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US 10,179,940 B2Granted
Hardened titanium structure for transmission gear applications
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBrad L. Kirkwood, Marc R. Matsen, Tony Shen, Wesley B. Crow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are present for manufacturing a part. The part is comprised of a metal alloy and is positioned to form a positioned part. An electromagnetic field is generated that heats the positioned part. A surface of the positioned part is exposed to an inert gas, while the electromagnetic field is generated to create an inverse thermal gradient between an exterior of the positioned part and an interior section of the positioned part to form a heat treated part.
Claims22
An apparatus comprising:
- a chamber configured to hold a spur gear comprising a cylindrical portion and teeth radially extending from the cylindrical portion;
- an induction coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field located in the chamber;
- and
- a gas delivery system with a cooling ring manifold comprising a plurality of jets arranged radially around a central axis of the spur gear and directed at the teeth and dedendum circle of the spur gear, the gas delivery system configured to continuously deliver an inert gas from the chamber onto the teeth and a dedendum circle of the spur gear to cool the teeth of the spur gear, wherein the cylindrical portion of the spur gear within a root diameter of the spur gear is allowed to heat via induction heating created by the electromagnetic field thereby establishing an inverse thermal gradient through the spur gear.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.