Rigid raft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10939558-B2
Application number	US-201816047353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2018
Priority date	Aug 1, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A method is provided of producing a rigid raft comprising electrical conductors enclosed in the raft. The method includes: providing a cured, composite material base layer; laying up electrical conductors on the base layer; and overlaying the laid-up electrical conductors with a cover layer, thereby producing a rigid raft in which the electrical conductors are enclosed in the raft.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of producing a rigid raft comprising electrical conductors enclosed in the raft, the method including:
providing a cured, composite material base layer;
subsequent to the providing the cured, composite base layer, laying up electrical conductors on the base layer; and
overlaying the electrical conductors with a cover layer, thereby producing the rigid raft in which the electrical conductors are enclosed in the raft,
wherein the electrical conductors comprise one or more flexible printed circuit boards and
wherein the rigid raft is part of an electrical system of a gas turbine engine.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including:
machining the cured, composite material base layer before the electrical conductors are laid-up thereon.

3. The method according to claim 1 further including:
inspecting the cured, composite material base layer for defects before the electrical conductors are laid-up thereon.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material of the base layer is a carbon fiber reinforced composite material.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electrical conductors are overlaid with an uncured, composite material cover layer, and
the method further includes: curing the cover layer to bond the cover layer to the base layer, thereby producing the rigid raft in which the electrical conductors are enclosed in the rigid raft by being embedded in composite material.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the composite material of the cover layer is a carbon fiber reinforced composite material.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the uncured, composite material of the cover layer is a pre-impregnated, fiber reinforced composite material.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
overlaying the electrical conductors with a non-composite polymeric or elastomeric protective cover layer.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises spray coating polymeric or elastomeric protective cover onto the electrical conductors.

10. A method of assembling a gas turbine engine comprising:
producing a rigid raft comprising electrical conductors enclosed in the raft, the producing the rigid raft comprising:
providing a cured, composite material base layer;
subsequent to the providing the cured, composite base layer, laying up electrical conductors on the base layer; and
overlaying the electrical conductors with a cover layer, thereby producing the rigid raft in which the electrical conductors are enclosed in the raft,
wherein the electrical conductors comprise one or more flexible printed circuit boards and
wherein the rigid raft is part of an electrical system of the gas turbine engine;

mechanically attaching the produced raft to a structural component of the gas turbine engine; and
electrically connecting the rigid raft to the gas turbine engine such that the electrical conductors are electrically connected at least one other electrical component of the gas turbine engine.

11. The method of assembling a gas turbine engine according to claim 10 , wherein the rigid raft forms part of an electrical harness of the gas turbine engine.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc
• Rolls Royce Pic

Inventors

• Hocking Matthew
• Hartley Steven
• Jones Dean G

Classifications

• H05K3/0067 Primary

  onto an inorganic, non-metallic substrate · CPC title

• B29C70/72 Primary

  Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components {(B29C70/742 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29L2031/748

  Machines or parts thereof not otherwise provided for (conveyor belts B29L2031/7092; driving belts B29L2031/7094; bearings B29L2031/04) · CPC title

• B29C70/86

  Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, {e.g. by winding} · CPC title

• B29L2031/7504

  Turbines · CPC title