Sound-absorbing composites and shield devices employing same

A method of forming a shield device for use in an automobile door, comprising:

• providing a sheet of polymer film material;
• forming a plurality of perforations extending through said sheet of polymer film from a first face of said film to a second face thereof opposite said first face;
• forming, at the same time said perforations are being formed, hollow protrusions, each bounding a perforation and extending away from the second face of said polymer film, the apertures and perforations cooperating to form a barrier against environmental contamination while increasing acoustic transparency of the film;
• and,
• attaching the first side of the polymer film to a first side of a sheet of sound absorbing material.

A method for sealing a vehicle door against sound and environmental contamination entering an interior compartment thereof, said vehicle door being of a type comprising and outer door panel and an inner door panel having an opening therein, the method comprising:

• providing a sealing system having a size and shape to generally conform to the opening in the inner door panel, said sealing system comprising:
• a sheet of sound-absorbing material;
• a thin sheet of polymer film having a first face attached to a first face of the sound absorbing material;
• a plurality of apertures extending through the polymer film from the first face thereof to a second face thereof opposite the first face;
• and
• each aperture bounded by a hollow protrusion extending from said second film face, the apertures and protrusions cooperating to form a barrier against environmental contamination while admitting acoustic energy therethrough;
• and,
• installing said a sealing system onto the vehicle door.

In a vehicle door construction having an outer door panel and an inner door panel with a trim panel joined to the inner door panel, and a shield device positioned between the trim panel and the inner door panel, the improvement wherein the shield device comprises:

• a sheet of sound-absorbing material;
• a thin sheet of polymer film having an inboard facing surface attached to an outboard facing surface of the sound absorbing material;
• a plurality of openings extending through the polymer film from the inboard facing surface thereof to an opposite, outboard facing surface of the film;
• each opening bounded by a hollow protrusion extending from said outboard facing film surface, the openings and protrusions cooperating to form a barrier against environmental contamination while admitting acoustic energy therethrough.