Patents by Inventor Jacques Lalane

Jacques Lalane 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: 11952136
    Abstract: An acoustic panel comprising a cellular structure, such as a honeycomb structure, having cells that open at least onto a first frontal face of the structure. The panel comprises a capsular skin which is fastened to the first frontal face of the cellular structure next to a plurality of cells. The capsular skin including a continuous layer of material, in one piece, forming capsules that extend into the cellular structure. At least one channel is provided at the apex of each capsule for the passage of acoustic waves. Such a panel effectively attenuates the noise of aircraft engines, in particular, the low frequencies. It is extremely easy to manufacture industrially, the capsular skin being able to be obtained by molding with polymerization in situ, the polymerizable material then adhering to the cellular structure while it polymerizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Florian Ravise, Franck Dobigeon
  • Patent number: 11945596
    Abstract: A method for producing an alveolar soundproofing structure in which a portion of a membrane of a diaphragm including an acoustic outlet is inserted into a hole of a perforated membrane which covers a cell of the alveolar structure, and the diaphragm is pressed into the cell with the perforated membrane becoming deformed and is fixed at that location. It also relates to the alveolar structure. Such a method enables different types of diaphragms to be inserted into different configurations of cells and enables the diaphragm to be fixed therein, in accordance with the sound frequencies to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Florian Ravise, Franck Dobigeon
  • Patent number: 11745887
    Abstract: An acoustic panel for an aircraft nacelle includes, from a central axis of the nacelle to the exterior thereof, a resistive skin perforated with sound-absorbing micro-perforations, a first attenuation stage, a septum perforated with holes, a second attenuation stage, and a back skin configured to provide the mechanical strength of the acoustic panel. The septum is a planar wall having a thickness greater than that of the resistive skin, preferably greater than 4 mm. Such a panel is configured to attenuate several frequency ranges one of which being a low-frequency range, while optimizing the weight, the cost and the air intake functions. The thickness of the septum, the dimensions of the holes in the septum, the OAR of the septum and the height of the second attenuation stage are adjusted to match the mean attenuated low frequency to the vibration frequency of the aircraft engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Arnaud Bourhis, Florent Mercat
  • Patent number: 11731381
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing two soundproof panels of an aircraft nacelle including a duct. The manufacturing method includes a step of supplying a mold having, on a single face, a cavity for each soundproof panel, a step of producing, in the bottom of each cavity, an inner skin for being oriented towards the duct, and a curing step during which the elements present in the mold are cured in the mold. Such a method makes it possible to produce the two soundproof panels in the same mold, thus reducing the gaps between them after they have been positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane
  • Patent number: 11685507
    Abstract: A sound-absorbing panel includes: an inner skin traversed by holes and intended to be oriented towards a channel in which a fluid flows, a heating mat formed by strips fixed to the inner skin on the side opposite to the channel and oriented in a first direction, wherein two adjacent strips are distant from each other in order to define a slot between them, a base fixed to the strips on the side opposite to the inner skin, wherein the base includes, on the strips side, grooves extending in a second direction different from the first direction and wherein the base has, between two successive grooves, a rib, a cellular core fixed to the base on the side opposite to the strips, and an outer panel fixed to the cellular core on the side opposite to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane
  • Patent number: 11655045
    Abstract: An anterior part of an aircraft propulsion assembly nacelle, having an air intake lip disposed at a front end and an outer panel, of which an outer face extends an outer part of the air intake lip. A front edge of the outer panel and a rear edge of the air intake lip are shaped so as to overlap radially and to nest so as to ensure a continuous surface between the outer surface of the outer part of the air intake lip and the outer face of the outer panel. Moreover, the front edge of the outer panel is connected to the rear edge of the air intake lip with no added rigid element. This permits a rigid connection while avoiding creating local irregularities on the outer surface of the nacelle, which irregularities might disrupt the flow of air around the nacelle, giving rise to additional drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Frédéric Vinches, Franck Dobigeon
  • Patent number: 11649062
    Abstract: A forward part of an aircraft propulsion unit nacelle, comprising an air intake lip, an acoustic panel, and a rigid connection between the acoustic panel and the air intake lip. The acoustic panel has a resistive surface and a back skin, and the rigid connection is formed between the air intake lip and the back skin of the acoustic panel to form a propagation path for forces between the air intake lip and the back skin. This configuration gives freedom from design constraints, which enables an increase in the acoustic treatment region toward the front of the nacelle. An aircraft propulsion unit comprising a nacelle having such a forward part is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Julien Sentier
