The Boeing Company

Other

Thomas R Pinney

Jonathan David Embler

Michael J Best

Leanne L Lehman

Vann Heng

Edward A Zadorozny

Conley Siddoway Thatcher

William Preston Keith

Adam J Lang

Stephen Edward Lehman

John Scott Kruse

George P Halamandaris

Aristidis Sidiropoulos

Keith G Rackers

Kaia Elena David

Sangvavann Heng

James Philip Ledesma, Jr

Holly M O'Brien

Winnie W Chen

Brian L Muench

Robert A DiChiara

Richard Philip Topf

John Cleveland Waldrop, Iii

Patrick Jacob Mobers

Drew L Smallwood

Eric Matthews Boekeloo

Edward T Tong

Dan E Driemeyer

Merna E Salama

Robert A Dichiara

In a first example, a radome includes a shell including a ceramic matrix composite, the shell forming a first hole at a forward end of the shell and a second hole at an aft end of the shell. The radome also includes a fluid impervious coating on the shell. In a second example, a vehicle includes a main body, the radome, and an attachment assembly that couples the radome to the main body. In a third example, a method includes forming a shell comprising a ceramic matrix composite using a wet layup process, applying a fluid impervious coating onto the shell, and curing the shell and the fluid impervious coating.

Radome with ceramic matrix composite

A mechanically attached thermal protection system (MATPS) includes an insulating tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of access holes that extend through the insulating tile from the top surface to the bottom surface. A plurality of brackets include a first end attached to the insulating tile and a second end including a mounting hole therethrough, the second end being positioned proximate the bottom surface of the insulating tile. A plurality of fasteners are positioned proximate the bottom surface of the insulating tile and at least partially positioned within one of the access holes so as to be accessible from the top surface of the insulating tile through one of the plurality of access holes. A MATPS including a plurality of air channels within the insulating tile and a method for sealing these air channels to those within an adjacent structure is also described herein.

Mechanically attached thermal protection system

A ceramic fastener assembly for high temperatures. One embodiment is a fastener assembly that includes a ceramic fastener configured to engage a hole of a structure. The ceramic fastener includes a head and a non-threaded shank including one or more indentations around its perimeter. The fastener assembly also includes a sleeve configured to slide over the non-threaded shank of the ceramic fastener. The sleeve includes a hollow cylindrical body, an exterior surface with threads, and an interior surface with one or more protrusions configured to mate with the one or more indentations of the non-threaded shank. The fastener assembly further includes a nut configured to engage the threads of the sleeve to tighten the one or more protrusions with the one or more indentations of the non-threaded shank. The fastener assembly also includes a thermal spacer configured to thermally isolate the nut and the sleeve from the structure.

Ceramic fastener assembly for high temperatures

A stand-off panel thermal protection system is disclosed. The system comprises a sandwich panel comprising: a first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and a second ceramic matrix composite facesheet. A ceramic matrix composite core is positioned between the first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and the second ceramic matrix composite facesheet. The ceramic matrix composite core has a perimeter. The first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and the second ceramic matrix composite facesheet extend past the perimeter to form a gap between the first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and the second ceramic matrix composite facesheet surrounding the ceramic matrix composite core. A plurality of orifices are formed through the sandwich panel. The thermal protection system further comprises a soft goods seal positioned in the gap; a plurality of insulation components; a plurality of stand-off brackets; and a plurality of fasteners positionable through the plurality of orifices to couple the sandwich panel to the plurality of brackets.

Stand-off panel thermal protection system and method of fabricating the same

A fairing assembly for an aerial vehicle having a tank that forms a body of the vehicle and a wing coupled to the tank is provided. The fining assembly includes a substructure configured to couple with a tank skin of the tank, a thermal protection system coupled to the substructure, and a seal assembly coupled to the substructure, the seal assembly being configured to overlap at least a portion of an edge of the wing.

Fairing assembly and method therefor

A thermal protection system is provided for a vehicle substructure. The thermal protection system comprises an outer layer for protecting the vehicle substructure. The thermal protection system further comprises an inner layer for conforming to the vehicle substructure. The thermal protection system also comprises an insulation layer sandwiched between the inner and outer layers. The insulation layer includes a porous low-density ceramic insulating material having a densified portion that covers an inner surface of the outer layer to strengthen adhesion.

