Aircraft Air Distribution Panel with Passive Venturi Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing temperature sensing devices in aircraft require significant space, power, and generate noise, necessitating frequent maintenance due to the use of powered fans.

Innovation Solution

An air distribution panel with a primary air inlet port, housing, and environmental sensors that utilize the Venturi effect to passively draw secondary air through a secondary inlet chamber, eliminating the need for powered fans and reducing noise and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If powered fans are used to draw cabin air into air ducts for temperature sensing, then environmental conditions can be sensed, but the devices require significant space, power, generate noise, and need frequent maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature sensingVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the sensing function from the air distribution system by positioning the temperature sensor in the secondary air inlet chamber where ambient air naturally enters. This eliminates the need for powered fans to draw air for sensing purposes, removing the moving object that consumes energy while maintaining the temperature measurement capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air distribution panel uses its own primary air exhaust flow to create a vacuum effect that passively draws secondary air into the sensing chamber. The system serves itself by using its operational airflow to enable the sensing function without requiring separate powered components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If powered fans are used to draw cabin air into air ducts for temperature sensing, then environmental conditions can be sensed, but the devices generate noise requiring frequent maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature sensingVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the fan component entirely from the sensing system. By extracting the air drawing function and replacing it with a passive vacuum effect created by the primary air exhaust, the noise-generating moving object is eliminated while the air intake and sensing functions are preserved

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical fan-driven air intake system with a fluid dynamic solution based on the vacuum effect created by exhaust airflow. This substitution eliminates mechanical moving parts that generate noise while achieving the same air movement objective

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If powered fans are used to draw cabin air into air ducts for temperature sensing, then environmental conditions can be sensed, but significant space is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature sensingVSAvoiddevice space

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the air distribution function with the environmental sensing function by integrating the temperature sensor into the air distribution panel's secondary air inlet chamber. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate fan assemblies and air ducts dedicated to sensing, reducing the overall volume required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The air distribution panel is designed to perform multiple functions: distributing primary air to the cabin and simultaneously enabling environmental sensing through its secondary air inlet chamber. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated sensing components, reducing the total device space required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides efficient temperature and smoke sensing without the need for fans, reducing noise, power requirements, and maintenance, while maintaining accurate environmental condition monitoring.

Implementation Method 1

Exhausting of the primary air through the air outlet chamber causes the secondary air to be passively drawn into the secondary air inlet chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Data Source

PatentUS12358629B2Air distribution panel for distributing air and sensing environmental conditions

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

An air distribution panel for aircraft comprises a primary air inlet port, a housing fluidly coupled to the primary air inlet port, and an environmental sensor. The primary air inlet port is configured to be fluidly coupled to and receive primary air from an air distribution plenum. The housing comprises an air outlet chamber and a secondary air inlet chamber. The primary air is exhausted into an aircraft compartment via the air outlet chamber. Secondary air is drawn from the aircraft compartment via the secondary air inlet chamber. Exhausting of the primary air through the air outlet chamber causes the secondary air to be passively drawn into the secondary air inlet chamber. The environmental sensor is positioned within the secondary air inlet chamber and along an airflow path of the secondary air. The secondary air is exhausted via the air outlet chamber back into the aircraft compartment after the secondary air passes the temperature sensor.