Patents by Inventor Earl Ayle

Earl Ayle 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: 10604277
    Abstract: An acoustic honeycomb panel is plugged with an acoustic honeycomb plug. The acoustic honeycomb plug is adhesively bonded in the panel using a honeycomb seam. The honeycomb seam is composed of a honeycomb support that is located within the seam channel and an adhesive. Using honeycomb seams to adhesively bond acoustic honeycomb plugs into acoustic honeycomb panels is useful in repairing damaged areas of acoustic honeycomb panels that are located in the acoustic treatments for jet engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: HEXCEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andres Baca, Clark Smith, Earl Ayle, Heather Botello
  • Patent number: 10508810
    Abstract: A thermal panel having a high temperature side located nearest a source of heat and a low temperature side. The thermal panel includes a corrugated composite material core having hot side ridges and cold side ridges. A hot side skin is attached to the hot side ridges to form a plurality of first cells. A cold side skin is attached to the cold side ridges to form a plurality of second cells. The first cells and second cells are substantially filled with an insulating material that has a thermal conductivity which is lower than the thermal conductivity of the composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: HEXCEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Merid Haile, Earl Ayle, Whitney Dailey
  • Publication number: 20190086082
    Abstract: A thermal paid having a high temperature side located nearest a source of heat and a low temperature side. The thermal panel includes a corrugated composite material core having hot side ridges and cold side ridges. A hot side skin is attached to the hot side ridges to form a plurality of first cells. A cold side skin is attached to the cold side ridges to form a plurality of second cells. The first cells and second cells are substantially filled with an insulating material that has a thermal conductivity which is lower than the thermal conductivity of the composite material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Merid Haile, Earl Ayle, Whitney Dailey
  • Publication number: 20180312278
    Abstract: An acoustic honeycomb panel is plugged with an acoustic honeycomb plug. The acoustic honeycomb plug is adhesively bonded in the panel using a honeycomb seam. The honeycomb seam is composed of a honeycomb support that is located within the seam channel and an adhesive. Using honeycomb seams to adhesively bond acoustic honeycomb plugs into acoustic honeycomb panels is useful in repairing damaged areas of acoustic honeycomb panels that are located in the acoustic treatments for jet engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Andres Baca, Clark Smith, Earl Ayle, Heather Botello
  • Patent number: 9334059
    Abstract: An acoustic panel liner includes a face sheet, back plate, and liner core positioned therebetween, which may be used in an engine nacelle. Elongated chambers contain variable amounts of septa at a calibrated depth or depths. The septa may have varying DC flow resistance. The chambers may have a hexagonal or other polygonal cross sections. The septa, such as mesh caps, may be bonded to an inner wall of a corresponding chamber. The insertion depths may be the same or different. If different, the pattern of distribution of the depths may be randomized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael G. Jones, Douglas M. Nark, Earl Ayle, Fumitaka Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 8905189
    Abstract: Honeycomb sections are bonded together with seams made up of an adhesive that is carried by a linked-segment seam support. The seams are particularly useful for splicing together curved honeycomb sections that contain acoustic septum. The curved acoustic honeycomb sections are spliced or seamed together to form engine nacelles and other acoustic damping structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Earl Ayle, Rickey L. Burchett
  • Patent number: 8857566
    Abstract: The bandwidth or acoustical range of a nacelle or other type of acoustic structure is increased by acoustically coupling honeycomb cells together to form pairs of acoustic cells that have an effective acoustic or resonator length that is up to twice that of either acoustic cell taken alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Patent number: 8733500
    Abstract: Thermally insulating septums are located internally within the cells of an acoustic honeycomb to regulate heat flow into the acoustic structure. The internally located insulating septums protect the honeycomb and acoustic septums located within the honeycomb cells from heat damage that might otherwise be caused by a heat source, such as the hot section of a jet engine. The internal thermal regulators are useful in combination with heat blankets or other thermal insulating structures to provide a reduction in size and/or weight of the insulating structure while still providing the same overall degree of thermal insulation for the acoustic honeycomb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Patent number: 8727072
    Abstract: A method for making an acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of flexible material that may be perforated before or after the material is inserted into the honeycomb. The flexible material is sufficiently flexible to allow folding into the shape of a septum cap. The flexible material is also sufficiently stiff to provide frictional engagement and locking of the septum cap to the honeycomb cell when the cap is inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Publication number: 20140133964
