Conduits for transporting fluids and methods of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11415244-B2
Application number	US-202117143888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2021
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises steps of attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply-end of a tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a second weld and attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fourth weld. The method also comprises steps of inserting a tubular inboard ply into the tubular outboard ply, threadably interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar, and threadably interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar. The method further comprises steps of attaching a corrugated inboard ply to the first outer collar portion with a first weld and attaching a corrugated inboard ply to the second outer collar portion with a third weld.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method ( 300 ) of fabricating a conduit ( 100 ), the method ( 300 ) comprising steps of:
attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of a tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to a first inner collar portion ( 106 ) of a first collar ( 102 ) with a second weld ( 134 );
attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), which is axially opposite the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), to a second inner collar portion ( 107 ) of a second collar ( 103 ) with a fourth weld ( 184 );
inserting a tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) into the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) and advancing the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) along an interior of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) until a first tubular-inboard-ply end ( 157 ) of the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) protrudes a first distance (D 1 ) past the first inner collar portion ( 106 ), and a second tubular-inboard-ply end ( 159 ) protrudes a second distance (D 2 ) past the second inner collar portion ( 107 ), and wherein the first distance (D 1 ) is greater than a first predetermined distance (PD 1 ) and the second distance (D 2 ) is greater than a second predetermined distance (PD 1 );
simultaneously corrugating the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) and the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to form a bellows ( 108 ), having a central axis ( 180 ) and comprising a corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ), a corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ), and an interstitial space ( 126 ), interposed between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ), and wherein the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) is formed from the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), and the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) is formed from the tubular inboard ply ( 111 );
trimming a first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 151 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ), corresponding to the first tubular-inboard-ply end ( 157 ) of the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ), to create a trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 156 ) that protrudes the first predetermined distance (PD 1 ) past the first inner collar portion ( 106 );
trimming a second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 153 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ), corresponding to the second tubular-inboard-ply end ( 159 ) of the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ), to create a trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 170 ) that protrudes the second predetermined distance (PD 2 ) past the second inner collar portion ( 107 );
threadably interconnecting the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) and a first outer collar portion ( 104 ) of the first collar ( 102 );
threadably interconnecting the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) and a second outer collar portion ( 105 ) of the second collar ( 103 );
attaching the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 156 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) to the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) with a first weld ( 138 );
attaching the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 170 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) to the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) with a third weld ( 186 ); and
communicatively coupling a first sensor ( 116 ) with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

2. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the step of inserting the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) into the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) comprises inserting the first tubular-inboard-ply end ( 157 ) of the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) into the second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ).

3. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) is threadably coupled with the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) and the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) is threadably coupled with the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) after the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) is advanced along the interior of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) and after the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) and the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) are simultaneously corrugated.

4. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) is inserted into the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) after the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) is attached to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) and after the second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) is attached to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ).

5. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 4 , wherein:
the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 156 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) is attached to the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) after the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) and the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) are threadably interconnected; and
the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 170 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) is attached to the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) after the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) and the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) are threadably interconnected.

6. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first sensor ( 116 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ) via a first channel ( 118 ), passing through one of the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) or the first outer collar portion ( 104 ); and
the first channel ( 118 ) is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed.

7. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 6 , further comprising communicatively coupling a second sensor ( 117 ) with the interstitial space ( 126 ) via a second channel ( 119 ), passing through one of the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) or the second outer collar portion ( 105 ), and wherein the second channel ( 119 ) is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed.

8. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising reducing pressure in the interstitial space ( 126 ) to below atmospheric pressure after the first sensor ( 116 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

9. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the pressure in the interstitial space ( 126 ) is reduced by creating a pressure gradient across a vacuum port ( 120 ), communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

10. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 9 , further comprising sealing the vacuum port ( 120 ), after the pressure in the interstitial space ( 126 ) is reduced, by closing a pinch-off tube ( 140 ).

11. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
flaring the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to create a first flared portion ( 148 ) of the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ), and wherein the step of attaching the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) comprises attaching the first flared portion ( 148 ) of the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) to a first beveled weld-joint recess ( 144 ) of the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) with the second weld ( 134 ); and
flaring the second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to create a second flared portion ( 181 ) of the second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ), and wherein the step of attaching the second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) comprises attaching the second flared portion ( 181 ) of the second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) to a second beveled weld-joint recess ( 161 ) of the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) with the fourth weld ( 184 ).

12. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a first second-tubular-outboard-ply end ( 174 ) of a second

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F16L27/111

  the bellows being reinforced · CPC title

• F16L33/26

  specially adapted for hoses made of metal · CPC title

• F16L2201/30

  Detecting leaks · CPC title

• F16L33/01

  specially adapted for hoses having a multi-layer wall · CPC title

• B21D35/007

  Layered blanks (B21D22/203 takes precedence; joining superposed plates B21D39/031, B21D39/034, B21D39/035) · CPC title