The Boeing Company

Cameron K Chen

John Ralph Hull

Self-regulating thermal insulation includes one or more thermal actuators that expand and contract in response to changes in temperature adjacent the thermal insulation, thereby automatically changing the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation. In this manner, a self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to locally adjust in response to local changes in temperature of a part being insulated, for example, during curing or some other manufacturing process. Such self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to respond to temperature changes without feedback control systems, power, or human intervention. Methods of making self-regulating thermal insulation include coupling a first plate with respect to a second plate using a support structure, thereby defining an insulation thickness therebetween, positioning an internal partition positioned between the first plate and the second plate, and positioning at least one thermal actuator positioned between the second plate and the internal partition.

Self-regulating thermal insulation and related methods

Presently disclosed self-regulating thermal insulation may include one or more thermal actuators that may expand and contract in response to changes in temperature adjacent the thermal insulation, thereby automatically changing the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation. In this manner, a self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to locally adjust in response to local changes in temperature of a part being insulated, for example, during curing or some other manufacturing process. Such self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to respond to temperature changes without feedback control systems, power, or human intervention. One example of self-regulating thermal insulation may include a first plate, a second plate, a support structure coupling the first plate and the second plate and defining an insulation thickness therebetween, an internal partition positioned between the first plate and the second plate, and at least one thermal actuator positioned between the second plate and the internal partition.

Presently disclosed thermal actuators may be incorporated into a self-regulating thermal insulation, such that expansion and contraction of the thermal actuators in response to changes in temperature adjacent the thermal insulation automatically changes the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation. In this manner, a self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to locally adjust in response to local changes in temperature of a part being insulated, for example, during curing or some other manufacturing process. Such self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to respond to temperature changes without feedback control systems, power, or human intervention. One example of a thermal actuator may include a first segment of a first material, and a plurality of second segments of a second material, the second segments being coupled to the first segment and spaced apart from one another along the length of the first segment.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Cameron K Chen