# US 11,993,548 B2 · Minimization of chemical vapor infiltration tooling hole length through windows > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,548 B2 - Document ID: US11993548B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/957,624 - Filed: 2022-09-30 - Published: 2024-04-04 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-30 - Assignees: Rtx Corporation - Applicants: Raytheon Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Alyson T. Burdette; Jon Erik Sobanski; Kenneth Petroski; Ying She; Kathryn S. Read - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993548B2 ## CPC - C04B 41/457: {Non-superficial impregnation or infiltration of the substrate} - C23C 16/045: {Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates} - C04B 41/4531: {by C.V.D.} - C23C 16/45517: {Confinement of gases to vicinity of substrate} - C23C 16/45559: {Diffusion of reactive gas to substrate} - C23C 16/45563: {Gas nozzles} - C23C 16/458: characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber - C04B 2235/614: Gas infiltration of green bodies or pre-forms - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A tooling assembly suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform comprises an outer tooling fixture with a plurality of outer sidewalls defining an inner volume, each of the plurality of outer sidewalls having an outer wall thickness, and a window extending through the outer wall thickness of at least one outer sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls. The tooling assembly further comprises an inner tooling fixture positioned within the inner volume of the outer tooling fixture, the inner tooling having a plurality of inner sidewalls, each of the plurality of inner sidewalls having an inner wall thickness, and a plurality of holes extending through the inner wall thickness of at least one inner sidewall of the plurality of inner sidewalls. The at least one outer sidewall is positioned adjacent the at least one inner sidewall such that the window overlaps with at least a subset of the plurality of holes in the at least one inner sidewall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tooling assembly suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform, the tooling assembly comprising: an outer tooling fixture formed from graphite and comprising: a plurality of outer sidewalls defining an inner volume, each of the plurality of outer sidewalls having an outer wall thickness; and a window extending through the outer wall thickness of at least one outer sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and an inner tooling fixture positioned within the inner volume of the outer tooling fixture, the inner tooling fixture formed from graphite and comprising: a plurality of inner sidewalls, each of the plurality of inner sidewalls having an inner wall thickness; and a plurality of holes extending through the inner wall thickness of at least one inner sidewall of the plurality of inner sidewalls; wherein the at least one outer sidewall is positioned adjacent the at least one inner sidewall such that the window overlaps with at least a subset of the plurality of holes in the at least one inner sidewall, the subset of the plurality of holes comprising multiple of the plurality of holes; wherein the outer wall thickness and the inner wall thickness combine to define a length of a straight flow path through the window and one hole of the subset of holes; and wherein the one hole of the subset of holes has a diameter, and wherein the window has a width greater than the diameter, such that the flow path is wider at the window than at the one hole, and such that the window is simultaneously aligned with all of the subset of the plurality of holes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer tooling fixture comprises a window extending through the thickness of at least two outer sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner tooling fixture comprises a plurality of holes through the thickness of at least two inner sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tooling assembly of claim 1, wherein a gap exists between the at least one outer sidewall and the at least one inner sidewall, and wherein the gap further defines the length of the flow path. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner tooling fixture is configured to retain a fibrous preform within the plurality of inner sidewalls. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tooling assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the inner tooling fixture and the outer tooling fixture has a cuboidal geometry. ### Claim 7 A method of arranging a fibrous preform in a tooling assembly for chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), the method comprising: securing the fibrous preform within an inner tooling fixture, the inner tooling fixture formed from graphite and comprising: a plurality of inner sidewalls, each of the plurality of inner sidewalls having an inner wall thickness; and a plurality of holes extending through the inner wall thickness of at least one inner sidewall of the plurality of inner sidewalls; placing the inner tooling fixture within an internal volume of an outer tooling fixture, the outer tooling fixture formed from graphite and comprising: a plurality of outer sidewalls defining the inner volume, each of the plurality of outer sidewalls having an outer wall thickness; and a window extending through the outer wall thickness of at least one outer sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and wherein placing the inner tooling fixture within the internal volume of the outer tooling fixture comprising: orienting the inner tooling fixture such that the window overlaps with at least a subset of the plurality of holes, the subset of the plurality of holes comprising multiple of the plurality of holes; wherein the outer wall thickness and the inner wall thickness combine to define a length of a straight flow path through the window and one hole of the subset of holes; and wherein the one hole of the subset of holes has a diameter, and wherein the window has a width greater than the diameter, such that the flow path is wider at the window than at the one hole, and such that the window is simultaneously aligned with all of the subset of the plurality of holes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 and further comprising: placing the outer tooling fixture and inner tooling fixture within a CVI reactor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein securing the fibrous preform within the inner tooling fixture comprises clamping together multiple pieces of the inner tooling fixture around the fibrous preform. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein placing the inner tooling fixture within the internal volume of the outer tooling fixture comprises making the at least one inner sidewall flush with the at least one outer sidewall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein placing the inner tooling fixture within the internal volume of the outer tooling fixture comprises leaving a gap between the at least one inner sidewall and the at least one outer sidewall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the fibrous preform comprises an airfoil. ### Claim 13 A tooling assembly suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform, the tooling assembly comprising: an outer tooling fixture formed from graphite and comprising: a plurality of outer sidewalls defining an inner volume, each of the plurality of outer sidewalls having an outer wall thickness; and a window extending through the outer wall thickness of at least one outer sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and an inner tooling fixture positioned within the inner volume of the outer tooling fixture, the inner tooling fixture formed from graphite and comprising: a plurality of inner sidewalls, each of the plurality of inner sidewalls having an inner wall thickness; and a plurality of holes extending through the inner wall thickness of at least one inner sidewall of the plurality of inner sidewalls; wherein the at least one outer sidewall is positioned adjacent the at least one inner sidewall such that the window entirely overlaps with each hole of the plurality of holes in the at least one inner sidewall; wherein the outer wall thickness and the inner wall thickness combine to define a length of a straight flow path through the window and one hole of the plurality of holes; and wherein the one hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter, and wherein the window has a width greater than the diameter, such that the flow path is wider at the window than at the one hole, and such that the window is simultaneously aligned with multiple of the plurality of holes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tooling assembly of claim 13, wherein a gap exists between the at least one outer sidewall and the at least one inner sidewall, and wherein the gap further defines the length of the flow path. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The tooling assembly of claim 13, wherein the outer tooling fixture comprises a window extending through the thickness of at least two outer sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The tooling assembly of claim 13, wherein the inner tooling fixture comprises a plurality of holes through the thickness of at least two inner sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The tooling assembly of claim 13, wherein the inner tooling fixture is configured to retain a fibrous preform within the plurality of inner sidewalls. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The tooling assembly of claim 13, wherein each of the inner tooling fixture and the outer tooling fixture has a cuboidal geometry.