Noise-Reducing Air Inlet Grille for an Appliance
An air inlet grille for an appliance onboard an aircraft includes a screen having an inside-facing surface and an outside-facing surface, a plurality of airflow openings formed within the screen between the inside-facing surface and the outside-facing surface, and a plurality of tubes disposed on the inside-facing surface of the screen where openings on one end of the plurality of tubes are aligned with the plurality of airflow openings. A length of the plurality of tubes is at least twice a diameter of the plurality of airflow openings with which the plurality of tubes is aligned.
1 . An air inlet grille for an appliance onboard an aircraft comprising:
a screen having an inside-facing surface and an outside-facing surface;
a plurality of airflow openings formed within the screen between the inside-facing surface and the outside-facing surface; and
a plurality of tubes disposed on the inside-facing surface of the screen wherein openings on one end of the plurality of tubes are aligned with the plurality of airflow openings,
wherein a length of the plurality of tubes is at least twice a diameter of the plurality of airflow openings with which the plurality of tubes is aligned.
2 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein the length of the plurality of tubes is at least three times the diameter of the plurality of airflow openings.
3 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein the length of the plurality of tubes is at least four times the diameter of the plurality of airflow openings.
4 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein the length of the plurality of tubes is about 1 inch.
5 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the plurality of airflow openings is about 0.25 inch.
6 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubes is formed of an extruded plastic material.
7 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubes is formed of a metallic material.
8 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein walls of the plurality of tubes are attached to one another.
9 . The air inlet grille of claim 1 , wherein walls of the plurality of tubes are spaced apart from one another.
10 . An appliance onboard an aircraft comprising:
a housing; and
an air inlet grille comprising a screen having an inside-facing surface and an outside-facing surface, a plurality of airflow openings formed within the screen between the inside-facing surface and the outside-facing surface, and a plurality of tubes disposed on the inside-facing surface of the screen wherein openings on one end of the plurality of tubes are aligned with the plurality of airflow openings,
wherein a length of the plurality of tubes is at least twice a diameter of the plurality of airflow openings with which the plurality of tubes is aligned.
11 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the length of the plurality of tubes is at least three times the diameter of the plurality of airflow openings.
12 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the length of the plurality of tubes is at least four times the diameter of the plurality of airflow openings.
13 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the length of the plurality of tubes is about 1 inch.
14 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the diameter of the plurality of airflow openings is about 0.25 inch.
15 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of tubes is formed of an extruded plastic material.
16 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of tubes is formed of a metallic material.
17 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein walls of the plurality of tubes are attached to one another.
18 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein walls of the plurality of tubes are spaced apart from one another.
19 . The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the appliance is selected from the group consisting of refrigerator, freezer, beverage chiller, and oven.
20 . An air inlet grille for an appliance onboard an aircraft comprising:
a screen having an inside-facing surface and an outside-facing surface;
a plurality of airflow openings formed within the screen between the inside-facing surface and the outside-facing surface; and
a plurality of tubes disposed on the inside-facing surface of the screen wherein openings on one end of the plurality of tubes are aligned with the plurality of airflow openings,
wherein a length of the plurality of tubes is about four times a diameter of the plurality of airflow openings with which the plurality of tubes is aligned.