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US 9,695,877 B2Granted
Torque tube manufacturing methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPradip K. Saha, Mark R. Meyer, Mark E. Bice
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an apparatus comprising a first end fitting. The first end fitting comprises a tube engagement portion. The tube engagement portion comprises an outer coupling surface. The outer coupling surface comprises a first virtual cross-section. The first virtual cross-section comprises a first transverse inflection point. Each point along the first virtual cross-section has a first virtual tangent line coplanar with the first virtual cross-section.
Claims19
A method for manufacturing an apparatus, the method comprising:
- installing a protective sleeve over a first end of a torque tube;
- installing a conductive sleeve over the protective sleeve;
- inserting a first end fitting into the first end of the torque tube,
- wherein a tube engagement portion of the first end fitting is inserted into the first end of the torque tube, the tube engagement portion comprising an outer coupling surface;
- electromagnetically forming the first end of the torque tube to conform the torque tube to an outer coupling surface of the first end fitting;
- removing the conductive sleeve;
- and
- removing the protective sleeve.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.