GB2115272A - Improvements in and relating to acoustic cabinets - Google Patents

Abstract

An acoustic cabinet comprises a base panel 1, a front panel 2, side panels 4 and 5, rear panels 7, 9 and 10, and a lid 11, 13 and 14. All of those panels except the lowest rear panel 7, which is screwed on, and the lid panels 13 and 14, which are transparent and hinged are formed from metal sheets with inwardly extending flanges along their edges and are covered on the inside with sound-absorbent material. Except for the rear lid panel 11, the flanges of adjacent panels are parallel, adjacent, and substantially co-extensive and are secured together by resilient clips 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to acoustic cabinets The invention relates to acoustic cabinets, that is to say, to cabinets arranged to enclose noisy equipment or the like in orderto reduce the noise level in the surrounding environment, and especiallyto an acoustic cabinet for a computer printer orteleprinter thatcan be simply and cheaply manufactured in the form of a kit of parts and assembled on site without special tools and by a worker without special skills or training.

The invention provides an acousticcabinetcom prising a base panel, a front panel, side panels, at least one rear panel and a lid, at least some of the said panels comprising metal sheets with inwardly ex tending flanges along edges thereof and layers of sound-absorbent material covering the inner sides thereof, at least some adjacent such panels having their said flanges parallel, adjacent and substantially coextensive, at least in the direction transverse to the respective said edges, and being secured together by clips fitted overthefree edges ofthe said flanges and holding the said flanges together.

The said base, front, side, and rear panels are all preferably such panels so clipped together, and the cabinet then advantageously also comprises a second rear panel so secured asto be readily detachable and replaceable from the exterior ofthe cabinet. The second rear panel advantageously forms a bottom portion of a rearwall ofthe cabinet and is provided with apertures for electrical cables communicating with the interior ofthe cabinet.

Advantageously, the acoustic cabinet has a rear wall comprising at leasttwo rear panels extending the width ofthe wall one above the other, and at least one rear panel has a recess extending along its upper or lower edge and defining, in combination with an adjacent edge of an adjacent panel, an elongate aperture through which paper can pass to and/or from a machinewithin the cabinet.

The lid may comprise a plurality of panels one in front of another, each hinged to the adjacent panel or panels and the rearmost one hinged to the, or the uppermost, rear panel, the lid panels being arranged to rest on the upper edges ofthe side panels with the frontmost lid panel abutting the front panel, and at least one said lid panel consisting of or incorporating a panel of transparent material.

The clips advantageouslycomprise generally Cshaped or U-shaped members of resilient material straddling and abutting the free edges of the flanges with one limb urged against the exposed face of each of the adjacent flanges by the resilience of the member. The limbs of the resilient members are preferably formed with barbs arranged to engage the flanges and to resist removal of the clips from the flanges.

The invention also provides a set of parts for an acoustic cabinet according to the invention.

The invention further provides a structure comprising two panels of sheet material substantially abutting edge to edge, a flange extending along each said edge over at least a major portion of the length of the abutting edges, the two said flanges lying flat against one another with theirfree edges adjacent and their width being small compared with their common length, and at least one generally C-shaped or U-shaped clip of resilient material straddling and abutting thefree edges of the two flanges with one limb lying against each flange, the limbs ofthe clip being urged againsttheflanges bythe resilience of the clip.

Two forms of acoustic cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the first form of cabinet; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, on a largerscale than Fig. 1, showing the construction of joints in the cabinet; and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the second form of cabinet.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, one form of acoustic cabinet suitable for an IBM 5256 terminal printer comprises a rectangular base panel 1 approximately 650 mm from frontto back and 720 mm wide, made of sheet metal with a layer of sou nd-absorbing material approximately 12.5 mm thick covering the top surface. Along all four edges ofthe panel, the metal is bent backto form flanges about 12 mm wide extending towards the centre of the panel and upwards at an angle of 45to the plane ofthe base panel.

Avertical front panel 2, approximately 120 mm high, extends along the front edge of the base panel 1.

The front panel 2 is constructed and lined similarly to the base panel 1 except that the flange along the top edge of the front panel extends perpendicularly to the plane ofthe panel.

