Aircraft Floor Panel Damping via Viscoelastic Resin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft floor panels are inefficient at reducing noise transmission due to their stiff, lightweight designs, which result in high radiation efficiency and poor damping characteristics, leading to increased interior noise levels and additional costs when add-on damping patches are used.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a honeycomb core with a lower damping face sheet impregnated with a highly damped epoxy resin and an upper face sheet to provide improved damping without sacrificing structural rigidity, using materials like Nomex and Duralco Superflex epoxy resin to enhance vibrational noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If lightweight stiff floor panels are used, then weight is reduced and structural rigidity is improved, but noise transmission increases due to high radiation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a lightweight stiff core structure with a viscoelastic damping layer. The core provides structural rigidity while the viscoelastic material provides damping. This composite approach allows the floor panel to maintain low weight while effectively reducing noise transmission through the damping layer's ability to convert vibrational energy into heat.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by placing the viscoelastic damping layer specifically on the vibration-facing surface of the floor panel, where it directly contacts the structure to maximize damping effectiveness. This localized application ensures that the damping material is positioned where it is most needed to reduce noise transmission, rather than uniformly distributing material throughout the entire panel.
2Reliability
If add-on damping patches are bonded to the underside of the floor, then damping is increased, but weight and fabrication costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the damping function directly into the floor panel construction by integrating the viscoelastic layer as part of the panel's core structure during manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate add-on damping patches that would require additional bonding operations, thereby simplifying fabrication while maintaining damping performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor panel design allows the viscoelastic damping layer to serve its damping function inherently as part of the panel's own structure, rather than requiring external additions. The damping layer is built-in and works automatically with the panel's vibration characteristics, eliminating the need for separate damping components and their associated installation complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If add-on damping patches are used, then vibrational noise is reduced, but installation costs and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-integrating the viscoelastic damping layer into the floor panel during the manufacturing process. This preliminary incorporation of the damping function eliminates the need for separate installation steps at the aircraft assembly stage, thereby reducing installation time and costs while ensuring the damping capability is already optimized for the panel's specific vibration characteristics.
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 effectively reduces noise transmission while maintaining structural integrity and reducing weight and fabrication costs, simplifying the manufacturing process and improving passenger comfort.
Implementation Method 1
at least one lower material sheet infused with a highly damped lower epoxy resin. The lower damping face sheet assembly dampens vibrational noise.
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 3~5
AI summary
In accordance with the present invention an aircraft floor panel (14) is provided comprising a honeycomb core element (16) having an upper core surface (20), a lower core surface (22), and a core thickness (18). An upper face sheet assembly (36) is mounted to and seals the upper core surface and includes at least one upper material sheet (38) impregnated with an upper epoxy resin (40). A lower damping face sheet assembly (24) is mounted to and seals the lower core surface and includes at least one lower material sheet (26) infused with a highly damped lower epoxy resin (28). The lower damping face sheet assembly dampens vibrational noise.