Abstract
A work-station utilizes sound absorbing, translucent enclosure panels that allows light from outside of the work-station to enter. The translucent enclosure panels have an outside panel, and intermediate panel and an inside panel of a translucent plastic sheet material that form cells for dampening sound transmission through the enclosure panels. The inside panel has a plurality of apertures to allow sound to enter and be dissipated within the internal cells. A sound masking device is configured within the work-station and projects a dampening sound into the work-station, such as along the opening to work-station to produce a masking sound curtain for sound entering the work-station.
Claims
1. A work-station comprising: a) a left-side wall having an extended end and a connected end; b) a right-side wall that is opposing said left-side wall, and having an extended end and a connected end; c) a connector wall extending between the connected ends of the left-side and right-side walls to form a work area; d) a width, a depth and a height; wherein the left-side wall, the right-side wall, and the connector wall all comprises a translucent panel having at least a 60% light transmission according to ASTM D1003, and comprising: an inside panel consisting of a translucent sheet of plastic; a solid outside panel consisting of a translucent sheet of plastic with no apertures therethrough and that extends parallel to the inside panel; an intermediate panel consisting of a translucent sheet of plastic and configured between the inside and outside panels and extending in parallel with the inside and outside panels; a plurality of inside struts that extend substantially perpendicularly from the inside panel to the intermediate panel to produce inside cells having an inside gap distance from the inside panel to the intermediate panel; a plurality of outside struts that extend substantially perpendicularly from the outside panel to the intermediate panel to produce outside cells having an outside gap distance from the outside panel to the intermediate panel; e) a plurality of apertures in the inside panel that allow sound to pass through the inside panel and into the plurality of inside cells to reduce sound within the work-station; wherein the plurality of apertures have a coverage area of at least 20%; f) a sound masking device comprising a speaker that produces a masking sound having at least two frequencies that is projected into the workstation; wherein the translucent panels are obscuring translucent panels, wherein the visibility through the panels is no better than 20/30 as determined with a Snellen chart vision test positioned no more than 5 ft behind the translucent panel and wherein the translucent panels reduce sound passing therethrough, providing at least a 10 decibel (dB) reduction in sound.
2. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the translucent panel has a light transmission of at least 80% according to ASTM D1003.
3. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the inside and outside struts have a thickness of no more than 0.25 inches (6.35 mm).
4. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the translucent panels are translucent panels, wherein the visibility through the panels is no better than 20/40 as determined with a Snellen chart vision test configured no more than 5 ft (1.5 m) behind the translucent panel.
5. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the inside struts have an offset distance between of more than about 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) and less than about 2.5 inches (6.35 cm).
6. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the outside struts have an offset distance of no more than about 5 inches (12.7 cm).
7. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the intermediate panel comprises a plurality of apertures to allow sound to enter into the outside cells and be dissipated.
8. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are at least 1 mm in dimension, and no larger than 5 mm diameter.
9. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures extend only through the inside panel to allow sound within the work-station to enter and be dampened within the inside cells.
10. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures have a coverage area of at least 40%.
11. The work-station of claim 10, wherein the plurality of apertures are configured in a pattern and over substantially the entire inside panel of the left-side wall, the right-side wall and the connector wall.
12. The work-station of claim 1, wherein the sound masking device produces a first frequency that is 90 degrees phase offset from a second frequency.
13. The work-station of claim 1, further comprising a non-continuous ceiling.
14. The work-station of claim 13, further comprising a ceiling sound deflector.
15. The work-station of claim 13, wherein the speaker is located within the non-continuous ceiling that projects the masking sound down from the ceiling along the height direction of the work-station.
16. The work-station of claim 1, further comprising a work-surface.
17. The work-station of claim 16, wherein the speaker is coupled to the work-surface and projects the masking sound up from the work-surface along a height direction of the work-station.
18. The work-station of claim 16, wherein the work-surface is adjustable in height.
19. The work-station of claim 1, comprising an extended work-surface that extends out from at least one of the left-side wall or right-side wall and wherein the width of the work-station is adjustable by movement of one of said left-side wall or right-side walls.
