GB2589957A

GB2589957A - Sealing assembly for acousitc doors and method of installing the same

Info

Publication number: GB2589957A
Application number: GB2014103.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ding Shan Guo
Original assignee: Tacam Steel Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Tacam Steel Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2019-09-09
Filing date: 2020-09-08
Publication date: 2021-06-16
Also published as: GB202014103D0; AU2020230239B2; AU2020230239A1; SG10201908317PA

Abstract

A sealing assembly for a door with top, bottom and side frames, with door panels 19 connected via hinges, seals and gaskets on the frame 14 and panel 19 perimeter and where enclosed regions 25, 27 are formed between the seals 24, 26, 28, 30, 31 and with a lock which keeps the gaskets and seal compressed when the door is closed. The panels may have astragal brackets attached on opposite sides at an end distal to the hinges and which may contain further seals. There may be five seals. The seals my have a bulb section 28 and teardrop section 24. The seals may be attached via brackets 40 or may be located in recesses 38. The lock may comprise a roller which rolls across a plate. The seals may be made of rubber and the frames and panels secured by welding or flush bolts. A method of installation is also disclosed.

Description

SEALING ASSEMBLY FOR ACOUSTIC DOORS AND METHOD OF INSTALLING THE SAME

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an acoustic door system with improved sound transmission loss characteristics.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The following discussion of the background is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure only. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or is part of the common general knowledge of the person skilled in the art in any jurisdiction as of the priority date of the invention.

[0003] Acoustic doors are widely used in various industries/applications such as in theatres, recording studios, police interview rooms, operating theatres, museums and libraries. Such doors act as a sound barrier, to reduce noise levels entering and leaving an environment or workspace.

[0004] The transmission of sound waves through barriers can be reduced in a number of ways. For example, the greater the mass of the barrier, the less sound energy is transmitted through the barrier. Damping materials can also be used to dampen the sound energy through the barrier(s). There are also sound absorbing materials which absorb sound energy. Materials such as steel which is stiff can also reduce sound transmission.

[0005] The transmission of sound through a barrier is frequently rated as Sound Transmission Coefficient (STC). The higher the STC rating, the better is the sound deadening performance. For example, an STC rating of 50 -60 is deemed excellent for most structural needs. It is thus an objection of the invention to provide an acoustic door system which can be certified to obtain an improved STC rating over conventional acoustic doors. While there are many offered solutions in the market, such as using heavier and thicker steel doors, there is still a possibility of sound being transmitted through gaps formed between the doors and the frame or walls.

[0006] There exists a need for an improved device and/or system to alleviate one or more of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY

[0007] The disclosure was conceptualized to improve sound transmission loss characteristics with a target of improving the STC rating of the acoustic door system. This is achieved by creating an acoustic maze with several layers of seals strategically placed between the doors and frame and between two meeting door leaves, inhibiting sound transmission through such gaps.

[0008] The disclosure also contemplates the selection and placement of seals which creates a torturous path for the air passage between the doors and the frame as well as the meeting stiles between the two door leaves to provide an uninterrupted multi-level air tight seal between and around the door panels in the closed position. The form factor of the frames and panels at the various interfaces and how the seals are placed are also important.

[0009] In an aspect of the invention, there is a sealing assembly for a door, comprising a top frame, a bottom frame and a pair of side frames mounted to a wall. One or more panels are adapted to be connected to the pair of side frames via a plurality of hinges. The one or more panels are moveable about an axis of the hinges from an open position, in which a longitudinal plane of the one or more panels are non-parallel to the wall, to a closed position, in which the longitudinal plane of the one or more panels are parallel to the wall. There is a plurality of seals located around the one or more panels and adaptively connected to the top frame and the one or more panels in the closed position. A plurality of gaskets is mounted on the perimeter of the one or more panels. One or more enclosed regions are defined between the plurality of seals to inhibit sound transmission. A locking mechanism is located at a distal edge of the one or more panels, away from the plurality of hinges and is engaged in the closed position to keep the plurality of gaskets under compression.

[0010] Preferably, the sealing assembly further comprises a first astragal mounted on a front side of the one or more panels and a second astragal mounted on a rear side of the one or more panels. The first and second astragals are opposite to one another when the panels are in the closed position.