Rigidized hybrid insulating non-oxide thermal protection system and method of producing a non-oxide ceramic composite for making the same

Methods and systems for restricting movement in a flow mixer including a plurality of lobes that each includes a trough, using a stiffener mechanism, are provided. The stiffener mechanism includes a first end portion configured to be coupled to a first lobe of the plurality of lobes and a second end portion configured to be coupled to a second lobe of the plurality of lobes. The stiffener mechanism also includes a body portion coupled between the first end portion and the second end portion such that the body portion is configured to restrict movement of the first and second lobes.

Systems and methods for restricting movement in flexible ducts

A thermal protection system comprises a ceramic panel, a plurality of apertures, and a fastener system within each of the plurality of apertures. The ceramic panel has a plurality of attachment points to a structure. The plurality of apertures extends through the ceramic panel, each aperture of the plurality of apertures located at an attachment point of the plurality of attachment points. Each fastener system comprises a fastener having a head with a spherical underside and a ceramic bushing with a mating surface configured to mate with the spherical underside of the head of the fastener.

Fastener system for a thermal protection system

Methods and systems for restricting movement in a flow mixer of an exhaust duct, the flow mixer having a first row of flutes and a second row of flutes generally opposite to the first row of flutes, each flute being elongated and defining an elongated axis. At least two flute ties connect, or couple, together at least two flutes from the first row of flutes and at least two flutes from the second row of flutes. A retainer is coupled to the flute ties and extends generally perpendicularly to the elongated axis of each of the flutes from the first and second rows of flutes. The combination of the retainer and flute ties is configured to generally restrain relative movement between the flutes from the first row and the flutes from the second row.

Systems and methods for restraining exhaust gas ducts

A stand-off panel thermal protection system includes a sandwich panel comprising: a first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and a second ceramic matrix composite facesheet. A ceramic matrix composite core is positioned between the first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and the second ceramic matrix composite facesheet. The ceramic matrix composite core has a perimeter. The first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and the second ceramic matrix composite facesheet extend past the perimeter to form a gap between the first ceramic matrix composite facesheet and the second ceramic matrix composite facesheet surrounding the ceramic matrix composite core. A plurality of orifices are formed through the sandwich panel. The thermal protection system further comprises a soft goods seal positioned in the gap; a plurality of insulation components; a plurality of stand-off brackets; and a plurality of fasteners positionable through the plurality of orifices to couple the sandwich panel to the plurality of brackets.

Methods of joining a first aerostructure part with a second aerostructure part are disclosed, for example, methods of joining an airplane wing or control surface to an airplane fuselage or joining fins to a rocket body. The method comprises aligning a plurality of connection elements in a linear array within the second aerostructure part, wherein the connection elements comprise a plurality of flexible connection elements and at least one rigid connection element, and attaching the first aerostructure part to the second aerostructure part at a plurality of connection points with the plurality of connection elements. The second aerostructure part expands linearly at a greater rate when exposed to heat than the first aerostructure part resulting in a difference in linear distance between the first aerostructure part and the second aerostructure part and the flexible connection elements are configured to flex to accommodate for this linear distance difference.

Method for the joining of wings or control surfaces to an airplane fuselage

An aerial vehicle includes at least one antenna configured to at least one of transmit and receive a signal and a radome assembly at least partially covering the antenna. The radome assembly includes a shell having an inner surface that defines an opening therein and a tip comprising an extension portion coupled to the shell. The radome assembly also includes a component that engages a portion of the extension portion such that the extension portion is impeded from exiting the opening.

Aerial vehicle radome assembly and methods for assembling the same

A thermal protection system including a plurality of layers. A first layer includes a passive insulation material. A second layer includes a phase change insulation material. A third layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer to separate the passive insulation material from the phase change insulation material. A structural system extends through the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, or a combination thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Long Beach, CA, United States of America

Thomas R Pinney