20. The work-station of claim 19, further comprising a telescoping ceiling.
21. The work-station of claim 1, further comprising at least one telescoping translucent enclosure panel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
(2) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and a ceiling panel.
(3) FIG. 2 shows cross-sectional view of an exemplary translucent enclosure panel.
(4) FIG. 3 shows an inside surface view of an exemplary translucent enclosure panel having a plurality of apertures through the inside panel.
(5) FIG. 4 shows cross-sectional view of an exemplary translucent enclosure panel.
(6) FIG. 5 shows an inside surface view of an exemplary translucent enclosure panel having a plurality of apertures through the inside panel.
(7) FIG. 6 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and non-continuous ceiling.
(8) FIG. 7 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and non-continuous ceiling, having a brace element supporting a speaker.
(9) FIG. 8 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and a work-surface that moves up and down within the work-station.
(10) FIG. 9 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and a work-surface.
(11) FIG. 10 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and a work-surface, wherein the left and right-side wall panels are adjustable in width.
(12) FIG. 11 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and a work-surface, wherein the left and right-side wall panels are adjustable in width.
(13) FIG. 12 shows an exemplary work-station having three wall panels and a work-surface, wherein the left and right-side wall panels are adjustable in width.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
(14) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
(15) As used herein, the terms comprises, comprising, includes, including, has, having or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of a or an are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
(16) Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention.
(17) As shown in FIG. 1, an exemplary work-station 10 has translucent enclosure panels 16-16 that forms an enclosure having an entrance opening 12. The work-station comprises a left-side wall 20, a right-side wall 30 and a connector wall 40. A ceiling, or ceiling panel 50 that extends over the top of the wall work-station and is connected to the three wall panels. The left-side wall 20 has a width 23 from an attached end 22 to an extended end 24, wherein the attached end 22 is attached to the connector wall 40 and the extended end boarders the entrance opening 12. The left-wall has a height 26 from the bottom 27 to the top 25. The right-side wall 30 has a width 33 from an attached end 32 to an extended end 34, wherein the attached end 32 is attached to the connector wall 40 and the extended end 34 boarders the opening 12. The right-wall has a height 36 from the bottom 37 to the top 35. The connector wall 40 has a width 43 from the left attached end 42 to the right attached end 32 and a height from a bottom 47 to a top 45, which may be the same as the left-side and right-side wall heights. The ceiling or ceiling panel 50 has a left attached end 52, a right attached end 54, a front opening side 55 and a back side 57. The work-station has a height 13, width 14 and depth 15 that are measured along the inside surface and define an internal volume produced by the enclosure. A plurality of work-stations may be attached together and share a wall. For example, a second work-station may be attached to and share the left-side wall 20 with the work-station 10 shown in FIG. 1 and a third work-station may be attached to and share the right-wall 30 of the work-station 10 shown in FIG. 1. The work-station 10 has a work-surface 110 that extends from the connector wall, horizontally across the width 43 of the work-station. The work-surface may be attached to the connector wall and/or the left-side and right-side walls. A plurality of sound masking devices 90-90 are configured within the work-station 10 and comprise a speaker 92 that produces and projects a masking sound 91 into the work-station. The sound masking device 90 is configured in the ceiling 50 and projects sound down into the works station. A ceiling sound masking device may be configured proximal to the opening 12 and project a masking sound down along the opening of the work-station, to create a sound masking curtain 94 over the opening of the work-station. The sound masking device 90 is configured in the work-surface 110 and projects up vertically into the work-station. A plurality of sound masking devices 90 are configured with the left-side panel and project sound horizontally across the opening 12 of the work-station and may produce a sound masking curtain 94.
