AU2003203458B2 - Active sound reduction apparatus and active noise insulation wall having same - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 DIVISIONAL APPLICATION NAME OF APPLICANT: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: "Active sound reduction apparatus and active noise insulation wall having same" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-18315 filed on January 26, 2001 including specification, claims, drawings and summary is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION i. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an active sound reduction apparatus, and an active noise insulation wall having it. More specifically, the invention relates to them which are laid along highways, ordinary roads, and railways, and which are useful in insulating noises caused by traveling vehicles, trains, etc. as sound sources.

2. Description of the Related Art To insulate noise from a sound source, such as a vehicle or a train traveling on a highway, an ordinary road, or a railway, a noise insulation wall is erected along such a highway or the like. In recent years, an active acoustic control cell has been developed as an effective insulator of noise produced in such a case.

The active acoustic control cell senses a sound from a sound source by a microphone, and processes an electric signal based thereon to generate a sound from a speaker so that a sound pressure at a predetermined position is reduced to zero, thereby reducing noise which is propagated after diffraction from the sound source to the outside of a noise insulation wall. That is, this type of active acoustic control cell is disposed on an upper end surface of the noise insulation wall, a vertical wall provided along a road or the like. This active acoustic control cell performs control in such a manner as to decrease a diffracted sound pressure component (at the upper end surface) of coming noise by active means (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1997-119114).

FIG. 27 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing an example of an active noise insulation wall having such an active acoustic control cell. As shown in the drawing, a plurality of the active acoustic control cells A are disposed on an upper end surface of a noise insulation wall B, a vertical wall, along a longitudinal direction of the noise insulation wall B.

The active acoustic control cell A has a structure in which a speaker 2 being a sound wave generator, an amplifier 3, a skin material 4, a microphone 5 being a sound detector, and a control circuit 6 are integrated into a casing i. The speaker 2 is opposed to the skin material 4 so that a sound wave generated by the speaker 2 is incident on the skin material 4. The microphone is installed at a position between the skin material 4 and the speaker 2. Thus, the speaker 2 outputs an electric signal corresponding to a sound wave detected by the microphone 5. Based on the electric signal, the control circuit 6 performs predetermined computation, and issues a control signal obtained thereby to the amplifier 3. The amplifier 3 sends a drive signal corresponding to the control signal to the speaker 2.

The speaker 2 generates a sound wave corresponding to the drive signal. Transfer characteristics G based on the characteristics of the speaker 2, amplifier 3, microphone 5 and control circuit 6 is adjusted to negative infinity or a value close to negative infinity, or or avalue close to so that control is performed over a broad range of frequencies. That is the control circuit 6 stores a pattern of the transfer characteristics G at each frequency, performs required computations in response to electric signals sent from the microphone 5, and feeds predetermined control signals to the amplifier 3. The transfer characteristics G is controlled in this manner. Thus, if the sound pressure acting on the microphone 5 is designated as P, and a control sound pressure produced by the speaker 2, as Pc, then Pc G'P holds. As aresult, the sound pressure of a diffracted sound originating from a noise source a driveway side), changing in direction at the upper end surface of the noise insulation wall B upon diffraction, and leaking to an opposite side of the noise insulation wall B a private house side) can be decreased.

FIG. 27 shows an example of only one row of the active acoustic control cells A disposed along the noise insulation wall B. There is no restriction on the number of rows of the active acoustic control cells A. The number of rows of the active acoustic control cells A can be determined, as desired, according to the level of the noise to be decreased. An active noise insulation wall according to an earlier technology, having three rows of the active acoustic control cells A disposed thereon, is shown in FIG. 28. As the drawing shows, in this type of active noise insulation wall, three of the active acoustic control cells A are arranged in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the noise insulation wall B, without spacing between the adjacent active acoustic control cells.

In the active noise insulation wall according to the earlier technologies, as described above, it induces a cost increase to broaden the frequency band targeted by the active acoustic control cell, or to provide a plurality of the active acoustic control cells.

That is, the conventional active noise insulation wall is not sufficient for reducing nose effectively at a low cost.

