Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02606442 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No.: 2006P02239US
SOUND ALTERING APPARATUS
Background of the Invention
The present invention is directed broadly to apparatus for altering sound
energy emitted
from appliances for residential and commercial settings and, more
particularly, to an apparatus
for altering sound energy in a manner that reduces such sound energy in the
form of noise
produced during the operation of residential or home appliances.
Large household appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, laundry
machines,
including washers and dryers, and even smaller household appliances such as
oven hood vent
fans, wine coolers, espresso-making apparatus, food mixers, food processors,
juice centrifuges,
juice extractors, and waste masticators all emit a certain amount of sound in
the form of noise in
connection with the operation of fans, electric drive motors, pumps,
compressors, or other
customary components of such appliances. Such sound emissions may be
objectionable as noise
to some and to others may just appear as loud sound energy. The use and
accommodation of
such appliances within residences and other settings would be improved if
there existed a
capability to selectively alter the sound level including altering the sound
level to a reduced
(lower decibel) level.
To that end, much time and effort has already been expended in providing
insulation for
sound producing components of such appliances, in providing more balancing of
such sound
producing components, and in more efficiently using electricity so as to
reduce the emitted noise.
The insulation helps to reduce the noise heard outside of the sound producing
device and, indeed,
much progress has been made in reducing noise from household appliances. On
the other hand,
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it is generally understood that to further lower noise or sound emissions from
these appliances
would be desirable and will in fact advance the desired goal of full seamless
integration of such
appliances into the full range of residential and commercial settings. It
would therefore be
desirable if other methods and apparatus beyond the known insulation,
balancing, and energy
efficiency approaches were available to help reduce the sound level emitted
from such sound
producing home appliances.
Summary of the Invention
To that end, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sound
altering apparatus
for altering predetermined sound levels from a sound-producing device such as
a home
appliance, wherein the sound altering apparatus provides efficient sound
reduction for a
relatively low cost.
It is another object of the present invention to electronically monitor the
sound energy
emitted from the sound-producing elements of such household machinery and, in
turn,
electronically cancel the noise.
To those ends, the present invention provides several embodiments of a sound
altering
apparatus. According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a sound
altering apparatus for altering predetermined sound levels of a sound
producing device. The
sound altering apparatus includes at least one piezoelectric foil sensor
disposed relative to the
sound producing device such that the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is
influenced by sound
wave energy emitted from the sound producing device with the at least one
piezoelectric foil
sensor being operable to convert such sound wave energy into an electric sound
signal. The
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present invention further includes an electric circuit in electrical
communication with the at least
one piezoelectric foil sensor for receiving the electric sound signal, the
electric circuit including
a ground connection and being configured for shunting the electric sound
signal to the ground
connection, thereby reducing sound heard outside the sound producing device.
The electric circuit off the present invention may also include at least one
resistor for
dissipating at least a portion of the electric sound signal as heat. Further,
the present invention
may include an array of piezoelectric foil sensors disposed at spaced
intervals relative to the
sound producing device.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the sound producing device
may be a
dishwasher having a pump, and the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is
disposed relative to
the pump such that the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is influenced by
sound wave energy
emitted from the pump. In addition the sound producing device may be a
dishwasher having a
pump and a dishwashing compartment with the array of piezoelectric foil
sensors including at
least one sensor disposed within the sound producing device for sensing pump
sound and at least
one other sensor disposed adjacent the dishwashing compartment for sensing
sound produced by
water circulating within the dishwashing compartment.
The sound altering apparatus of the present invention is adaptable to several
home
appliances. These may include a selected one of a dishwasher, a clothes
washer, a clothes dryer,
a refrigerator, a ventilation device, a wine cooler, an espresso making
apparatus, a food mixing
machine, a food processor, a juice centrifuge, a juice extractor and a waste
masticator. Here, the
at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is influenced by sound wave energy
emitted from the
selected sound producing device with the at least one piezoelectric foil
sensor being operable to
convert such sound wave energy into the electric sound signal.
