US Patent 7097723 Lightweight acoustic automotive carpet

Light weight acoustic carpet including porous carpeting backed by a primary sound reducing layer and localized secondary insulators for use within vehicles, and methods of making same, are provided. A porous carpet structure including a carpet backing is heated to achieve a fluid or semi-fluid state and then subjected to intense vacuum to draw air through the carpet backing to create a porous structure. A layer of sound absorbing or insulating material may be applied to the porous carpet structure to provide improved acoustic properties. Secondary sound reducing absorbers/insulators may further be included as part of the molding process to provide selected areas of increased thickness and provide tailoring of sound attenuation.