more panels, the insulating layer has improved attenuation in the second frequency range. 
 
     
     
         15 . The appliance hub of  claim 1  wherein:
 the one or more panels comprise—
 one or more first panels including perforated metal and an acoustically insulating material, and 
 one or more second panels including medium density acoustic insulation; 
 
 the insulating layer comprises—
 a plenum or duct board, or 
 low density acoustic insulation; 
 
 the one or more first panels are coupled to the first side of the frame; and 
 the one or more second panels are coupled to the first side of the frame adjacent the one or more first panels. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing an appliance hub, the method comprising:
 tuning one or more panels of the appliance hub to absorb or attenuate sound within a first frequency range, and   tuning an insulating layer of the appliance hub to absorb or attenuate sound within a second frequency range different that the first frequency range.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 coupling the insulating layer to a first side of a frame of the appliance hub, and   coupling the one or more panels to a second side of a frame of the appliance hub, opposite the first side.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein:
 tuning the one or more panels to absorb or attenuate sound at the first frequency range includes tuning the one or more panels to absorb or attenuate sound having frequencies greater than 2,000 Hz; and 
 tuning the insulating layer to absorb or attenuate sound at the second frequency range includes tuning the insulating layer to absorb or attenuate sound having frequencies up to 500 Hz. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein:
 tuning the one or more panels includes selecting a first thickness and/or one or more first materials for individual ones of the one or more panels based, at least in part, on the first frequency range; and 
 tuning the insulating layer includes selecting a second thickness and/or one or more second materials for the insulating layer based, at least in part, on the second frequency range. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein:
 tuning the one or more panels comprises selecting—
 a first panel made of (i) perforated metal having perforations and (ii) an acoustically insulating material, and 
 a second panel including medium density acoustic insulation; 
 
 tuning the insulating layer comprises selecting (i) a plenum or duct board or (ii) low density acoustic insulation; and 
 the method further comprises:
 coupling the first panel to a first side of a frame of the appliance hub; 
 coupling the second panel to the first side of the frame adjacent the first panel; and 
 coupling the insulating layer to a second side of the frame, opposite the first side.