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According to another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a sound
altering
apparatus for altering predetermined sound levels of a sound producing device,
the sound
altering apparatus and including at least one piezoelectric foil sensor
disposed relative to the
sound producing device for sensing sound wave energy emitted therefrom and
converting the
sound wave energy to an electric sound signal. Also included is a first
electric circuit in electrical
communication with the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor for receiving
and analyzing the
electric sound signal to determine audible frequencies that characterize the
sound, and generating
a first electric signal representative thereof, the electric circuit including
a ground connection and
being configured for shunting the at least a portion of the electric sound
signal to the ground
connection. In addition to the first electrical circuit, this embodiment of
the present invention
includes a second electric circuit including a frequency processor and
generator in
electrical communication with the first electric circuit for receiving the
first electric signal and
generating a second electric signal representative of sound cancelling
frequencies. Further, a
third electric circuit is provided in electrical communication with the second
electric circuit and
including a sound transducer disposed in audible communication with the sound
generating
device, the third electrical circuit being configured for receiving and
processing the second
electrical signal to produce sound cancelling sound waves using the sound
transducer, thereby
reducing sound heard outside the sound producing device.
The first electric circuit may include at least one resistor for dissipating
at least a portion
of the first electric signal as heat. In addition the present invention may
include an array of
piezoelectric foil sensors disposed at spaced intervals relative to the sound
producing device.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the sound producing device
may be a
dishwasher having a pump, and the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is
disposed relative to
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the pump such that the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is influenced by
sound wave energy
emitted from the pump. Further, the array of piezoelectric foil sensors may
include at least one
sensor disposed relative to the sound producing device for sensing pump sound
and at least one
sensor disposed relative to the dishwashing compartment for sensing sound
produced by water
circulating within the dishwashing compartment.
The second embodiment of the present invention is also adaptable to many home
appliances. These may include a dishwasher, a clothes washer, a clothes dryer,
a refrigerator, a
ventilation device, a wine cooler, an espresso making apparatus, a food mixing
machine, a food
processor, a juice centrifuge, a juice extractor and a waste masticator and
the at least one
piezoelectric foil sensor is influenced by sound wave energy emitted from the
selected sound
producing device with the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor being
operable to convert such
sound wave energy into the electric sound signal.
The present apparatus can be configured to operate in coordination with
different modes
of operation of the host appliance. According to another embodiment of the
present invention, a
sound altering apparatus for altering predetermined sound levels of a sound
producing device,
the sound altering apparatus includes at least one piezoelectric foil sensor
disposed relative to the
sound generating device for sensing sound wave energy emitted therefrom and
converting the
sound wave energy to an electric signal. The present invention further
includes a first electric
circuit in electrical communication with the at least one piezoelectric foil
sensor for receiving
and analyzing the electric sound signal to determine audible frequencies that
characterize the
sound and generating a first electric signal representative thereof; and a
second electrical circuit
including a frequency processor and generator in electrical communication with
the first electric
circuit for receiving the first electric signal and generating a second
electric signal representative
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of sound cancelling frequencies. Also provided is a third electric circuit in
electrical
communication with the second electrical circuit and including a sound
transducer disposed in
audible communication with the sound generating element, the third electrical
circuit being
configured for receiving and processing the second electrical signal to
produce sound cancelling
sound waves using the sound transducer. This embodiment of the present
invention also
includes a control circuit in electrical communication with the third
electrical circuit for
controlling operation thereof, the control circuit having at least two
selectively engagable
operational modes including a first mode for real-time monitoring of the
second electrical signal
for controlling the third electrical circuit responsive thereto, and a second
mode for operating the
third electrical circuit in conjunction with predetermined operational modes
of the sound
producing device, thereby reducing sound heard outside the sound producing
device.
The apparatus of the present invention may also include an array of
piezoelectric foil
sensors disposed at spaced intervals relative to the sound generating device.
As with the other previously addressed embodiments, the present invention may
include a
dishwasher having a pump and the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is
disposed relative to the
sound producing device for sensing pump sound. Further, the present invention
may include a
dishwasher having a pump and a dishwashing compartment with the array of
piezoelectric foil
sensors including at least one sensor disposed relative to sound producing
device for sensing
pump sound and at least one sensor disposed relative to the dishwashing
compartment for
sensing sound produced by water circulating within the dishwashing
compartment.
In accordance with prior-discussed embodiments,_ the sound generating element
may be
associated with a device selected from the group consisting of a dishwasher, a
clothes washer, a
clothes dryer, a refrigerator, a ventilation device, a wine cooler, an
espresso making apparatus, a
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food mixing machine, a food processor, a juice centrifuge, a juice extractor
and a waste
masticator and the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor is influenced by
sound wave energy
emitted from the selected sound producing device with the at least one
piezoelectric foil sensor
being operable to convert such sound wave energy into the electric sound
signal.
The present invention is adaptable in to various appliances in increasing
levels of
complexity and provides sound altering capabilities beyond those attainable
with known
insulation, balancing, and energy efficiency approaches alone.
