Aircraft Acoustic Panel Assembly Without Adhesive Hole Blockage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional adhesive reticulation processes for assembling acoustic panels in gas turbine engines often result in excess adhesive material blocking holes, reducing noise attenuation efficiency, and pose challenges in high-temperature areas where adhesively bonded materials are unsuitable.

Innovation Solution

The use of non-adhesive connections, such as those provided by additive manufacturing, eliminates the need for adhesive materials and prevents blockage of holes, while allowing for structural load-bearing capacity and noise attenuation in aircraft components like acoustic panels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If adhesive reticulation process is used to join honeycomb cells to facing sheet and backing sheet, then assembly and joining are achieved, but excess adhesive material blocks holes in the facing sheet, reducing noise attenuation efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly and joining processVSAvoidnoise attenuation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the adhesive material from the assembly process entirely, extracting the harmful element that causes hole blockage. Instead of using adhesive reticulation, the invention employs mechanical interlocking through deformable septa that bend and lock into the honeycomb cells, achieving joining without any adhesive material that could block the acoustic holes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (adhesive) with a mechanical bonding mechanism (deformable septa that bend and interlock). The septa are deformed during assembly to create mechanical interlocking with the honeycomb cells, substituting the adhesive-based system with a purely mechanical system that avoids the hole blockage problem entirely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Strength

If adhesive materials are used for joining acoustic panel components, then structural connection is achieved, but adhesive materials are unsuitable for high-temperature areas in gas turbine engines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural connectionVSAvoidhigh-temperature resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chemical bonding system (adhesive) with a mechanical bonding system (deformable septa). This substitution eliminates the temperature sensitivity of adhesive materials, as the mechanical interlocking mechanism remains effective in high-temperature environments typical of gas turbine engines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental bonding parameter from chemical (adhesive bonding strength) to mechanical (interlocking geometry and deformation characteristics). This parameter change allows the connection system to function independently of temperature-dependent adhesive properties, enabling use in high-temperature areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If film-adhesive is used to join edges of honeycomb cells, then joining process is simplified, but holes in facing sheet are blocked by adhesive material, reducing acoustic performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoining process complexityVSAvoidacoustic performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the adhesive material from the joining process, eliminating the source of hole blockage. The deformable septa system achieves joining through pure mechanical means, removing any substance that could contaminate or block the acoustic holes in the facing sheet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The deformable septa act as an intermediary element between the facing sheet and honeycomb cells, providing the joining function without requiring adhesive material. The septa deform to create mechanical interlocking, serving as a mediator that achieves connection while preserving hole patency for acoustic performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This approach enhances noise attenuation efficiency by preventing adhesive blockage and allows for the use of acoustic panels in high-temperature areas, providing flexible design geometries and structural integrity without the need for adhesives.

Implementation Method 1

a cellular structure (26) frictionally engaged with the at least one connection member (36) to provide a non-adhesive connection between the porous sheet (24, 32) and the cellular structure (26)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3546209B1Aircraft component and method of manufacture

Publication Date: 2022.12.28 PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP

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AI summary

An aircraft component (20) and an associated method of manufacturing such aircraft component (20) are disclosed. The aircraft component (20) comprises a backing member (22), a porous sheet (24) spaced apart from the backing member (22), and a cellular structure (26) disposed between the backing member (22) and the porous sheet (24). The cellular structure (26) is attached to at least one of the backing member (22) and the porous sheet (24) by one or more non-adhesive connections.