Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02441749 2003-09-19
HOLLpW PANEL
BRCKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hollow
panel, and more particularly to a hollow panel which
is suitably used as a construction material such as
a wall material, a floor material, and a ceiling
material.
I0 Conventionally, hollow panels having hollow
portions are employed as various kinds of panels for
construction. In such a hollow panel, it is
possible to realize heat insulation and weight
reduction. In a known hollow panel, two corrugated
plates in which end faces have a corrugated shape
are sandwiched between two flat plates constituting
surfaces to form one panel, and hollow portions
corresponding to the corrugatedshape are laterally
extended (far example, see JP-A-7-214712). The
2o hollow panel disclosed in JP-A-7-2197J.2 has a
configuration in which the two corrugated plates
are stacked back to bank so that projections of the
plates abutted against each other are sandwiched
between the flat plates. zn a completed state of
the panel, therefore, ho J. low portions of different
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sectional areas are internally enclosed, so that a
lack of sound insulation due to the coincidence
effect which may be caused at a specific frequency
can be improved.
b
Since the hollow panel disclosed in
JP-A~7-214712 is configured so that the sectional
areas of the hollow portions are differentiated by
using the two corrugated plates, a disadvantage
that the whole thickness of the hollow panel is
increased, and other disadvantages that the cost
burden due to the increased number of components is
inevitably imposed, and that the corrugated plates
must be bonded togethex to increase the number of
assembly steps are caused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been conducted in view of the
disadvantages. An embodiment of the invention may
provide a hollow panel which can effectively
exhibit the sound insulation performance while
suppressing the panel thickness, and in which the
number of components can be reduced, so that labor
in the work of forming the panel can be reduced and
the production cost can be reduced.
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The following are aspects of the present
invention.
Aspect 1. A hollow panel comprising:
first hollow portions arranged in a
substantially same plane and having a first sectional
areas; and
second hollow portions arranged in the
substantially same plane and having a second
sectional areas different from the first sectional
areas.
Aspect 2. The hollow panel according to the aspect
1, wherein the first hollow portion and the second
hollow portion are alternatively arranged in the
substantially same plane.
Aspect 3. The hollow panel according to the aspect
l, wherein a solid portion forming member is inserted
into a specific one of the first and second hollow
portions, the solid portion forming member having a
section shape which substantially corresponds to a
section shape of the specific hollow portion.
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Aspect 4. The hollow panel according to the aspect
1, wherein a sectional shape of the first and second
hollow portions is a trapEZOidal.
6
Aspect 5. A hollow panel comprising:
first hollow portions arranged in a
substantially same plane and having a first width;
and
second hollow portions axranged in the
substantially same plane and having a second width
different from the first width.
Aspect 6. The hollow panel according to the aspect
x5 5, wherein the first width is defined between a pair
of partition walls defining the first hollow
portion, and the second width is defined between a
pazr of partition walls defining the second hollow
portion.
Aspect 7. The hollow panel according to the aspect
5, wherein the first and second hollow portions are
alternatively axrangeci in the substantially same
plane.
l5
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Aspect 8. The hollow panel according to the aspect
S, wherein a solid portion forming member is
inserted into a specific one of the first and second
hollow portions, the solid portion forming member
having a section shape which substantially
corresponds to a section shape of the specific
hollow portion.
Aspect 9. The hallow panel according to the aspect
S, wherein a sectional shape of the first and second
hollow portions is a trapEZOidal.
Aspect 10_ A hollow panel comprising:
first and second partition walls defining a
16 plurality of hollow portions arranged in a
substantially same plane, wherein a thickness of
the first partition walls is different from that of
the second partitipn walls.
Aspect 11 . The hollow panel, accoxd~.ng to the
aspect J.O, wherein the first and second partition
walls are alternatively arranged.
Aspect 12. The hollow panel according to the
aspect 10, wherein a solid portion forming member
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is inserted into a specific one of the hollow portions,
the solid portion forming member having a section shape
which substantially corresponds to a section shape of the
specific hollow portion.
Aspect 13.A hollow panel comprising:
a plurality of hollow portions arranged in a
substantially same plane; and
a solid portion disposed to extend over at least
one of the plurality of hollow portions.
Aspect 14. The hollow panel according to the aspect 13,
wherein a solid portion forming member is inserted into
a specific one of the hollow portions, the solid portion
forming member having a section shape which
substantially corresponds to a section shape of the
specific hollow portion.
