US00900573OB2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,005,730 B2 Patel et al. (45) Date of Patent: Apr. 14, 2015 (54) AIRCRAFT INTERIOR PANELS AND (56) References Cited METHODS OF PANEL FABRICATION U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventors: Jayant Dahyabhai Patel, Lake Forest, 4,038.447 A * 7/1977 Brock ............................. 428,72 CA (US); John N. Harris, Seattle, WA 5,000,805 A 3, 1991 Lowe (US); Sergio H. Sanchez, Renton, WA 5.431,990 A 7/1995 Haynes et al. (US); James A. Fullerton, Bothell, WA 5,788, 184 A 8/1998 Eddy 5,839,847 A 11, 1998 Patel (US) 6,000,435 A 12/1999 Patel et al. 6,712.316 B2 3/2004 Jones (73) Assignee: The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL 6,811,192 B2 11/2004 Patel et al. (US) 6,828,001 B2 * 12/2004 Tokonabe et al. ............... 428,69 6,830,076 B1 12/2004 Patel 7,118,069 B2 10/2006 Novak et al. (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 7,157,034 B2 1/2007 Bristow et al. patent is extended or adjusted under 35 7,371,451 B2 5/2008 Messinger U.S.C. 154(b) by 565 days. (Continued) OTHER PUBLICATIONS (21) Appl. No.: 13/295,481 Patel, “Self-Configurating Hybrid Duct System & Attachment Tech (22) Filed: Nov. 14, 2011 nologies for Environmental Control System.” SAE Int'l J. of Aero space, vol. 2, No. 1, 275-283 (Mar. 2010). (65) Prior Publication Data Primary Examiner – Brent O'Hern US 2013/0122244 A1 May 16, 2013 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Ostrager Chong Flaherty & Broitman P.C. (51) Int. C. (57) ABSTRACT B32B 3/12 (2006.01) A multifunctional fully integral panel system design, a unique B32B 38/18 (2006.01) material configuration, and a process for fabricating a net B32B 9/04 (2006.01) shape (or nearly net shape) panel in one production cycle. The B29D 99/00 (2010.01) panel may comprise a base facing with an outer perimeter, a B29C5L/2 (2006.01) decorative film applied to the exterior of the base facing, an aft B64C I/06 (2006.01) facing having an outer perimeter fused to the base facing, and B29C 51/10 (2006.01) a reinforcement core disposed between the unfused portions B29C 51/26 (2006.01) of the base and aft facings, which reinforcement core also acts (52) U.S. C. as acoustic insulation (i.e., a noise attenuator). Alternatively CPC ............ B29D 99/0021 (2013.01); B29C 51/12 or additionally, a foam core or blanket having thermal and/or (2013.01); B64C I/066 (2013.01); B29C 51/10 acoustic insulation properties is attached to the external Sur (2013.01); B29C 51/267 (2013.01); B29C face of the aft facing. The fabrication process involves the 2791/006 (2013.01); Y02T50/46 (2013.01) application of different heat treatments to panel components (58) Field of Classification Search having different forming temperature or rubbery/elastic pla USPC ...................................................... 428/71, 68 teauS. See application file for complete search history. 13 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets 2.9497,9797-9797. 12 12 US 9,005,730 B2 Page 2 (56) References Cited 2005.0005544 A1 1/2005 Borowiecki et al. 2005/0175809 A1 8/2005 Hirai et al. ...................... 428,69 U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2010.0044149 A1 2/2010 Patel et al. 7,665,982 B2 2/2010 Lucier et al. * cited by examiner U.S. Patent Apr. 14, 2015 Sheet 1 of 4 US 9,005,730 B2 224-444-42444444444444444444444-444-27 ZZZZZZ LaS 16 se22144444 ZaaZaaZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZazzaaZaS & s U.S. Patent Apr. 14, 2015 Sheet 2 of 4 US 9,005,730 B2 %,S) 9 9 9 9 9, 1979 W. 1 FIG.3 6 ÉLa FIG.4 U.S. Patent Apr. 14, 2015 Sheet 3 of 4 US 9,005,730 B2 99|| NOLLISOdSONIOWAINBOWTOW0Z1-4 HOWE01(JEH10 OTEM09||SON|OWJWNJOJ01 ||0 U.S. Patent Apr. 14, 2015 Sheet 4 of 4 W V NNNNNNX lN NN YNYY S- 7 a Y O 2 US 9,005,730 B2 1. 2 AIRCRAFT INTERIOR PANELS AND There is a need for panel fabrication processes that avoid METHODS OF PANEL FABRICATION the above-stated disadvantages and impart additional improvements. BACKGROUND SUMMARY This disclosure generally relates to techniques for forming plastic products and in particular, relates to techniques for A multifunctional fully integral aircraft interior panel sys fabricating interior panels for aircraft. tem, a unique material configuration, and a process for fabri Vacuum forming is a thermoforming process that enables cating a net shape (or nearly net shape) panel in one produc molding a heated and softened sheet of thermoplastic mate 10 tion cycle are disclosed herein. The panel may comprise a rial by applying vacuum Suction through a perforated/vented base facing having an outer perimeter, a decorative film applied to the exterior of the base facing, and an aft facing mold. The suction makes the sheet stretch and drape over the having an outer perimeter fused to the base facing to define an mold surface to take the form of the mold