Plastic encased carbonaceous foam mandrel and method
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorJohn A. DWYER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plastic encased mandrel includes an open cell carbonaceous foam that is shaped to correspond to a core of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) part. A polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic is injection molded into the carbonaceous foam, before or after shaping, to encase the carbonaceous foam core and form an encased mandrel. The open cell carbonaceous foam may be silicon carbide (SiC) foam or reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) foam. The foam core may be incorporated into the CMC part when SiC foam is used for better distribution of thermal and structural loads or the foam core may be removed from the CMC part when RVC foam is used, such as when a CMC vane incorporates a metal spar.
Claims20
A mandrel, comprising:
- a carbonaceous foam core shaped to correspond to a core of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) part, wherein the carbonaceous foam is an open cell foam;
- and
- a plastic injected molded into the carbonaceous foam core to encase the carbonaceous foam core and form an encased mandrel, wherein the plastic comprises polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic.
A method, comprising:
- machining or otherwise shaping a carbonaceous foam core to correspond to a core of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) part, wherein the carbonaceous foam core is an open cell foam;
- positioning the carbonaceous foam core in an injection mold;
- and
- injection molding a plastic into the carbonaceous foam core to encase the carbonaceous foam core to form an encased mandrel, wherein the plastic comprises polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic.
A method, comprising:
- positioning a carbonaceous foam material in an injection mold;
- injection molding a plastic into the carbonaceous foam material to encase the carbonaceous foam material, wherein the carbonaceous foam material is an open cell foam and the plastic includes a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic;
- and
- machining or otherwise shaping the encased carbonaceous foam material to correspond to a core of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.