[0011] Preferably, the first and second astragals house a seal in their respective recesses.

[0012] Preferably, the locking mechanism is a compression lock mechanism.

[0013] Preferably, the top frame has 5 seals.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom frame has 5 seals.

[0015] Preferably, the pair of side frames has 5 seals.

[0016] Preferably, the distal edge of the one or more panels has 4 seals.

[0017] Preferably, the seals have a bulb section and a teardrop section.

[0018] Preferably, a first seal is attached to the one or more panels through a bracket and impinged by an exterior wall of the top frame when in the closed position, and a second seal is connected to the exterior wall of the top frame and impinged by an edge of the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0019] Preferably, a first enclosed region is defined between the first and second seal.

[0020] Preferably, a third seal is housed within a recess of the exterior wall of the top frame and impinged by a protrusion of the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0021] Preferably, a second enclosed region is defined between the second and third seal.

[0022] Preferably, a fourth seal is connected to the exterior wall of the top frame and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0023] Preferably, a third enclosed region is defined between the third and fourth seal.

[0024] Preferably, a fifth seal is attached to the exterior wall of the top frame and abuts the fourth seal when in the closed position.

[0025] Preferably, a first seal is attached to the one or more panels through a bracket and impinged by an exterior wall of the bottom frame when in the closed position, and a second seal is connected to the exterior wall of the bottom frame and impinged by an edge of the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0026] Preferably, a first enclosed region is defined between the first and second seal of the bottom frame.

[0027] Preferably, a third seal is housed within a recess of the exterior wall of the bottom frame and impinged by a protrusion of the one or more panels when in the closed in position.

[0028] Preferably, a second enclosed region is defined between the second and third seal of the bottom frame.

[0029] Preferably, a fourth seal is connected to the exterior wall of the bottom frame and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0030] Preferably, a third enclosed region is defined between the third and fourth seal of the bottom frame.

[0031] Preferably, a fifth seal is attached to the exterior wall of the top frame and abuts the fourth seal when in the closed position [0032] Preferably, a first seal is mounted on an exterior wall of the pair of side frames and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position, and a second seal is mounted to a first flange on the exterior wall of the pair of side frames, away from the first seal and impinged by a section of the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0033] Preferably, a first enclosed region is defined between the first and second seal of the pair of side frames.

[0034] Preferably, a third seal is housed within a recess formed by the flange and the exterior wall of the pair of side frames.

[0035] Preferably, a second enclosed region is defined between the second and third seal of the pair of side frames.

[0036] Preferably, a fourth seal is mounted onto a second flange of the exterior wall of the pair of side frames and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position.

[0037] Preferably, a third enclosed region is defined between the third and fourth seal of the pair of side frames.

[0038] Preferably, a fifth seal is attached to the exterior wall of the pair of side frames and abuts the fourth seal when in the closed position.

[0039] Preferably, a pair of seals is housed within a recess formed by a first panel. The pair of seals abuts a pair of corresponding edges on a second panel when in the closed position.

[0040] Preferably, the compression lock mechanism comprises a roller adapted to roll across a plate mounted onto the one or more panels from an open position to a closed position.

[0041] Preferably, the seals with the bulb section have a plurality of fingers.

[0042] Preferably, the seals are made from a rubber material.

[0043] Preferably, the top frame, bottom frame and pair of side frames are welded to the wall.

[0044] Preferably, the one or more panels are secured by flush bolts in the closed position.

[0045] Preferably, the seals are adaptively connected to the bottom frame and the one or more panels in the closed position.

[0046] Preferably, the seals are adaptively connected to the pair of side frames and the one or more panels in the closed position.

[0047] A method of installing the sealing assembly for a door generally includes the steps of welding the top frame, bottom frame and the pair of side frames to the wall, fixing the plurality of fingers of the bulb section seals to the flanges. The tear drop seals are mounted to the one or more panels. Gaskets are fixed around the perimeter of the one or more panels. The astragals are mounted to the one or more panels and the pair of seals are seated into the respective recesses of the astragal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0048] Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the door assembly with a two leaf embodiment in a closed position.