According to another aspect of the invention, there
is provided a hollow panel comprising: first hollow
portions arranged in a substantially same plane and
having first sectional areas; and second hollow portions
arranged in the substantially same plane and having
CA 02441749 2006-03-20
second sectional areas different from the first
sectional areas, wherein the first and second hollow
portions extend through the hollow panel
According to a further aspect of the invention,
S there is provided a hollow panel comprising: first hollow
portions arranged in a substantially same plane and
having a first width; and second hollow portions arranged
in the substantially same plane and having a second width
different from the first width, wherein the first and
second hollow portions extend through the hollow panel.
According to a still further aspect of the
invention, there is provided a hollow panel comprising:
first and second partition walls defining a plurality of
hollow portions arranged in a substantially same plane,
wherein a thickness of the first partition walls is
different from that of the second partition
walls, wherein the first and second hollow portions
extend through the hollow panel.
In the invention, a configuration may be employed
in which a solid portion forming member is inserted into
a specific one(s~ of the plural hollow portions, the
solid portion forming member having a sectional area
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which generally corresponds to a sectional area of the
specific hollow portion(s). According to the
configuration, the solid portion
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forming member is placed in an arbitrary one (s) of
the hollow portions, whereby the surface density
can be partially differentiated. Therefore, the
invention can be easily applied even to an existing
hollow panel so as to suppress a lack of sound
~.nsulation.
The hollow panel of the invention can be formed
by using any of various materials, and preferably
formed by uszng wood elements. Examples of wood
elements are wood flakes, wood fibers, wood chips,
and wood particles . fhe wood elezo.ents may be shaped
into a panel-like shape by die molding. As a binder
which is useful in the molding, any one of a foamable
binder resin, a nonfoamable binder resin, and a
mixture Of these binders may be employed.
The hollow panel can be produced by die molding
in the following manner. A fixed amount of wood
elements are sprayed into dies, and cores
corresppnding to the shapes of the hollow portions
are then laterally arranged in a substantially same
plane. A furthex fixed amount of wood elements are
sprayed onto the arrangement . Under thzs state, a
hot pressing process is performed. The dies are
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opened, and the cores are then pulled out, whereby
a panel in which hollow portions are integrally
formed can be shaped. The hollow panel may be
obtained by another shaping method in the following
manner. Two front members having a. thin plate-like
shape, and a single hollow portion forming member
which is similar in shape to a galvanized steel
sheet, or in which the end faces have a corrugated
shape are separately formed. The front members are
bonded together by an adequate adhesive agent so as
to sandwich the hollow portion forming member.
BRIEF DESCRTPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schem.atzc perspective partial view
I5 of a hollow panel of a first embodiment.
Fig. 2 is a partial end view of the hollow
panel.
Fig. 3 is a partial end view of a hollow panel
which is a modification of the first embodiment.
Fig. 4 is a partial end view of a hollow panel
of a second embodiment.
Fig_ 5 is a partial end view of a hollow panel
of a third embodiment.
Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of the hollow
panel of the third embodiment.
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Fig. 7 is a schematic plan view of a hollow
panel of a fourth embodiment.
Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of a hollow
panel which is a modification of the fourth
a embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will.
be described w~.th reference to the accompanying
drawings.
First embodiment
Fig_ 1 is a schematic perspective view of a
hollow panel according to a first embodiment, and
Fig_ 2 is an end view of a part of the hol.~.ow panEl.
Referring to the figures, a hollow panel 10 that can
be used as a construction material such as a wall
panel, a floor panel, and a ceiling panel comprises
a pair of flat outer sides 11 which are
substantially parallel to each other, and plural.
hollow portions 12 which are positioned betweEn the
outer sides 11 so as to be arranged in a
substantially same plane.
Each of the hollow portions 12 has a shape which
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linearly extends in a direction perpendicular to
the plane of the sheet of Fig. 2. The hollow portions
12 are formed so that partition walls 13 which axe
arranged at predetermined intervals in the lateral
b directions in the figure are inclined by an
approximately same angle and to alternately
different directions. As a result, each of the
hollow portions J.2 shows an approximately
trapezoidal section shape_ In the embodiment,
first hollow portions 12A having a smaller J.atexal
width w1, and second hollow portions having a
lateral width W2 which is larger than the lateral
width W1 are formed so as to be alternately
positioned along the lateral. direction in Fig. 2,
so that the adj acent hollow portions 12A and 12B are
disposed to be alternately different or nonuniform
in sectional area. In the figure, the lateral
widths W1 and W2 of the first and second hollow
portions 12A and 12B are indicated as those at the
respective middle positions in the panel thickness
direction because of the following reason. since
the partition walls 13 are inclined, the
thicknesses are shown with reference to the
respective middle positions for the sake of
2o convenience. Altex~natzvely, the partition walls 13
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may not be inclined, and may be modified so as to
have a sinusoidal waveform, or an approximately
pulse-like waveform so that the partition walls 13
are perpendicular to the outer sides in the panel
thickness direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the hollow
panel 10 may further comprise third hollow portions
12C which have a more larger width.
