US 12,243,506 B2
Sound absorbing devices and acoustic resonators decorated with fabric
Yuyang Song, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Taehwa Lee, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US); and Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota (JP)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/883,925.
Prior Publication US 2024/0054985 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. G10K 11/172 (2006.01); D03D 15/33 (2021.01); D03D 15/567 (2021.01); G10K 11/162 (2006.01)
CPC G10K 11/172 (2013.01) [D03D 15/33 (2021.01); D03D 15/567 (2021.01); G10K 11/162 (2013.01); D10B 2401/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sound absorbing device comprising:
an acoustic resonator comprising a lossy resonator with an opening and a predefined range of acoustic frequencies;
at least one fabric layer extending across the opening, the at least one fabric layer comprising actuatable liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fibers;
a plurality of electrical wires extending across and in contact with the at least one fabric layer; and
an electrical power source in electrical contact with and configured to supply electrical current to and heat the plurality of electrical wires and thereby the actuatable LCE fibers such that an average pore size of the at least one fabric layer changes and the predefined range of acoustic frequencies of the lossy resonator is adjusted as a function of temperature.