Cascade Engineering, Inc.

Eric G Owen

Michael T Campbell

An acoustical barrier (10) for a vehicle having a barrier wall which includes a floor area (23) and a fire wall area (25) extending between a wheel well area (41) and a drive train area (42). The acoustical barrier (10) includes a mass layer (12) that covers at least a portion of the barrier wall. The mass layer (12) has an inner surface (16) that faces the barrier wall with an integrally formed peripheral rib (52) projecting therefrom. A first set of elongate ribs (48) intersects and joins with a second set of elongate ribs (50). The first and second sets of elongate ribs (48, 50) are located within the enclosed area. Each elongate rib (48, 50) includes an upper portion integrally formed with the inner surface (16) of the mass layer and a lower portion with an outer edge (54, 60) adapted to at least face the barrier wall. Each elongate rib (48) of the first set of ribs also has opposite ends integrally formed with the peripheral rib (52) to thereby strengthen the peripheral rib against bending moments due to compression forces applied to the outer surface of the mass layer. Each elongate rib (50) of the second set of ribs has opposite ends integrally formed with either adjacent ribs (48) of the first set of ribs or the peripheral rib (52) and an adjacent rib (48) of the first set of ribs to thereby further strengthen the peripheral rib (52) against bending moments. The first set of ribs projects from the inner surface of the mass layer a greater distance than the second set of ribs to provide increasing levels of impact resistance to the outer surface of the mass layer.

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Marne, MI, United States of America

Eric G Owen