Method and apparatus for reducing the infrared and radar signature of a vehicle
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsBryan A. Riley, Robert A. Shepherd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a lightweight structure for simultaneously providing a reduced infrared and radar signature, while adding little or no weight to a vehicle. As such, the present invention allows for substantial improvements over prior systems. An example of the type of vehicle able to make use of the present invention is a military helicopter, but there is nothing within the spirit and scope of the present invention limiting it to any particular vehicle. The teachings of the present invention are useful with any vehicle for which a reduction in infrared emissions and microwave reflections is desired.
Claims29
A panel for a vehicle comprising:
- a lower skin;
- an upper skin;
- a radar-absorbing honeycomb structure formed from an array of individual cells having selected cross-sectional areas disposed between the lower skin and the upper skin;
- and
- a thermally insulative material disposed within the individual cells of the honeycomb structure;
- wherein the honeycomb structure reduces a radar signature of the vehicle, and the thermally insulative material reduces an infrared signature of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the thermally insulative material is an aerogel in granular form and the grains of the aerogel are free to move within the individual cells.
A panel for a vehicle comprising:
- a lower skin;
- an upper skin;
- a radar-absorbing honeycomb structure formed from an array of individual cells disposed between the lower skin and the upper skin;
- and
- a thermally insulative material disposed within selected individual cells of the honeycomb structure;
- wherein the honeycomb structure reduces a radar signature of the vehicle, and the thermally insulative material reduces an infrared signature of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the thermally insulative material is an aerogel in granular form and the grains of the aerogel are free to move within the individual cells.
A method of simultaneously reducing the radar signature and the infrared signature of a vehicle panel comprising:
- providing a lower skin;
- providing an upper skin;
- forming a radar-absorbing honeycomb structure from an array of individual cells;
- disposing the honeycomb structure between the lower skin and the upper skin;
- and
- disposing a thermally insulative material within the individual cells of the honeycomb structure;
- and
- wherein the thermally insulative material is an aerogel in granular form and the grains of the aerogel are free to move within the individual cells.
A method of selectively tuning the infrared and radar absorbing properties of a vehicle panel, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a lower skin;
- providing an upper skin;
- forming a radar-absorbing honeycomb structure from an array of individual cells;
- disposing the honeycomb structure between the inner skin and the outer skin;
- and
- disposing a combination of selected materials within the individual cells of the honeycomb structure to alter selected physical properties of the vehicle panel;
- wherein the combination of selected materials includes an aerogel in granular form and the grains of the aerogel are free to move within the individual cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.