[0049] Fig. 2 is a Sectional view A-A of Fig.1, showing the choice and placement of the seals around and between the panels and the top frame.

[0050] Fig.3 is a Sectional view B-B of Fig. 1, showing the choice and placement of the seals around and between the panels and the bottom frame.

[0051] Fig.4 is a Sectional view C-C of Fig.1, showing the choice and placement of the seals around and between the panels and the pair of side frames.

[0052] Fig.5 is a Sectional view D-D of Fig.1, showing the choice and placement of the seals around and between the panels.

[0053] Fig.6 is a Sectional view E-E, showing the compression lock mechanism, roller and plate to keep the seals under compression and [0054] Fig. 7 is a graph based on Table 1 demonstrating the efficacy of the seals in the door assembly in achieving a sound transmission class (STC) rating of 59.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0055] In order to illustrate the technical solutions to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a brief introduction of the drawings referred to in the description of the embodiment is provided below. The drawings described below are only some examples or embodiments of the present disclosure. A person having ordinary skill in the art, without further creative effort, may apply the present disclosure to other scenarios according to these drawings. For example, the drawings relate to a two leaf door embodiment. A person having ordinary skill in the art and without creative efforts would be able to apply the present disclosure to a single leaf door embodiment.

[0056] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to different doors, including but are not limited to doors, hatch doors, doors with windows, windows, single leaf doors and multiple leaf doors. While the present disclosure discloses a sealing assembly for a door, those having ordinary skill in the art, without further creative efforts may apply these disclosures to doors, hatch doors, doors with windows, windows, single leaf doors, and multiple leaf doors.

[0057] A sealing assembly for a door with a pattern of multiple seals is depicted in Figs 1 -6. Fig 1 illustrates the elevation view of a door assembly mounted on a vertical wall. The door assembly 10 comprises of the frame assembly 11 which is mounted to the wall 12 and floor 13. The frame assembly 11 comprises of a top frame 14, a pair of side frames 15, 16 and the bottom frame 17. The frame assembly may be secured to the wall using anchor bolts. Panels 18, 19 swing on hinges 21 which are mounted to an edge of the pair of side frames 15, 16. The hinges may be mounted via suitable mechanism such as screws and nuts, bonded or welded to the pair of side frames. As shown in the embodiment in Fig. 4, the hinges are mounted to the pair of side frames and panels via screws. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, panel 18 is inactive and panel 19 is active. The term "inactive" is used to illustrate that panel 18 may not be moved usually. The inactive panel 18 may be secured in its closed position to frame members 14, 17 by flush bolts 20 to the floor. In its closed position, a longitudinal plane of the panel 18 is parallel to the wall. The active panel 19 may be secured to the inactive panel 18 by suitable mechanism, such as a knob, lock and/or bolt. A locking mechanism 23 is mounted at a distal edge of the panel 19, away from the hinges. The locking mechanism may be a compression lock mechanism which provides the necessary force to keep the gaskets under compression for an effective seal. The compression lock mechanism will be discussed later.

[0058] The sealing assembly under the present invention is shown in Figs 2 to 5.

Fig 2 is a section view A-A, showing the interface details between the top frame 14 and panel 19. First seal 24 is mounted on panel 19 with aid of mounting bracket 40 which is welded to panel 19. Second seal 26 is mounted on flange 37 welded onto the top frame 14. Seal 26 abuts an edge of panel 19 when in a closed position. The seals 24 and 26 create a first enclosed region 25 between them in a closed position. The enclosed region 25 may be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone, or 'sound lock". The enclosed region is designed to progressively attenuate the sound transmission.

[0059] Third seal 28 is seated within a recess 38 within the top frame 14.

Projection 22 from panel 19 impinges on the bulb section of the seal 28 to create a positive sealing when in a closed position. The seals 26 and 28 create a second enclosed region 27 between them in a closed position. The enclosed region 27 may be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock". Fourth seal 30 is mounted on a flange 39 welded onto the top frame 14, creating the third enclosed region 29, when in a closed position. The enclosed region can be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock'. Fifth seal 31 is mounted on panel 19 and abuts seal 30 when in a closed position. This completes the acoustic maze for the interface between the top frame 14 and panel 19.

