Abstract:
An energy-absorbing deformable tube having a first end, a second end, and a reduced portion there between, a proximate tube portion between the reduced portion and the first end and a distal tube portion between the reduced portion and the second end, where a first cross section dimension in the reduced portion is smaller than a corresponding second cross section dimension in the proximal tube portion, distal tube portion, or both, and a cover spanning the reduced portion connected to the proximal tube portion and the distal tube portion, the cover provided over at least a portion of the reduced portion, the distal tube portion or the proximal tube portion or both moves relative to the cover after the deformable tube receives an axial force exceeding a predetermined threshold value.
Abstract:
Various methods (1000, 1100) can be employed to apply a braided product to an irregular core. Application can occur while preserving the integrity of the braided structure. A system (200) can be designed in turn to apply a braided product to an irregular core (212). The system can include a mandrel (206) that prevents distortion of the braid during application. System (200) can additionally include a pinch clamp (210) and cam track assembly (214) that are designed based at least in part on the irregular core (212). Further, a mandrel (100) can be designed to prevent distortion of braiding of a braided structure by maintaining constant length in all directions.
Abstract:
A braiding system having a plurality of mobile carrier devices movable under its own power, each mobile carrier including a plurality of wheels, a motor driving the wheels, a power source, a controller, and a pick-up unit having a receiver. Each of the plurality of mobile carriers has a tow carrier positioned in the receiver, and each mobile carrier is simultaneously movable along a virtual track-less path predetermined for each individual carrier, such that the simultaneous movement of the mobile carrier devices along their predetermined paths form a braid.
Abstract:
A gas turbine fan blade containment assembly includes a fan case having an inner surface surrounding a jet engine fan and an outer surface. Mounted on the inner surface and across a blade containing region of the fan case is a load spreader layer for initially receiving a point load from a fan blade release (a "blade-out event"). A band layer is mounted to an outer surface of the fan case for carrying at least a portion of a hoop tensile load on the fan case resulting from the blade-out event, and separator film layer is mounted between the outer surface of the fan case and the band layer to retard the formation of stress concentrations in the band layer. In one embodiment, the load spreader layer includes a plurality of circumferentially-arrayed load spreader layer segments.
Abstract:
A machine and method for applying braid by means of a braiding machine to a mandrel, where the mandrel has a shape that approximates a wheel but has an irregularly varying radius of curvature. The machine includes drive/positioning wheel assemblies that are used to continuously reposition a cross-section of the mandrel relative to the braiding machine such that a center point of cross-section of the mandrel is maintained to be coaxial with a braiding point of the braiding machine as the mandrel (18) is rotationally advanced by the drive/positioning wheel assemblies. Repositioning of the drive/positioning wheel assemblies is controlled by a computer numerical control (CNC) controller, based on information describing one or more radiuses of curvature for sections of the mandrel and a current position of the mandrel relative to the drive/positioning wheel assemblies.
Abstract:
A filament bundle reinforcement fabric is produced in a tubular structure with a minimum optimized amount of adhesive which is consistently and uniformly applied at a pitch to the machine direction or to the direction of the filament bundles in their formed state.
Abstract:
A triaxial braided sleeve (10) in which the axial strands (22) are reinforcing and the bias strands (4 and 8) are elastic. Due to the elastic bias strands (4 and 8), the sleeve (10) can be used as the reinforcement in a fiber-reinforced plastic part having a tapered, curved, or other irregular shape.
Abstract:
A three dimensional braid includes a plurality of first plaits adjacent one another oriented in a first direction and a plurality of second plaits adjacent one another oriented in a transverse second direction intertwined forming a braid with each first plait intersecting each of the plurality of second plaits in succession. Each first plait includes a first group of tows and a second group of tows, each of the tows in the first group of tows corresponding to one of the tows in the second group of tows in pairs of first plait tows. Each second plait includes a plurality of tows. For each first plait, one of the first plait pairs crosses over a subset of second plait tows at each intersection of the first plait and successive second plaits forming a series of braid points along the first plait.
Abstract:
Electrically conductive braided structures having resistivity are disclosed. In an embodiment a structure comprises a plurality of nonconductive bias tows formed of fibers of a nonconductive material and at least one conductive tow formed of fibers including at least one conductive material. The plurality of nonconductive bias tows and the at least one conductive tow are arranged to form a braided structure.
Abstract:
A machine and method for applying braid by means of a braiding machine to a mandrel, where the mandrel has a shape that approximates a wheel but has an irregularly varying radius of curvature. The machine includes drive/positioning wheel assemblies that are used to continuously reposition a cross-section of the mandrel relative to the braiding machine such that a center point of cross-section of the mandrel is maintained to be coaxial with a braiding point of the braiding machine as the mandrel (18) is rotationally advanced by the drive/positioning wheel assemblies. Repositioning of the drive/positioning wheel assemblies is controlled by a computer numerical control (CNC) controller, based on information describing one or more radiuses of curvature for sections of the mandrel and a current position of the mandrel relative to the drive/positioning wheel assemblies.