(18) Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 5, an exemplary translucent enclosure panel 16 comprises an outside panel 60, an intermediate panel 70 and an inside panel 80. The outside panel has a smooth flat surface 61 and is non-porous, having no apertures through the thickness 62 of the outside panel. The outside panel may effectively reflect sound off of the surface. The intermediate panel 70 extends between and substantially in parallel with the outside panel 60 and inside panel 80 and has a thickness 72. Outside struts 64 extend from the outside panel 60 to the intermediate panel 70 to produce outside cells 68 having a gap distance 66 from the outside panel to the intermediate panel. The outside struts have a thickness 69 and they extend substantially perpendicularly from the outside panel to the intermediate panel. The outside cells may further reduce and dampen sound from outside of the work-station. Inside struts 74 extend from the inside panel 80 to the intermediate panel 70 to produce inside cells 78 having a gap distance 76. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inside panel has a plurality of apertures 87 configured in a pattern over the inside panel surface and that extend through the thickness 82 of the inside panel and enable sound from within the work-station to enter into the inside cells. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the inside panel has a plurality of randomly configured apertures 87. A first aperture 88 is larger in aperture dimension 86 than a second aperture 89. The first and second apertures are circular in shape but as described herein may be polygonal in shape, oval in shape, rectangular in shape, irregularly shaped and the like. The coverage area of the apertures over the inside panel is greater than 40%, as shown in FIG. 3. The apertures may extend over substantially the entire inside panel, such as at least 80% of the inside panel, as measured over the exposed surface area of the inside panel within a work-station. The intermediate panel also comprises a plurality of apertures 87 that extend through the thickness 72 of the intermediate panel and therefore allows some sound to pass unabated through the intermediate apertures from the outside cells 68 to the inside cells 78.
(19) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the exemplary translucent panel 16 has a plurality of apertures 87 through the inside panel that are randomly arranged and comprise a first aperture 88 and second aperture 89. Again, the first aperture is larger than the second aperture.
(20) As shown in FIG. 6, an exemplary work-station 10 has translucent enclosure panels 16-16 that forms an enclosure having an entrance opening 12. The exemplary work-station has no ceiling, or a non-continuous ceiling. The ceiling is completely open in this embodiment. The work-station comprises a left-side wall 20, a right-side wall 30 and a connector wall 40. The sound masking devices 90-90 along the left-side wall panel 20 produce sound that is directed to reduce outside sound disturbances to a working within the work-station. Sound masking device 90 is emitting sound in a downward direction and sound masking device 90 is emitting sound in a substantially horizontal direction. Sound masking device 90 is emitting sound upward into the work-station.
(21) As shown in FIG. 7, an exemplary work-station 10 has translucent enclosure panels 16-16 that forms an enclosure having an entrance opening 12. The work-station comprises a left-side wall 20, a right-side wall 30 and a connector wall 40. The ceiling is a non-continuous ceiling 51, for the purpose of allowing sprinklers to shower the inside of the work-station in the event of a fire. Two ceiling support elements 59 make up the non-continuous ceiling and support the sound masking device 90. The two support elements of the ceiling extend over the top of the wall work-station and are connected to the three wall panels. A ceiling sound deflector 58 is supported by the non-continuous ceiling and is configured to deflect sound from a sound masking device, such as in the ceiling, or from a sound masking device on one of the wall panels or from a sound masking device configured on or coupled to the work-surface. The left-side wall 20 has a width 23 from an attached end 22 to an extended end 24, wherein the attached end 22 is attached to the connector wall 40 and the extended end boarders the entrance opening 12. The left-wall has a height 26 from the bottom 27 to the top 25. The right-side wall 30 has a width 33 from an attached end 32 to an extended end 34, wherein the attached end 32 is attached to the connector wall 40 and the extended end 34 boarders the opening 12. The right-wall has a height 36 from the bottom 37 to the top 35. The connector wall 40 has a width 43 from the left attached end 42 to the right attached end 32 and a height from a bottom 47 to a top 45, which may be the same as the left-side and right-side wall heights. The ceiling or ceiling panel 50 has a left attached end 52, a right attached end 54, a front opening side 55 and a back side 57. The work-station has a height 13, width 14 and depth 15 that are measured along the inside surface and define an internal volume produced by the enclosure. A plurality of work-stations may be attached together and share a wall. For example, a second work-station may be attached to and share the left-side wall 20 with the work-station 10 shown in FIG. 1 and a third work-station may be attached to and share the right-wall 30 of the work-station 10 shown in FIG. 1. The work-station 10 has a work-surface 110 that extends from the connector wall, horizontally across the width 43 of the work-station. The work-surface may be attached to the connector wall and/or the left-side and right-side walls. A plurality of sound masking devices 90-90 are configured within the work-station 10 and comprise a speaker 92 that produces and projects a masking sound 91 into the work-station. The sound masking device 90 is configured in the ceiling 50 and projects sound down into the works station. A ceiling sound masking device may be configured proximal to the opening 12 and project a masking sound down along the opening of the work-station, to create a sound masking curtain 94 over the opening of the work-station. The sound masking device 90 is configured in the work-surface 110 and projects up vertically into the work-station. A plurality of sound masking devices 90 are configured with the left-side panel and project sound horizontally across the opening 12 of the work-station and may produce a sound masking curtain 94.