[0060] Plate 35 is welded to an inner wall of the top frame 14 and then mounted to the wall 12. The plate 35 stiffens and reinforces the top frame and can be made from a rigid material such as steel or stainless steel. The preferred thickness of the plate is 5mm. Inner wall of the frame 14 is lined with plasterboard 36 at the rebated end. The rest of the internal cavity of the top frame may be filled with grouting 34 after plate 35 is mounted to the wall. Grouting may be masonry or mortar and is added to provide sound deadening to the top frame 14. Optionally, a layer of polymer filled sheet 32 may be added to the exterior wall of the top frame and covered by steel cladding 33 to provide additional sound absorption. The polymer sheet may be a bitumen-based polymer which has known for sound deadening qualities.

[0061] Seal 24 may have a teardrop section is used to provide an airtight seal along the perimeter of the frame. Seal 24 may be mounted to the frame using known adhesives. The seal may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 24 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness with a range of 55 -65.

[0062] Seals 26 and 30 may have a bulb section for the sealing and insulation function and a plurality of fingers for mounting onto flanges 37, 39. When in a closed position, the panel 19 causes the bulb section to compress to form a seal between the frame and panel. Seals 26, 30 may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, Seals 26, 30 are made from a material with a Shore A hardness ranging from 55 to 70.

[0063] Seal 28 may have a bulb section for the sealing and insulation function and a plurality of fingers for securing itself inside recess 38. Seal 28 may be made of a rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 28 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness ranging from 55 to 70.

[0064] Seal 31 may have a teardrop section and is used to provide an airtight seal along the perimeter of the frame. Seal 31 may be mounted to the frame using known adhesives. The seal may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 24 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness with a range of 55 to 65.

[0065] While not shown in the figures, the interface between the top frame 14 and panel 18 may be similar to that described for panel 19.

[0066] In a closed position when panel 19 swings about the hinges, seals 24, 26, 28, 30, 31 are compressed to form an air tight seal between the top frame 14 and panel 19. This creates an acoustic maze and a torturous path for the air passage (marked by the arrows in Fig 2) between panel 19 and frame 14, effectively creating an air tight seal to improve sound transmission loss characteristics.

[0067] Fig 3 is the section view B-B which shows the interface details between Bottom frame 17 and the right door panel 19 in a closed position. Seal 42 is mounted on panel 19 with aid of mounting bracket 41 which may be welded to door panel 19. Seal 44 is mounted on the flange 54 welded onto the bottom frame 17. Seal 44 abuts an edge of panel 19 when in a closed position. The seals 42, 44 create a first enclosed region 43 between them in a closed position. The enclosed region 43 may be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock". The enclosed region is designed to progressively attenuate the sound transmission.

[0068] Third seal 46 is seated within a recess 55 within the bottom frame 17.

Projection 82 from panel 19 impinges on the bulb section of the seal 46 to create a positive sealing when in a closed position. The seals 44 and 46 create a second enclosed region 45 between them in a closed position. The enclosed region 45 may be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock". Fourth seal 48 is mounted on a flange 56 welded onto the bottom frame 17, creating the third enclosed region 47, when in a closed position. The enclosed region can be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock". Fifth seal 49 is mounted on panel 19 and abuts seal 48 when in a closed position. This completes the acoustic maze for the interface between the bottom frame 17 and panel 19.

[0069] Plate 53 is welded to an inner wall of the frame 17 and then mounted to the 13. The plate stiffens and reinforces the bottom frame and can be made from a rigid material such as steel or stainless steel. The preferred thickness of the plate is 5mm. Inner wall of the frame 17 is lined with plasterboard 36 at the rebated end. The rest of the internal cavity of the bottom frame may be filled with grouting 52 after plate 53 is mounted to the floor. Grouting may be masonry or mortar and is added to provide sound deadening to the bottom frame 17. Optionally, a layer of polymer filled sheet 50 may be added to the exterior wall of the top frame and covered by steel cladding 51 to provide additional sound absorption. The polymer sheet may be a bitumen-based polymer which has known for sound deadening qualities.

