Kit For Assembling Acoustic Treatments To Surfaces

Abstract

An acoustic panel for reducing and dampening reflected sound therefrom is provided. The panel is formable in an engagement of one or a plurality of individual sections having undulating surfaces to form the entire acoustic panel allowing for easy user transport, assembly, and installation.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/794,989 filed on Mar. 15, 2013 and included herein in its entirety by this reference thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to acoustic wall treatments. More particularly, the invention relates to an acoustic absorbing panel method and device using a kit of a plurality of acoustic absorbing panel devices comprising the components of the kit, which are easily user-assembleable on site, for engagement to a wall or other support surface, for the purpose of configuring a space with acoustic sound treatment.

2. Prior Art

Acoustic treatments by means of diffusion, absorption, and reflection of sound provided by wall treatments are well known in the art. Often, these acoustic treatments are in the form of large panels, baffles, or other wall coverings which can be engaged to existing walls surrounding a space. The application of applying acoustic treatments to a space, such as indoor rooms, aims to improve the sound within a room and/or reduce sound leakage to and from adjacent rooms or outdoors. Examples of where acoustic treatments are commonly employed include, indoor spaces such as office buildings or entryways, concert halls, audio recording studios, and others. In addition, the average consumer may choose to employ acoustic treatments in their residence, to reduce the leakage of indoor sounds to the outdoors, between adjacent rooms, as well as minimize the amount of outdoor noise which is communicated indoors.

Sound absorption is one common technique which employs porous materials to absorb incoming sound rather than reflecting or diffusing the sound. Typical porous absorbers can include open cell rubber foams, fiberglass, or melamine sponges, which absorb noise by friction within the cell structure. The absorption profile of the material will generally be determined by a number of factors including cell size, material thickness, and material density.

Acoustic diffusion is typically preferred to mitigate the occurrence of sound aberrations in rooms such as echoes. Echoes and other sound aberrations most typically occur from the reflection of sound from hard flat surfaces. Thus, acoustic diffusion typically involves treatments which minimize the amount of hard flat surfaces in order to scatter sound in all directions. For example, virtually everyone has had the misfortune of occupying a table in a restaurant where sound reflects from the roof, walls, tables, and back again. As tables fill with people, all the occupants of the room must increase the volume of their conversation, to be able to hear over the reflected background noise.

While there exist acoustic treatments which combine the elements of sound absorption, reflection, and diffusion, such are generally very expensive to employ in most instances. This places such sound treatments out of the cost range of many small businesses such as a small restaurant.

For most applications, such as a restaurant or small business, or a home theater, the process of installing acoustic treatments is done by skilled professionals in order to assure proper mounting, placement, and the size of the treatment employed. As mentioned, treatments are conventionally provided in the form of large panels, baffles, or wall coverings, and are commonly custom built in size and shape for each instance of application. This is quite common since different sized and shaped spaces will have different inherent acoustic properties, therefor requiring different materials, shapes, and sizes of treatments in order to achieve the desired acoustic characteristics of the space.

One skilled in the art will quickly envision that the task of applying acoustic treatments to a room or other space, is not only technically complex, but can result in high costs due to the professional installation, custom material selections, and custom building of various shapes for treatments including baffles, panels, or other wall covering. Due to these and other problems, the application of applying acoustic treatments to deaden sound transmission and reflection, to a space is generally out of the price range of the average consumer or small business.

As such, it seems that average consumers, as well as small and large commercial entities, would benefit from a device or system providing easily employed components which facilitate ease of customization and installation of acoustic wall treatments. Unfortunately, prior art has yet to provide a unified system for the customization of acoustic treatments which is easy to install and cost effective.

Consequently, there is a continuing unmet need for a system or device, using one or a plurality of components in a kit of easily assembleable acoustic treatment components, which allows users of average skill to customize and install such treatments in any desired space. Such a device and kit of components should facilitate an installation procedure which does not require advanced skill or knowledge of acoustics. Further, such a device and kit of components should be cost effective yet provide the ability to deaden sound reflection in most cases in a manner which will yield the dampening of sound reflection which is desirable in most instances.