  • Patent number: 11649063
    Abstract: An acoustic panel for an aircraft nacelle air intake comprising a resistive skin perforated by noise absorption holes and a core against which the resistive skin extends, wherein the resistive skin has a smooth visible face and a castellated rear face with alternating ribs and grooves. The noise absorption holes are formed exclusively in the grooves, i.e., in a zone where the skin is less thick, which enables the holes to have a diameter that is both greater than the thickness of the skin and small enough not to have any impact on drag. The mechanical strength of the resistive skin provided by the ribs ensures that the lesser thickness of the resistive skin in the grooves does not render the resistive skin overly flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Benoit Przybyla, Thierry Colcombet, Franck Colcombet
  • Patent number: 11518526
    Abstract: An anti-icing protection system for an aircraft engine nacelle, the nacelle comprising an inner shroud provided with at least one acoustic panel, an air intake lip forming a leading edge of the nacelle, the protection system comprising a heat exchanger device including at least one heat pipe configured to transfer heat emitted by a heat source to the acoustic panel or panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Gregory Albet, Maxime Zebian, Arnaud Bourhis
  • Patent number: 11459950
    Abstract: Sound attenuation panel for aircraft having a combination of acoustic attenuation properties. The acoustic panel includes an acoustic structure having a cellular structure and a resistive skin and a backing skin, the acoustic panel also including at least one auxiliary acoustic device with cavities that is configured to produce additional acoustic absorption, the auxiliary acoustic device with cavities being attached to the acoustic structure and including adjacent chambers or cavities separated by shared walls, each of the chambers or cavities having perforations and being adapted to produce acoustic absorption. The combination of the acoustic structure and the auxiliary acoustic device with cavities enables combination of the acoustic absorption properties of these two types of element and an increased range of frequencies of the noise that can be attenuated by the acoustic panel without increasing its overall size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Arnulfo Carazo Mendez
  • Patent number: 11427343
    Abstract: An air intake structure for an aircraft nacelle is disclosed. The air intake structure delimits a channel and includes a lip having a U-shaped cross section oriented towards the rear, a first sound-absorbing panel fixed behind the lip and delimiting the channel, and a second sound-absorbing panel fixed behind the first sound-absorbing panel and delimiting the channel. Each sound-absorbing panel includes a cellular core which is fixed between an inner skin pierced with holes and oriented towards the channel, and an outer skin oriented in the opposite direction, where the inner skin of the first sound-absorbing panel has a thickness greater than the thickness of the inner skin of the second sound-absorbing panel, and where each of the inner skins includes a heat source which is embedded in the mass of the inner skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Florent Mercat
  • Patent number: 11348564
    Abstract: A production method for an acoustic panel comprising a step of producing a composite structure, a step of providing inserts, wherein each insert comprises a nozzle formed as a hollow cylinder with a through-bore and a cap comprising a base formed as a cylinder and a cover formed as a cone, and wherein the base is accommodated in the bore, a step of positioning the inserts in the composite structure by penetration of the cover into the composite structure so that the bore opens at one side and the other of the composite structure, a step of polymerizing during which the composite structure with the inserts is polymerized, a step of removing the caps, a first step of fixing a honeycomb structure to the polymerized composite structure, and a second step of fixing a rear skin to the honeycomb structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Theo Riccobene, Hassan Menay, Jacques Lalane, Alain Porte
  • Publication number: 20220161939
    Abstract: A resistive skin shell for an acoustic panel or inner wall of an aircraft air intake, comprising an alternation, in a transverse direction, of perforated metal bands and of composite solid bands extending in a longitudinal direction. The perforated metal bands and the composite solid bands form a smooth outer face configured to be in contact with an aerodynamic stream, and a crenelated inner face. The composite solid bands have a thickness greater than the perforated metal bands. Since the perforations are provided in metal bands, which are intrinsically resistant to wear and erosion, the future proofing of the acoustic performance of the resistive skin is guaranteed. Since the composite solid bands, which are thicker, can ensure the mechanical strength of the skin, the thickness of the perforated metal bands can be reduced, allowing perforations with dimensions that are also reduced, having a lower impact on drag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Alain PORTE, Jacques LALANE, François PONS
