The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Clifford John Petersen

Jayant Dahyabhai Patel

Alfred R Wiratunga

Ronald Joseph Talamantez

Douglas Dean Maben

W Forrest Frantz

Vitor M Amorim

David V Algas

Oliver D Murray

Maggie E Fuselier

Annette D Motherwell

A coupling apparatus for coupling free ends of a pair of tubular ducts in flow communication with one another, and where the free ends of the ducts are separated by an axial gap. The apparatus may have a sleeve having a length sufficient to span the gap and to overlap portions of the free ends of the ducts when the sleeve is secured to the free ends of the ducts. The sleeve may include a first stretchable ply of material, a non-stretchable ply of material, and a second stretchable ply of material sandwiched together. The non-stretchable ply of material may be disposed between the first and second stretchable plies of material to form a unitary assembly. The non-stretchable ply of material may have an axial length of no more than approximately a length of the axial gap to overlay the axial gap.

Clamp tension compensating, self-sustaining cuff apparatus and method

Apparatus and methods described herein provide for the management of noise associated with a duct. A sound-dampening apparatus is provided consisting of a duct through which a fluid flows, such as an air duct. A flexuous cord is helically wound around the inner or outer surface of the duct at a pitch corresponding to a selected acoustical frequency range associated with the fluid flow through the duct.

Acoustic management of fluid flow within a duct

An apparatus and a system for joining and sealing conduits are provided. The apparatus includes an edge trim positioned proximate to an end of a first conduit, and a sleeve positioned between the first conduit and a second conduit. The sleeve includes a flexible end positioned adjacent to the edge trim such that a portion of the flexible end of the sleeve overlies at least a portion of the edge trim, a semi-rigid end opposite the flexible end and positioned over at least a portion of the second conduit, and a flexible medial portion extending between the flexible end and the semi-rigid end. The apparatus also includes a retaining element configured to be secured over the flexible end of the sleeve such that a portion of the flexible end of the sleeve is sandwiched between the retaining element and the edge trim.

Apparatus, system, and method for joining and sealing conduits

A sleeve for coupling together two fluid-handling conduits includes a compressible and resilient tubular core and a protective fabric cover which covers at least portions of the outer surface of the core and is substantially inexpansible in the radial and circumferential directions so as to resist radial and circumferential expansion of the core. The core is preferably a cellular elastomeric foam and the fabric cover advantageously is integrally molded into the core. The core is sized slightly smaller in diameter than the conduits to be joined so that it is expanded radially when installed onto a conduit. Expansion of the core is resisted by the fabric cover, and thus the core is radially compressed and provides a continuous restoring force urging the sleeve against the conduit. The sleeve preferably includes strike-through regions in which the foam material of the core penetrates through to the outer surface of the sleeve so as to form slip-resistant surfaces for engagement by plastic tie-wraps or other clamping devices. The inner surface of the core at both ends preferably includes a fabric layer which provides a slip-enhancing surface facilitating sliding the sleeve over the ends of the conduits or hoses to be joined. In a further preferred embodiment, a pressure-activated or thermally activated adhesive band covers the inner surface of the sleeve for sealing the sleeve to a conduit.

Sleeve for joining tubular conduits

The present invention is directed to a new and improved flexible hose assembly for transmitting pressurized air, gases and/or fluids between two spaced apart components. The hose assembly includes an inner liner surrounded by a helix formed of thermoplastic material having a substantially flat surface portion for bonding with the inner liner, eliminating the need for a outer cord to prevent the helix from floating relative to the liner. A self-adjusting retainer ring serves to compress the flexible hose onto the beaded end portion of a component with increasing pressure as the pressure increases within the hose assembly. Preferably the retainer ring is formed from a single piece of thermoplastic material.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Clifford John Petersen