Piece of furniture provided with a noise-absorbing composite panel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a piece of furniture intended for installation in an aircraft cabin and including a composite panel (30) comprising: - a first skin (31), - a second skin (32), and - a central honeycomb core (33) arranged between the first skin (31) and the second skin (32), said central honeycomb core (33) comprising a plurality of cells (35), - at least one of the first skin (31) and the second skin (32) including a plurality of through-holes (36) so as to render said skin (31, 32) permeable to sound in order for the cells (35) of the central honeycomb core (33) to act as sound traps.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE: FURNITURE ELEMENT EQUIPPED WITH A NOISE-REDUCING COMPOSITE PANEL

[0001] The present invention relates to a piece of furniture equipped with a noise-dampening composite panel. The invention finds a particularly advantageous, but not exclusive, application in "business class" and "first class" seating units in an aircraft cabin.

[0002] As is well known, such a seating unit comprises a seat and a shell extending at least partially around the seat to create a space around the passenger. This configuration ensures the passenger's privacy.

[0003] The seat offers the passenger various comfort positions, from a seated position to a reclined position, in which the seat creates a nearly horizontal sleeping surface for the passenger to lie down. Intermediate comfort positions are also available, such as the "relax" position, in which the seat back is deeply reclined. These intermediate positions are generally achieved by tilting the backrest, which pivots around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the seat's extension axis. The passenger can then remain seated during transitions between the different positions. The seat typically consists of a backrest and a seat cushion and may include a leg rest and / or a footrest, which can be fixed or linked to the seat's movement.

[0004] Noise that could disturb passengers' rest is a significant environmental concern to consider when developing a seat unit. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the perceived noise level inside an aircraft cabin to optimize passenger acoustic comfort without reducing their living space.

[0005] The invention aims to effectively meet this need by providing a piece of furniture intended for installation in an aircraft cabin and comprising a composite panel including: - a first layer, - a second skin, and - a central alveolar core arranged between the first plate and the second plate, said central alveolar core comprising a plurality of cells, - at least one of the skins among the first skin and the second skin having a plurality of through holes so as to make said skin permeable to sound so that the cells of the central alveolar core act as sound traps.

[0006] The invention thus makes it possible, through the creation of through holes in the composite panel's surface, to transform a standard honeycomb structure of the composite panel into a sound trap. Indeed, the through holes allow sound waves to pass through the cells of the honeycomb structure, so that after multiple reflections within the cells, the noise intensity perceived by the passenger at the seat is greatly reduced.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, the first skin and the second skin each comprise several layers of glass fibers and / or carbon fibers covered by a resin.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the invention, the central alveolar core is made of an aramid material, or of a metallic material, in particular aluminium.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the invention, the through holes have a larger dimension of between 0.3mm and 10mm, and are preferably circular holes with a diameter of between 1.5mm and 2mm.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the skin perforation rate is between 1% and 50%, and is preferably 10% to 15%.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, said furniture element further comprises a covering cap or a decorative film made of a sound-permeable material.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, said furniture element further comprises a layer of flexible material.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, said furniture element further comprises a support structure having removable or integrated fixing means for interfacing with the composite panel.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the layer of flexible material is disposed between the support structure and the covering cap or decorative film.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the furniture element consists of a privacy shell intended to extend at least partially around a seat.

[0016] The present invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description, which includes embodiments given by way of illustration with reference to the accompanying figures, presented by way of non-limiting examples, which may serve to complete the understanding of the present invention and the explanation of its implementation and, where appropriate, contribute to its definition, on which:

[0017] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seating unit according to the invention comprising a composite panel having a noise-dampening function;

[0018] [Fig. 2a] [Fig. 2b] Figures 2a and 2b are respectively assembled perspective and exploded perspective views of a composite panel having a honeycomb structure;

[0019] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a front view of a skin of a composite panel according to the invention illustrating a specific distribution of through holes made in the skin;

[0020] [Fig. 4a] [Fig. 4e] Figures 4a to 4e illustrate different embodiments of a composite panel according to the present invention seen from the side.

[0021] It should be noted that the structural and / or functional elements common to the different embodiments have the same references. Thus, unless otherwise stated, such elements have identical structural, dimensional, and material properties.

