Syntactic-foam parts and associated methods of making the same
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMark Wilenski, Kimberly-Alice Gregersen, Richard Widdle, Michael Friend, Adam Gross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making a syntactic-foam part includes loading low-density spheres into a mold. The method also includes introducing a first resin into the mold. The method further includes coating the low-density spheres with the first resin to form a coating, made of the first resin, around an entirety of each one of the low-density spheres. The method additionally includes solidifying the first resin after the first resin is coated on the low-density spheres. The method also includes solidifying the second resin after the second resin fills the mold.
Claims26
A method of making a syntactic-foam part, the method comprising:
- loading low-density spheres into a mold such that the low-density spheres form a lattice arrangement within the mold where each one of the low-density spheres contacts each one of at least two other ones of the low-density spheres at a single contact point and an interstitial space is defined between the corresponding one of the low-density spheres and the at least two other ones of the low-density spheres;
- introducing a first resin into the mold;
- coating the low-density spheres in the lattice arrangement with the first resin to form a coating, made of the first resin, around an entirety of each one of the low-density spheres;
- solidifying the first resin after the first resin is coated on the low-density spheres;
- after solidifying the first resin, introducing a second resin into the mold so that the second resin fills the mold and the interstitial space;
- and
- solidifying the second resin after the second resin fills the mold and the interstitial space.
A syntactic-foam part, comprising:
- low-density spheres arranged in a lattice arrangement of at least one set of at least three low-density spheres so that an interstitial space is defined between the low-density spheres of each one of the at least one set of at least three low-density spheres;
- a coating, made of a first resin, around an entirety of each one of the low-density spheres, wherein a thickness of the coating around each one of the low-density spheres varies and is greater around points of adjacent ones of the low-density spheres nearest each other of the at least one set of at least three low-density spheres than at locations away from the points;
- and
- a second resin within the interstitial space and enveloping the low-density spheres.
A method of making a syntactic-foam part, the method comprising:
- loading low-density spheres into a first mold such that the low-density spheres form a lattice arrangement within the first mold where each one of the low-density spheres contacts each one of at least two other ones of the low-density spheres at a single contact point and an interstitial space is defined between the corresponding one of the low-density spheres and the at least two other ones of the low-density spheres;
- introducing a first resin into the first mold;
- coating the low-density spheres in the lattice arrangement with the first resin to form a coating, made of the first resin, around an entirety of each one of the low-density spheres;
- solidifying the first resin after the first resin is coated on the low-density spheres so that the coating and the low-density spheres form an intermediate part;
- removing the intermediate part from the first mold;
- loading the intermediate part into a second mold;
- introducing a second resin into the second mold so that the second resin fills the second mold and the interstitial space;
- and
- solidifying the second resin after the second resin fills the second mold and the interstitial space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.