US 7,623,940 B2Granted

Direct-manufactured duct interconnects

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsChris Huskamp, Tracy L. Bagwill

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method for forming a duct interconnect generally includes providing a digital model of a first duct structure and a second duct structure, the first duct structure including a first duct section having a passage for conveying a substance and an interconnect component moveably and captively coupled to the duct section. The second duct structure includes a second duct structure and a second interconnect component. The process includes forming, via a direct manufacturing procedure (e.g., stereolithography), a physical model of the first duct and second structures in accordance with the digital models, wherein the interconnect component has a locked and unlocked state, and wherein the unlocked state corresponds to a predetermined compressive force between the first duct structure and a second duct structure.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for forming a duct connector, the method comprising:

providing a first digital model of a first duct structure, the first duct structure including a first duct section having a passage for conveying a substance, and a first interconnect component moveably and captively coupled to the duct section;
providing a second digital model of second duct structure, the second duct structure including a second duct section having a passage for conveying the substance, and a second interconnect component, wherein the second interconnect component is configured to removeably enter a locked state with the first interconnect component such that, when said second interconnect component is in the locked state, a sealing force between the first and second duct structures is substantially equal to a predetermined value;
forming, via a direct manufacturing procedure, a first physical model corresponding to the first duct structure defined by the first digital model;
and
forming, via the direct manufacturing procedure, a second physical model corresponding to the second duct structure defined by the second digital model.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/422,052Filed 2 Jun 2006
Published: US 2007/0278794 A16 Dec 2007
Granted: 24 Nov 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B28B 1/00
Producing shaped prefabricated articles from the material
B22F 5/106
Of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups: tube or ring forms
B22F 7/062
Of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools: involving the connection or repairing of preformed parts
B22F 10/12
Formation of a green body: by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]