P:\OPER\D 12186850 p.doc-04110/04 0, O SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, there is provided an active noise 00 insulation wall having a plurality of rows formed by spacing adjacent rows by a predetermined distance, each of the rows being formed from a plurality of active acoustic control cells, disposed in a longitudinal direction of a noise insulation c wall, for controlling noise such that a diffracted sound pressure component of 0incident noise at an upper end surface of the noise insulation wall is actively reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are P:OPERDHI 218650 dido-.28/O3103 -6given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are explanation drawings conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a first example of an apparatus, in which FIG. l(a) shows one sound tube, and FIG. 1 shows two sound tubes; FIG. 2 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a second example of an apparatus; FIG. 3 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a third example of an apparatus; FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are views showing a fourth example of an apparatus, in which FIG. 4(a) is an explanation drawing conceptually showing the apparatus of the fourth example in a partly extracted form, and FIG. 4(b) is an explanation drawing showing an acoustic resonator of the fourth example in an extracted and enlarged form; FIG. 5 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, a fifth example of an apparatus; FIG. 6 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, a sixth example of an apparatus; FIG. 7 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, a seventh example of an apparatus; FIG. 8 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, an eighth example of an apparatus; FIG. 9 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, a ninth example of an apparatus; FIG. 10 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, a tenth example of an apparatus; FIG. 11 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, an eleventh example of an apparatus; FIG. 12 is an explanation drawing conceptually extracted form, a twelfth example of an apparatus; FIG. 13 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly showing, in a partly P:\OPER\DH\I2 18850 di,.doc.28/O303 -7extracted form, a thirteenth example of an apparatus; FIG. 14 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a fourteenth example of an apparatus; FIGS. 15 and 15(b) are explanation drawings conceptually showing modifications of the structure of a noise insulation wall in an active noise insulation wall; FIG. 16 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a fifteenth example of an arrangement of apparatus; FIG. 17 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a sixteenth example of an arrangement of apparatus; FIG. 18 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a seventeenth example of an arrangement of apparatus; FIG. 19 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, an eighteenth example of an arrangement of apparatus; FIG. 20 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing a modification of the structure of a noise insulation wall in an active noise insulation wall; FIG. 21 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a nineteenth example of an arrangement of apparatus; FIG. 22 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing an example of a noise killer cell used in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 21; FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the noise killer cell illustrated in FIG. 22; FIG. 24 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a twentieth example of an arrangement of apparatus; FIG. 25 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing an active acoustic control cell having composite killer functions used in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 24; FIG. 26 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing another example of the noise killer cell used in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 21; FIG. 27 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing an active noise insulation wall having a row of active acoustic control cells according to an earlier P:OPER\DH I 2186850 din.do-2H803 03 -8technology; and FIG. 28 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing an active noise insulation wall having three rows of the active acoustic control cells according to an earlier technology.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings, the same members will be assigned the same numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted.

<First Example> FIGS. l(a) and l(b) are explanation drawings conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a first example of an apparatus, in which FIG. 1(a) shows one sound tube, and FIG. l(b) shows two sound tubes. As shown in both drawings, an active acoustic control cell Al has the same configuration and function as those of the active acoustic control cell A illustrated in FIG. 27. That is, the active acoustic control cell Al decreases a diffracted sound pressure component (at the relevant site) of a coming noise by active means. The active acoustic control cell Al is combined with a sound tube D1 or sound tubes D1, D2 to constitute a composite active sound reduction apparatus C1. The sound tubes D1 and D2 are different in length. A plurality of the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 are disposed in a row on an upper end surface of a noise insulation wall B 1, a vertical wall, along a longitudinal direction of the noise insulation wall B1. The left side in the drawing is a noise source side, a driveway side, while the right side in the drawing is, for example, a private house side.

The active sound reduction apparatus C1 is constituted by placing the one sound tube D1 or the plurality of sound tubes D1, D2 adjacently to the active acoustic control cell Al on a side opposite to the source of noise to be reduced.

The sound tubes D1, D2 have lengths which are nearly of wavelengths other than a control target frequency of the active acoustic control cell Al. Thus, the sound tubes D1, D2 reduce noise of a frequency component different from that of the active acoustic control cell Al. FIG. l(a) shows one sound tube, D1, disposed adjacent to the active acoustic control cell Al on the side opposite to the noise P:,OPERID1II 2186850 di.d- .281O303 -9source. Whereas FIG. I(b) shows two sound tubes, D1 and D2, disposed adjacent to the active acoustic control cell Al on the side opposite to the noise source.

The active acoustic control cell Al can effectively reduce noise of a specific frequency and a frequency component close to the specific frequency, while the sound tube D1 or the sound tubes D1, D2 can also reduce noises of specific frequencies defined by their lengths, and noises of frequency components close to the specific frequencies. That is, the active acoustic control cell Al and the sound tube D1 or the sound tubes D1, D2 function compositely in reducing noises, and can effectively reduce noises in a broad frequency region. By restricting the frequency band which the active acoustic control cell is responsible for, the cost can be decreased. The frequency f of a sound wave which can be decreased by the sound tubes D1, D2 is determined by the following equation (rough estimate): f C/4L [Equation 1] where C is the sound velocity Thus, when the length of the sound tube D is 0.16 m, f= 531 In this case, a sound wave of a frequency of about 531 to 1,000 (Hz) is targeted, and its sound pressure can be decreased.

