High temperature resistant airfoil apparatus for a hypersonic space vehicle
US6676077B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 1, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/503
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A ruddervator for an aerospacecraft including a monolithic, one-piece, oxide/oxide-based ceramic matrix composite (Oxide-CMC) shell having a hollowed interior area. A graphite composite structural member is inserted into the hollowed interior area and bonded thereto. The Oxide-CMC shell is comprised of one or more plies of Oxide-CMC fabric which are fused over a thick substrate of rigid ceramic foam insulation to form the monolithic shell. An outer mold line ply of the Oxide-CMC shell is further infused with a high-emissivity coating such as reaction-cured glass (RCG) to provide plasma heating re-radiation outward to reduce internal temperatures in the ruddervator. A torque box transition structure is secured to the graphite composite structural member to interface the ruddervator to a fuselage actuator spindle of the aerospacecraft. The ruddervator is reusable and formed from a reduced number of independent component parts, and weighs less than previously developed ruddervators. The manufacturing cost of the ruddervator is reduced by utilizing the reduced tooling complexities of Oxide-CMC over CMC fabrication processes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.