Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Anthony Cazzato

David Eugene Sherrill

Daniel E Suh

Wayne William Schmidt

Peter A Peraldo

Hal Michael Cobb

A protective structure for thermal insulation and impact resistance, and especially suited for bonded application to the exterior of aircraft including spacecraft to protect the craft from high temperatures generated by exhaust gases and by atmospheric re-entry. The structure includes either a single ceramic tile component with a cover component comprising a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite encasing the tile component, or a plurality of ceramic tile components with a like single cover component encasing the plurality of tile components. Utilizing the structures as an external aircraft surface imparts a super hard exterior that functions to significantly prohibit impact and erosion damage while not compromising the desirable thermal insulation properties inherent to tile.

Protective impact-resistant thermal insulation structure

An edge concealment system for abating electrical discontinuities between externally exposed edges of adjacent surface pieces separated by a gap. The system includes a cover component shrouding each edge and able to absorb or conduct incident radar energy. A male element and a female element extend between the cover component and the surface piece for positive engagement of the male element within the female element and retention of the cover component with the surface piece. Preferably the engagement of the male and female elements includes an audible signal such as a click sound when the engagement occurs so that operators are confirmatively advised upon positive placement.

Growing community of inventors

Torrance, CA, United States of America

Anthony Cazzato