<Second Example> FIG. 2 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a second example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, a sound tube D3 of an active sound reduction apparatus C1 has a structure in which a sound absorption material 11 A is disposed at the bottom of the sound tube D1 shown in FIG. 1. This structure is designed to avoid an amplifying effect on a sound wave corresponding to a length which is nearly a half of a wavelength of a sound wave whose sound pressure is decreased by the sound tube D3. That is, the sound absorption material 1 lA satisfactorily absorbs the above sound wave corresponding to the nearly half length, and a sound wave of a frequency close to the sound wave.

<Third Example> P:'OPER\DH I 2186850 di\,doc28103103 FIG. 3 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a third example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, a sound tube D4 of an active sound reduction apparatus C1 has a structure in which an acoustic resistor 12A, such as a porous plate, is disposed midway through the sound tube D1 illustrated in FIG. 1. This structure is designed to avoid an amplifying effect on a sound wave corresponding to a length which is nearly a half of a wavelength of a sound wave whose sound pressure is decreased by the sound tube D4. That is, the acoustic resistor 12A satisfactorily decreases the above sound wave corresponding to the nearly half length, and a sound wave of a frequency close to the sound wave.

<Fourth Example> FIG. 4(a) is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a fourth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, a sound tube D5 of an active sound reduction apparatus C 1 has a structure in which an acoustic resonator 13A is provided in a form continued from the bottom of the sound tube D1 shown in FIG. 1. This structure is designed to avoid an amplifying effect on a sound wave corresponding to a length which is nearly a half of a wavelength of a sound wave whose sound pressure is decreased by the sound tube That is, the acoustic resonator 13A satisfactorily decreases the sound pressure of the above sound wave corresponding to the nearly half length, and a sound wave of a frequency close to the sound wave.

The frequency f of a sound wave which can be decreased by the acoustic resonator 13A, which is shown as an extracted view in FIG. is determined by the following equation (rough estimate): f=(C 2z) (S/1)/V [Equation 2] where C is the sound velocity 1 is the length of a neck portion, S is the cross sectional area (m 2 of the neck portion, and V is the volume (m 3 of the acoustic resonator.

<Fifth Example> FIG. 5 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly P:'OPERODIfIl 21 86850 di.doc-.280103 -11extracted formn, a fifth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the apparatus is a modification of that illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and namely, the modification in which the sound tube D5 shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) is omitted, and an acoustic resonator 13C is disposed directly on the surface. The acoustic resonator 13C minimizes the sound pressure of a sound wave of a specific frequency at a site near its entrance, thereby decreasing the sound wave of the frequency. Since the acoustic resonator is used, the frequency to be decreased can be controlled arbitrarily even in a limited space. The frequency of the sound wave that can be decreased by the acoustic resonator 13C is determined by the aforementioned Equation 2.

The active sound reduction apparatus can be produced at a low cost, in comparison with a tenth example to be described later on.

In the foregoing first to fifth examples, the active sound reduction apparatus C1 having only one active acoustic control cell Al is used. However, the single active acoustic control cell Al is not restrictive, and the number of the acoustic control cells Al may be two or more.

Arrangements involving two active acoustic control cells will be described as sixth to twelfth examples.

<Sixth Example> FIG. 6 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing an active sound reduction apparatus C2 disposed on a noise insulation wall B1, the active sound reduction apparatus C2 having two active acoustic control cells. As shown in the drawing, the active sound reduction apparatus C2 has the active acoustic control cell Al illustrated in FIG. and another active acoustic control cell A2 disposed adjacent to the sound tube D2 on its side opposite to a noise source.

The additional active acoustic control cell A2 may be designed to decrease the frequency of a sound wave which is different from those of the active acoustic control cell Al on the noise source side and the sound tubes D1, D2.

Accordingly, the active acoustic control cells Al, A2 can effectively reduce noises of frequencies specific to them, and noises of frequency components close to the specific frequencies. Furthermore, the sound tubes D1, P:1OPERDI\ 2 186850 di.d-28,03103 -12- D2 can reduce noises of specific frequencies defined by their lengths, and noises of frequency components close to the specific frequencies. That is, the active acoustic control cells Al, A2 and the sound tubes D1, D2 exhibit composite functions in reducing noises. Thus, they can effectively reduce noises in a broader frequency region than that in the first example having the single active acoustic control cell Al, and can enhance a noise reducing effect.

<Seventh Example> FIG. 7 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a seventh example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, sound tubes D3, D6 of an active sound reduction apparatus C2 have structures in which sound absorption materials 1 lA, 1 lB are disposed at the bottom of the sound tubes D1, D2 shown in FIG. 6. These structures are designed to avoid an amplifying effect on sound waves corresponding to lengths which are nearly a half of wavelengths of sound waves whose sound pressures are decreased by the sound tubes D3, D6. That is, the sound absorption materials 1IA, llB satisfactorily absorb the above sound waves corresponding to the nearly half lengths, and sound waves of frequencies close to the sound waves.