[0022] Furthermore, in the following description, relative terms such as "front", "rear", "horizontal", "vertical" are understood by reference to the common meaning that a passenger sitting on a seat associated with the seat unit according to the invention would give them.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a seating unit 10 comprising a seat 12 associated with a side console 13 extending along one side of the seat 12.

[0024] In addition, a shell 14, known as the privacy shell, extends at least partially around the seat 12 to create a space around the passenger. The privacy shell 14 is made, for example, of a composite material. This configuration ensures the privacy of the passenger seated in seat 12. A video screen 16 of a multimedia or IFE (Inflight Entertainment System) system can be mounted on the rear of the privacy shell 14 so that it can be used by a rear passenger.

[0025] The console 13 may include an upper panel 17 forming a table on which the passenger can place items, as well as a storage compartment 18 containing one or more items such as a book pouch, a bottle holder, or a minibar. The choice of storage options is configurable according to the airline's requirements. The console 13 may also include a reading light 19 designed to direct light towards seat 12.

[0026] A cavity 21 is located beneath the upper wall 17. The cavity 21 is open laterally towards the seat 12. In addition, a horizontal face 22 of the console 13, corresponding to a lower face of the cavity 21, serves in particular as an armrest. For this purpose, the horizontal face 22 may locally present a curved cuff shape 23 conforming to the shape of part of the passenger's arm.

[0027] The console 13 also includes a control unit 25 for seat 12 and its ancillary components (called a "PCU" for "Passenger Control Unit"). The control unit 25 allows the passenger to select a seat 12 position and to control ancillary components, such as a video system, a heating system, an ambient lighting system, or any other ancillary component that can be integrated into seat 12.

[0028] The seat unit 10 may also conventionally include a mobile meal tray 26 between a stored position (corresponding to that shown in Figure 1) in which the meal tray 26 is inside a housing provided in the console 13 and a deployed position in which the meal tray 26 is outside the housing to allow the passenger to place a meal tray on it.

[0029] Seat 12 is advantageously equipped with a mechanism allowing it to move between a "seated" position, in which seat 12 is configured to provide a seated position for a passenger, and a "reclined" position, in which seat 12 is configured to provide a sleeping surface for the passenger, advantageously almost horizontal. Intermediate comfort positions are also offered, such as the "relax" position in which one backrest of seat 12 is significantly reclined.

[0030] To allow the passenger to lie down, the console 13 has a housing 27 seen through the transparent part in figure 1 in which an ottoman 28 is placed. The ottoman 28 has a horizontal face forming a footrest on which a rear passenger can place their feet when the seat 12 is in the "lying down" position.

[0031] Seat 12 has an extension axis X1 defined by the intersection between a horizontal plane and a vertical median plane of seat 12 corresponding to a plane of symmetry of seat 12. The extension axis X1 of seat 12 may form a non-zero angle with respect to a direction parallel to or coinciding with a central axis of the X2 aircraft. In this case, seat 12 is turned towards the X2 axis. Alternatively, seat 12 can be turned in the opposite direction to the X2 axis.

[0032] Advantageously, the privacy shell 14 comprises at least one composite panel 30 shown in Figures 2a and 2b. Alternatively, the composite panel 30 may constitute, at least in part, a piece of furniture other than the privacy shell 14, such as the seat 12, the console 13, or the ottoman 28. In particular, the composite panel 30 may constitute at least part of the seat cushion or backrest of the seat 12. More generally, the invention can be implemented with any composite panel of a piece of furniture present in an aircraft cabin, including monuments located in the first or last row. Thus, within the meaning of the invention, the piece of furniture comprising a composite panel may take the form of the seat 12, the privacy shell 14, the console 13, the ottoman 28, a monument, or any other piece of furniture present in the aircraft cabin (luggage rack, partition, or other).

[0033] The composite panel 30 comprises a front skin 31 intended to be located on the side of the seat 12 and a rear skin 32 intended to be located on the opposite side of the seat 12. The front skin 31 and the rear skin 32 may be in the form of a thin plate. Each of the front skin 31 and the rear skin 32 comprises several layers (or plies) of glass fibers and / or carbon fibers and / or fibers made of another material suitable for the application. The fiber layers are coated with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. Alternatively, the front skin 31 and the rear skin 32 may be of the single-ply type. Alternatively, the front skin 31 and the rear skin 32 may be made of any other material suitable for the application, in particular a plastic, composite, or other material.

