Hybrid pad system
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsMichael S. Huber, Zachary Hagan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid pad system positioned between a missile and a launch tube is provided herein. The hybrid pad system includes an outer sheet and an inner sheet spaced from the outer sheet. A web region can be positioned between the outer sheet and the inner sheet. A restoration region can be positioned between the outer sheet and the inner sheet and tangentially offset from the web region. A support can be operably coupled with the inner sheet.
Claims20
A hybrid pad system positioned between a missile and a launch tube, the hybrid pad system comprising:
- an outer sheet;
- an inner sheet spaced from the outer sheet;
- and
- a resilient structure positioned between the outer sheet and the inner sheet, the resilient structure comprising:
- one or more web regions each including a first web element coupled with the outer sheet and the inner sheet and a second web element coupled with the outer sheet and the inner sheet, wherein the first web element intersects the second web element at an intersection point between the outer sheet and the inner sheet;
- and
- one or more restoration regions each including one or more buckled struts coupled with the outer sheet and the inner sheet, wherein the one or more restoration regions are circumferentially offset from the one or more web regions.
A method of manufacturing a hybrid pad system, the method comprising:
- placing an injector mold plate of a mold assembly in a defined position relative to an ejector mold plate to define an injection mold;
- forming an outer sheet, an inner sheet, one or more web regions of a resilient structure, and one or more restoration regions of the resilient structure by injecting a material between the injector mold plate and the ejector mold plate, wherein the one or more web regions each include a first web element coupled with the outer sheet and the inner sheet and a second web element coupled with the outer sheet and the inner sheet, wherein the first web element intersects the second web element at an intersection point between the outer sheet and the inner sheet, wherein one or more restoration regions each including one or more buckled struts coupled with the outer sheet and the inner sheet, and wherein the one or more restoration regions are circumferentially offset from the one or more web regions;
- and
- adhering an attached section of the outer sheet to a launch tube, the attached section circumferentially adjacent to an unattached section.
A hybrid pad system positioned between a missile and a launch tube, the hybrid pad system comprising:
- an outer sheet;
- an inner sheet spaced from the outer sheet;
- a web region positioned between the outer sheet and the inner sheet, wherein the web region includes a first web element and a second web element, and wherein the first web element intersects the second web element at an intersection point between the outer sheet and the inner sheet;
- a restoration region positioned between the outer sheet and the inner sheet and tangentially offset from the web region, wherein the restoration region includes one or more buckled struts extending between the outer sheet and the inner sheet, and wherein the one or more buckled struts are circumferentially offset from the first web element and the second web element;
- and
- a support operably coupled with the inner sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.