The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device and system herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in prior art and achieves the above noted goals of providing easily deployed sound treatment for a wall or room or building. The system employs assembleable and cost effective acoustic wall treatments, through the provision of a acoustic absorbing panel device featuring one or a plurality of individual panel device components which are adapted for engagement to yield a cost effective and sound effective acoustic wall or room surface treatment. The kit, in order to render the system easily deployable, and transportable, preferably comprises a plurality of such acoustic treatment panel sections adapted for operative engagement for the intended sound treatment in components of the kit. Also provided is means for operatively and properly assembling the final sound treatment through engaging the sections of panels to one another and/or both of a mounting component, or directly to the intended underlying support surface, such as a wall or ceiling of a room.

In accordance with at least one preferred mode, the sectional engageable panel components feature elongated panel sections to form a full panel. Each individual section is configured for adjacent positioning with another section with means of engagement to register the sections in position relative to each other to form a plurality of adjacent individual undulating surfaces.

Each undulating surface of each panel section, can be formed from a core material, such as fiberglass or open cell foam, to create a rigid underlying core layer of porous material for forming the deliberate shape of each panel, and providing acoustic absorption properties. Each section of the formed panel may then have an outer layer or covering, formed of a material suitable to provide an aesthetic enhancement of the exposed surfaces of the device, when engaged to a wall or other support surface. Such material may include woven and no-woven textiles, paint or polymeric coatings, or other protective and decorative exterior layers to cover the underlying porous material. Ideally a woven material will reflect the least sound by allowing the sound waves to pass through the spaces between the yarn forming the woven, or knitted material and such may be provided in colors complimentary to the contents and furniture in a surrounding room.

Thus, the disclosed device and system herein may be provided as a kit of a plurality of such panel sections or components with means for engagement to adjacent sections configured to insure the proper registered positioning of each undulating section, relative to adjoining sections for the best sound deadening performance. The panel sections are preferably provided as individual components of the kit which is assembled to form a sound panel. The individual sections may be engaged to an underlying support surface, or to an intermediate layer which is first engaged to the wall or ceiling or other hard flat surface which is conventionally subject to sound aberrations, such that the engagement of the device, provides a surface treatment to accomplish one or both of sound diffusion and abortion, within a space confined by the support surfaces such as for example, a small restaurant.

In at least one mode, the undulating surface of each section of the formed panel, is defined by the presence of a substantial protrusion (peak) communicating adjacent another panel section which as a substantial depression (valley). Using means for engagement of adjacent sections to achieve this adjacent positioning of depression and peak is accomplished using means of engagement such as a pin and aperture, or projection and slot engagement or an underlying component configured to engage overlying sections in this fashion.

It is noted that this configuration can be repeated in an end-to-end arrangement to construct an entire panel of any desired length which is formed of individual sections engaged adjacent to each other and in proper registration of their respective facing surfaces.

It is preferred that, when in the engaged position on a wall or other support surface, the distance from the underlying support surface, to the lowest position of each depression formed in a section, is approximately 20-70% of the distance from the underlying support surface to the highest position or peak of the protrusions surrounding each depression. Experimentation has shown, that constructing the panel device from individual sections in registered engagement to these parameters, provides the best acoustic properties of sound diffusion and absorption.

In the kit mode of the system herein, a kit comprising a plurality of panel sections for form the full panel device, is provided. Each panel section, as noted is configured to quickly and easily mount to the support surface, with peaks and depressions in registered engagement with adjacent sections, by means of adhesives or mechanical fasteners. The employment of screws or nails as mechanical fasteners may be particularly preferred in instances where the treatment is intended to be engaged for prolonged periods of time, as such fasteners provide adequate long term securement thereof.

However, other modes of the system herein are envisioned wherein adhesives, hook and loop fasteners, or other suitable permanent or removable fastener may be employed, and is anticipated.

In modes of the invention where screws, nails or other mechanical fasteners are employed for mounting the plurality of sections forming a panel. Each panel section may include a layer of material engaged forming a backing of the fiberglass or other material core, which is adapted to adequately secure such fasteners. This is preferred since it is conventionally known that fiberglass formed structures are relatively brittle and often do not facilitate a secured engagement of mechanical fasteners such as screws or nails, and may in fact crack or split the fiberglass material upon communication of the fastener therein.

