Patents by Inventor Brian M. Howerton

Brian M. Howerton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11353240
    Abstract: Systems and devices of the various embodiments may provide a low-drag, variable-depth acoustic liner having shared inlet volumes. Various embodiments may include a low-drag, variable-depth acoustic liner providing aircraft noise reduction. Acoustic liners according to the various embodiments may be used in engine nacelles and/or on external surfaces of an aircraft to reduce acoustic radiation. Acoustic liners according to various embodiments may provide increased broadband acoustic performance with less drag than conventional liners. Various embodiments may provide an acoustic liner with a reduced open area of the facesheet, and therefore reduced drag of the liner, when compared with conventional acoustic liners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Noah H. Schiller, Michael G Jones, Brian M. Howerton, Douglas M. Nark
  • Publication number: 20200103139
    Abstract: Systems and devices of the various embodiments may provide a low-drag, variable-depth acoustic liner having shared inlet volumes. Various embodiments may include a low-drag, variable-depth acoustic liner providing aircraft noise reduction. Acoustic liners according to the various embodiments may be used in engine nacelles and/or on external surfaces of an aircraft to reduce acoustic radiation. Acoustic liners according to various embodiments may provide increased broadband acoustic performance with less drag than conventional liners. Various embodiments may provide an acoustic liner with a reduced open area of the facesheet, and therefore reduced drag of the liner, when compared with conventional acoustic liners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Noah H. Schiller, Michael G. Jones, Brian M. Howerton, Douglas M. Nark
  • Patent number: 9623952
    Abstract: Acoustic liners for aircraft noise reduction include one or more chambers that are configured to provide a pressure-release surface such that the engine noise generation process is inhibited and/or absorb sound by converting the sound into heat energy. The size and shape of the chambers can be selected to inhibit the noise generation process and/or absorb sound at selected frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    Inventors: Michael G. Jones, Russell H. Thomas, Douglas M. Nark, Brian M. Howerton, Michael J. Czech
  • Patent number: 9355194
    Abstract: An interactive liner design and impedance modeling tool comprises software utilized to design acoustic liners for use in constrained spaces, both regularly and irregularly shaped. A graphical user interface allows the acoustic channel geometry to be drawn in a liner volume while the surface impedance calculations are updated and displayed in real-time. A one-dimensional transmission line model may be used as the basis for the impedance calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    Inventors: Brian M. Howerton, Michael G. Jones
  • Patent number: 8708272
    Abstract: A landing gear door for retractable landing gear of aircraft includes an acoustic liner. The acoustic liner includes one or more internal cavities or chambers having one or more openings that inhibit the generation of sound at the surface and/or absorb sound generated during operation of the aircraft. The landing gear door may include a plurality of internal chambers having different geometries to thereby absorb broadband noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael G. Jones, Brian M. Howerton, Thomas Van De Ven
  • Patent number: 8695915
    Abstract: One or more acoustic liners comprising internal chambers or passageways that absorb energy from a noise source on the aircraft are disclosed. The acoustic liners may be positioned at the ends of flaps of an aircraft wing to provide broadband noise absorption and/or dampen the noise producing unsteady flow features, and to reduce the amount of noise generated due to unsteady flow at the inboard and/or outboard end edges of a flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael G. Jones, Mehdi R. Khorrami, Meelan M. Choudhari, Brian M. Howerton