# US 12,006,874 B2 · 3D printed acoustic panel with lattice structure support layer

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- Number: US 12,006,874 B2
- Document ID: US12006874B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/651,021
- Filed: 2022-02-14
- Published: 2023-08-17
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-02-14
- Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation
- Inventors: Benedict N. Hodgson; Jeff Higbie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006874B2

## CPC

- F02C 7/24: Heat or noise insulation (air intakes having provisions for noise suppression F02C7/045; turbine exhaust heads, chambers, or the like F01D25/30; silencing nozzles of jet-propulsion plants F02K1/00)
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- F02K 1/827: {Sound absorbing structures or liners}
- G10K 11/162: Selection of materials
- G10K 11/168: Plural layers of different materials, e.g. sandwiches
- G10K 11/172: using resonance effects
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2260/96: Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
- F05D 2300/603: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

In some examples, acoustic panels (such as for gas turbine engines) and techniques for forming acoustic panels. In some examples, the acoustic panel including a coversheet including an outer face, an inner face, and a plurality of apertures extend from the outer face to the inner face. The acoustic panel also includes a 3D-printed support layer including a lattice structure formed at least partially of a polymer, the lattice structure defining a plurality of cells of the support layer, wherein a first side of the support layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An acoustic panel comprising:
a coversheet comprising:
an outer face;
an inner face; and
a plurality of apertures extending from the outer face to the inner face; and
a 3D-printed support layer comprising:
a lattice structure formed at least partially of a polymer, the lattice structure defining a plurality of cells of the support layer, wherein a first side of the support layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein the support layer is configured to elastically deform in response to a force acting upon the outer face of the coversheet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein the lattice structure comprises a plate-lattice structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein the support layer is 3D-printed directly on the inner face of the coversheet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein the lattice structure comprises:
a plurality of primary support struts defining borders of each cell of the plurality of cells, wherein each primary support strut is connected to at least two other primary support struts of the plurality of primary supports struts at a vertex of a plurality of vertices of a cell of the plurality of cells; and
a plurality of secondary support struts, each secondary support struts extending from a first end to a second end, and wherein for each second support strut, the first end is connected to a first vertex of a cell of the plurality of cells and the second end is connected to a second vertex of the cell, the second vertex being different from the first vertex.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The acoustic panel of claim 4, wherein each primary support strut of the plurality of primary support struts is configured to be substantially parallel or orthogonal to one or more of the outer face or the inner face.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein the first side of the support layer is connected to the inner face of the coversheet using an adhesive.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The acoustic panel of claim 7, wherein the thermoplastic comprises polyphenylene sulfide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein the support layer further comprises a plurality of attachment members, wherein each of the plurality of attachment members is positioned between at least some of the plurality of cells.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The acoustic panel of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of cells are arranged in a first lattice layer and a second lattice layer, wherein a proximal face of the first lattice layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein a proximal face of the second lattice layer is connected to a distal face of the first lattice layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The acoustic panel of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of cells contains at least a portion of the lattice structure, and wherein each cell comprises:
a plurality of struts comprising polymer, the plurality of struts configured to define the portion of the lattice structure contained within the cell.

### Claim 12

A method of manufacturing an acoustic panel, the method comprising:
3D printing a support layer on an inner face of a coversheet, wherein the coversheet comprises the inner face, an outer face, and a plurality of apertures extending from the outer face to the inner face, wherein the support layer comprises a lattice structure formed at least partially of a polymer, the lattice structure defining a plurality of cells of the support layer, and wherein a first end of the support layer is attached to the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein the support layer is configured to elastically deform in response to a force acting upon the outer face of the coversheet.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the lattice structure comprises a plate-lattice structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein 3D printing the support layer on the inner face of the coversheet comprises 3D printing the support layer directly on the inner face of the coversheet.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the polymer comprises polyphenylene sulfide.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein 3D printing the support layer comprises forming a plurality of attachment members, wherein each of the plurality of attachment members is positioned between at least some of the plurality of cells.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the plurality of cells are arranged in a first lattice layer and a second lattice layer, where a proximal face of the first lattice layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein a proximal face of the second lattice layer is connected to a distal face of the first lattice layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of cells contains at least a portion of the lattice structure, and wherein each cell comprises:
a plurality of struts comprising polymer, the plurality of struts configured to define the portion of the lattice structure contained within the cell.

### Claim 20

An acoustic panel comprising:
a coversheet comprising:
an outer face;
an inner face; and
a plurality of apertures extending from the outer face to the inner face; and
a 3D-printed support layer comprising:
a lattice structure formed at least partially of a polymer, the lattice structure defining a plurality of cells of the support layer, wherein a first side of the support layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein at least some of the plurality of cells are arranged in a first lattice layer and a second lattice layer, wherein a proximal face of the first lattice layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein a proximal face of the second lattice layer is connected to a distal face of the first lattice layer.