In at least one preferred mode, a mounting component is provided. The mounting component is preferably substantially planar, and formed of a material suitable for acoustic diffusion. For example, the mounting component can be made of wood. The surface of wood, being formed of a plurality of wood fibers, provides a desired surface for diffusing sound. Overlaying this mounting component, the individual sections are positioned using means for engagement to register the undulating areas of each section in between raised areas of adjacent sections.

It is briefly noted that upon a reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize various means for carrying out these intended features of the invention. As such it is to be understood that other methods, applications and systems employing software adapted to the task may be configured to carry out these features and are therefor considered to be within the scope and intent of the present invention, and are anticipated.

With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device employable as kit of components which register in engagement to each other and the mounting surface to form acoustic treatments to such support surfaces, which is easily assembled and cost effective.

It is another object of the invention to provide an acoustic treatment panel device formed in adjacent sections with each having at least one continuous undulating surface, for the purpose of diffusing and absorbing sound within a confined space.

These and other objects features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a isometric view of a preferred mode of the acoustic treatment body section forming the panel device having at least one undulating surface.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross section of the device of FIG. 1 as seen along line AA of FIG. 1 showing the internal layers and external covering layer.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an individual section as shown in FIG. 1 depicting the substantial protrusions communicating with adjacent substantial depressions, for forming the undulating surface of each section of a formed panel of the device.

FIG. 4 shows a preferred kit mode of the invention, comprising a plurality of individual panel sections configured for adjacent registered positioning with a mounting component.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an assembled as-used mode showing the sections in registered engagement to form a panel such as by the engagement shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 depicts another view of the kit mode of the system herein, employing panel sections of varying length, engaged to a support surface and in registered positioning with each other.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of another mode of the panel device where the section facing surface has smaller peaks and depressions but more of them per section.

FIG. 8 shows one of the sections formed by a body with undulating surface having pins adapted to engage apertures of adjacent bodies for a registered positioning therewith.

FIG. 9 depicts a mode of the device of FIG. 8, but employing a different means of registration in the form of a tongue adapted for a groove of adjacent body sections.

FIG. 10 depicts the infinite number of angles of deflection the pattern formed of raised and lowered sections on each segment or body defines to dampen sound in a room as well as absorb it.

Other aspects of the present invention shall be more readily understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Thus these terms are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-10, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, views of a particularly preferred mode of the wall treatment panel device 10 and system, where formed panels such as in FIG. 5, are assembled from individual body 12 sections. The section formed by the panel body 12 in all modes has at least one continuous undulating surface 14. A panel may be formed by a single body 12 section, however the preferred mode of the device 10 herein, forms a panels from a plurality of body 12 sections, situated adjacent each other, in a registered positioning of protrusions and depressions.

The undulating surface 14 for each section or panel body 12 can be formed from a core material 22, as shown in FIG. 2, such as fiberglass, open cell foam, or other suitable porous sound absorbent material, which will form a rigid core section. This rigid core section provides for the sections of adjacent undulating surfaces, in registered positioning, by shaping the core material 22 to form the preferred undulating surface 14 of each section or body 12. The undulating surface is preferred to provide both acoustic absorption properties or the multiple angles of each curved surface as well as significantly diminishing reflection at any single angle.

The sections formed by individual panel bodies 12 are additionally preferably formed with radius edges 20, however, can also be chamfered, notched, straight edges or other, as deemed suitable to achieve the desired acoustic reflection and absorbing properties of the device 10 when formed from the multiple adjacent sections of panel bodies 12. It is noted that one skilled in the art will immediately recognize differing suitable edge types for different instances of application of the device 10, and thus should not be considered limiting by the depictions and description provided herein.

The panel device 10 formed of the plurality of adjacent-positioned sections of panel bodies 12, in registered engagement with each other, to position peaks of adjacent panel body 12 sections adjacent depressions of the adjacent section formed by the adjacent panel body 12. Each section formed by a panel body 12, may employ an outer layer or covering 26, formed of a material suitable provide an aesthetic enhancement of the exposed surfaces of the device, when engaged to a wall or other support surface. The covering 26 can be woven or non woven textile fabric, vinyl, coatings, or other covering material deemed suitable by the designer. Woven or non-woven textiles are particularly preferred due to their passage of sound waves between fibers forming the fabric and into the underlying material.

