Tooling for producing z-channels in ceramic fiber preforms
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsMolly Kole, Olivier H. Sudre
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A needle array suitable for perforating a fibrous preform includes a backplate and a plurality of needles individually removably attached to and extending away from the backplate. Each of the plurality of needles includes a bundle of ceramic filaments, a metallic sheath surrounding a first end of the bundle abutting the backplate, and a sharpened point on the second end of the bundle, the second end being oppositely disposed from the first end.
Claims13
A needle array suitable for perforating a fibrous preform, the needle array comprising:
- a backplate;
- and
- a plurality of needles individually removably attached to and extending away from the backplate, each of the plurality of needles comprising:
- a plurality of ceramic filaments secured together as a bundle forming a body of each respective needle;
- a metallic sheath surrounding a first end of the bundle abutting the backplate;
- and
- a single shaped tip on a second end of the bundle, the second end being oppositely disposed from the first end;
- wherein the single shaped tip is a sharpened point or a rounded point.
A method of forming a needle suitable for perforating a fibrous preform, the method comprising:
- arranging a plurality of ceramic filaments in a length-wise manner and securing the plurality of ceramic filaments together as a bundle forming a body of each respective needle;
- coating the bundle with a reinforcing material;
- wrapping a metallic sheath around the bundle such that the bundle has a sheathed portion at a first end and an exposed portion at a second end;
- securing the metallic sheath to the bundle using an adhesive material;
- and
- forming a single shaped needle tip on the second end of the bundle;
- wherein each of a plurality of the needles is configured to be removably attached to a backplate to form a needle array in which the plurality of needles extends away from the backplate;
- wherein forming the single needle tip comprises placing a rounded bead on the second end;
- or
- wherein forming the single needle tip comprises sharpening the second end to form a point.
A method of forming a needle array suitable for perforating a fibrous preform, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of needles, wherein forming each of the plurality of needles comprises:
- arranging a plurality of ceramic filaments in a length-wise manner and securing the plurality of ceramic filaments together as a bundle forming a body of each respective needle;
- coating the bundle with a reinforcing material;
- wrapping a metallic sheath around the bundle such that the bundle has a sheathed portion at a first end and an exposed portion at a second end;
- securing the metallic sheath to the bundle using an adhesive material;
- forming a single shaped needle tip on the second end of the bundle;
- and
- attaching each of the plurality of needles to a backplate such that the plurality of needles extends away from the backplate;
- wherein forming the single needle tip comprises placing a rounded bead on the second end, wherein the rounded bead is formed from one of a silicon carbide precursor and a polymer material;
- or
- wherein forming the single needle tip comprises sharpening the second end using one of a grinding wheel and a jig to form a point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.