Method for forming a tube-walled article
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMark David Horn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming an article having a wall that is at least partially fabricated from tubing. The methodology employs a pressurized fluid to deform the tubing such that an outer surface of the tubing substantially conforms to a predetermined first wall configuration, an inner surface of the tubing substantially conforms to a predetermined second wall configuration and each of segment or loop of the tubing is substantially contiguous with at least one other segment or loop between the first and second surfaces.
Claims35
A method for forming an article having a wall that is at least partially formed from a tube, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one tube;
- stacking the at least one tube in a predetermined manner such that the at least one tube forms a plurality of tube seqments that are approximately abutted against one another;
- and
- employing a pressurized fluid to compress the plurality of tube seqments such that a first surface of the at least one tube substantially conforms to a predetermined first wall configuration, a second surface of the at least one tube that is disposed opposite the first surface substantially conforms to a predetermined second wall configuration and each of the tube seqments is substantially contiguous with at least one other tube segment;
- wherein the at least one tube is evacuated prior to the step of exposing the at least one tube to a pressurized fluid.
A method for forming an article having a wall that is at least partially formed from a tube, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one tube:
- stacking the at least one tube in a predetermined manner such that the at least one tube forms a plurality of tube segments that are approximately abutted against one another;
- and
- employing a pressurized fluid to compress the plurality of tube segments such that a first surface of the at least one tube substantially conforms to a predetermined first wall configuration, a second surface of the at least one tube that is disposed opposite the first surface substantially conforms to a predetermined second wall configuration and each of the tube segments is substantially contiguous with at least one other tube segment;
- wherein prior to the step of exposing the at least one tube to the pressurized fluid the method further comprises the step of at least partially filling the at least one tube with a fluid.
A method for forming an article having a wall that is at least partially formed from a tube, the method comprising the steps of;
- providing at least one tube;
- arranging the at least one tube in a predetermined manner such that the at least one tube forms a plurality of tube segments that are abutted against one another in a stacked arrangement, each of the tube segments having an annular cross-section with an outer circumference, the annular cross-section being taken generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the tube segment;
- employing a pressurized gas to compress the plurality of tube seqments such that a surface of the at least one tube substantially conforms to a predetermined wall configuration and each of the tube seqments contacts at least one adjacent tube seqment over an area that exceeds about 5% of the circumference of the tube segment;
- and
- heating the at least one tube to a predetermined temperature;
- wherein the at least one tube is evacuated prior to the step of exposing the at least one tube to a pressurized fluid.
A method for forming an article having a wall that is at least partially formed from a tube, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one tube;
- arranging the at least one tube in a predetermined manner such that the at least one tube forms a plurality of tube seqments that are abutted against one another in a stacked arrangement, each of the tube segments having an annular cross-section with an outer circumference, the annular cross-section being taken generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the tube seqment;
- employing a pressurized gas to compress the plurality of tube segments such that a surface of the at least one tube substantially conforms to a predetermined wall configuration and each of the tube seqments contacts at least one adjacent tube seqment over an area that exceeds about 5% of the circumference of the tube segment;
- and
- heating the at least one tube to a predetermined temperature;
- wherein prior to the step of heating the at least one tube the method further comprises the step of at least partially filling the at least one tube with a fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.