Conduits for transporting fluids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935166-B2
Application number	US-201816227973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A conduit for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar, a second collar, and a bellows. The bellows comprises a first corrugated outboard ply, a corrugated inboard ply, an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply, and a second corrugated outboard ply within the interstitial space. The first corrugated outboard ply and the corrugated inboard ply are hermetically coupled to the first collar and the second collar. The conduit additionally comprises a first sensor, communicatively coupled with an interstitial space. The second corrugated outboard ply is not hermetically coupled to the first collar or the second collar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conduit for transporting a fluid, the conduit comprising:
a first collar that comprises:
a first outer collar portion;
a first inner collar portion; and
a first weld, hermetically coupling the first outer collar portion and the first inner collar portion;

a second collar that comprises:
a second outer collar portion;
a second inner collar portion; and
a sixth weld, hermetically coupling the second outer collar portion and the second inner collar portion;

a bellows that comprises:
a central axis;
a first corrugated outboard ply;
a corrugated inboard ply, interposed between the first corrugated outboard ply and the central axis;
an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply; and
a second corrugated outboard ply within the interstitial space;

a second weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and the first outer collar portion;
a third weld, hermetically coupling the first corrugated outboard ply and the first inner collar portion;
a fourth weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and the second outer collar portion;
a fifth weld, hermetically coupling the first corrugated outboard ply and the second inner collar portion; and
a first sensor, communicatively coupled with the interstitial space; and
wherein the second corrugated outboard ply is not hermetically coupled to the first inner collar portion or the second inner collar portion.

2. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of the corrugated inboard ply, nearest the third weld, is closer to the central axis of the bellows than the third weld; and
a portion of the corrugated inboard ply, nearest the fifth weld, is closer to the central axis of the bellows than the fifth weld.

3. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first collar further comprises a first channel, passing through one of the first outer collar portion or the first inner collar portion;
the first channel is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed;
the first channel is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space of the bellows; and
the first sensor is communicatively coupled with the first channel of the first collar.

4. The conduit according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first collar further comprises a first cavity, located between the first outer collar portion and the first inner collar portion;
the second collar further comprises a second cavity, located between the second outer collar portion and the second inner collar portion;
the first channel is communicatively coupled with the first cavity;
the first cavity has an annular shape and is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space; and
the second cavity has an annular shape and is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space.

5. The conduit according to claim 4 , further comprising a second sensor, and wherein:
the second collar further comprises a second channel, passing through one of the second outer collar portion or the second inner collar portion;
the second channel is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed;
the second channel is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space of the bellows; and
the second sensor is communicatively coupled with the second channel of the second collar.

6. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second corrugated outboard ply comprises a first second-corrugated-outboard-ply end and a second second-corrugated-outboard-ply end, axially opposite the first second-corrugated-outboard-ply end;
the first second-corrugated-outboard-ply end is offset from the third weld along the central axis of the bellows toward the second second-corrugated-outboard-ply end; and
the second second-corrugated-outboard-ply end is offset from the fifth weld along the central axis of the bellows toward the first second-corrugated-outboard-ply end.

7. The conduit according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first second-corrugated-outboard-ply end is coextensive with at least a portion of the first collar along the central axis of the bellows; and
the second second-corrugated-outboard-ply end is coextensive with at least a portion of the second collar along the central axis of the bellows.

8. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second weld is offset from the third weld along the central axis of the bellows; and
the fourth weld is offset from the fifth weld along the central axis of the bellows.

9. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second weld is offset from the third weld along an axis, perpendicular to the central axis of the bellows, and is closer to the central axis than the third weld; and
the fourth weld is offset from the fifth weld along an axis, perpendicular to the central axis of the bellows, and is closer to the central axis than the fifth weld.

10. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first weld is offset from the second weld and the third weld along an axis, perpendicular to the central axis of the bellows, and is farther away from the central axis than the second weld or the third weld; and
the sixth weld is offset from the fourth weld and the fifth weld along an axis, perpendicular to the central axis of the bellows, and is farther away from the central axis than the fourth weld or the fifth weld.

11. The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first weld is offset from the second weld and the third weld along the central axis of the bellows; and
the sixth weld is offset from the fourth weld and the fifth weld along the central axis of the bellows.

12. The conduit according to claim 1 , further comprising a sheath that comprises a reinforcement layer, and wherein the first corrugated outboard ply is interposed between the sheath and the central axis.

13. The conduit according to claim 12 , wherein:
the sheath further comprises a low-friction layer, interposed between the reinforcement layer of the sheath and the first corrugated outboard ply of the bellows; and
the low-friction layer of the sheath has a surface roughness lower than that of the reinforcement layer of the sheath.

14. A conduit for transporting a fluid, the conduit comprising:
a first collar that comprises:
an first outer collar portion;
a first inner collar portion; and
a first weld, hermetically coupling the first outer collar portion and the first inner collar portion;

a bellows that comprises:
a central axis;
a first corrugated outboard ply;
a corrugated inboard ply, interposed between the first corrugated outboard ply and the central axis;
an interstitial space, interposed between the first corrugated outboard ply and the corrugated inboard ply; and
a second corrugated outboard ply within the interstitial space;

a second weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and the first outer collar portion;
a third weld, hermetically coupling the first corrugated outboard ply and the first inner collar portion; and
a first sensor, communicatively coupled with the interstitial space; and
wherein the second corrugated outboard ply is not hermetically coupled to the first inner collar portion.

15. The conduit according to claim 3 , wherein the first channel passes through the first outer collar portion of the first collar.

16. The conduit according to claim 5 , wherein the second channel passes through the second outer collar portion of the second collar.

17. The conduit according to claim 12 , wherein the sheath is coupled to the first inner collar portion of the first collar and to the second in

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Di Carlo Tony
• Vaniman Brian T
• Leuer John P

Classifications

• G01M3/18

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; {for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators} · CPC title

• F16L27/111 Primary

  the bellows being reinforced · CPC title

• F16L2201/30

  Detecting leaks · CPC title

• F16L5/022 Primary

  by welding · CPC title