<Eighth Example> FIG. 8 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, an eighth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, sound tubes D4, D7 of an active sound reduction apparatus C2 have structures in which acoustic resistors 12A, 12B, such as porous plates, are disposed midway through the sound tubes D1, D2 shown in FIG. 6. These structures are designed to avoid an amplifying effect on sound waves corresponding to lengths which are nearly a half of wavelengths of sound waves whose sound pressures are decreased by the sound tubes D4, D7. That is, the acoustic resistors 12A, 12B satisfactorily decrease the above sound waves corresponding to the nearly half lengths, and sound waves of frequencies close to the sound waves.

<Ninth Example> FIG. 9 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a ninth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, sound P:OPER\DII 2186850 di,'dc-21S'0303 -13tubes D5, DS of an active sound reduction apparatus C2 have structures in which acoustic resonators 13A, 13B are provided in a form continued from the bottom of the sound tubes D1, D2 shown in FIG. 6. These structures are designed to avoid an amplifying effect on sound waves corresponding to lengths which are nearly a half of wavelengths of sound waves whose sound pressures are decreased by the sound tubes D5, D8. That is, the acoustic resonators 13A, 13B satisfactorily decrease the sound pressures of the above sound waves corresponding to the nearly half lengths, and sound waves of frequencies close to these sound waves.

The frequency f of the sound wave that can be decreased by the acoustic resonator 13B can also be determined by the same equation as for the acoustic resonator 13A.

<Tenth Example> FIG. 10 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a tenth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, acoustic resonators 13C, 13D of an active sound reduction apparatus C2 are directly disposed on the surface of the apparatus. The acoustic resonators 13C, 13D minimize the sound pressures of sound waves of specific frequencies at sites near their entrances, thereby decreasing the sound wave of the frequencies. Since the acoustic resonators are used, the frequencies to be decreased can be controlled arbitrarily even in limited spaces. The frequency f of the sound wave that can be decreased by the acoustic resonator 13D can be determined by the same equation (see Equation 2) as for the acoustic resonator 13C.

The noises of two different types of frequencies, other than those which can be decreased by an active sound reduction apparatus, can be reduced in comparison with the fifth example.

<Eleventh Example> FIG. 11 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, an eleventh example of an apparatus of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, a sound tube D9 of an active sound reduction apparatus C2 has a bottom portion buried in a depression formed in an upper surface of a noise insulation wall B1. The length of the sound tube D9 is determined by the

I

P:OPER\DH2I 186850 di,.do-28,03/03 14wavelength of a sound wave which is decreased by this sound tube, as stated above. Thus, the lower the frequency of a sound wave to be decreased, the longer the sound tube D9 is. By burying the bottom portion of the sound tube D9 in the depression formed in the upper surface of the noise insulation wall B1, the entire bulk can be decreased.

<Twelfth Example> FIG. 12 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a twelfth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, a noise insulation wall B2 has an upper portion inclined toward a noise source (leftward in the drawing). The active sound reduction apparatus C2 is mounted on the noise insulation wall B2 with the use of this inclined surface. A sound absorption material may be disposed on a side surface of the noise insulation wall B2 on the noise source side.

<Thirteenth Example> FIG. 13 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a thirteenth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, a noise insulation wall B3 has an upper portion branched to form an inclined surface B31 inclined toward a noise source (leftward in the drawing) and an inclined surface B32 inclined toward a side opposite to the noise source side. The active sound reduction apparatus C2 is disposed between both inclined surfaces B31 and B32. A sound absorption material may be disposed on a side surface of the noise insulation wall B3 on the noise source side.

<Fourteenth Example> FIG. 14 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a fourteenth example of an apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the whole of an active sound reduction apparatus C2 is tiltable about a turn portion O as a turn center.

A noise insulation region can be adjusted, because the shape and the angle of inclination of the active sound reduction apparatus C2 determine a region in which the sound pressure of a diffracted wave can be decreased by the active sound reduction apparatus C2.

P:'OPEiR\DlhI 2186S50 di'.d8 -2810303 The active sound reduction apparatuses used in the active noise insulation walls according to the foregoing first to fourteenth examples need not be limited to the active sound reduction apparatuses C1, C2. Generally, the active sound reduction apparatus can be constituted by disposing one sound tube or a plurality of sound tubes adjacent to the active acoustic control cell on its side facing a noise source as a target of sound reduction a driveway side), or on its side opposite to the noise source, or on both of the noise source side and the opposite side of the active acoustic control cell. The number of the active acoustic control cells need not be restricted to one or two, and the active sound reduction apparatus having various combinations of the active acoustic control cells can be constituted. Each sound tube in each active sound reduction apparatus has a length which is nearly 1/4 of a wavelength of a sound wave other than a control target frequency for the active acoustic control cell. Thus, the sound tube can reduce noise of a frequency component which is different from the target frequency for the active acoustic control cell.