shape. The sheet is interior volume. The panel may further comprise a reinforce then cooled down to solidify and retain the shape of the mold. 15 ment core disposed between the unfused portions of the base Sometimes the cooling is aided using blown cooling air. and aft facings. Such reinforcement core may also provide Twin-sheet vacuum thermoforming is a thermoforming acoustic insulation (i.e., a noise attenuator). Alternatively or process that refers to the molding of a first sheet in an upper additionally, a closed or open cell (or combination thereof) mold and a second sheet in a lower mold, followed by an foam core or a fibrous blanket having thermal and/or acoustic operation of compression of the two formed sheets against insulation properties is attached to the external surface of the each other while still hot and relatively soft, thereby provid aft facing. ing a fused interface to produce a hollow type product. In accordance with one embodiment, a panel for an aircraft Although twin-sheet vacuum thermoforming has been Suc interior comprises base and aft facings fused together along a cessfully used for decades to manufacture hollow products perimeter defining an interior volume between the two fac Such as gas tanks, ducts, pallets, and water craft, for example, 25 ings. The base facing may comprise a thermoplastic sheet or it has been found desirable to further provide products with a sheet of composite material. The panel may further com inserts to improve the structure and/or certain properties of prise a reinforcement core disposed between the two facings. the product. An insert can be defined as a body that is not The core may further comprise polymer rods embedded in the subjected to molding and which has to be inserted between core and/or bonded to a facing. The reinforcement core may the molded sheets and generally within a cavity created inside 30 comprise insulation material. the thermoformed hollow product. According to another embodiment, a method for manufac The fabrication of molded aircraft components from ther turing a panel for an aircraft interior comprises: bonding a moset composite materials is well known in the art. However, plurality of polymer rods to one Surface of a base facing; the current materials and fabrication methods for fabricating placing another Surface of the base facing against a first tool sidewall and ceiling panels for aircraft suffer from very long 35 having a shape defining one Surface of an aircraft interior fabrication cycle-time, material waste and disposal cost, and panel having a window; placing a surface of an aft facing involve numerous processing cycles with individually fabri against a second tool having a shape defining another Surface cated components converted to Sub-assembles and manually of the aircraft interior panel having a window; placing an assembled at a significant cost and weight that retain product insulation layer adjacent to one surface of the base facing; deficiencies and waste. The current process also requires 40 vacuum forming the base and aft facings to take the respective multiple complex tools and equipment, which require long shapes of the first and second tools; and pressing the base and lead times, storage facilities and infrastructure. Custom treat aft facings together Such that they contact each other and fuse ments of composite panels are also required to address ther along a perimeter to form the aircraft interior panel with the mal and noise generated by airflow, equipment and other insulation layer and polymer rods inside. systems. The current processes do not allow for the integra 45 According to a further embodiment, a method for manu tion of new decorative texture uniformity that is required by facturing a panel for an aircraft interior comprises: placing a complex design configurations. The current process is also Surface of the base facing against a first tool having a shape not tool-side controlled, which affords part-to-part variability defining one Surface of an aircraft interior panel having a and requires repairs. window; placing a surface of an aft facing against a second Existing composite constructions often contain multiple 50 tool having a shape defining another Surface of the aircraft materials that exhibit only a small difference in their thermal interior panel having a window; vacuum forming the base and properties. However, the processing methods that utilize a aft facings to take the respective shapes of the first and second uniform temperature field to fabricate these existing compos tools; pressing the base and aft facings together such that they ite configurations are not optimal for many new materials or contact each other and fuse along a perimeter; and bonding an material configurations that exhibit highly variable thermal 55 insulation layer to an exterior Surface of one of the base and properties.