Noise reduction system for kitchen

Abstract

A method and system of achieving noise reduction in a kitchen environment is disclosed. Noise reduction is achieved through the application of transmission loss paneling, sound absorption paneling, and vibro-acoustical isolation paneling to surfaces of a kitchen environment surrounding typical kitchen appliances. Targeted, noise reduction of the kitchen environment is achieved by installing the noise reduction system of the present invention to walls, cabinetry and flooring of a typical kitchen environment.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A noise reduction system for a kitchen having cabinetry, flooring and walls, said noise reduction system comprising: 
 a plurality of panels applied to at least one of said cabinetry, said flooring and said walls of said kitchen to achieve noise attenuation, wherein said plurality of panels include    a transmission loss panel;    an absorption panel; and    an isolator treatment panel.    
     
     
         2 . The noise reduction system of  claim 1 , wherein said transmission loss panel includes a mass-based, constraining layer and a viscoelastic damping layer.  
     
     
         3 . The noise reduction system of  claim 1 , wherein said absorption panel includes at least one porous media layer separated by at least one facing material layer.  
     
     
         4 . The noise reduction system of  claim 3 , wherein said absorption panel further includes a thin film polymer layer and an adhesive layer.  
     
     
         5 . The noise reduction system of  claim 4 , wherein each of said porous media layers and each of said facing material layers are positioned between said adhesive layer and said thin film polymer layer.  
     
     
         6 . The noise reduction system of  claim 2 , wherein said constraining layer is formed from a semi-rigid material.  
     
     
         7 . The noise reduction system of  claim 2 , wherein said viscoelastic damping layer is formed from a material selected to provide damping at common use frequencies of a plurality of kitchen appliances.  
     
     
         8 . The noise reduction system of  claim 7 , wherein said viscoelastic damping layer includes a viscoelastic adhesive component and a viscosity enhancing component.  
     
     
         9 . The noise reduction system of  claim 3 , wherein each of said porous media layer is made from a porous foam or fibrous material having an airflow resistance selected for noise attenuation of a predetermined peak frequency.  
     
     
         10 . The noise reduction system of  claim 3 , wherein each facing material layer is a non-porous film of metal, paper, polymer or fiberglass.  
     
     
         11 . The noise reduction system of  claim 1 , wherein said isolator treatment panel is constructed of materials selected to isolate at common frequencies emitted from a plurality of kitchen appliances during operation.  
     
     
         12 . The noise reduction system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vibro-acoustically dampened kitchen countertop material.  
     
     
         13 . The noise reduction system of  claim 12 , wherein said vibro-acoustically dampened countertop material includes at least one particle board countertop material layer and at least one viscoelastic damping material layer for damping a working surface of said kitchen countertop material.  
     
     
         14 . A kitchen countertop comprising: 
 a vibro-acoustically dampened kitchen countertop material.    
     
     
         15 . The kitchen countertop of  claim 14 , wherein said vibro-acoustically dampened countertop material includes at least one particle board countertop material layer and at least one viscoelastic damping material layer for damping a working surface of said kitchen countertop material.  
     
     
         16 . The kitchen countertop of  claim 14 , further comprising a laminated and hardened, working surface material.  
     
     
         17 . The kitchen countertop of  claim 15 , further comprising a laminated and hardened, working surface material covering a side of said at least one viscoelastic damping material layer.  
     
     
         18 . A method of attenuating noise in a kitchen environment, the method comprising at least one of: 
 applying transmission loss panels to a plurality of surfaces surrounding a source of noise emission; and    applying sound absorption panels to a plurality of surfaces surrounding an appliance or a source of noise emission of a known peak frequency.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said transmission loss panels include a viscoelastic damping layer and a constraining layer made of a semi-rigid material.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of applying an isolator between an appliance and a floor of said kitchen environment for preventing vibro-acoustic energy from being transmitted from said appliance to said floor.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of installing a kitchen countertop including a layer of viscoelastic material into said kitchen environment.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising the step of installing a kitchen countertop including a layer of viscoelastic material into said kitchen environment.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of applying an absorption panel material between a rear and bottom surface of a microwave; and 
 applying an isolator between said microwave and the bottom surface of said microwave for preventing vibro-acoustic energy from being transmitted from said microwave to said kitchen environment.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of applying a transmission loss panel to a surface of a sink, wherein said transmission loss panel includes a mass-based, constraining layer and a viscoelastic damping layer.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of applying an absorption panel to a surface of a garbage disposal, wherein said absorption panel includes at least one porous media layer.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of applying a transmission loss panel to a lower surface of a sink, wherein said transmission loss panel includes a mass-based, constraining layer and a viscoelastic damping layer; and 
 applying an absorption panel to a surface of a garbage disposal, wherein said absorption panel includes at least one porous media layer.    
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said appliance is a trash compactor.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said appliance is a refrigerator.  
     
     
         29 . A method of attenuating noise in a kitchen environment, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one layer of kitchen countertop material;    providing at least one layer of viscoelastic damping material; and attaching each of said kitchen countertop material layers to each of said viscoelastic damping material layers to provide a dampened kitchen countertop for said kitchen environment.