One piece shim
AssigneeMessier-Bugatti
InventorKenny H. Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-piece or otherwise unitary annular shim member made from a carbon material or a metallic is used to maintain a space between stacked annular preforms during a manufacturing process, such as densification. The one-piece structure advantageously simplifies the arrangement of the preforms in a process chamber and causes less deformation in the preforms. The carbon composition also provides beneficial thermal effects that improve the densification process. A debonding coating is provided on the carbon annular shim member in order to facilitate separation of the annular preforms from the shim members. The metallic annular shim member does not require a debonding coating.
Claims44
An annular unitary shim member having first and second opposing surfaces,
- wherein the member is made from a carbon material having a debonding coating formed thereon, the member including a plurality of radially extending channels formed on at least one of the first and second surfaces.
A method of preparing a plurality of annular carbon fiber preforms for a chemical vapor infiltration process, comprising:
- stacking the plurality of annular carbon fiber preforms, wherein an annular unitary shim member made from a carbon material is provided between each respective pair of the annular carbon fiber preforms, the stacked plurality of annular carbon fiber preforms and annular unitary shim members collectively defining an interior space within the stack,
- wherein each annular unitary shim member has oppositely facing first and second surfaces and a plurality of radially extending channels formed on at least one of said first and second surfaces for communicating the interior space of the stack with an exterior of the stack, each annular unitary shim member being provided with a debonding coating formed thereon for preventing the annular carbon fiber preforms from adhering thereto.
A method for manufacturing a unitary annular shim from a carbon material, the method comprising:
- forming an annular member from a carbon material, the annular member having first and second opposing faces and a radially extending channel formed on at least one of the first and second opposing faces;
- and
- forming a debonding coating on the annular member
An annular shim member having first and second opposing surfaces and a plurality of openings formed therethrough,
- wherein the member is made from a metallic material and at least partly defines a plurality of radially extending gas flow paths.
A method of preparing a plurality of annular carbon fiber preforms for a chemical vapor infiltration process, comprising:
- stacking the plurality of annular carbon fiber preforms, wherein an annular shim member made from a metallic material is provided between each respective pair of the annular carbon fiber preforms, the stacked plurality of annular carbon fiber preforms and annular shim members collectively defining an interior space within the stack,
- wherein each annular shim member has first and second opposing surfaces and at least partly defines a plurality of radially extending gas flow paths for communicating the interior space of the stack with an exterior of the stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.