    Abstract: Thermally insulating septums are located internally within the cells of an acoustic honeycomb to regulate heat flow into the acoustic structure. The internally located insulating septums protect the honeycomb and acoustic septums located within the honeycomb cells from heat damage that might otherwise be caused by a heat source, such as the hot section of a jet engine. The internal thermal regulators are useful in combination with heat blankets or other thermal insulating structures to provide a reduction in size and/or weight of the insulating structure while still providing the same overall degree of thermal insulation for the acoustic honeycomb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: HEXCEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Publication number: 20140131136
    Abstract: The bandwidth or acoustical range of a nacelle or other type of acoustic structure is increased by acoustically coupling honeycomb cells together to form pairs of acoustic cells that have an effective acoustic or resonator length that is up to twice that of either acoustic cell taken alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Patent number: 8651233
    Abstract: The bandwidth or acoustical range of a nacelle or other type of acoustic structure is increased by acoustically coupling honeycomb cells together to form pairs of acoustic cells that have an effective acoustic or resonator length that is up to twice that of either acoustic cell taken alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Publication number: 20140034417
    Abstract: Honeycomb sections are bonded together with seams made up of an adhesive that is carried by a linked-segment seam support. The seams are particularly useful for splicing together curved honeycomb sections that contain acoustic septum. The curved acoustic honeycomb sections are spliced or seamed together to form engine nacelles and other acoustic damping structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Earl Ayle, Rickey L. Burchett
  • Publication number: 20140013601
    Abstract: A method for making an acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of flexible material that may be perforated before or after the material is inserted into the honeycomb. The flexible material is sufficiently flexible to allow folding into the shape of a septum cap. The flexible material is also sufficiently stiff to provide frictional engagement and locking of the septum cap to the honeycomb cell when the cap is inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Publication number: 20130299274
    Abstract: The bandwidth or acoustical range of a nacelle or other type of acoustic structure is increased by acoustically coupling honeycomb cells together to form pairs of acoustic cells that have an effective acoustic or resonator length that is up to twice that of either acoustic cell taken alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Patent number: 8579076
    Abstract: Honeycomb sections are bonded together with seams made up of an adhesive that is carried by a honeycomb seam support or a linked-segment seam support. The seams are particularly useful for splicing together curved honeycomb sections that contain acoustic septum. The curved acoustic honeycomb sections are spliced or seamed together to form engine nacelles and other acoustic dampening structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Earl Ayle, Rickey L. Burchett
  • Publication number: 20130220731
    Abstract: Honeycomb sections are bonded together with seams made up of an adhesive that is carried by a honeycomb seam support or a linked-segment seam support. The seams are particularly useful for splicing together curved honeycomb sections that contain acoustic septum. The curved acoustic honeycomb sections are spliced or seamed together to form engine nacelles and other acoustic dampening structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: HEXCEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Earl Ayle, Burchett Rickey L.
  • Patent number: 8413761
    Abstract: An acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of flexible material that may be perforated before or after the material is inserted into the honeycomb. The flexible material is sufficiently flexible to allow folding into the shape of a septum cap. The flexible material is also sufficiently stiff to provide frictional engagement and locking of the septum cap to the honeycomb cell when the cap is inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Publication number: 20120037449
    Abstract: An acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of flexible material that may be perforated before or after the material is inserted into the honeycomb. The flexible material is sufficiently flexible to allow folding into the shape of a septum cap. The flexible material is also sufficiently stiff to provide frictional engagement and locking of the septum cap to the honeycomb cell when the cap is inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle
  • Patent number: 8066098
    Abstract: An acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of acoustic material and include a resonator portion and a flange portion. The flange portion has an anchoring surface that provides frictional engagement of the septum caps to the honeycomb cells when the caps are inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the anchoring surface of the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Ayle