Multi-density sound attenuating laminates and methods of making same

A method of producing a sound attenuating laminate configured to attenuate noise from a noise source, comprising:

• providing a non-woven, fibrous layer of material having a first density;
• heating a surface of the fibrous layer in the absence of compressive molding pressure such that fibers adjacent the surface form a stratum of melted fibers within the fibrous layer that has a second density greater than the first density and that is effective to attenuate noise traversing the fibrous layer of material;
• attaching upholstery material to the surface of the heated fibrous layer wherein the carpet comprises a fabric side and an opposite backing side and wherein the backing side is attached to the surface of the fibrous layer;
• and
• subjecting the fibrous layer and upholstery material to compressive molding pressure after heating the surface of the fibrous layer and after attaching the upholstery material to obtain a desired shape and to selectively increase the first density of the fibrous layer and the second density of the stratum of melted fibers to respective different densities without consolidating the stratum of melted fibers and fibrous layer.

A method of producing a sound attenuating laminate configured to attenuate noise from a noise source, comprising:

• providing a first non-woven, fibrous layer of material having a first density, and having opposite first and second surfaces;
• heating the first surface of the first fibrous layer in the absence of compressive molding pressure such that fibers adjacent the first surface form a stratum of melted fibers within the first fibrous layer that has a second density greater than the first density and that is effective to attenuate noise traversing the first fibrous layer of material;
• attaching upholstery material to the first surface of the heated first fibrous layer wherein the upholstery material comprises a fabric side and an opposite backing side and wherein the backing side is attached to the first surface of the fibrous layer;
• subjecting the first fibrous layer and upholstery material to compressive molding pressure to obtain a desired shape;
• attaching a second non-woven, fibrous layer of material to the second surface of the first fibrous layer;
• and
• subjecting the first and second fibrous layers and upholstery material to compressive molding pressure after heating the first surface of the first fibrous layer and after attaching the upholstery material and second non-woven, fibrous layer to selectively increase the first density of the first fibrous layer and the second density of the stratum of melted fibers to respective different densities without consolidating the stratum of melted fibers and fibrous layer.