Acoustic panel with reconfigurable chamber constrictions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023031186-A1
Application number	US-202117391750-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 2, 2021
Priority date	Aug 2, 2021
Publication date	Feb 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An acoustic panel system is provided that includes a perforated first skin, a second skin and a core. The core is connected to the perforated first skin and the second skin. The core includes a plurality of chambers and a first constriction. Each of the chambers extends vertically through the core between the perforated first skin and the second skin. The chambers include a first chamber. The first constriction is configured to divide the first chamber into a plurality of fluidly coupled sub-chambers. The first constriction is configured from or otherwise includes a shape memory material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An acoustic panel system, comprising:
a perforated first skin; a second skin; and a core connected to the perforated first skin and the second skin, the core including a plurality of chambers and a first constriction; each of the plurality of chambers extending vertically through the core between the perforated first skin and the second skin, and the plurality of chambers comprising a first chamber; and the first constriction configured to divide the first chamber into a plurality of fluidly coupled sub-chambers, and the first constriction comprising a shape memory material.

2 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory material comprises a shape memory polymer.

3 . The acoustic panel system of claim 2 , wherein the shape memory material further comprises a plurality of magnetic particles embedded within the shape memory polymer.

4 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory material is a magnetically actuated shape memory material.

5 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to remotely actuate deformation of the first constriction.

6 . The acoustic panel system of claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnet.

7 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the first constriction is configured to deform from a first configuration to a second configuration in response to being subject to a first input.

8 . The acoustic panel system of claim 7 , wherein the first constriction is configured to deform from the second configuration to the first configuration in response to being subject to a second input.

9 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the first constriction forms an aperture that fluidly couples the plurality of fluidly coupled sub-chambers together.

10 . The acoustic panel system of claim 9 , wherein
the first constriction is configured to deform between a first configuration and a second configuration; and a size of the aperture when the first constriction is in the first configuration is different than the size of the aperture when the first constriction is in the second configuration.

11 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein
the first constriction includes and extends vertically between a first end and a second end; the first end is attached to a sidewall of the first chamber; the second end is attached to the sidewall of the first chamber; and an intermediate portion of the first constriction vertically between the first end and the second end is laterally displaceable from the sidewall of the first chamber.

12 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein
the first constriction includes and extends vertically between a first end and a second end; the first end is attached to a sidewall of the first chamber; and the second end is laterally displaceable from the sidewall of the first chamber.

13 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the first constriction is arranged at a vertical end of the first chamber.

14 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the first constriction is arranged intermediately vertically between the perforated first skin and the second skin.

15 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein
the core further comprises a honeycomb core structure that forms the plurality of chambers between the perforated first skin and the second skin; and the first constriction is attached to the honeycomb core structure.

16 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers further comprise a second chamber; and
the core further comprises a second constriction configured to divide the second chamber into a plurality of fluidly coupled sub-chambers, and the second constriction comprises a shape memory material.

17 . The acoustic panel system of claim 1 , further comprising a component of a nacelle for an aircraft propulsion system, the component of the nacelle including the perforated first skin, the second skin and the core.

18 . An acoustic panel system, comprising:
a perforated first skin; a second skin; and a core connected to the perforated first skin and the second skin, the core including a plurality of chambers and a first constriction; each of the plurality of chambers extending vertically through the core to the perforated first skin and the second skin, and the plurality of chambers comprising a first chamber; and the first constriction dividing the first chamber into a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber, the first constriction comprising an aperture that fluidly couples the first sub-chamber to the second sub-chamber, and the first constriction actuatable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein a size of the aperture when the first constriction is in the first configuration is different than the size of the aperture when the first constriction is in the second configuration.

19 . The acoustic panel system of claim 18 , wherein the first constriction comprises a shape memory material configured to deform between the first configuration and the second configuration when subject to an input.

20 . An acoustic panel system, comprising:
a perforated first skin; a second skin; and a core connected to the perforated first skin and the second skin, the core including a plurality of chambers and a first constriction; each of the plurality of chambers extending vertically through the core to the perforated first skin and the second skin, and the plurality of chambers comprising a first chamber; and the first constriction configured to divide the first chamber into a plurality of fluidly coupled sub-chambers, and the first constriction further configured to deform when subject to a magnetic field.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Kestler Steven M
• Davis Jennifer
• Alonso-Miralles Jose S

Classifications

• G10K11/168 Primary

  Plural layers of different materials, e.g. sandwiches · CPC title

• G10K11/172

  using resonance effects · CPC title

• F02K1/827

  Sound absorbing structures or liners · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• F01N1/24 Primary

  by using sound-absorbing materials (F01N1/04, F01N1/06, F01N1/10, F01N1/14, F01N1/16 take precedence) · CPC title