The bottomflangeofthefront panel 2 lies flat against the front flange ofthe base panel 1, and the flanges are held together by generally U-shaped clips 3 (see Fig. 2) of resilient metal at intervals along their length. As will be seen from Fig. 2, each clip straddles and abuts the free edges of the flanges, with one limb lying against each oftheflanges, and the limbs urged againsttheflanges by resilience ofthe metal ofthe clip. Each limb of the clip is provided with barbs 3a arranged to engagetheflanges in such a manner as to resist removal of the clips from the flanges. In practice, the clips are largely buried in the soundabsorbing linings ofthetwo panels, but the linings have been omittedfrom Fig. 2 in the interests of clarity.

Two side panels 4 and 5 are similarly clipped to the base panel 1 and the front panel 2. The side panels 4 and 5 are just over 400 mm high overthe rear half of their length, with vertical rear edges, but their top edges slope down at about30 tothe horizontal from a point about 330 mm from their rear edges to a point about 30 mm from the plane ofthe front panel 2, and thence more steeple to meet the top edge ofthe front panel. The top edges of the side panels 4 and 5, including the sloping portions, have flanges perpendicularto the planes ofthe panels, and the rear edges have flange structures that will be described below.

The side panels 4 and 5 are lined similarlyto the panels 1 and 2. In each side panel 4 or San area 4a or 5a about 100 mm square, centred about 140 mm from the bottom edge and 180 mm from the rear edge, is provided with perforations in the sheet metal and a cutout in the sound-absorbent material. If these perforated areas are found notto provide sufficient ventilation a fan may be provided.

A rear face of the acoustic cabinet is in three portions.Acoverplate7 about 100 mm high hasa horizontal flange along its top edge and no flanges along its other edges. It lies flat against flanges extending perpendicularly along the bottom 100 mm ofthe rear edges ofthe side panels 4 and 5 and is held in place by screws 8. The screws 8 pass through holes in the cover plate 7 and the flanges on the side panels 4 and 5 and engage in clip nuts 6 clipped onto the flanges. The cover plate 7 has a number of U-shaped cutouts in its lower edge for electrical cables connected to the printer inside, and the cover plate can be unscrewed for access to the connections.

Above the cover plate 7 are two rear panels 9 and 10, each about 125 mm high, with flanges angled inwards along its side edges and horizontal flanges along its top and bottom edges. The rear panels 9 and 10 are lined with sound absorbent material as has been descuibed above. Each ofthe rear panels 9 and 10 has a rectangular cutout 15 mm deep extending between a point about 130 mm from the left hand side and a point about 180 mm from the righthand side, as seen from the front of the cabinet. These cutouts allow paper to be fed to and from the printer inside, and are positioned to suitthe particular requirements ofthe IBM 5256terminal printer. It will be appreciated that the cutouts may be differently positioned to suit other models of printer.The flanges on the sides of the rear panels 9 and 10 are clipped, as described above, to corresponding angled flanges on the side panels4 and 5, and the two rear panels are similarly clipped together. The lower of the rear panels 9 abuts the top ofthe cover plate 7, but is not clipped to it.

Hinges 12 are fixed to the upper rear panel 10 on either side of the rectangular cutout, and a top panel 11 is mounted on the hinges. The top panel 11,when closed, extends vertically up to the top of the side panels4and 5 and then horizontallyforwards asfar asthe top ofthe sloping portions of the edges ofthe side panels 4 and 5. The top panel 11 is lined as described above, butwith clearance on either side of the liningsforthe metal ofthetop panelto rest directly againstthetop and rear edges of the side panels 4 and 5. Flanges extend from the side edges of the top panel 11 downwards and forwards over the exterior of the side panels 4 and 5.The hinges 12 are of a simple pin and socket construction and are so arranged that if the top cover 11 is raised and swung back until its flanges are clear ofthe side panels 4 and 5 the top cover can be detached from the upper rear panel 10 by sliding it sideways, separating the two parts of each hinge 12.

