Blocker door equipped with large cavity acoustic structure

1 . A blocker door, comprising:

a door body having a backplate;

a facesheet coupled with the door body and defining a plurality of perforations; and

a plurality of ribs arranged between the backplate and the facesheet to define a plurality of cavities that communicate with the plurality of perforations to create a plurality of acoustic cells, wherein the plurality of ribs comprises:

a first rib extending in a first direction;

a first-side aft rib angled with respect to the first rib;

a first-side central rib extending perpendicular to the first rib;

a first-side central diagonal rib arranged diagonal to the first rib; and

wherein the first rib, the first-side aft rib, the first-side central rib, and the first-side central diagonal rib intersect at a central rib juncture.

2 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities has a length that is at least greater than ⅜ of an inch.

3 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the blocker door defines a midline that separates the blocker door into a first side and a second side, wherein the first rib is a central-aft rib extending along the midline, and wherein the plurality of ribs comprises:

a second-side aft rib angled with respect to the midline,

a second-side central rib extending perpendicular to the midline, and

a second-side central diagonal rib arranged diagonal to the midline, and

wherein the second-side aft rib, the second-side central rib, and the second-side central diagonal rib intersect at the central rib juncture.

4 . The blocker door of claim 3 , wherein the door body has an outer wall that extends from the backplate and along at least a portion of a perimeter of the door body, and

wherein the central-aft rib, the first-side aft rib, the second-side aft rib, the first-side central rib, the second-side central rib, the first-side central diagonal rib, and the second-side central diagonal rib each respectively connect to the outer wall.

5 . A blocker door, comprising:

a door body having a backplate;

a facesheet coupled with the door body and defining a plurality of perforations; and

a plurality of ribs arranged between the backplate and the facesheet to define a plurality of cavities that communicate with the plurality of perforations to create a plurality of acoustic cells;

wherein the door body has a hinge extending from the backplate in a direction opposite the plurality of ribs, and wherein the backplate defines a hinge recess in which the hinge is positioned, and

wherein the door body includes a flange extending from the backplate, a mounting base, an outer wall, and wherein the plurality of ribs includes a partition rib and a hinge rib that extends between and connects the flange and the mounting base.

6 . The blocker door of claim 5 , wherein the flange, the partition rib, the hinge rib, and the outer wall define a hinge cavity, which is one of the plurality of cavities, and wherein the hinge cavity mirrors the hinge recess along a thickness direction of the blocker door, and wherein the hinge cavity has a portion that gradually increases in depth as the hinge cavity extends toward an end of the blocker door.

7 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the door body includes a flange extending from the backplate and a mounting base that has one or more mounting structures, and wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first-side hinge rib and a second-side hinge rib that each extend between and connect the flange and the mounting base, and

wherein the plurality of cavities includes a central forward cavity defined by the flange, the mounting base, the first-side hinge rib, and the second-side hinge rib.

8 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the door body has an outer wall that extends from the backplate and along at least a portion of a perimeter of the door body, and wherein the door body includes a mounting base that includes one or more mounting structures, and

wherein the plurality of ribs includes a central diagonal rib and a forward diagonal rib that each extend at an angle with respect to a midline of the blocker door and each extend perpendicular to one another, the central diagonal rib and the forward diagonal rib intersect at a rib juncture and each extend between and connect to the outer wall and the mounting base.

9 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the blocker door has a forward end and an aft end and defines a midline that separates the blocker door into a first side and a second side, wherein the door body has an outer wall that extends from the backplate and along at least a portion of a perimeter of the door body, and wherein the door body includes a mounting base that includes one or more mounting structures, and

wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first-side forward diagonal rib and a second-side forward diagonal rib, the first-side forward diagonal rib is arranged on the first side and extends between and connects to the outer wall and the mounting base, the second-side forward diagonal rib is arranged on the second side and extends between and connects to the outer wall and the mounting base, the first-side forward diagonal rib and the second-side forward diagonal rib converge toward one another as they extend toward the forward end.

10 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the door body includes a mounting base that includes one or more mounting structures, and wherein the plurality of cavities includes a forward inner cavity defined by the mounting base, and a central diagonal rib and a forward diagonal rib of the plurality of ribs, and

wherein the mounting base has a stepped sidewall that steps the mounting base inward toward a midline defined by the blocker door.

11 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the blocker door defines a midline separating the blocker door into a first side and a second side, and wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged so that:

at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs intersect at a first-side rib juncture on the first side of the blocker door,

at least at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs intersect at a second-side rib juncture on the second side of the blocker door, and

at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs intersect at a central rib juncture arranged coplanar with the midline.

12 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein an average volume of the acoustic cells ranges between 7 and 9 cubic inches.

13 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of acoustic cells include ten to sixteen acoustic cells.

14 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of acoustic cells is empty to allow for a volume of air to fill therein.

15 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of acoustic cells has a volume of acoustic attenuating material disposed therein.

16 . The blocker door of claim 1 , wherein the ribs are integrally formed with the backplate as a monolithic unitary component.

17 . An aft fan duct assembly, comprising:

an inner duct wall;

an outer duct wall, the inner duct wall and the outer duct wall defining a fan duct;

blocker doors arranged within the fan duct and each movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, and wherein each one of the blocker doors comprises:

a door body having a backplate;

a plurality of ribs that extend from the backplate to define a plurality of cavities, wherein the plurality of ribs includes a set of ribs that intersect at a rib juncture, wherein a first rib of the set of ribs extends in a first direction, a second rib of the set of ribs extends perpendicular to the first direction, and a third rib of the set of ribs extends diagonally between the first rib and second rib; and

a facesheet coupled with the door body, wherein the facesheet encloses the plurality of cavities and defines a plurality of perforations that communicate with the plurality of cavities to create a plurality of acoustic cells.

18 . The aft fan duct assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first rib of the set of ribs extends along a midline defined by the blocker door.

19 . The aft fan duct assembly of claim 17 , wherein a first blocker door of the blocker doors defines a midline separating the first blocker door into a first side and a second side, and wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged so that:

at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs intersect at a first-side rib juncture on the first side of the first blocker door,

at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs intersect at a second-side rib juncture on the second side of the first blocker door, and

at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs intersect at a central rib juncture arranged coplanar with the midline.

20 . A method of fabricating a blocker door, comprising:

creating a door body from a block of material, the door body having a backplate and a plurality of ribs that extend from the backplate to define a plurality of cavities, wherein the plurality of ribs comprises:

a first rib extending in a first direction;

a first-side aft rib angled with respect to the first rib;

a first-side central rib extending perpendicular to the first rib;

a first-side central diagonal rib arranged diagonal to the first rib; and

wherein the first rib, the first-side aft rib, the first-side central rib, and the first-side central diagonal rib intersect at a central rib juncture; and

coupling a facesheet to the door body to enclose the plurality of cavities and so that a plurality of perforations defined by the facesheet communicate with the plurality of cavities to create a plurality of acoustic cells.