  • Publication number: 20220097863
    Abstract: An acoustic panel comprising a cellular structure, such as a honeycomb structure, having cells that open at least onto a first frontal face of the structure. The panel comprises a capsular skin which is fastened to the first frontal face of the cellular structure next to a plurality of cells. The capsular skin including a continuous layer of material, in one piece, forming capsules that extend into the cellular structure. At least one channel is provided at the apex of each capsule for the passage of acoustic waves. Such a panel effectively attenuates the noise of aircraft engines, in particular, the low frequencies. It is extremely easy to manufacture industrially, the capsular skin being able to be obtained by molding with polymerization in situ, the polymerizable material then adhering to the cellular structure while it polymerizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Alain PORTE, Jacques LALANE, Florian RAVISE, Franck DOBIGEON
  • Publication number: 20220034260
    Abstract: A strip-form acoustic material, the strip having a length in a longitudinal direction, a width in a transverse direction, a thickness and axial ends. At least one of the axial ends of the strip, in an end portion of the length of the strip, the strip of material is folded in a substantially transverse plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Alain PORTE, Jacques LALANE
  • Publication number: 20210375252
    Abstract: A cellular sound insulation structure and associated aircraft, a cell of which is provided with a diaphragm which includes a membrane having at least one orifice passing through a thickness of the membrane, and at least one tube surmounting the orifice and extending from a face of the membrane into one compartment of the cell, the tube comprising a free end, forming an acoustic outlet, which is positioned at a distance (p) from the base cross section of the cell. Also, a method for manufacturing such a cellular sound insulation structure, as well as to a tool for inserting a diaphragm into a cell. Such a cellular structure makes it possible to treat a wider acoustic frequency spectrum, and its acoustic dimensioning as well as its manufacture are simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Alain PORTE, Jacques LALANE, Florian RAVISE, Franck DOBIGEON, Florent MERCAT
  • Publication number: 20210371118
    Abstract: A method for producing an alveolar soundproofing structure in which a portion of a membrane of a diaphragm including an acoustic outlet is inserted into a hole of a perforated membrane which covers a cell of the alveolar structure, and the diaphragm is pressed into the cell with the perforated membrane becoming deformed and is fixed at that location. It also relates to the alveolar structure. Such a method enables different types of diaphragms to be inserted into different configurations of cells and enables the diaphragm to be fixed therein, in accordance with the sound frequencies to be processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Alain PORTE, Jacques LALANE, Florian RAVISE, Franck DOBIGEON
  • Publication number: 20210237890
    Abstract: An acoustic panel for an aircraft nacelle includes, from a central axis of the nacelle to the exterior thereof, a resistive skin perforated with sound-absorbing micro-perforations, a first attenuation stage, a septum perforated with holes, a second attenuation stage, and a back skin configured to provide the mechanical strength of the acoustic panel. The septum is a planar wall having a thickness greater than that of the resistive skin, preferably greater than 4 mm. Such a panel is configured to attenuate several frequency ranges one of which being a low-frequency range, while optimizing the weight, the cost and the air intake functions. The thickness of the septum, the dimensions of the holes in the septum, the OAR of the septum and the height of the second attenuation stage are adjusted to match the mean attenuated low frequency to the vibration frequency of the aircraft engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Arnaud Bourhis, Florent Mercat
  • Patent number: 11066994
    Abstract: An assembly including two juxtaposed acoustic panels. Resistive faces of the acoustic panels are in the continuation of one another. A first resistive face extends as far as the first end wall of a first panel. The first end wall is in contact with a second end wall of a second panel in the region of the first resistive face and of the second resistive face. A connecting piece is interposed between the first end wall and the second end wall over a part of the length thereof so that the connecting piece does not extend as far as the first and second resistive faces. That makes it possible to form an acoustic cladding that is continuous, exhibiting no non-acoustic zone or reduced-acoustic zone at the junction between the acoustic panels of which it is formed. A nacelle of an aircraft propulsion unit is one application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, François Pons
  • Patent number: 11027817
    Abstract: An acoustic treatment panel including a porous acoustically resistive structure which includes at least one external layer which is in contact with the external environment and which has through holes, internal strips including several openings which communicate with the inside of the cells of the panel and connecting canals, interposed between the external layer and the internal strips, which ensure that the floor-section openings communicate with at least one through hole of the external layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Maud Lavieille