Methods, systems, and devices for radio-frequency assisted removal of sealant
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDarrin M. Hansen, Carissa Ann Pajel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Cured sealant may be removed from a substrate if the cured sealant includes a susceptor within its volume. Removal proceeds by exposing the sealant with the susceptor to radio-frequency radiation sufficient to cause dielectric heating in the susceptor and the consequent heating in the cured sealant reduces the bond strength of the cured sealant. The reduced bond-strength sealant may be removed by physical methods, such as scraping etc., much more easily than the original (unexposed) cured sealant. Also disclosed are sealant compositions with susceptor, susceptor tools to introduce susceptor into cured sealant, and handheld radio-frequency heaters to apply radio-frequency radiation to cured sealant.
Claims15
A method of sealing a fuel tank within an aircraft, the method comprising:
- sealing the fuel tank with sealant by applying a first quantity of uncured sealant to the fuel tank and by curing the first quantity of uncured sealant to form a first cured sealant;
- inspecting the first cured sealant in the fuel tank to determine if the fuel tank is properly sealed;
- and
- determining that the fuel tank is not properly sealed;
- exposing a volume of the first cured sealant to microwave radiation, sufficient to heat a susceptor within the volume to form a reduced bond-strength sealant;
- physically removing the reduced bond-strength sealant;
- and
- sealing the fuel tank with sealant by applying a second quantity of uncured sealant to the fuel tank and by curing the second quantity of uncured sealant to form a second cured sealant.
A method comprising:
- exposing a volume of a cured sealant to radio-frequency radiation, wherein the cured sealant is bonded to a substrate and wherein the exposing is sufficient to heat a susceptor within the volume to form a reduced bond-strength sealant;
- introducing the susceptor into the cured sealant, prior to the exposing, wherein the introducing includes penetrating the cured sealant with a susceptor needle;
- and
- physically removing the reduced bond-strength sealant from the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.