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US 8,989,354 B2Granted
Carbon composite support structure
AssigneesBrigham Young University, Moxtek, Inc.
InventorsRobert C. Davis, Jason Mathew Lund, Andrew L. Davis, Steven D. Liddiard, Mike Zappe, Charles R. Jensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A support structure for x-ray windows including carbon composite ribs, comprising carbon fibers in a matrix. The support structure can comprise a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture, a plurality of ribs comprising a carbon composite material extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, and openings between the plurality of ribs. A film can be disposed over, carried by, and span the plurality of ribs and disposed over and span the openings.
Claims21
A window for allowing transmission of x-rays, comprising:
- a) a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture;
- b) a plurality of ribs comprising a carbon composite material extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, the support frame and the plurality of ribs comprising a support structure;
- c) wherein the carbon composite material comprises carbon fibers embedded in a matrix;
- d) wherein the plurality of ribs form openings between the plurality of ribs;
- e) a film disposed over, carried by, and spanning the plurality of ribs and disposed over and spanning the openings, and configured to pass radiation therethrough;
- f) wherein the plurality of ribs are substantially straight and parallel with respect to one another and arrayed across the aperture of the support frame;
- g) a plurality of intermediate support cross-braces:
- i. comprising a carbon composite material;
- ii. extending between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs;
- and
- iii. spanning an opening between adjacent ribs without spanning the aperture of the support frame;
- iv. including upper cross braces and lower cross braces, the upper cross braces being disposed in adjacent openings with respect to the lower cross braces;
- and
- v. the upper cross braces and the lower cross braces being laterally off-set with respect to each other so that the plurality of intermediate support cross-braces are segmented and discontinuous with respect to one another.
11 more elements
A window for allowing transmission of x-rays, comprising:
- a) a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture;
- b) a plurality of ribs comprising a carbon composite material extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, the support frame and the plurality of ribs comprising a support structure;
- c) wherein the carbon composite material comprises carbon fibers embedded in a matrix;
- d) wherein the plurality of ribs form openings between the plurality of ribs;
- and
- e) a film disposed over, carried by, and spanning the plurality of ribs and disposed over and spanning the openings, and configured to pass radiation therethrough;
- f) wherein the support frame comprises a carbon composite material;
- and
- g) the support frame and the plurality of ribs were integrally formed together from at least one layer of carbon composite material.
6 more elements
A window for allowing transmission of x-rays, comprising:
- a. a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture;
- b. a plurality of ribs comprising a carbon composite material extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, the support frame and the plurality of ribs comprising a support structure;
- c. wherein the carbon composite material comprises carbon fibers embedded in a matrix;
- d. wherein the plurality of ribs form openings between the plurality of ribs;
- e. a film disposed over, carried by, and spanning the plurality of ribs and disposed over and spanning the openings, and configured to pass radiation therethrough;
- f. wherein at least 80% of the carbon fibers in the carbon composite material are directionally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the plurality of ribs across the aperture;
- and
- g. wherein at least 80% of the carbon fibers in the carbon composite material have a length that is at least half as long as a rib in which it is comprised.
5 more elements
A window for allowing transmission of x-rays, comprising:
- a. a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture;
- b. a plurality of ribs comprising a carbon composite material extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, the support frame and the plurality of ribs comprising a support structure;
- c. wherein the carbon composite material comprises carbon fibers embedded in a matrix;
- d. wherein the plurality of ribs form openings between the plurality of ribs;
- e. a film disposed over, carried by, and spanning the plurality of ribs and disposed over and spanning the openings, and configured to pass radiation therethrough;
- f. wherein the plurality of ribs includes intersecting ribs;
- g. wherein tops of the plurality of ribs terminate substantially in a common plane;
- h. wherein the carbon composite material includes a stack of at least two carbon composite sheets;
- and
- i. wherein carbon fibers in each of the stack of at least two carbon composite sheets are directionally aligned with a longitudinal axis of at least one of the plurality of ribs.
7 more elements
A window for allowing transmission of x-rays, comprising:
- a. a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture;
- b. a plurality of ribs comprising a carbon composite material extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, the support frame and the plurality of ribs comprising a support structure;
- c. wherein the carbon composite material comprises carbon fibers embedded in a matrix;
- d. wherein the plurality of ribs form openings between the plurality of ribs;
- e. a film disposed over, carried by, and spanning the plurality of ribs and disposed over and spanning the openings, and configured to pass radiation therethrough;
- and
- f. wherein the carbon composite material is made from at least one carbon composite sheet pressed or rolled together to form a carbon composite wafer and the carbon composite wafer is cut by a laser to form the plurality of ribs.
4 more elements
A support structure, comprising:
- a) a support frame defining a perimeter and an aperture;
- b) a plurality of substantially straight and parallel ribs extending across the aperture of the support frame and carried by the support frame, and the plurality of ribs form openings between the plurality of ribs;
- c) a plurality of intermediate support cross-braces:
- i. extending between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs;
- ii. spanning an opening between adjacent ribs without spanning the aperture of the support frame;
- iii. including upper cross braces and lower cross braces, the upper cross braces being disposed in adjacent openings with respect to the lower cross braces, the upper cross braces and the lower cross braces being laterally off-set with respect to each other so that the plurality of intermediate support cross-braces are segmented and discontinuous with respect to one another;
- and
- iv. substantially perpendicular to the plurality of ribs;
- d) wherein the plurality of ribs and the plurality of intermediate support cross-braces comprise a carbon composite material;
- e) wherein the carbon composite material comprises carbon fibers:
- v. embedded in a matrix;
- vi. directionally aligned with the plurality of ribs;
- vii. having a length that is at least as long as a rib in which it is comprised;
- and
- viii. having a diameter of at least 3 micrometers;
- f) wherein the matrix comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, bismaleimide, and combinations thereof;
- g) wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a thickness of between 20 to 350 micrometers;
- and
- h) wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a width of between 10 to 200 micrometers.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.