Undulated Aircraft Insulation Layer for Thermal and Acoustic Performance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional aircraft insulation products are expensive, provide inadequate thermal and acoustical insulation, and have insufficient structural characteristics.

Innovation Solution

An acoustical and thermal insulation product featuring a sheet of insulation material arranged in undulations with alternating upper and lower ridges, secured by reinforcing members that engage structural elements of the aircraft fuselage, enhancing compression resistance and stiffness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional insulation products are used, then installation is straightforward, but thermal and acoustical insulation performance is inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal and acoustical insulation performanceVSAvoidinsulation product structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulation product employs a corrugated or contoured configuration with alternating ridges and valleys instead of a flat structure. This curvature increases the surface area and creates air pockets that enhance thermal and acoustical insulation performance while maintaining a relatively simple single-layer construction approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Strength

If conventional insulation products are used, then manufacturing is simple, but structural characteristics are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural characteristicsVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The corrugated configuration with ridges and valleys provides enhanced structural characteristics including improved compression resistance and stiffness. The geometric structure itself contributes to strength without requiring additional complex reinforcement layers, maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If conventional insulation products are used, then cost is lower, but insulation performance is inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsulation performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The corrugated configuration enhances insulation performance through increased surface area and air pocket creation, achieving better thermal and acoustical properties without requiring multiple expensive layers or complex assembly processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the insulation product by introducing a corrugated profile with specific ridge and valley dimensions. This parameter modification improves insulation performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness through a single-layer construction approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7374132B2Insulation product and system suitable for use in an aircraft

Publication Date: 2008.05.20 JOHNS MANVILLE CORP

AI summary

An acoustical and thermal insulation product suitable for use in an aircraft is provided, comprising an insulation layer formed from a sheet of insulation material, wherein the sheet of insulation material is arranged to form a series of undulations defining a series of alternating upper ridges and lower ridges of the sheet.