Similarly, there is no restriction on the structure of the noise insulation walls used in the active noise insulation walls according to the first to fourteenth examples, namely, the structure of the noise insulation walls combined with the active sound reduction apparatuses. For example, the structure may be a structure as shown in FIG. 15(a) or 15(b). A noise insulation wall B9 shown in FIG. has an upper end portion bifurcating to form branch walls B91 and B92 extending upward. An active sound reduction apparatus C1 is disposed between the branch walls B91 and B92. There may be only one branch wall, B91 or B92, on one side.

Alternatively, there may be three or more of the branch walls B91 or B92. A noise insulation wall BO10 shown in FIG. 15(b), like the noise insulation wall B9, has an upper end portion bifurcating to form branch walls B101 and B102 extending upward. However, the branch walls B101 and B102 are both formed on a side opposite to a noise source (of course, may be on a noise source side) relative to an active sound reduction apparatus C1. The number of the branch walls, B101, B102 is undoubtedly not restricted to two. When the active sound reduction apparatus is combined with the noise insulation wall B9 or B10 as P:\OPERIDH\I 2186850 di',.do-281O3O3 -16shown in FiG. 15(a) or 15(b), the sound reducing function at the branch walls B91, B92 or B101, B102 is added, so that more effective noise insulation can be performed.

According to the first to fourteenth examples, the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 or C2 are disposed only in one row on the noise insulation wall.

However, a plurality of edges may be formed above the noise insulation wall, and only the active acoustic control cells A, or the active sound reduction apparatuses Cl or active sound reduction apparatuses C2 may be disposed in a plurality of rows. Examples in which only the active acoustic control cells A, or the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 or active sound reduction apparatuses C2 are disposed in a plurality of rows will be described as fifteenth to eighteenth examples.

<Fifteenth Example> FIG. 16 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a fifteenth example, of an apparatus on a wall. As shown in the drawing, a sound insulation wall B4 has three branch walls B41, B42 and B43 extending upward from an upper end of a vertical wall, and rows made by arranging a plurality of active acoustic control cells A are formed on the upper end surfaces of the branch walls B41, B42 and B43. The respective rows of the active acoustic control cells A are disposed with predetermined spacing between the adjacent rows. It is not absolutely necessary to make the characteristics, size, etc. of the acoustic control cells A the same, and their characteristics and sizes may be freely combined. Moreover, the three branch walls B41, B42 and B43 may have upper surfaces different in height position. That is, there is no restriction on the height positions of their upper surfaces.

When the active acoustic control cells A are thus arranged in plural rows with spacing between the rows, the cost of the active noise insulation wall can be decreased, without a marked deterioration of the sound reducing effect, in comparison with the active acoustic control cells A being arranged without spacing between the adjacent rows. That is, the inventors of the present invention have found that the sound reducing effect is greater when the active acoustic P:IOPER\DIh 21 80850 dido-2810O 03 -17control cells A are arranged in rows with spacing between the rows in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the noise insulation wall B, than when the active acoustic control cells A are arranged in rows adjacently without spacing between the rows. Providing the plural rows with predetermined spacing can obtain a more satisfactory sound reducing effect than providing the plural rows contiguously adjacently with no spacing). At the same time, the number of the active acoustic control cells can be decreased, compared with the disposition of the active acoustic control cells such that all of the adjacent spaces are filled with the active acoustic control cells. Thus, the spaced provision of the plural rows can contribute to a decreased cost.

<Sixteenth Example> FIG. 17 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a sixteenth example, of an arrangement of apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the example is a modification of the thirteenth example shown in FIG. 13. A noise insulation wall B5 has two branch walls B51 and B52 extending upward from an upper end of a vertical wall, and two active sound reduction apparatuses CI are disposed with spacing on both branch walls B51 and B52 of the noise insulation wall B5. In this case, there is also a spacing between sound tubes constituting a portion of the active sound reduction apparatuses C1. If the sound tubes have the same depth, a better sound reducing effect can be obtained for a frequency component to be decreased by the sound tube, than when the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 are placed contiguously. As the wavelength of a sound wave to be decreased lengthens, a greater spacing between the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 proves more effective.

The present example involves a replacement of the active acoustic control cells A by the active sound reduction apparatuses C1. Thus, a more satisfactory sound reducing effect can be obtained than when plural rows of the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 are disposed contiguously without spacing between the adjacent rows. At the same time, the number of the active sound reduction apparatuses can be decreased, compared with the disposition of the active sound reduction apparatuses such that all of the adjacent spaces are filled with the active P:'OPER\D I 2185850 div.dom-28,03103 -18sound reduction apparatuses. Thus, the space provision of the plural rows can contribute to a decreased cost.

