The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 11, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 31, 1995
Ellis C Seal, Bay St. Louis, MS (US);
Robert William Biggs, Jr, Pearl River, LA (US);
Venu Prasad Bodepudi, New Orleans, LA (US);
John A Cranston, Huntsville, AL (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
A novel materials technology has been developed and demonstrated for providing a high modulus composite material for use to 1000.degree. F. and above. This material can be produced at 5-20% of the cost of refractory materials, and has higher structural properties. This technology successfully resolves the problem of 'thermal shock' or 'ply lift,' which limits traditional high temperature laminates (such as graphite/polyimide and graphite/phenolic) to temperatures of 550-650.degree. F. in thicker (0.25' and above) laminates. The technology disclosed herein is an enabling technology for the nose for the External Tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle, and has been shown to be capable of withstanding the severe environments encountered by the nose cone through wind tunnel testing, high temperature subcomponent testing, and full scale structural, dynamic, acoustic, and damage tolerance testing.