Multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system for an aircraft

1 . A multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system for an aircraft, the system configured to be received between an inner surface of an aircraft primary structure and a surface of a panel arrangement delimiting an aircraft cabin, the surface facing away from the aircraft cabin, and comprising:

a control unit,

a multilayer structure having a thermal and acoustic damping performance and comprising, in a stacked arrangement,

a first continuous outer layer,

a core layer, and

a second continuous outer layer, wherein the core layer is received between the first and second continuous outer layers so that the first and second continuous outer layers cover the core layer at least on opposite sides thereof, and

a plurality of functional components formed integrally and non-exchangeably with the multilayer structure,

wherein functions of the functional components are related to at least one of the thermal and the acoustic damping performance of the multilayer structure,

wherein the functional components are provided on a first outer layer side of the core layer, on a second outer layer side of the core layer, or on both,

wherein the multilayer structure comprises at least two adjacent modular panel sections of the stacked layer arrangement,

wherein the functional components are integrated in each of the at least two adjacent modular panel sections,

wherein the functional components of the at least two adjacent modular panel sections are interconnected via at least two interconnecting points disposed at different locations along adjacent edges of the at least two adjacent modular panel sections, such that the at least two interconnecting points are displaced from one another, to allow joint control of the interconnected functional components of the at least two adjacent modular panel sections via the control unit, and

wherein each of the at least two adjacent modular panel sections are jointly controlled by the control unit, such that the control unit communicates with each of the at least two adjacent modular panel sections through one of at least two adjacent modular panel sections proximate to the control unit.

2 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the functional components are provided on the first continuous outer layer, on the second continuous outer layer, or on both.

3 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the multilayer structure comprises at least one intermediate layer provided between the core layer and at least one of the first and second continuous outer layers, or wherein at least one of the first and second continuous outer layers comprises multiple layers, or wherein the multilayer structure comprises at least one intermediate layer provided between the core layer and at least one of the first and second continuous outer layers and at least one of the first and second continuous outer layers comprises multiple layers.

4 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 3 ,

wherein the functional components are provided on the at least one intermediate layer;

wherein the functional components are provided sandwiched between the at least one intermediate layer and at least one of the first and second continuous outer layers, or sandwiched between the multiple layers of one of the first and second continuous outer layers;

or both.

5 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the multilayer structure is flexible and adaptable in shape to a surface the system is to be attached to.

6 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second outer layers is a flexible foil;

wherein at least one of the first and second outer layers has a coating; or

both.

7 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the functional components are integrated in a distributed manner.

8 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the functional components are electronic or electrical components.

9 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 8 , wherein the electronic or electrical components are components selected from a group consisting of: sensors, actuators, and interconnections.

10 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the functional components are configured to perform at least one of the following functions:

measurement of water intake into the multilayer structure,

analysis of a thermal and acoustic damping performance of the multilayer structure,

stimulation of the multilayer structure in a manner to improve an acoustic damping performance of the multilayer structure, and

stimulation of a surrounding environment in which the multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system is installed, in a manner counteracting a noise, a vibration, or both present in the surrounding environment.

11 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the core layer comprises an acoustic and thermal insulation material.

12 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein the core layer is completely enclosed by layers of the multilayer structure.

13 . The multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 , wherein no layer of the multilayer structure comprises a recess for receipt of a functional component.

14 . An aircraft comprising:

an aircraft primary structure,

a panel structure delimiting an aircraft cabin, and

the multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system of claim 1 ,

wherein the multifunctional thermal and acoustic insulation system is received between an inner surface of the aircraft primary structure and a panel structure surface facing away from the aircraft cabin.