Brief Description of The Drawings
Figure 1 is a front plan view, in partial section, of a dishwasher configured
with one
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit of the present
invention according
to a further preferred embodiment thereof;
Figure 3 is a front plan view, in partial section, of a dishwasher configured
with another
preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of another electrical circuit according to an
additional
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly to Figure 1, there is
illustrated in a
front plan view in partial section, a dishwasher 10, it being noted that this
dishwasher 10 is
hereinafter described as an exemplarily appliance having sound producing
components disposed
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therein and which is amenable to be configured with an embodiment of the sound
altering
apparatus of the present invention to favorable alter the noise
characteristics of the dishwasher.
It should also be noted that the sound altering methods and apparatus applied
with respect to the
present dishwasher 10 are equally applicable to other sound producing items
including, but not
limited to, a clothes washer, a clothes dryer, a refrigerator, a ventilation
device such as a range
hood, a wine cooler, an espresso making apparatus, a food mixing machine, a
food processor, a
juice centrifuge, a juice extractor and a waste masticator. All these items
have some form of
sound producing apparatus or device in common. It should be apparent to those
skilled in the art
that the sensors, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, should
be placed strategically
in the area of the sound producing element within the device so that they may
sense the sound
emitted therefrom.
Additionally, it is noted that the present invention is operable to reduce
sound energy that
may be described as "noise" heard outside the housing or container of one of
the aforesaid
appliances or any other appliance that may be adaptable to such technology.
Herein, when
discussing noise, a certain amount of subjectivity is involved in that the
term noise generally
indicates a harsh or unpleasant sound. The present invention is configured for
reducing sound in
general and basically is intended to alter the sound emitted from appliances.
Accordingly, while
such sound alteration may not amount to noise reduction according to some
listeners, such sound
alteration when referred to as noise reduction should not be considered beyond
the scope and
spirit of the present invention.
With continued reference to Figure 1, a dishwasher 10 includes a washing
compartment
12 containing one or more racks 14 for holding dishes or other household items
to be cleaned.
Water is driven through the dishwasher 10 by a pump 16 disposed underneath the
washing
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compartment 12 in a pump housing or area 18, which may or may not be isolated
structurally
from the washing compartment 12. The particular dishwasher 10 illustrated
includes a flow
heater 20 that receives water from the pump 16 and delivers the heated water
into the washing
compartment 12 through water lines 22. As may be expected, noise may be
generated by the
pump 16, the flow heater 20, water flowing through the water lines 22 as well
as water
bombardment within the washing compartment 12. Even though components such as
the pump
16 are chosen and mounted within the dishwasher 10 in a manner designed to
reduce noise, noise
or sound heard outside of the appliance is not completely eliminated.
According to the one preferred embodiment of the present invention, piezo foil
sensors
24a, 24b and 24c are placed within the pump housing 18 in an area adjacent the
pump 16 or in an
area sufficient that they receive sound wave energy from the pump 16.
According to one basic
version of the present invention, the piezo foil sensors 24a, 24b and 24c are
connected to ground
in order to shunt the sound signal to ground. The piezo foil sensors 24a, 24b
and 24c may
alternatively be configured of a ceramic material.
The piezo foil sensors receive sound wave energy and are vibrated thereby. As
with any
piezo-based device, such vibrations are converted to electrical energy by the
piezo device. As
seen in Figure 2 in which a further preferred embodiment of the sound altering
apparatus of the
present invention is illustrated, the sound altering apparatus of the present
invention, hereinafter
designated as the sound altering apparatus 26, includes a resistor 28 that may
be placed in the
circuit intermediate a piezo foil sensor (here, for illustration purposes the
sensor illustrated at
24a) and a ground connection 30 to dissipate some of the electrical energy
generated by the piezo
foil sensor as heat.
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With continued reference to Figure 2, the sound altering apparatus 26 also
includes an
array of sensors 24a, 24b connected through wiring and associated connectors
32 to a filter 34.
The filter 34 is supplied with a base current 36 for operational purposes
associated with the
electronic components therein as necessary. Optionally, the filter 34 may be
switchable to
provide both a passive and an active noise reduction, as necessary based on
the sound producing
device in question. The filter 34 acts to filter out certain frequencies,
sound levels or both from
the signal received from the sensors 24a, 24b and shunt that noise to ground
through the ground
connection 30. The filter may also pass other noise or sound signals to a
frequency processor 38.
