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US 11,685,544 B2Granted
Fuel line and expandable fuel line section for an aircraft and method for fabricating an expandable fuel line section
AssigneeGulfstream Aerospace Corporation
InventorLingesha Honnamaranahalli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable fuel line section for an aircraft, a fuel line for an aircraft, and a method for fabricating an expandable fuel line section for an aircraft are provided. In one non-limiting example, the expandable fuel line section includes a first inner tube section subassembly. A second inner tube section subassembly is in fluid communication with the first inner tube section subassembly. An outer tube subassembly has an outer tube wall surrounding an outer tube channel. The first and second inner tube section subassemblies are slidingly disposed in the outer tube channel to move between retracted positions and extended positions.
Claims18
An expandable fuel line section for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first inner tube section subassembly;
- a second inner tube section subassembly in fluid communication with the first inner tube section subassembly;
- and
- an outer tube subassembly having an outer tube wall surrounding an outer tube channel, wherein the first and second inner tube section subassemblies are slidingly disposed in the outer tube channel to move between retracted positions and extended positions,
- wherein the outer tube subassembly includes:
- a first outer tube section subassembly;
- a second outer tube section subassembly;
- and
- a coupling that couples the first and second outer tube section subassemblies together, and
- wherein the first outer tube section subassembly includes:
- a first outer tube section forming a first section of the outer tube wall and having a first outer tube open end and a second outer tube open end opposite the first outer tube open end;
- a first outer tube end fitting coupled to the first outer tube open end;
- a first outer tube sealing element sealingly interfacing with the first outer tube end fitting;
- and
- a first outer tube ferrule coupled to the second outer tube open end, and wherein the second outer tube section subassembly includes:
- a second outer tube section forming a second section of the outer tube wall and having a third outer tube open end and a fourth outer tube open end opposite the third outer tube open end;
- a second outer tube end fitting coupled to the fourth outer tube open end;
- a second outer tube sealing element sealingly interfacing with the second outer tube end fitting;
- and
- a second outer tube ferrule coupled to the third outer tube open end, and wherein the coupling is coupled to the first and second outer tube ferrules.
17 more elements
A fuel line for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first fuel line section in fluid communication with a fuel tank;
- a second fuel line section in fluid communication with an engine;
- and
- an expandable fuel line section disposed between the first fuel line section and the second fuel line section, wherein the expandable fuel line section includes:
- a first inner tube section subassembly in fluid communication with the first fuel line section;
- a second inner tube section subassembly in fluid communication with both the first inner tube section subassembly and the second fuel line section;
- and
- an outer tube subassembly having an outer tube wall surrounding an outer tube channel, wherein the first and second inner tube section subassemblies are slidingly disposed in the outer tube channel to move between retracted positions and extended positions,
- wherein the outer tube subassembly includes:
- a first outer tube section subassembly;
- a second outer tube section subassembly;
- and
- a coupling that couples the first and second outer tube section subassemblies together, and
- wherein the first outer tube section subassembly includes:
- a first outer tube section forming a first section of the outer tube wall and having a first outer tube open end and a second outer tube open end opposite the first outer tube open end;
- a first outer tube end fitting coupled to the first outer tube open end;
- a first outer tube sealing element sealingly interfacing with the first outer tube end fitting;
- and
- a first outer tube ferrule coupled to the second outer tube open end, and wherein the second outer tube section subassembly includes:
- a second outer tube section forming a second section of the outer tube wall and having a third outer tube open end and a fourth outer tube open end opposite the third outer tube open end;
- a second outer tube end fitting coupled to the fourth outer tube open end;
- a second outer tube sealing element sealingly interfacing with the second outer tube end fitting;
- and
- a second outer tube ferrule coupled to the third outer tube open end, and wherein the coupling is coupled to the first and second outer tube ferrules.
21 more elements
A method for fabricating an expandable fuel line section for an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- arranging a first inner tube section subassembly in an outer tube channel of an outer tube subassembly;
- and
- arranging a second inner tube section subassembly in the outer tube channel of the outer tube subassembly such that the second inner tube section subassembly is in fluid communication with the first inner tube section subassembly, wherein the first and second inner tube section subassemblies are slidingly disposed in the outer tube channel to move between retracted positions and extended positions,
- wherein the outer tube subassembly includes:
- a first outer tube section subassembly;
- a second outer tube section subassembly;
- and
- a coupling that couples the first and second outer tube section subassemblies together, and
- wherein the first outer tube section subassembly includes:
- a first outer tube section forming a first section of the outer tube wall and having a first outer tube open end and a second outer tube open end opposite the first outer tube open end;
- a first outer tube end fitting coupled to the first outer tube open end;
- a first outer tube sealing element sealingly interfacing with the first outer tube end fitting;
- and
- a first outer tube ferrule coupled to the second outer tube open end, and wherein the second outer tube section subassembly includes:
- a second outer tube section forming a second section of the outer tube wall and having a third outer tube open end and a fourth outer tube open end opposite the third outer tube open end;
- a second outer tube end fitting coupled to the fourth outer tube open end;
- a second outer tube sealing element sealingly interfacing with the second outer tube end fitting;
- and
- a second outer tube ferrule coupled to the third outer tube open end, and wherein the coupling is coupled to the first and second outer tube ferrules.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.