[0070] Seal 42 may have a teardrop section and is used to provide an airtight seal along the perimeter of the frame. Seal 42 may be mounted to the frame using known adhesives. The seal may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 42 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness with a range of 55 -65.

[0071] Seals 44, 48 may have a bulb section for the sealing and insulation function and a plurality of fingers for mounting onto flanges 54, 56. When in a closed position, the panel 19 causes the bulb section to compress to form a seal between the frame and panel. Seals 44, 48 may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, Seals 44, 48 are made from a material with a Shore A hardness ranging from 55 to 70.

[0072] Seal 46 may have a bulb section for the sealing and insulation function and a plurality of fingers for securing itself inside recess 55. Seal 46 may be made of a rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 46 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness ranging from 55 to 70.

[0073] Seal 49 may have a teardrop section and is used to provide an airtight seal along the perimeter of the frame. Seal 49 may be mounted to the frame using known adhesives. The seal may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 49 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness with a range of 55 to 65.

[0074] While not shown in the Figs, the interface between the bottom frame 17 and panel 18 may be similar to that described for panel 19.

[0075] In a closed position when panel 19 swings about the hinges 57, seals 41, 44 46, 48, 49 are compressed to form an air tight seal between the bottom frame 17 and panel 19. This creates an acoustic maze and a torturous path for the air passage (marked by the arrows in Fig 3) between panel 19 and frame 17, effectively creating an air tight seal to improve sound transmission loss characteristics.

[0076] Figure 4 is the section view C-C which illustrates the interface details between the right frame 16 and panel 19. The interface between panel 18 and the left frame 15 is symmetrical to this section and is not shown. Seal 58 is mounted on the external wall of right frame 16 and provides the first line of acoustic sealing. Seal 60 is mounted on the flange 67 which is welded onto the right frame 16. Seal 60 abuts an edge of panel 19 when in a closed position. The seals 58 and 60 create a first enclosed region 59 between them in a closed position. The enclosed region 59 may be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock". The enclosed region is designed to progressively attenuate the sound transmission.

[0077] The third seal 62 is seated inside a recess 81 formed between flange 67 and frame 16. Seal 62 may abut seal 60 to fit snugly in the recess. Projection 83 from panel 19 impinges on the bulb section of the seal 62 to create a positive sealing. The seals 60 and 62 create a second enclosed region 61 between them in a closed position. The enclosed region 61 may be an acoustic isolation zone or an airtight zone or "sound lock". The enclosed region is designed to progressively attenuate the sound transmission.

[0078] The fourth seal 64 is mounted on a flange 68 welded onto the right frame 16, creating the third enclosed region 63, when in a closed position. The enclosed region can be an acoustic isolation zone or an air-tight zone or "sound lock". Fifth seal 65 is mounted on panel 19 and abuts seal 64 when in a closed position. This completes the acoustic maze for the interface between right frame 16 and panel 19.

[0079] Panel 19 is mounted to the right frame 16 with a plurality of hinges 57.

Preferably, three or more hinges are mounted to the frame. The number of hinges mounted on the frame may be determined by the weight of the panel. The hinges may be mounted to the frame and panels using fasteners or screws. Panel 19 swings about the hinge axis from an open to a closed position. Plate 66 may be provided in the interior of the frame 16. The plate stiffens and reinforces the frame 16, to mount the hinges and support the panel weight.

[0080] The inner wall of the frame 16 may be lined with plasterboard at the rebated end. The rest of the internal cavity of the bottom frame may be filled with grouting/grout. Grouting may be masonry or mortar and is added to provide sound deadening to the right frame 16. Optionally, a layer of polymer filled sheet may be added to the exterior wall of the right frame and covered by steel cladding to provide additional sound absorption. The polymer sheet may be a bitumen-based polymer which has known for sound deadening qualities.

[0081] Seal 58 may be any weather stripping seal. Weather stripping seals are generally used to keep out the weather and reduce noise. Materials for Seal 58 may be vinyl, rubber, or EPDM rubber.

