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:
Sep. 25, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 03, 1999
Jeffrey W. Moe, Chula Vista, CA (US);
The B. F. Goodrich Company, Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
A strain compatible attachment arrangement for releasably securing a plurality of metallic thermal protection system (TPS) panels to a space vehicle substructure to provide an outer mold line of the aeroshell of the vehicle. The TPS panels are spaced from the substructure to support aerodynamic loading on the TPS outer panel surface while isolating the outer panel surface from strains in the substructure and to isolate the vehicle substructure from direct thermal energy conductance though the outer TPS panel surface of the space vehicle. The attachment arrangement provides for a stand-off leg member to be secured at an inner end to the substructure and at its outer end to be releasably secured to a corner of a TPS panel, such panels being arranged in an edge abutting relationship. The outer end of each leg member includes a nutplate that is attached to such leg member by a clip and which has a locking portion that interlocks with a complementarily shaped locking insert positioned in a corner of a TPS panel to preclude rotation between the nutplate and the TPS panel when a bolt is inserted through the insert into locking engagement with the nutplate. Since each TPS panel is secured to each stand-off leg member from a position external to each panel, an individual TPS panel may be removed easily, as desired, for repair or replacement.