(22) As shown in FIG. 8, an exemplary work-station 10 has three wall panels 20, 30 and 40, and a work-surface 110 that moves up and down within the work-station. The work-surface is shown in an up position, at a work station height 112 to accommodate a working while standing. The work-surface height may be adjustable from about 28 inches to about 48 inches, as measured from a floor or ground surface. Sound masking devices 90-90, such as speakers 92 are producing masking sound 91 that is projected into the work-station. This exemplary enclosure does not have a ceiling, or has a discontinuous ceiling.
(23) As shown in FIG. 9, an exemplary work-station 10 has three wall panels 20, 30 and 40 and a work-surface 110. The left-side wall 20 and right-side wall 30 are configured to move to change the width 14 of the work-station. The work-surface 110 is an extended work-surface 114 that extends out from at least one of the left or right-side walls. The ceiling 50 is a telescoping ceiling 53 that enables the work-station to change in width. The connector wall 40 may also be telescoping or may be solid and also be extended out from the left-side and/or right-side walls. The left-side wall and right-side wall may be supported, at least in part, by the work-surface. Sound masking devices 90-90, such as speakers 92 are producing masking sound 91 that is projected into the work-station.
(24) As shown in FIG. 10, an exemplary work-station 10 has three wall panels 20, 30 and 40 and a work-surface 110. The left-side wall 20 and right-side wall 30 are configured to move to change the width 14 of the work-station. The work-surface 110 is an extended work-surface 114 that extends out from both the left-side or right-side walls. The ceiling 50 is a telescoping ceiling 53 that enables the work-station to change in width. The connector wall 40 may also be telescoping or may be solid and also be extended out from the left-side and/or right-side walls. The The left-side wall and right-side wall may be supported at least in part by the work-surface. Sound masking devices 90-90, such as speakers 92 are producing masking sound 91 that is projected into the work-station.
(25) As shown in FIG. 11, an exemplary work-station 10 has three wall panels 20, 30 and 40 and a work-surface 110. The left-side wall 20 and right-side wall 30 are configured to move to change the width 14 of the work-station. The connector wall and/or ceiling may be fixed and may extend out from the left-side and/or the right-side wall and the left-side and/or right-side walls may slide in and out, as indicated by the double bold arrow to change the width 14 of the work-station. The extended connector wall may be attached to the extended ceiling and may also be attached to the extended work-surface. The wall panels, the left-side and/or right side walls may slide with respect to the connector wall and the ceiling and/or work-surface attached thereto. A plurality of wall panels, may be configured along the work-surface and be adjustable in width to accommodate different work requirements. The work-surface 110 is an extended work-surface 114 that extends out from at least one of the left or right-side walls. The left-side wall and right-side wall may be supported, at least in part, by the work-surface. Sound masking devices 90-90, such as speakers 92 are producing masking sound 91 that is projected into the work-station.
(26) As shown in FIG. 12, the ceiling is a telescoping ceiling 53 and the three translucent enclosure panels, 16, 16 and 16 are all telescoping panels 56, 56 and 56 respectively and may telescope in the width or height direction. The work station may be adjustable in both width and height.
(27) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