The frequency processor 38 processes the sound signal received from the filter
34 to define the
predominant sound levels and frequencies in the filtered signal for removal
and delivers its signal
to a frequency generator 40 that will cancel certain frequencies based on the
input signal from
the frequency processor. The frequency processor 38 may be optionally provided
or not
provided depending upon operational requirements apparent to those skilled in
the art and may
include amplifiers and filters as necessary to provide a workable signal that
the frequency
generator 40 can use to produce cancellation signals.
The frequency generator produces and emits signals at a frequency that, when
combined
with the noise signals, produce nodes where there was once peak noise and
delivers such
frequency cancellation signals to a sound transducer 42 that may be a speaker
disposed
sufficiently adjacent to the noise emitting device so as to produce cancelling
soundwaves which
interact with the noise sound energy within the sound producing device to
reduce noise heard
outside the sound producing device.
With reference now to Figure 3, the dishwasher 10 is shown configured with
another
preferred embodiment of the sound altering apparatus of the present invention
has been equipped
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with an array of piezo foil sensors 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e, 24f, 24g, 24h,
24i, 24j, 24k,and 241
disposed strategically in areas of motor noise, flow noise, and other
vibrational noise in order to
receive and convert a substantial amount of the sound energy waves produced by
the device to
electric current for feeding to processing circuitry such as has bccn
described with respect to the
sound altering apparatus 26.
The present invention is adaptable for use in a real time monitoring mode or
may be
coordinated with the respective appliance to operate during different modes of
operation of the
appliance. For example, and with reference to Figure 3, the dishwasher 10 may
include a wash
cycle, a rinse cycle, and a drying cycle. The wash and rinse cycles could,
depending on the
internal structure of the dishwasher, produce a level of noise discernible to
a house occupant in
the vicinity of the dishwasher. The drying cycle with no moving water would
produce very little,
if any, such discernible sound energy. For clarity, the dishwasher 10 is
illustrated with a selector
switch 44, indicator lights 46, of which one indicator light is illuminated,
and basic control
switches 48.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4, when the switch 44 is in a first position,
as seen in
Figure 4, the real time monitoring mode is engaged and the piezo foil elements
and associated
circuitry are fully operational at all times. If the switch is moved in the
direction shown by the
arrow 52 in Figure 4 to its second position (not shown), its operation becomes
dependent upon
the mode of operation currently being performed within the washing compartment
12 of the
dishwasher 10. Such mode circuitry is illustrated generally at 50. It will be
apparent to those
skilled in the dishwasher control electronics art that the present invention
is easily adaptable to
such control circuitry for choosing the operational mode of the sound altering
apparatus 26 of the
present invention in light of the operational mode of the dishwasher 10.
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In operation and with reference to Figures 3 and 4, an operator may select the
real time or
coordinated mode using the selector switch 44. If the real time mode is
chosen, the sensors 24a -
241, as seen in Figure 3 are in constant operation so long as the dishwasher
is operational as
selected by the basic control switches 48. If the coordinated mode is chosen
using the selector
switch 44, operation of the present apparatus is ongoing in coordination with
the dishwasher
operational modes.
Whatever the selection, when the present apparatus is active, the sensors 24a -
241
receive sound pressure waves from the noise generating components and are
excited thereby to
convert the sound pressure wave energy into an electric current, known herein
as a sound signal.
The sound signal is fed to a filter where a portion of the signal may be
shunted to ground.
Optionally, in the absence of the more complex circuit, the sound signal may
be shunted directly
to ground or even dissipated as heat by the resistors 16.
Once the filter has split the sound signal, the portion not grounded is
directed to the
frequency processor where it is converted to a signal useable by the frequency
generator to
produce a cancellation signal. The cancellation signal is then amplified and
sent to a sound
transducer, such as the speaker illustrated in Figure 2 where it is converted
back to sound to offer
cancellation sound wave energy to reduce the sound heard outside the device.
By the above, the present invention provides a simple and effective apparatus
for altering
sound emitted by certain household appliances.
It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art
that the present
invention is susceptible of a broad utility and application. While the present
invention is
described in all currently foreseeable embodiments, there may be other,
unforeseeable
embodiments and adaptations of the present invention, as well as variations,
modifications and
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equivalent arrangements, that do not depart from the substance or scope of the
present invention.
The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the
present invention or
otherwise to exclude such other embodiments, adaptations, variations,
modifications and
equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the
claims appended hereto
and the equivalents thereof.
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