[0034] A central honeycomb core 33 is disposed between the first front skin 31 and the rear skin 32. The central honeycomb core 33 may be a honeycomb structure or any other type of honeycomb structure suitable for the application. The central honeycomb core 33 comprises a plurality of cells (or alveoli) 35. The central honeycomb core 33 is preferably made of an aramid material, in particular of the Nomex type (registered trademark), or of a metallic material. particularly in aluminum. Alternatively, the central core 33 may be made of a plastic material, a composite material, or any other material suitable for the application. The composite panel 30 may have a thickness between 0.5 cm and 3 cm.

[0035] At least one of the skins, either the front skin 31 or the rear skin 32, has a plurality of through holes 36 to make said skin permeable to sound so that the cells 35 of the central alveolar core 33 act as sound traps. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2a and 2b, only the front skin 31 has through holes 36.

[0036] The through holes 36 preferably have a larger dimension between 0.3mm and 10mm, and are preferably circular holes with a diameter between 1.5mm and 2mm.

[0037] The 36 through holes may all have the same dimensions or be of different dimensions. Furthermore, the shape of the holes is not limited to a circular shape but may include any possible geometric shape, such as a rectangle, square, triangle, oval, hexagon, or other.

[0038] A skin perforation rate 31 or 32 corresponding to a ratio between the area of ​​the penetrating holes 36 and the total area of ​​the skin 31, 32 is between 1% and 50%, and is preferably 10% to 15%

[0039] Following a non-limiting example of implementation, for a composite panel 30 having a thickness of 1.27cm (i.e. 0.5 inch), through holes 36 with a diameter of 1.5mm are preferably made with a perforation rate of 10%.

[0040] The rear skin 32 can be perforated over its entire surface or only in dedicated areas, such as behind the support structure 47 described in more detail below.

[0041] Furthermore, the through holes 36 can be distributed homogeneously as shown in figures 2a and 2b, or randomly, or following a predetermined perforation pattern, such as a hexagonal pattern as shown in Figure 3.

[0042] As illustrated in Figure 4a, the composite panel 30 is based on Helmholtz's principle of sound reflection within the cavities delimited by the cells 35 of the honeycomb structure. Specifically, the through holes 36 allow the passage of sound waves 39 within the cavities delimited by the cells 36 of the honeycomb structure. After multiple reflections 40, the intensity of the sound wave 41 exiting the noise-attenuating panel is greatly reduced. The noise perceived by the passenger at seat 12 is thus lower. Since the composite panel 30 of the shell 14 surrounds the passenger, this creates a quiet space around them.

[0043] It should be noted that the composite panel 30 has been shown in Figures 2a and 4a as being flat to facilitate understanding of the invention. However, the composite panel 30 may have a curved shape so as to at least partially surround the seat 12 around which said composite panel 30 extends, forming the privacy shell 14. To obtain a composite panel 30 with the desired shape, a first stack of prepreg layers, i.e., layers of composite material consisting of a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic polymer impregnating glass or carbon fibers, is placed inside a mold to form the composite material skin 31. The central honeycomb core 33 is then placed inside the mold. A second stack of prepreg layers is placed inside the mold to form the second composite material skin 32.The mold is then closed to ensure the shaping of the composite panel 30. The composite panel 30 is then placed inside an oven to polymerize the resin of the composite material. The through holes 36 in the skin 31 and / or the skin 32 can be made by drilling after the composite panel 30 has been produced. Depending on the process chosen to manufacture the panel 30, the perforations 36 can be made by drilling or milling, for example, on the molded part, or on one or both of the skins 31, 32, or 32, before molding and bonding with the honeycomb core 33. According to another process, the perforations 36 can be obtained simultaneously with the molding / bonding operation.

[0044] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4b, a decorative cover or film 44 made of a sound-permeable material can be added. The material of the cover or film 44 is chosen to provide an aesthetically pleasing finish to the assembly. The cover or film 44 could, for example, be made of a textile, leather, imitation leather, Alcantara, laminate, or any other material suitable for the application. The material used may have numerous perforations or micro-perforations to facilitate the transmission of sound through the cover or film 44.

