초록 ▼

Fluidic constructs, including grouped stacks of fluidic elements, that provide countersound to control sound in a noisy environment, prevent radiation of sound from vibrating surfaces, reduce sound-induced vibration of surfaces, and absorb sound that might otherwise impact on surfaces, are provided.

Fluidic constructs, including grouped stacks of fluidic elements, that provide countersound to control sound in a noisy environment, prevent radiation of sound from vibrating surfaces, reduce sound-induced vibration of surfaces, and absorb sound that might otherwise impact on surfaces, are provided. These constructs may have a wide range of geometries for specific applications, but generally include a face plate on one side, and a back plate on the other side. Supply ports on the back plate provide a supply of fluid that flows through the construct, while undergoing acoustic modulation through fluidic amplifiers. The face plate includes input ports that sense sound waves to be controlled, and transmits this sound to influence the acoustic modulation of the supplied fluid. The construct produces an amplified output, having sound out of phase with the sound sensed by the input ports, at output ports on the face plate in a sufficient volume to substantially neutralize incoming sound waves, or reduce sound radiation from an object. Any sound produced by the construct of the invention that is substantially in phase with sound to be neutralized is dumped at a sufficient distance from the produced countersound to minimize interference.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [10.] A method of attenuating sound waves in a fluid environment, the method comprising:(a) receiving at a plurality of input ports sound waves to be attenuated, each input port located

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [10.] A method of attenuating sound waves in a fluid environment, the method comprising:(a) receiving at a plurality of input ports sound waves to be attenuated, each input port located proximate to a corresponding output port, said input ports and corresponding output ports are located in a face plate;(b) supplying the sound waves to be attenuated received at each of the plurality of input ports to a corresponding stack of fluidic elements for amplitude and phase modulating a pressurized fluid supplied to the stacks of fluidic elements to produce modulated pressurized fluid that is out of phase with the sound waves received at the corresponding input ports, said stacks of fluidic elements including fluidic amplifiers, the fluidic elements included in a stack of fluid laminae such that the fluidic elements in adjacent laminae are interconnected, the plurality of input ports being located on one surface of said stack of fluid laminae;(c) conducting the out-of-phase modulated pressurized fluid produced by said stacks of fluidic elements to corresponding output ports; and(d) eliminating interference between the out-of-phase modulated pressurized fluid conducted to the corresponding output port and a residual portion of the pressurized fluid supplied to the stacks of fluidic elements.