Self-sealing one-piece vacuum fitting for bagging of composite materials
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Greene, Wayne Sissom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum fitting having a check valve for use in bagging composite parts prior to and curing the during process, in which the body of the vacuum fitting is formed from a single piece of material, and the check valve has no loose fitting parts is disclosed. The vacuum fitting has a one-piece body portion having a base flange, a central neck portion, and a top quick-connect fitting adapted for releasable connection to a conventional vacuum source. The check valve is disposed within the central neck portion with a snap ring.
Claims19
A vacuum fitting for use with a bag material for curing a composite part comprising:
- a one-piece body portion comprising:
- a base flange;
- a neck portion extending from the base flange;
- and
- a top fitting adapted to releasably receive a vacuum source;
- wherein the body portion defines a central upper channel, a central lower channel, and a valve seat between the central upper channel and the central lower channel, such that the central lower channel is in fluid communication with the central upper channel;
- a valve disposed between the upper channel and the lower channel, the valve having a valve stem and a valve flange, such that the valve flange interfaces with the valve seat to inhibit a flow of fluid between the valve flange and the valve seat;
- a spring biasing the valve flange toward the valve seat, the spring spaced away from the base flange;
- a gasket disposed about the one-piece body portion;
- a collar disposed about the one-piece body portion;
- a pin extending from the one-piece body portion into the gasket and into the collar;
- and
- a locking ring threadedly engaged with the one-piece body portion operable to compress the collar, the gasket, and the bag material against the base flange, such that an airtight seal is produced between the baa material and the vacuum fitting.
A vacuum fitting for use with a bag material for curing a composite part comprising:
- a one-piece body portion comprising:
- a base flange;
- a neck portion extending from the base flange;
- and
- a top fitting adapted to releasably receive a vacuum source;
- wherein the body portion defines a central upper channel, a
- central lower channel, and a valve seat between the central upper
- channel and the central lower channel, such that the central lower
- channel is in fluid communication with the central upper channel;
- a ball disposed between the upper channel and the lower channel, such that the ball interfaces with the valve seat to inhibit a flow of fluid between the valve flange and the valve seat;
- a gasket disposed about the one-piece body portion;
- a collar disposed about the one-piece body portion;
- a pin extending from the one-piece body portion into the gasket and into the collar;
- and
- a locking ring threadedly engaged with the one-piece body portion operable to compress the collar, the gasket, and the bag material against the base flange, such that an airtight seal is produced between the baa material and the vacuum fitting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.