[0045] The flight attendant's cover 44 may feature decorative patterns on its visible parts. These decorative patterns may be customized according to the airline.

[0046] In the embodiment of Figure 4c, a layer of flexible material 45 is disposed between the covering cap 44 and the composite panel 30. The layer of flexible material 45 is made of a material chosen in particular from: a fibrous material, a non-woven material, a wadding-based material, or a foam-based material or any other flexible material suitable for the application.

[0047] In the embodiment of Figure 4d, a support structure 47 is further provided for attachment to the composite panel 30. In this embodiment, the cover 44 is provided with a flap fixed against an edge of the support structure 47. The flap can be attached to the support structure 47 by gluing, riveting, insertion into a retaining groove, or any other fastening technique suitable for the application, with or without gluing.

[0048] The support structure 47 is advantageously made of a thermoformed plastic material or a very high-density foam material. The support structure 47 has a low thickness, for example, between 1 mm and 3 mm. In one implementation example, a support structure 47 made of a thermoplastic material is used.

[0049] Furthermore, the support structure 47 includes removable or integrated fastening means 48 for fixing the entire "covering cap 44-layer of flexible material 45-support structure 47" on the composite panel 30. The fastening means 48 are thus intended to interface with the composite panel 30. The choice of fastening means 48 depends in particular on the integration constraints of the assembly and its positioning in the seat unit 10. In the case where the assembly is located in a visible area of ​​the seat unit 10, preferably discreet fastening means 48 that can be removed without the aid of tools are used, such as snap fasteners, so-called "Velcro" fasteners (registered trademark) formed by complementary loops and hooks, snap buttons, magnetic fasteners, or any other fastening device suitable for the application.

[0050] If the assembly is located in an area not visible from the seat unit 10, particularly a technical area at the bottom of the seat unit 10, screws may be used to fix the support structure 47 to the composite panel 30 of the furniture element. Alternatively or in addition, fir tree pegs or any other suitable fastening method may be used. This type of fastening method 48 ensures that the assembly remains secure during certification tests in which significant decelerations are applied to the seat unit 10.

[0051] In the embodiment of figure 4e, the two skins 31, 32 of the composite panel 30 have through holes 36.

[0052] Of course, the various features, variations, and / or embodiments of the present invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, which are provided solely by way of example. It encompasses various modifications, alternative forms, and other variations that a person skilled in the art might consider within the scope of the present invention, and in particular, all combinations of the different modes of operation described above, whether considered separately or in combination.

Claims

CLAIMS A piece of furniture intended to be installed in an aircraft cabin and comprising a composite panel (30), characterized in that said composite panel (30) comprises: - a first skin (31), - a second skin (32), and - a central alveolar core (33) disposed between the first skin (31) and the second skin (32), said central alveolar core (33) comprising a plurality of cells (35), - at least one of the skins, either the first skin (31) or the second skin (32), having a plurality of through holes (36) so as to render said skin (31, 32) permeable to sound so that the cells (35) of the central honeycomb core (33) act as sound traps. Furniture element according to claim 1, characterized in that the first skin (31) and the second skin (32) each comprise several layers of glass fibers and / or carbon fibers coated with a resin. Furniture element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the central honeycomb core (33) is made of an aramid material, or of a metallic material, in particular aluminum. Furniture element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the through holes (36) have a larger dimension of between 0.3mm and 10mm, and are preferably circular holes with a diameter of between 1.5mm and 2mm.A furniture item according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a perforation rate of the skin (31, 32) is between 1% and 50%, and preferably between 10% and 15%. A furniture item according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said furniture item (14) further comprises a. A decorative cover or film (44) made of a sound-permeable material. A furniture element according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said furniture element (14) further comprises a layer of flexible material (45). A furniture element according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said furniture element (14) further comprises a support structure (47) having removable or integrated fastening means (48) for interfacing with the composite panel (30). A furniture element according to claims 6, 7, and 8, characterized in that the layer of flexible material (45) is disposed between the support structure (47) and the decorative cover or film (44). A furniture element according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it consists of a privacy shell (14) intended to extend at least partially around a seat.

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