In the hollow panel. 10, the lateral ends 10A
1.0 in Fig. 1 have a closed structure in which the hallow
portions 12 are not formed. ,According to the
configuration, the rigidity is provided so that
lateral end portions of the outer sides 11 are
prevented from being bent in a direction
15 perpendicular to the panel plane, whereby the shape
retention property can be maintained.
According to the thus configured first
embodiment, when the whole of the single hollow
20 panel 10 is considered, the first and second hollow
portions 12A and 12B are formed so as to have
different sectional areas, and hence the
relationships are attained in which the surface
densities of areas substantially corresponding to
2~ the hollow portions 12A and 12B are different.
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Therefore. a structure where the resonance
frequency of the panel due to the sectional areas
or sizes of the hollow portions is riot unifoxm in
the panel plane but dispersed is formed, and a lack
T of sound insulation caused by resonance at a
specific frequency can be effectively suppressed_
Next, other embodiments of the invention will
be described. Tn the following description,
components which are identical with or equivalent
to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the
same reference numerals, and their description is
omztted oz' simplified.
1.5 Second Embodiment
Fig. 9 shows a second embodiment ofi the
invention. The embodiment is CharaCtex'zZed in
that, although the ho J. low portions 12 have the same
sectional area, different thicknesses x1. and T2 of
the partition walls 13 between the hollow portions
12 alternately appeax. The th~.ckz~esses are set so
as to have a relationship of T1 > T2.
In the second embodiment also, the area of the
2:~ thickness T1 is higher in surface density than that
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of the thickness T2, or higher in rigidity.
Therefore, the embodiment has a structure where the
panel resonance frequency is not uniform in the
plane of the hollow panel J.O, and can exert the same
b sound insulation effect as that of the first
embodiment.
Third Embodiment
Figs. 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of the
14 invention. T~-ce embodiment is characterized in that
a solid portion 15 is formed in a specific region
where a hollow portion is to be originally formed.
As shown in Fig. 5, the sol,i.d poxtzon 15 may be foz~zned
linearly in a region corresponding to a single
15 hollow portion, or alternatively formed so as to
extend over plural hollow portions 12. xn the
~.J.lustrated example, the solid portion 15 linearly
extends. However, the manner of the extension ~.s
not J.imited to a linear one. It is possible to say
20 that the embodiment is realized by extrEmely
increasing the thicknesses of specific PneS Of the
partition waJ.7.s 13.
Also the embodiment can exert the same effect
25 as that of the afore-described embodiments.
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Fourth Embodiment
Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the
invention. In the embodiment, a rod-like member 16
serving as a solid portion foaming member is
inserted into one of the hollow portions 12. The
rod--like member has a section shape which generally
corresponds to a section shape of the hollow
portion. There~oxe, the surface density is
partially differentiated, so that the
above-mentioned sound insulation effect is
attained. This configuration can be easily applied
to a prevz.ouslx shapEd hollow panel, so that the
invention can be applied to an existing hollow
panel. When the insertion position of the rod-like
member 16 is changed, it is possible to arbitrary
determine the region of a different surface
der~szty.
As shown in Fig. B, the rod-like member 16 may
be placed in a direction intersecting with, for
example, perpendicular to the direction along which
the hollow portions 12 extend.
2u As described above, although the best
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configuration, method, and the J~ike for embodying
the invention have been disclosed in the above
description, the invention is not limited to them.
Namely, although the invention has been
illustrated and described with respect to specific
embodiments, these skilled in the art can variously
modify as required the abo~re-described embodiments
with respect the shape, the position; the
arrangement, or the like without departing from the
technical concept and objECt of the invention. Fox
example, the embodiments and modifications can be
arbitrarily combined with each other. The number
of the rod-like member 16 may be adEquately
increased or decreased as required. Various kinds
of the rod-like members 16 of different masses may
be used to enable the distribution of the surface
density to be finely differentiated.
As described above, according to the
invention, i.t is possible to provide a hollow panel.
that exerts an excellent effect in which the
resonance frequency of the panel is not uniform in
the paz~eJ. pZar~e but dispersed and hence a lack of
sound zz~sulati.on due to resonance can be
Z5 suppressed, and which cannot be exerted in the
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conventional art. Since the hollow portions are
arranged in a substantially same plane, the
thickness of the hollow panel ca.n be reduced.
In the case where the configuration in which
a rod~-like member is inserted into a hollow portion
is employed, a portion where the surface density is
partially dif~ezentiated can be axbztrarily
determined to be placed, and therefore the
invention can be easily applied to suppress a lack
of sound insulation.
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