In use, as described in more detail below, it is intended that each panel device 10, formed of multiple sections or adjacent panel bodies 12 in registered engagement, is engaged to a support surface 100 directly, or may be engaged to a mounting component 28, by means of adhesive or fastener. In modes of the system herein where screws, nails or other mechanical fasteners are employed for mounting the panels device 10, the panel device 10 may include a mounting layer 24 of material engaged to the backing of the fiberglass or other material core 22, which is adapted to adequately secure to such fasteners used to engage the assembled panel device 10 to a wall or ceiling or other surface.

This material layer 24 can be a liquid resin, which is applied to the backing of the core 22 and subsequently dried into a hard layer 24 thereafter. However, it is noted and anticipated that any material suitable for the intended purpose of providing a means for engaging mechanical fasteners, may be employed and are anticipated. It is additional envisioned that in modes of the invention where adhesives are employed, the layer 24, can be omitted.

In the current mode, the undulating surface 14 of each section formed by a body 12, is defined by the presence of a substantial protrusion 16 communicating adjacent to a substantial depression 18. It is noted that this configuration can be repeated with individual sections of bodies 12, in an end-to-end arrangement of sections formed by multiple bodies 12, and of adjacent such section formed of the bodies 12 in registered positioning to place recesses adjacent peaks, to construct a panel 10 of any desired length (FIG. 6).

It is particularly preferred that, when in the engaged position on a wall or other support surface 100, the distance ‘h’ (FIG. 3) from the support surface 100 to the lowest position of the depression 18, is approximately 20-70% of the distance ‘H’ from the support surface 100, to the highest point of the protrusions 16 surrounding the depression 18. Further, it is additionally preferred that the peak-to-peak distance ‘PP’ between the center points of adjacent protrusions 16 surrounding one depression 18, is approximately 10-20 inches, and the width ‘W’ of the sections defined by each body 12 is approximately 1-6 inches.

It is noted that those skilled in the art will discover the other preferred dimensional values for constructing the panel device 10. However, currently, experimentation has shown, that constructing the panel device within these parameters, provides the best acoustic properties of sound diffusion and absorption. Further, it is noted that values outside these ranges may be employed at the discretion of the designer, and are anticipated.

It is noted and anticipated that although the device 10 is shown in its most simple form, various components and aspects of the device 10 may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein, such as illustrated in the mode of the device 10 shown in FIG. 7. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner.

In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a preferred easily assembled kit mode of the panel device 10 is depicted. In this mode, a kit 11 comprising a plurality of individual sections or bodies 12 is provided. Each body 12 is adapted with fasteners or engagement as a means for registered positioning with each adjacent body 12 in that the central area of each depression 18 of on body 12 forming a section, is substantially on center with a central area of each adjacent projection or protrusion 16. While the body 12 sections could be mounted with projections and depressions adjacent and still provide some sound deadening and absorption, the positioning of the protrusions 16 next to the depressions of each respective adjacent body 12 works best.

Means for fastening or positioning the body 12 sections in a registered engagement of the body 12 sections to each other is provided to achieve this preferably registered positioning of depression 18 adjacent a protrusion 16 of an adjacent body 12 section. Such may be a tongue 47 engageable with a groove on an adjacent body 12 section, or a pin 43 positioned to engage a recess 32 of an adjacent body 12 section, as shown in FIGS. 8-10 or may be with apertures 29 on an underlying mounting component 28 as in FIG. 4, or other means to enable this registered positioning of the protrusions 16 of one respective body 12 section with the depression 18 of any adjacent such body 12 forming a section of the formed device 10.

It is noted that the quantity and length of the formed pattern of protrusions 16 and depressions 18 in a configuration may vary as is considered within the intended scope of the invention. However the adjacent registered positioning is preferred in all modes no matter the length of the formed protrusions and depressions. As such those skilled in the art will quickly ascertain that the depictions shown in the figures are provided merely as illustrative examples of the kit 11 of sections or bodies 12 forming a panel and are not to be considered limiting.