<Seventeenth Example> FIG. 18 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a seventeenth example, of an arrangement of apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the arrangement is a modification of the sixteenth example shown in FIG. 17. A noise insulation wall B6 has a widened portion B61 in an upper end portion thereof, the widened portion B61 expanding in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the noise insulation wall B6. Two active sound reduction apparatuses C1 are disposed with spacing on the widened portion B61.

The active sound reduction apparatus C1 is movable on the widened portion B61, so that the distance between the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 can be freely adjusted.

The arrangement also functions like the sixteenth example. Moreover, the position of the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 on the widened portion B61 can be adjusted. Thus, such a distance between both active sound reduction apparatuses C1 as will obtain optimal sound reducing effect can be easily secured.

Furthermore, the area occupied in an installation place on a road or the like can be easily adjusted. Depending on a highway or an ordinary road, there may be a restriction on an installation area where the active noise insulation wall can be used.

<Eighteenth Example> FIG. 19 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, an eighteenth example, of an arrangement of apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the arrangement is a modification of the sixteenth example shown in FIG. 17. A noise insulation wall B7 has support portions B71 and B72 in an upper end portion thereof, the support portions B71, B72 having base ends supported by a turn portion O so as to be rotatable normally and reversely. Active sound reduction apparatuses C1 are mounted on the support portions B71 and B72. Thus, both active sound reduction apparatuses C1 integrally rotate in accordance with the normal or reverse rotation of the support portions B71, B72, P:'OPER'D1HI 2 86850 di\'v.do-28/03/03 -19so that the distance between them can be increased or decreased. The active sound reduction apparatuses CI may be provided with separate turn portions, and mounted to the support portions B71 and B72 so as to be normally or reversely rotatable. In this case, when the support portions B71, B72 open or close upon their normal or reverse rotation, the angle of installation of the active sound reduction apparatus C1 relative to the installation surface (ground surface) can be independently adjusted to a preferred angle, such as a constant angle.

The present arrangement also functions like the sixteenth example.

Moreover, the distance between the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 can be easily adjusted by rotating the support portions B71, B72 normally or reversely.

Thus, such a distance between both active sound reduction apparatuses C1 as will obtain optimal sound reducing effect can be easily secured. Furthermore, the area occupied in an installation place on a road or the like can be easily adjusted.

Depending on a highway or an ordinary road, there may be a restriction on an installation area where the active noise insulation wall can be used.

The active sound reduction apparatuses used in the active noise insulation walls according to the fifteenth to eighteenth examples may be any of the active sound reduction apparatuses useable in the first to fourteenth examples. The difference exists only in that the fifteenth to eighteenth examples have plural rows of active acoustic control cells or active sound reduction apparatuses with spacing between the adjacent rows, while the first to fourteenth examples have a single row of active sound reduction apparatuses. Therefore, active sound reduction apparatuses of different types may, of course, be disposed in respective rows.

Similarly, there is no restriction on the structure of the noise insulation walls used in the active noise insulation walls according to the fifteenth to eighteenth examples, the noise insulation walls combined with the active sound reduction apparatuses. For example, a structure as shown in FIG. 20 is acceptable. A noise insulation wall BI 1 shown in FIG. 20 has an upper end portion trifurcating to form branch walls Blll, BI12 and B113 extending upward. An active sound reduction apparatus C1 is disposed on each of the branch walls B 111 and B112, as in the example shown in FIG. 17. On the other P:'OPERIDHII296S5 di d-28,03103 hand, no active sound reduction apparatus C1 is disposed on the branch wall B113. As noted from this, there is no need to dispose the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 on all edges of the noise insulation wall B11, and the branch wall B113 acting as a mere noise insulation wall may be provided. It goes without saying that there are no restrictions on the number of the branch walls B113 functioning merely as noise insulation walls, or on the position of the branch wall B 113 relative to the other branch walls B 111I and B 112.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 17 to 20, the sound tubes of the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 were all the sound tubes D1, but they are not limited to the sound tubes D1. The sound tubes can be selected arbitrarily depending on the frequency to be decreased. For example, the active sound reduction apparatus may be formed of only the active sound reduction apparatus C1 having the sound tube D2. Alternatively, one of the right and left active sound reduction apparatuses CI may be formed of the active sound reduction apparatus C1 having the sound tube DI, and the other active sound reduction apparatus C1 may be formed of the active sound reduction apparatus C1 having the sound tube D2. Of importance is that the active sound reduction apparatuses C1 having various sound tubes may be combined as desired.

In recent years, tall buildings are often constructed near a noise source, such as a highway. In this case, it may be necessary to reduce noise travelling rectilinearly from the noise source past the upper edge of the noise insulation wall B, namely, noise diffusing obliquely upwardly of the noise insulation wall B.