[0082] Seals 60, 62, 64 may have a bulb section for the sealing and insulation function and a plurality of fingers for mounting onto flanges 67, 68 When in a closed position, the panel 19 causes the bulb section to compress to form a seal between the frame and panel. Seals 60, 62, 64 may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, Seals 60, 62, 64 may be made from a material with a Shore A hardness ranging from 55 to 70.

[0083] Seal 65 may have a teardrop section and is used to provide an airtight seal along the perimeter of the frame. Seal 65 may be mounted to the frame using known adhesives. The seal may be made of rubber material such as silicone rubber or soft ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Preferably, seal 65 is made from a material with a Shore A hardness with a range of 55 to 65.

[0084] In the closed position, when panel 19 swings about the hinges 57, seals 58, 60, 62, 64 are compressed to form an air tight seal between the right frame 16 and panel 19. This creates an acoustic maze and a torturous path for the air passage (marked by the arrows in Fig 4) between panel 19 and frame 16, effectively creating an air tight seal to improve sound transmission loss characteristics.

[0085] Fig 5 is the Section view D-D, illustrating the interface details between the right panel 19 and the left panel 18 in the closed position. Astragals 70 and 71 are secured either by fasteners, screws or welding to the right panel 19 and left panel 18 respectively. The astragals are installed such that when in the closed position, both astragals may be opposite each other. The astragals 70, 71 on either panels 18, 19 may provide a recess to house seals 72 and 78. This provides a first line of acoustic sealing from either side of the panels 18, 19. Seals 74 and 76 may be seated in recesses formed in the left panel 18. In the closed position, edges of the right panel 19 impinge on seals 74, 76. The four seals 72, 74, 76, 78 between them create three enclosed regions 73, 75, 77. The enclosed regions 73, 75, 77 may be acoustic isolation zone or air-tight zone or "sound lock". The enclosed regions are designed to progressively attenuate the sound transmission.

[0086] Fig 6 is a section view E-E, illustrating the details of the locking mechanism 23. In the embodiment shown in Fig 6, the locking mechanism is a compression lock and may have a roller handle 79 and a roller plate 80. The roller rides up the plate 80 and locks and engages in place as shown in Fig 6, providing the necessary force to keep the seals and gaskets under compression.

[0087] While some materials for the seals and gaskets are suggested above, the seals may be substituted with other seals with similar shapes and material properties and these would still retain the improved sound transmission loss characteristics as claimed in this invention and achieve an improved STC rating over prior art.

[0088] A method of installing the sealing assembly for a door is as follows. Plates 35, 53, 66 are welded to the respective frames. Flanges 37, 39 are welded to an exterior wall of the top frame. Flanges 54, 56 are welded to an exterior wall of the bottom frame. Flanges 67, 68 are welded to an exterior wall of the left and right frames 15, 16. Plasterboard 36 is fixed to the inner walls of the respective frames using known adhesives. The frame assembly 11 may be secured to the wall 12 and floor 13 using anchor bolts into the wall through plates 35, 53, 66. Grouting 36 is then filled in to occupy the gaps and recess formed on the respective frames.

Bracket 40 is mounted to the panel 19. Bracket 40 may be mounted with adhesives or welded to the panel 19. Seals 26, 30, 44, 48, 60, 64 are fitted onto the flanges 37, 39, 54, 56, 67, 68 respectively, with the plurality of fingers keeping them in place. Seals 28, 46, 67 are fitted snugly into recess 38, 55, 81 respectively. Seal 31 is mounted to panel 19, and similarly to panel 18 with adhesive.

[0089] Astragals 70, 71 are mounted to panels 18, 19 with screws or are welded.

Seals 72, 78 are then snugly fitted into the recesses formed by the astragals. Seals 74, 76 are then seated in the recess formed in panel 18.

[0090] The double leaf door assembly shown in Figure 1 incorporating the sealing assembly, having the following parameters/properties, is tested for airborne sound transmission loss in an indoor accredited acoustics laboratory: [0091] Door dimensions: 2.4 metres (m) (width), 2.40 m (height), 100 mm (thickness) [0092] Door material: 2 mm thick electro-galvanised (EG) steel (stiffener element), 100 mm thick infill, and 2 mm thick electro-galvanised (EG) steel (perimeter).