In at least one preferred mode, each panel such as in FIG. 5, formed of individual sections defined by bodies 12, may be configured for removable engagement to any desired support surface 100, by means of adhesives, fasteners, or mechanical fasteners. However, as noted previously, the employment of screws or nails as mechanical fasteners may be particularly preferred in instances where the treatment is intended to be engaged for prolonged periods of time, as such fasteners provide adequate long term securement thereof. As such, other modes of the invention are envisioned wherein adhesives, hook and loop fasteners, or other suitable permanent or removable fastener may be employed, and is anticipated.

If wall or ceiling mounting surface is not engaged in a direct engagement to the plurality of sections provided by the bodies 12, a mounting component 28 may be employed to underlie the body 12 sections and is preferably substantially planar, and formed of a material suitable for acoustic diffusion. For example, the mounting component 28 can be made of wood or fiberboard, or compressed paper, closed cell foam, or other sound deadening surface materials. For example, the surface of wood, being formed of a plurality of wood fibers, provides an adequate surface for diffusing sound. However, those skilled in the art will recognize other materials suitable for this intended purpose, and are anticipated.

In addition, as currently noted, the mounting component 28 if employed, may be configured with a plurality of pre formed (such as drilling) apertures 29, which may employed for registering the bodies 12 in their proper aligned positioning, and which may also be placed to allow the user to quickly and easily engage mounting hardware such as screws, for one or both of, engaging the bodies 12 in sections to form a panel device 10 to mounting component 28, first and then engaging the mounting component 28 to a support surface 100, or, engaging the mounting component 28 to a support surface 100 first, and using the apertures 29 which are positioned to place the sections formed by individual bodies 12 in their registered positioning. This of course may be done by forming pins 43 such as in FIG. 8, on the rear surface of each body 12, configured to align them in registered positions with each other as noted above to form the entire panel device 10 herein.

To further facilitate ease of assemblage of the kit 11, the kit 11 may be provided having at least some of the sections formed by individual bodies 12, pre-assembled in an engagement to the mounting component 28, wherein gaps 31 are provided between adjacent body 12 sections. The formed gaps 31 will allow the user to communicate additional body 12 sections into the gap 31 in a frictional engagement, in order to complete the assembly, or, the pins 43 may be spring biased to collapse while the body 12 is inserted in the gap 31 and expand into an adjacent recess 45 when aligned and in registered engagement with an adjacent body 12 section.

It is noted that the width of the gap 31 may be slightly smaller than the width ‘W’ of the body 12 sections, such that a secured frictional fit type engagement can also be accomplished when assembled. However it is noted that additional engagement means, such as adhesives or mechanical fasteners, or pins 43 may be employed in combination with the friction fit so long as the registered positioning of protrusions with depressions noted above is achieved in adjacent body 12 sections.

In FIG. 5, an assembled mode of the kit 11 from a plurality of body 12 sections, which could be as few as three or four body 12 sections, in registered positioning to each other is shown, noting that when assembled, the each protrusion 16 of each body 12 section of the assembly interior will be surrounded by at least three depressions 18 in a plurality of three, and by four depressions 18 when the plurality is four but for protrusions adjacent a perimeter edge. Similarly, each depression 18, will be surrounded by at least four other depressions 18, and four protrusions 18. However it is noted that this configuration does not hold true for the terminating edges at the perimeter, which one skilled in the art will quickly ascertain that each protrusion 16 is still registered to be positioned adjacent a depression 18.

It should be noted that when the acoustic panel device 10 is formed in a plurality of body 12 sections, and forms this pattern of protrusions 16 and depressions 18, of the curved surface areas of the second side of each body 12 section, a pattern of uneven heights is formed causing absorption and multiple angle deflections of sound waves communicating with said acoustic panel from any angle as best depicted in FIG. 10, which works well in a small restaurant or tavern where sound can reach deafening levels.

FIG. 6 shows yet another preferred as-used mode of the kit 11 of the invention, showing the engagement of a plurality of body 12 sections, for forming an assembled acoustic panel treatment to a wall 200. As shown in this figure, it is anticipated that the body sections 12 may be formed of various lengths, having various configurations of protrusions 16 and depressions 18, without implying limitations. It is anticipated that variations in length will be needed to traverse various height locations of the wall 200, over windows, and other locations.

Further, some body 12 sections are shown employing the mounting component 28, communicating between adjacent body sections and the wall 200, however it is anticipated that the body 12 sections, may also be engaged directly to the wall 200 surface, by means of adhesive or other suitable fastener.

