Method of acoustic damping within electronic device cabinetry
Cabinetry for a variety electronic devices that facilitates acoustic attenuation. Although significantly lighter in weight, the structural integrity of the cabinetry tends to be comparable to conventional cabinetry. The cabinetry utilizes expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam to form the basic shell or core with the shape of the desired enclosure. Appropriate coatings are then added to the surface of the EPS shell to ensure durability. The low mass, low modulus of elasticity and high internal damping of the EPS core of the completed enclosure strongly absorbs and, thus, attenuates noise emanating from within the enclosure. The addition of high density coating(s) to the faces of the EPS core provide high weight per unit area material that further blocks the passage of sound through the EPS core.
1 . A method of reducing noise emanating from the interior of a consumer electronic device, comprising the steps of
absorbing noise emanating from within a consumer electronic device in an expanded polystyrene (EPS) structural panel of a cabinet of the consumer electronic device, and
blocking passage of noise through the EPS structural panel with a coating of material on the outer surface of the EPS structural panel.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming an EPS structural panel with an expanded bulk density in a range of about 2 to 3 pounds per cubic foot.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming an EPS structural panel with an expanded bulk density of about 3 pounds per cubic foot.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming an EPS structural panel from polystyrene beads having an unexpanded bulk density of about 60 pounds per cubic feet.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming the cabinet of the consumer electronic device from EPS structural panels.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the panels are integrally formed.
7 . The method of claim 2 wherein the EPS panel is coated with a high density material.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the high density material is plastic.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the high density material is a urethane material.
10 . A sound attenuating enclosure for consumer electronic device comprising
an enclosure shell comprising an expanded polystyrene (EPS) core having a low modulus of elasticity and high internal damping, and
a high density coating applied to the surface of the shell to further block passage of sound through the shell.
11 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the EPS core has an expanded bulk density in a range of about 2 to 3 pounds per cubic feet.
12 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the EPS core has an expanded bulk density of about 3 pounds per cubic feet.
13 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the EPS core is formed from polystyrene material having an unexpanded bulk density of about 60 pounds per cubic feet.
14 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the EPS core comprises a plurality of individual EPS panels coupled together.
15 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the high density coating comprises a plastic material.
16 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the high density coating comprises a urethane material.
17 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 16 wherein the urethane material is Styrothane™.
18 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the consumer electronic device is a television.
19 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the consumer electronic device is an audio-video receiver.
20 . The sound attenuating enclosure of claim 10 wherein the consumer electronic device is a audio speaker.