[0093] Infill material: Mineral-6 mm (density 1100 kg/m3), Gypsum board -12.7 mm and 15 mm thick (density 600-800 kg/m3), Rockwool-43 mm thick (density 60 kg/m3), Bitumen based polymer sheet-5 mm thick (density 3000 kg/m3) [0094] Lockset: Tacam Cremone Lockset [0095] Door and door frame seal: P541, 2039DU, 2045DU, Qingdao B15-5, Qingdao B15-7, A75 and AZ 2 rubber gasket, B1 gasket [0096] Adhesive: Vitrobond, Bostik Fireban-one [0097] Weight of each door panel/ leaf: 368 kg [0098] Measured area of door core: 5.50m2 [0099] Air temperature in both source room and receiving room: 27°C [00100] Relative air humidity in both source and receiving room: 48% [00101] Source room volume: 72m3 [00102] Receiving room volume: 84m3 [00103] The test was conducted in accordance with the test standards ASTM E90 -04 "Standard test method for laboratory measurement of airborne sound transmission loss of building partitions and elements" and ASTM E413 -04 "Classification for rating Sound Insulation" with the stipulated equipment including frequency analyser(s), sound transmitters, receivers, transceivers, audio amplifiers, etc. [00104] Table 1 below shows measured sound transmission loss (TL). The values of sound transmission loss (TL) of the tested sealing assembly (see Figs. 2 to 5) incorporated into the door system (see Fig. 1) are tabulated in Table 1. Sound insulation rating was computed according to the ASTM E413 standard.

Table 1: Measured Sound Transmission Loss, TL, and values of the shifted reference curve for STC = 59 1/3 Octave Band Measured Shifted Reference Deficiency Frequency (Hz) Sound Curve Transmission STC = 59 dB 38.9 40 1.1 41.9 43 1.1 48.3 46 0.0 50.3 49 0.0 250 51.3 52 0.7 315 532 55 1.8 400 54.9 58 3.1 500 55.6 59 3.4 630 55.8 60 4.2 800 57.6 61 3.4 1000 59.0 62 3.0 1250 60.3 63 2.7 1600 62.0 63 1.0 2000 63.5 63 0.0 2500 64.9 63 0.0 3150 67.1 63 0.0 4000 69.8 63 0.0 5000 69.4 63 0.0 Total deficiency (125 kHz -4000 Hz) 24 [00105] The data in Table 1 are plotted in the form of a graph in Fig. 7. The tested seal assembly of the 100 mm thick double leaf/panel metal composite door system was shown to achieve a sound transmission class (STC) of 59.