FIG. 7 shows yet another mode of the device 10 wherein the undulating surface 14 of body 12 section is instead defined by the presence of a substantial protrusion 30 communicating adjacent to a flat, or otherwise non-protrusion recessed area 32. This is opposed to a deliberate depression 18 adjacent the protrusion 16, formed in modes of the device 10 shown previously.

As noted, FIG. 8 shows one of the body 12 sections formed by a body with undulating second surface which provides means for registered positioning to adjacent body 12 sections in the form of pins 43 adapted to engage complimentary shaped recesses 45 in the side surface of adjacent body 12 sections.

FIG. 9 depicts a mode of the device 10 of FIG. 8, but employing a different means of registration in the form of a projection or tongue 47 adapted for engagement with a complimentary shaped recess 45 which would be elongated in the same length.

FIG. 10 depicts the infinite number of angles of deflection for sound, shown as directional arrows, the pattern formed of raised and lowered sections on each segment or body defines to dampen sound in a room as well as absorb it.

This invention has other applications, potentially, and one skilled in the art could discover these. The explication of the features of this invention does not limit the claims of this application; other applications developed by those skilled in the art will be included in this invention.

While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An acoustic panel apparatus, comprising:

an acoustic panel having at least one section, each section having a body, said body having a first surface configured for an engagement to a mounting surface, and having a second surface opposite said first surface;

said second surface undulating in a plurality of elevation changes defined by protruding sections of said second surface adjacent lower sections of said second surface;

said acoustic panel engageable to an as-used position in an engagement of said first surface of said body to said mounting surface to thereby position said undulating surface to as a barrier and reflective surface to sound communicating directly with said mounting surface.

2. The acoustic apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:

said acoustic panel formed of a plurality of said sections;

a side surface of each of said plurality of said sections in said acoustic panel, in a registered positioning with adjacent a respective adjacent said side surface of another of said plurality of sections; and

said registered positioning placing each protruding section of each section in said plurality, adjacent a respective said lower section of a second surface of each respective adjacent said section in said plurality.

3. The acoustic apparatus of claim 2, additionally comprising:

said plurality of sections in said acoustic panel being at least four with each in a said registered positioning with each of said other of said plurality of sections adjacent thereto;

two of said plurality of sections being adjacent each other in an interior pair, and each of said two of said plurality of sections in said interior pair, being adjacent a respective one other of said plurality of sections; and

each said protruding section on said second surface of each of said two of said plurality of sections in said interior pair, being surrounded by at least three said lower sections, whereby a pattern of said lower sections and said protruding sections is formed by adjacent said second surfaces of each of said plurality of sections forming said acoustic panel, said pattern causing absorption and concurrent multiple deflection angle reflections of sound waves communicating with said acoustic panel.

4. The acoustic apparatus of claim 2, additionally comprising:

a mounting component, said mounting component having a first surface configured for operative engagement with said mounting surface;

said mounting surface having a second surface opposite said first surface thereof, said second surface configured for an engagement with respective said first surfaces of each of said sections thereon; and

said mounting component provide means to engage said acoustic panel to a mounting surface, subsequent to said engagement with said plurality of sections thereon, to thereby provide for pre-assembly of a said acoustic panel prior to engagement thereof to said as-used position.

5. The acoustic apparatus of claim 3, additionally comprising:

a mounting component, said mounting component having a first surface configured for operative engagement with said mounting surface;

said mounting surface having a second surface opposite said first surface thereof, said second surface configured for an engagement with respective said first surfaces of each of said sections thereon; and

said mounting component provide means to engage said acoustic panel to a mounting surface, subsequent to said engagement with said plurality of sections thereon, to thereby provide for pre-assembly of a said acoustic panel prior to engagement thereof to said as-used position.

6. The acoustic apparatus of claim 4 additionally comprising a cover layer on each of said second sides of each of said plurality of sections; and

said cover layer formed of material adapted to match a surrounding area of said acoustic panel.

7. The acoustic apparatus of claim 5 additionally comprising a cover layer on each of said second sides of each of said plurality of sections; and

said cover layer formed of material adapted to match a surrounding area of said acoustic panel.