A rectangular panel 13 of transparent plastics material 13 is attached to the front of the top cover 11 by a hinge running the entire width ofthe cabinet. A second rectangular panel ? 4 of transparent plastics material is attached by a similar hinge to the front edge ofthe panel 13. Thetransparent panels 13 and 14 are arranged when closed to rest on the flanges of the sloping edge portions ofthe side panels 4 and 5 and to close the cabinet, butcan befolded upwards and backwards out of the way to afford access to the interior of the cabinet. A handle 15 is provided on the uppertransparent panel 13, and a knob 16 on the lower transparent panel 14.

In use, the base panel 1 is placed in the intended position of the printer, the front panel 2 is clipped into position on itwith clips 3, and the side panels 4 and 5 are clipped to the base panel 1 and the front panel 2.

The printer is then placed insidethe cabinet and its connecting cables arranged at the back. Then the cover plate 7 is fitted over the cables and screwed in place, and the rear panels 9 and 10 are clipped in above it.

Finally, the top cover 11,with thetransparent panels 13 and 14 attached, is slid into place on the hinges 12, the paperforthe printer is threaded in, passing through the rectangular apertures in the rear ofthecabinet, and thetopcover 11 and panels 13 and 14areclosed.

Referring nowto Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, the second form of cabinet is substantially identical with the first form except in the following respects; The base panel 21, front panel 22, side panels 24 and 25, upper rear panel 30 and top cover31 are lined with a layer of sound absorbing material, preferably a foam material with a perforated surface, 25 mm thick, and the flanges along the edges ofthe panels are about 25 mm wide, exceptforthose along the side edges ofthetop cover 30.

Instead ofthe cover plate 7 and the lower rear panel 9 of the first form of cabinet there is a iarge cover plate 27, with a 25 mm thick lining over its entire height.

The cover plate 27 is secured with conventional bayonet-fitting fasteners 26 and 28 at each corner.

The rearflanges of the side panels 24 and 25 are correspondingly different from those of the side panels 4 and 5.

The two transparent panels 13 and 14 are replaced by a single moulded transparent plastics panel 33, which is formed with a raisedlip36along itsfront edge instead of a handle 15our16.

The assembly and use afthe second form of cabinet are substantiallythe same as those ofthefirst form of cabinet described above.

Claims (10)

1. An acoustic cabinet comprising a base banel, a front panel, side panels, at least one rear panel and a lid, at least some ofthe said panels comprising metal sheets with inwardly extending flanges along edges thereof and layers of sound-absorbent material covering the inner sides thereof, at least some adjacent such panels having their said flanges parallel, adjacent and substantially coextensive, at least in the direction transverse to the respective said edges, and being secured together by clips fitted over the free edges of the said flanges and holding the said flanges together.

2. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base, front, and side panels, and at least onerearpanel, are such panels so clipped together, and which comprises a second rear panel so secured as to be readily detached and replaced from the exterior of the cabinet.

3. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said second rear panel forms a bottom portionofa rearwall ofthecabinetand is provided with apertures for electrical cables communicating with the interior of the cabinet.

4. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, which has a rearwall comprising at least two rear panels extending the width of the wall one above the other, and at least one rear panel has a recess extending along its upperorloweredgeand defining, in combination with an adjacent edge of an adjacent panel, an elongate aperture through which paper can pass to and/orfrom a machine within the cabinet.

5. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of panels one in front of another, each hinged to the adjacent panel or panels and the rearmost one hingedtothe,ortheuppermost, rear panel, the lid panels being arranged to rest on the upper edges of the side panels with the frontmost lid panel abutting the front panel, and at least one said lid panel consisting of or incorporating a panel oftransparent material.

6. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the said clips comprise generally C-shaped or U-shaped members of resilient material straddling and abutting the free edges of the flanges with one limb urged againsttheexposedface of each of the adjacent flanges by the resilience of the member.

7. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the limbs of the said resilient members are formed with barbs arranged to engage the flanges to resist removal ofthe clips from the flanges.

8. An acoustic cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, which is suitable for use as a housing for a computer printer orteleprinter.

9. An acoustic cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

10. Aset of parts for an acoustic cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.