Claims

CLAIMSA sealing assembly for a door, the door comprising: a top frame, a bottom frame and a pair of side frames mountable to a wall; one or more panels adapted to be connected to the pair of side frames via a plurality of hinges, the one or more panels moveable between an open position, in which a longitudinal plane of the one or more panels are non-parallel to the wall, and a closed position, in which the longitudinal plane of the one or more panels are parallel to the wall; a plurality of seals located around the one or more panels and adaptively connected to the top frame and the one or more panels in the closed position; a plurality of gaskets mountable on the perimeter of the one or more panels; one or more enclosed regions defined between the plurality of seals to inhibit sound transmission, and a locking mechanism located at a distal edge of the one or more panels, away from the plurality of hinges, to be engaged in the closed position to keep the plurality of gaskets under a compressed state.
2. The sealing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first astragal mounted on a front side of the one or more panels and a second astragal mounted on a rear side of the one or more panels, wherein the first and second astragals are opposite to one another when the panels are in the closed position.
3. The sealing assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second astragals house a seal in their respective recesses.
4. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is a compression lock mechanism.
5. The sealing assembly of any of the preceding claims, wherein the top frame has 5 seals.
6. The sealing assembly of any of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom frame has 5 seals.
7. The sealing assembly of any of the preceding claims, wherein the pair of side frames has 5 seals.
8. The sealing assembly of any of the preceding claims, wherein the distal edge of the one or more panels has 4 seals.
9. The sealing assembly of any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the seals have a bulb section and a teardrop section.
10. The sealing assembly of claim 5, wherein a first seal is attached to the one or more panels through a bracket and impinged by an exterior wall of the top frame when in the closed position, and a second seal is connected to the exterior wall of the top frame and impinged by an edge of the one or more panels when in the closed position.
11. The sealing assembly of claim 10, wherein a first enclosed region is defined between the first and second seal.
12. The sealing assembly of claim 11, further comprising a third seal housed within a recess of the exterior wall of the top frame and impinged by a protrusion of the one or more panels when in the closed position.
13. The sealing assembly of claim 12, wherein a second enclosed region is defined between the second and third seal.
14. The sealing assembly of claim 13, further comprising a fourth seal connected to the exterior wall of the top frame and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position.
15. The sealing assembly of claim 14, wherein a third enclosed region is defined between the third and fourth seal.
16. The sealing assembly of claim 15, further comprising a fifth seal attached to the exterior wall of the top frame and abuts the fourth seal when in the closed position.
17. The sealing assembly of claim 6, wherein a first seal is attached to the one or more panels through a bracket and impinged by an exterior wall of the bottom frame when in the closed position, and a second seal is connected to the exterior wall of the bottom frame and impinged by an edge of the one or more panels when in the closed position.
18. The sealing assembly of claim 17, wherein a first enclosed region is defined between the first and second seal.
19. The sealing assembly of claim 18, further comprising a third seal housed within a recess of the exterior wall of the bottom frame and impinged by a protrusion of the one or more panels when in the closed in position.
20. The sealing assembly of claim 19, wherein a second enclosed region is defined between the second and third seal.
21 The sealing assembly of claim 20, further comprising a fourth seal connected to the exterior wall of the bottom frame and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position.
22. The sealing assembly of claim 21, wherein a third enclosed region is defined between the third and fourth seal.
23. The sealing assembly of claim 22, further comprising a fifth seal attached to the exterior wall of the top frame and abuts the fourth seal when in the closed position
24. The sealing assembly of claim 7, wherein a first seal is mounted on an exterior wall of the pair of side frames and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position, and a second seal is mounted to a first flange on the exterior wall of the pair of side frames, away from the first seal and impinged by a section of the one or more panels when in the closed position.
25. The sealing assembly of claim 24, wherein a first enclosed region is defined between the first and second seal.
26. The sealing assembly of claim 25, further comprising a third seal housed within a recess formed by the flange and the exterior wall of the pair of side frames.
27. The sealing assembly of claim 26, wherein a second enclosed region is defined between the second and third seal.
28. The sealing assembly of claim 27, further comprising a fourth seal mounted onto a second flange of the exterior wall of the pair of side frames and impinged by the one or more panels when in the closed position.
29. The sealing assembly of claim 28, wherein a third enclosed region is defined between the third and fourth seal.
30. The sealing assembly of claim 29, further comprising a fifth seal attached to the exterior wall of the pair of side frames and abuts the fourth seal when in the closed position.
31. The sealing assembly of claim 8, further comprising a pair of seals housed within a recess formed by a first panel, the pair of seals abutting a pair of corresponding edges on a second panel when in the closed position.
32. The sealing assembly of claim 4, wherein the compression lock mechanism comprises a roller adapted to roll across a plate mounted onto the one or more panels from an open position to a closed position.
33. The sealing assembly of claim 9, wherein the seals with the bulb section has a plurality of fingers.
34. The sealing assembly of any preceding claims, wherein the seals are made from a rubber material.
35. The sealing assembly of any preceding claims, wherein the top frame, bottom frame and pair of side frames are welded to the wall.
36. The sealing assembly of any preceding claims, wherein the one or more panels are secured by flush bolts in the closed position.
37. The sealing assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of seals are adaptively connected to the bottom frame and the one or more panels in the closed position.
38. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of seals are adaptively connected to the pair of side frames and the one or more panels in the closed position.
39. A method of installing a sealing assembly for a door according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: securing the top frame, bottom frame and the pair of side frames to the wall; fixing the plurality of fingers of the bulb section seals to the flanges; mounting the tear drop seals to the one or more panels; affixing the plurality of gaskets around the perimeter of the one or more panels; mounting the pair of astragals to the one or more panels; and seating the pair of seals into the respective recesses of the astragal.