Material support systems, material support structures, and related methods
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsDavid R. Machac, Joel L. Robison, Mary A. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A core support system includes a support structure. The support structure includes a frame and a support member having a saturatable engagement layer disposed over the frame. A method of machining a core material incudes applying a fluid to an engagement layer of a support structure and saturating the engagement layer with the fluid, disposing a core material on the engagement layer, causing the fluid to freeze to secure to the core material to the support structure, machining the core material, melting the frozen fluid to release the core material from the support structure, and removing the core material from the engagement layer.
Claims20
A material support system, comprising a thermally conductive member defining a support portion for receiving at least one material on the support portion, the thermally conductive member disposed inside a recess of an insulating frame and having one or more coil recesses on an upper surface thereof, the one or more coil recesses configured to provide refrigerant fluid pathways, the support portion comprising an at least partially fluid-saturatable engagement layer disposed over the thermally conductive member, the at least partially fluid-saturatable engagement layer directly covering the one or more coil recesses, the thermally conductive member configured to remove heat energy from a fluid disposed on or within the at least partially fluid-saturatable engagement layer to reduce a temperature of the fluid to solidify the fluid and secure the at least one material to the support portion of the thermally conductive member.
A material support system, comprising:
- an insulating frame defining one or more compartments, wherein each of the one or more compartments provides at least one channel configured to hold a freezing substance, wherein each of the one or more compartments comprises a spring-loaded plate assembly;
- and
- a thermally conductive member disposed over the one or more compartments and defining a support portion for receiving at least one material on the support portion, the support portion comprising an at least partially fluid-saturatable engagement layer disposed over the thermally conductive member;
- wherein the thermally conductive member is configured to remove heat energy from a fluid with the freezing substance to reduce a temperature of the fluid received by the at least partially fluid-saturatable engagement layer to solidify the fluid and secure the at least one material to the support portion of the thermally conductive member.
A method of machining a core material, the method comprising:
- applying a fluid to an engagement layer of a support structure and saturating at least a portion of the engagement layer with the fluid, wherein the support structure comprises a thermally conductive member that is disposed inside a recess of an insulating frame and has one or more coil recesses on an upper surface thereof, the one or more coil recesses is configured to provide pathways of the fluid, and the engagement layer is disposed over the thermally conductive member and directly covers the one or more coil recesses;
- disposing a core material on the engagement layer and causing the core material to engage at least a portion of the fluid;
- at least partially solidifying the fluid to secure to core material to the support structure;
- machining the core material;
- returning the solidified fluid to a fluid state to release the core material from the support structure;
- and
- removing the core material from the engagement layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.