초록 ▼

A set of acoustic components having complementarily tessellated shapes such that they may be nested together to constitute a rectangular parellelepiped, suitable for efficient storage and shipping. Each component also has a flat side. The shape set is further defined such that many aesthetically att

A set of acoustic components having complementarily tessellated shapes such that they may be nested together to constitute a rectangular parellelepiped, suitable for efficient storage and shipping. Each component also has a flat side. The shape set is further defined such that many aesthetically attractive, sculpture-like configurations may be created through installation of the components on a flat surface of a building such as a wall or ceiling, while substantially modifying the acoustic properties of the building feature. Acoustically absorptive, reflective, and diffusive components can be used in combinations with each other in order to achieve desired acoustic treatment of the building feature. Several methods of fabrication of the acoustic components are disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A component system for creating an acoustic sculpture with functionally selective absorption, diffusion, and reflection of acoustic energy comprising: a set of three or more solid acoustic treatment components having three or more geometric shapes unique within said set, said

What is claimed is: 1. A component system for creating an acoustic sculpture with functionally selective absorption, diffusion, and reflection of acoustic energy comprising: a set of three or more solid acoustic treatment components having three or more geometric shapes unique within said set, said unique shapes having complementary three-dimensional block tessellation shape relationship with all other components in said set, and each component having at least one substantially flat side; wherein said set of components nests into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped volume in a storage and shipment arrangement having no substantial voids within said volume; wherein said components provide a combination acoustic treatment of absorption, diffusion, and reflection in an installation arrangement affixed to a substantially planar building surface upon said component flat sides, and wherein said combination acoustic treatment of absorption, diffusion, and reflection is selectively determined according to an installation pattern through rotation and spacing of said components within said set on said planar building surface, said installation pattern forming a three-dimensional sculpture other than a repeating egg-crate pattern. a repeating pyramidal pattern, a repeating wedge pattern, and a cylinder. 2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the components is substantially acoustically absorptive. 3. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the absorptive component comprises a material selected from the group of acoustical foam, polyester, glass fiber, mineral fiber, and organic fiber. 4. The system as set forth in claim 2 further comprising an acoustically reflective skin disposed upon at least one surface of a component. 5. The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the reflective skin comprises a directly applied material selected from the group of paint, latex, foam coating, and polyurethane. 6. The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the skin comprises a chemically or thermally hardened component surface. 7. The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the skin comprises a material preformed to a component shape and adhesively applied to a component surface. 8. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the skin material is selected from the group of polyvinyl chloride, wood, metal, vinyl, closed-cell foam, and plastic. 9. The system as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a coating applied to said preformed skin selected from the group of paint, latex, and polyurethane. 10. The system as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a veneer adhered to said preformed skin selected from the group of wood, metal, vinyl, plastic, paper, or cloth. 11. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one component is substantially acoustically non-absorptive. 12. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the non-absorptive component comprises a material selected from the group of polyvinyl chloride, closed-cell foam, wood, metal, vinyl, and plastic. 13. The system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a perforated surface on said non-absorptive component to increase absorption of acoustic energy. 14. A method of providing an acoustic sculpture for treating a building feature for functionally selective absorption, diffusion, and reflection of acoustic energy, comprising: receiving a set of three or more solid acoustic treatment components having three or more geometric shapes unique within said set, said unique shapes having complementary three-dimensional block tessellation shape relationship with all other components in said set, and each component having at least one substantially flat side, said set of components being nested in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped volume in a storage and shipment arrangement having no substantial voids within said volume; removing three or more components from the nested arrangement; and forming a substantially planar sculpture installation arrangement of said removed components by affixing said removed components along said flat sides to a building feature; wherein said components provide a combination acoustic treatment of absorption, diffusion, and reflection in said installation arrangement; and wherein said combination acoustic treatment of absorption, diffusion, and reflection is selectively determined according to an installation pattern through rotation and spacing of said components within said set on said planar building surface, said installation pattern forming a three-dimensional sculpture other than a repeating egg-crate pattern, a repeating pyramidal pattern, a repeating wedge pattern. and a cylinder. 15. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the building feature comprises a wall. 16. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the building feature comprises a ceiling. 17. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein at least one surface of a removed component is substantially absorptive. 18. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein at least one surface of a removed components is substantially acoustically non-absorptive. 19. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said planar arrangement comprises areas of exposed portions of the building feature without cutting the components. 20. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said planar arrangement completely covers a treated area of the building feature without cuffing the components. 21. A method of producing a set of acoustic sculpture components with functionally selective absorption, diffusion, and reflection of acoustic energy comprising: fabricating from an acoustically absorptive material a set of three or more solid acoustic treatment components having three or more geometric shapes unique within said set, said unique shapes having complementary three-dimensional block tessellation shape relationship with all other components in said set, and each component having at least one substantially flat side; wherein said components nest into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped volume in a storage and shipment arrangement having no substantial voids within said volume; wherein said components provide a combination acoustic treatment of absorption, diffusion, and reflection in an installation arrangement affixed to a substantially planar building surface upon said component flat sides, and wherein said combination acoustic treatment of absorption, diffusion, and reflection is selectively determined according to an installation pattern through rotation and spacing of said components within said set on said planar building surface, said installation pattern forming a three-dimensional sculpture other than a repeating egg-crate pattern, a repeating pyramidal pattern. a repeating wedge pattern, and a cylinder. 22. The method as set forth in claim 21 wherein fabricating comprises: providing a substantially rectangular parellelepiped portion of said selected material, the portion having a plurality of sides; selecting a plurality of cutting lines, curves, or both to define the component shapes; and executing a plurality of linear point-to-point cuts through two or more of the sides according to the selected cutting lines, curves, or both lines and curves. 23. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the-step-of executing cuts is preceded by: performing a first linear point-to-point cut through a first pair of sides; and performing a second linear point-to-point cut through a second pair of sides other than the first pair of sides. 24. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed at an angle relative to at least one of the sides other than a substantially right angle. 25. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed in a path through the sides to yield a curved surface on at least two of the components. 26. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed using a profile cutter. 27. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed using a hot wire knife. 28. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed using a water knife. 29. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed using a die cutter. 30. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein at least one of the point-to-point cuts is executed using a laser cutter. 31. The method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the components are produced by a molding process. 32. The method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the components are produced molding or cutting sheets of material to the shapes of the individual component faces; and assembling the individual faces into the three-dimensional tessellated components. 33. The method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising disposing a substantially acoustically reflective skin upon at least one surface of the components. 34. The method as set forth in claim 33 wherein the step of disposing a skin comprises directly applying to the component surface a material selected from the group of paint, latex, foam coating, and polyurethane. 35. The method as set forth in claim 33 wherein the step of disposing a skin comprises chemically or thermally hardening the component surface. 36. The method as set forth in claim 33 wherein disposing a skin comprises: preforming a skin material to a component shape; and adhesively applying the material to the component surface. 37. The method as set forth in claim 36 wherein the skin material is selected from a group comprising polyvinyl chloride, wood, metal, vinyl, closed-cell foam, and plastic. 38. The method as set forth in claim 36 further comprising applying to the preformed skin a coating selected from the group of paint, latex, and polyurethane. 39. The method as set forth in claim 36 further comprising adhering to the pre-formed skin a veneer selected from a group comprising wood, metal, vinyl, plastic, paper, or cloth. 40. The method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising perforating at least one surface of the components to increase absorption of acoustic energy. 41. The method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising the step of packing the components into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped arrangement. 42. The method as set forth in claim 41 further comprising the step of shipping the packed components. 43. The method as set forth in claim 42 further comprising: receiving the packed components; removing the components from the stacked arrangement; and repositioning and installing the components into a three-dimensional planar formation onto a building feature. 44. The method as set forth in claim 43 wherein the building feature comprises a wall. 45. The method as set forth in claim 43 wherein the building feature is a ceiling. 46. The method as set forth in claim 43 wherein the formation includes components of at least two different types of components selected from a group comprising acoustically absorptive components, acoustically non-absorptive components, components with a reflective skin, and components with at least one perforated surface. 47. The method as set forth in claim 43 wherein the formation provides areas of exposed portions of the building feature without cutting the components. 48. The method as set forth in claim 43 wherein the formation completely covers the treated area of the building feature without cutting the components.