This demand can be met if means for reducing noise travelling rectilinearly from the noise source past the upper edge of the noise insulation wall B is provided on one of the plural edges in the examples shown in FIGS. 16 to 20. Thus, the following nineteenth and twentieth examples are proposed.

<Nineteenth Example> FIG. 21 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a nineteenth example, of an arrangement of apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the present arrangement is a modification of the fifteenth example shown in FIG. 16. A noise insulation wall B8 has an upper end portion branching P.OPER\DI I 21868 0 di,.dc-28 0303 -21 to form an inclined surface B81 inclined toward a noise source side (left side in the drawing), and an inclined surface B82 inclined toward a side opposite to the noise source side. Active acoustic control cells A are disposed on the upper end surfaces of the inclined surfaces B81 and B82 of the noise insulation wall B8.

Simultaneously, a noise killer cell El is provided on the inclined surface B81 to reduce noise travelling rectilinearly from the noise source past the end of the active acoustic control cell A on the inclined surface B81 (the upper end of the active noise insulation wall) noise running along a virtual axis Y indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 21).

FIG. 22 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing the noise killer cell El in a partly extracted form. As shown in the drawing, the noise killer cell El has a microphone 21 and a speaker 22 placed on the virtual axis Y connecting a noise source 20 and the upper end portion of the noise insulation wall B. The microphone 21 detects noise emitted from the noise source 20, while the speaker 22 en its a noise killer sound in a direction opposite to the direction of the noise source 20. The microphone 21 and the speaker 22 are housed in an enclosure 23 and mounted on the noise insulation wall B via the enclosure 23. That is, a side of the enclosure 23 facing the noise source 20 is covered with a backing plate 23a, while a side of the enclosure 23 opposite to the noise source 20 is open for issuing a noise killer sound produced by the speaker 22. The speaker 22 is attached to a baffle plate 23b, and housed in the enclosure 23. The microphone 21 is attached to nearly the center of the backing plate 23a. An output of the microphone 21 is fed to a computation unit 24, which performs a predetermined computation to feed an output signal to the speaker 22.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram of the noise killer cell El. As shown in the drawing, the computation unit 24 is basically composed of a deviation computation section 35 for computing a deviation between a voltage proportional to a sound pressure, an output signal of a target sound pressure setting section 34 for generating a voltage proportional to a target sound pressure (normally, nearly zero), and a voltage proportional to noise detected by the microphone 21; and a control section 36 for generating ai noise killer sound, which has a sound pressure identical with and a phase P:NOPER\DIfI 2186850 di'.do..28S03103 -23opposite to, the sound pressure and phase of noise at certain points on a line segment connecting the noise insulation wall B and the speaker 22, based on the deviation computed by the deviation computation section 35. The noise killer sound is emitted by the speaker 22. As a result, a synthesis sound combined from the noise and the noise killer sound has a sound pressure, at the certain points on the line segment connecting the upper end portion of the noise insulation wall B and the speaker 22, of nearly zero. Thus, propagation of the noise from such points to the outside can be prevented. For more effective muffling, a sound pressure in a region to be actually muffled may be detected by another microphone 37 for monitoring, and a control parameter of the control section 36 may be computed by a separately provided adaptive control section 38 based on the sound pressure in the region to be actually muffled and the deviation computed by the deviation computation section 35. In this case, the output of the control section 36 is fed back to the target sound pressure setting section 34 to adjust the target sound pressure.

According to the nineteenth example, therefore, the active acoustic control cells A disposed in two rows can reduce noise leaking to areas below the noise insulation wall B8, namely, a diffracted sound, and the noise killer cells El can reduce noise diffusing to areas above the noise insulation wall B8, namely, a rectilinearly travelling sound. Consequently, satisfactory noise reduction can be achieved in a wide range, including areas above the noise insulation wall B8.

<Twentieth Example> FIG. 24 is an explanation drawing conceptually showing, in a partly extracted form, a twentieth example, of an arrangement of apparatus. As shown in the drawing, the present arrangement is a modification of the nineteenth example shown in FIG. 21. That is, a composite noise killer cell E2 is disposed instead of the active acoustic control cell A of the example shown in FIG. 21. The composite noise killer cell E2 has the functions of the active acoustic control cell A the noise killer cell El.

