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US 6,177,189 B1Granted
Appliqu{acute over (e)}s providing corrosion protection
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDiane C. Rawlings, Dennis L. Dull
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AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDiane C. Rawlings, Dennis L. Dull
Estimating the term…
Increasingly stringent environmental restrictions make it challenging to apply coatings (i.e., paint) by conventional processes like spray painting because of the volatile solvents and hazardous pigments. The environmental scrutiny is particularly focused upon conventional corrosion protection surface treatments, especially chromated primers and conversion coatings. We apply appliqu{acute over (e)}s to provide a vapor barrier over the substrate to provide corrosion protection. We can make curved appliqu{acute over (e)}s on a family of molds of different Gaussian curvature and thereby avoid making a “splash” mold of the surface of interest to create the appliqu{acute over (e)}s. Using curved appliqu{acute over (e)}s reduces ridges, creases, or gaps that sometimes otherwise occur with attempts to a cover a surface with complex curvature with flat (planar) appliqu{acute over (e)}s.
A corrosion protection appliqu{acute over (e)} adapted for applying to an aircraft surface as a substantially complete, bubble-free, wrinkleless coating to replace aerospace paint on the surface, and, in replacing the paint, to provide corrosion protection for the surface by limiting migration of water from a surrounding atmosphere to the surface, the appliqu{acute over (e)} comprising a 1-4 mil thick, water vapor barrier stable in hot-wet conditions up to at least 250° F. and selected from a fluorinated terpolymer derived from tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride or a fluoropolymer, the vapor barrier being adapted to substantially reduce or to eliminate transport of water to the surface and a pressure-sensitive or thermally-activated adhesive having low electrolytic, ion transporting properties to enhance corrosion protection by limiting ion transport beneath the vapor barrier, the adhesive being applied on at least one face of the vapor barrier over substantially the entire face for adhering the vapor barrier to the surface, the vapor barrier being tearable and tatterable in the event that the appliqu{acute over (e)} begins to peel during flight and being adapted to provide sufficient corrosion protection to replace aerospace paint as a corrosion protection covering or coating for the surface.
A corrosion protection appliqu{acute over (e)} for applying a substantially complete, bubble-free, wrinkleless coating as a replacement for aerospace paint to a surface to provide corrosion protection to an aircraft by limiting migration of water from a surrounding atmosphere to the surface, comprising a 1-4 mil thick, water vapor barrier selected from a fluorinated terpolymer or a fluoropolymer to substantially reduce or to eliminate transport of water to the surface and an adhesive having low electrolytic, ion transporting properties to enhance corrosion protection, the adhesive being applied on at least one face of the vapor barrier over substantially the entire face for adhering the vapor barrier to the surface, the vapor barrier being tearable and tatterable in the event that the appliqu{acute over (e)} begins to peel during flight, the appliqu{acute over (e)} being adapted to replace aerospace paint as a covering or coating for an article wherein the vapor barrier is metallized on one face.
An appliqu{acute over (e)} suitable as a replacement for aerospace paint, comprising:
An appliqu{acute over (e)} coating system for replacing conventional paints on a metal or composite aerospace part or assembly without introducing a significant weight penalty while simplifying replacement and resealing in comparison to paint, comprising:
A chromate-free, paintless coating system to replace aerospace paint systems on clad aluminum aircraft surfaces while providing corrosion protection to the surfaces, comprising:
A method for replacing conventional painted coatings on metal or composite aerospace parts or assemblies with a replaceable, resealable protective covering, comprising the step of:
A method for sealing adjacent appliqu{acute over (e)}s on a substrate, comprising the step of:
A method for sealing adjacent polymeric film appliqu{acute over (e)}s on a substrate to achieve an essentially continuous vapor barrier for a covered area, comprising the steps of:
A method for essentially stopping the progress of corrosion at a site on an aircraft, comprising the step of:
A method for reducing migration of water into a honeycomb core of a composite honeycomb sandwich panel, comprising the step of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.