The Boeing Company

Nord-micro Ag & Co. Ohg

Herbert Louis Hoffman

Hugh Poling

Juhn-Shyue Lin

Gary R Chewning

Richard A Black

Justin C Christenson

Yeu-chuan Hsia

Naval Kishore Agarwal

Wendell R Miller

Melvin Kosanchick, Iii

Pat D Parkin

Frederick R Helms

Wen-Hwang Lin

F Wayne Hollatz

Roy Hai-Tien Loh

Robert J Devitis

Yeu-Chuan Hsia

Wayne F Hollatz

Justin David Kearns

Alan Edgar Landmann

Adrian Viisoreanu

Martin Steinert

Ulf Michel

Frank Arnold

Matthew George Trudeau

Jason Alexander Gordon

Wolfgang Neise

John-Shyue Lin

Manuel F Rivera

Balamurugan R Annamalai

Eric Hofbeck

Alex Lin

Manual F Rivera

Pat Parkin

Lin Juhn-Shyue

Matthew Trudeau

Jason A Gordon

Hugh W Poling

Aircraft, air conditioning systems, and air diffusers that may be used to create a quiet, comfortable environment within an aircraft cabin are disclosed. The systems and apparatuses are configured to flow air at a rate that meets and/or exceeds the FAA minimum requirement of 0.55 lbs/min (about 250 g/min) per occupant. In use, even at higher flow rates, the systems and apparatuses are configured to create a quiet cabin experience, by contributing little to ambient cabin noise. Thus, the systems and apparatuses may be used to provide fresh air at a comfortable rate and a comfortable noise level.

Air diffuser systems, methods, and apparatuses

Vibration-damping blankets are attached to the back surfaces of fairing panels of a flight vehicle (e.g., an aircraft or spacecraft) to reduce vibration, fatigue, structure and airborne transmitted energy, and cabin noise. In one case, the flight vehicle fairing has an exterior comprising exterior surfaces of a multiplicity of removable panels. A method of retrofitting the flight vehicle with vibration-damping blankets comprises: removing a panel from the flight vehicle exterior; attaching a vibration-damping blanket to a back surface of the removed panel; and installing the panel with attached vibration-damping blanket on the flight vehicle with the exterior surface of the panel forming part of the flight vehicle exterior. In one embodiment, the vibration-damping blanket comprises polymeric (e.g., aromatic polyamide) fibers in a nonwoven structure.

Flight vehicle fairing having vibration-damping blankets

Assemblies, methods, and an apparatus for damping vibrational energy induced to a reinforced skin structure are disclosed. The reinforced skin structure includes an outer wall and at least one stringer coupled to the outer wall. The method includes providing a damping apparatus that includes a stiffening member configured to adjust at least one of a bending mode and a torsional twisting mode of the stringer and an energy dissipation member configured to dissipate vibrational energy of the stringer. The stiffening member includes at least two elongated members that are spaced a distance apart and at least one truss member that extends obliquely between the at least two elongated members. The damping apparatus is attached to the at least one stringer. The damping apparatus may be configured to dampen vibration in the range of between about 200-600 Hz.

Methods and apparatus for reducing noise in reinforced skin structures

Disclosed are methods, systems and apparatuses for harvesting vibrational energy from vehicles, as well as methods for locating vibrational energy on a vehicle. One harvesting apparatus comprises a vibrational energy harvester coupled to a substantially maximal vibrational displacement node of the structural element of a vehicle, and tuned to a frequency of vibration of the maximal vibrational displacement node. The harvester may be one of a variety of harvesting devices, such as piezoelectric devices. Methods are also provided to locate structural elements which are appropriate for vibrational energy harvesting.

Systems and methods for harvesting vibrational energy from vehicles

A fairing includes a fairing body having a fairing interior and an interior surface and a spray-on insulation foam layer provided on the interior surface of the fairing body.

Wing-to-body faring with spray-on foam and noise reduction method

Wing-to-body fairing with spray-on foam and noise reduction method

A wing-to-body fairing for aircraft is formed from a sandwich structure having integrated vibration damping.

Vibration damping for wing-to-body aircraft fairing

A wing-to-body fairing for reducing noise due to wing-to-body fairing vibrations in an aircraft, spacecraft, or vehicle may include a honeycomb center having a cavity which is at least partially filled with particle material.

Particle-filled wing-to-body fairing and method for reducing fairing vibrations

A valve is provided for controlling a flow of a fluid between a first environment and a second environment. The valve includes a frame adapted to fit within a perimeter of an aperture in a divider separating the first environment from the second environment. The valve additionally includes a first gate movable within the frame to control a flow of the fluid through the aperture between the first environment and the second environment. The first gate includes a substantially aerodynamically clean surface substantially free from protrusions disrupting the flow of the fluid over the first gate surface. Additionally, the first gate includes a trailing edge having a baffle adapted to cover an aft edge of the frame when the first gate is positioned to have a small opening angle. The baffle includes a plurality of 3-D notches in a front side of the baffle. The valve further includes a second gate movable within the frame to control a flow of the fluid through the aperture between the first environment and the second environment. The second gate also includes a substantially aerodynamically clean surface substantially free from protrusions disrupting the flow of the fluid over the second gate surface. Additionally, the second gate includes a trailing edge comprising a plurality of 3-D notches in a front side of the trailing edge.

Fluid control valve

A valve for controlling a flow of a fluid between a first environment to a second environment is provided. The valve includes a frame that fits within an aperture in a divider separating the first environment from the second environment. Additionally, the valve includes at least one gate mounted and movable within the frame to control a flow of the fluid between the first environment and the second environment through the aperture. The gate includes a surface, wherein at least one portion of the surface includes a rough texture. The rough texture reduces coherent vortex shedding of the fluid as the fluid passes over the gate surface.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Herbert Louis Hoffman