Details of the structure of the composite noise killer cell E2 will be described based on FIG. 25. FIG. 25 is an explanation drawing conceptually P:OPERI RD IM2 186850 di',.do-28/03/03 -24showing the composite noise killer cell E2 in an extracted form. As shown in the drawing, the composite noise killer cell E2 has a microphone 21, a speaker 22 and a computation unit 24 which function in the same manner as in the noise killer cell El. Also, another microphone 25 is provided ahead of the speaker 22 to measure the sound pressure of noise leaking to the outside after diffracting at the noise insulation wall B. The output signal of the microphone 25 is subjected to a predetermined computation by a computation unit 26. An electric signal based on the results of this computation drives the speaker 22 via a mixer 27 and an amplifier 28. On this occasion, the computation unit 26 drives the speaker 22 so that the sound pressure at the microphone 25 is reduced to zero. That is, the microphone 25, computation unit 26 and speaker 22 act integrally as an active acoustic control cell as well. At this time, the mixer 27 mixes signals computed by the computation units 24 and 26, so that the speaker 22 is driven by the resulting mixed signal. Hence, a sound wave produced by the speaker 22 can interfere with a sound wave, which travels rectilinearly from a noise source past an upper end portion of the noise insulation wall B and diffuses to the outside, to decrease the sound wave, and can also decrease a diffracted wave diffracting at the noise insulation wall B and leaking to the outside.

According to the twentieth example, therefore, noise passing beside the upper end portion of the active noise insulation wall and travelling rectilinearly noise travelling along a virtual axis Y indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 25) can be reduced by the rectilinear wave decreasing function of the composite noise killer cell E2. Furthermore, sound waves leaking as diffracted waves can be decreased by the diffracted sound reducing function of the composite noise killer cell E2 and the function of the active acoustic control cell A. That is, satisfactory noise reduction can be achieved in a wide range, including areas above the noise insulation wall B8, in the same manner as in the nineteenth embodiment.

The noise killer cell El and the composite noise killer cell E2 can be combined with the first to sixteenth examples and all of their modifications. Any of these combinations can reduce diffracted sounds, and noises travelling P:'OPERD 2 186850 l dio.-2RO3103 rectilinearly from the noise source and leaking to the outside of the noise insulation wall. Moreover, the noise killer cell El is designed to actively reduce noise travelling rectilinearly from the noise source, but may be a passive reducer.

A passive noise killer cell E3 can be constituted, for example, from an interference type muffler as shown in FIG. 26. As illustrated in FIG. 26, the noise killer cell E3 is composed of sound tubes 31, 32, 33, tubes through which sound waves of lengths II, 12 and 13 pass. Here, 11 12 13, and the sound tubes 32 and 33 at lower positions have progressively increasing lengths. Also, the sound tube 32 with the length 12 is installed at an angle of 02 satisfying 11 12 cos 02 with respect to the length direction of 1. Similarly, the sound tube 33 with the length 13 is installed at an angle of 03 satisfying 11 13 cos 03 with respect to the length direction of 1. By so doing, the entire widths of the sound tubes 31, 32 and 33 are made constant. Thus, sound waves passing through the sound tubes 31, 32, 33 of the noise killer cell E3 propagate as plane waves in a direction perpendicular to the sound wave output plane. As a result, displacements of the wave surface between the rectilinear wave and the delayed wave can be formed, and the interference of both waves can form a sound reduction region of the rectilinear wave.

The active sound reduction apparatuses used in the active noise insulation walls according to the nineteenth to twentieth examples may be any combinations of the active sound reduction apparatuses useable in the first to fourteenth examples. If there are a plurality of rows other than rows formed from the noise killer cells El, E3 or the composite noise killer cells E2, active sound reduction apparatuses of different types may, of course, be disposed in respective rows.

Nor are there any restrictions on the structure of the noise insulation wall used in the active noise insulation wall according to the nineteenth or twentieth examples, the noise insulation wall combined with the noise killer cell. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, there may be a branch wall acting as a mere noise insulation wall on which the noise killer cell El or the like is not disposed. In this case as well, a sound reducing function at a portion corresponding to the branch wall B1 13 (see FIG. 20) is added, so that more effective noise insulation can be performed.

While the present invention has been described in the foregoing fashion, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, but may be varied in many other ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps, The reference to any prior art in t;his specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (4)

1. An active noise insulation wall having a plurality of rows formed by 00 spacing adjacent rows by a predetermined distance, each of the rows being formed from a plurality of active acoustic control cells, disposed in a longitudinal direction of a noise insulation wall, for controlling noise such that a diffracted Cc sound pressure component of incident noise at an upper end surface of the noise insulation wall is actively reduced.

2. An active noise insulation wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein noise killer cells are disposed, on one of the rows facing a noise source, for generating a sound wave interfering with a sound wave travelling rectilinearly from the noise source after passing over an upper end portion of the noise insulation wall to decrease the sound wave travelling rectilinearly.

3. An active noise insulation wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein composite noise killer cells having functions of a noise killer cell and the active acoustic control cell are disposed on one of the rows facing a noise source, the noise killer cell being adapted to generate a sound wave interfering with a sound wave travelling rectilinearly from the noise source after passing over an upper end portion of the noise insulation wall to decrease the sound wave travelling rectilinearly.

4. An active noise insulation wall, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 4 h day of October, 2004 MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. By DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant