Three-dimensional multi-shell insulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11644146-B2
Application number	US-201916455832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A three-dimensional multi-shell insulation configured to conform to the shape of a spacecraft component to be insulated. The insulation may have a plurality of nested shell layers that are displaceable relative to each other for providing natural separation between the shell layers when the insulation is used in low-pressure and/or low-gravity space-related applications. To establish the spacing between shell layers, an edge clamp may be operatively coupled to an edge portion on at least one side of each shell layer. The shell layers may have sufficient flexibility and/or may be sufficiently displaceable relative to each other to allow the insulation to be installed or removed from the spacecraft component. One or more restraints may be provided in the space between the shell layers for restricting the relative lateral and/or transverse movement between shell layers for preventing contact. Additive manufacturing may be employed to fabricate the insulation and integrate features.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation for insulating at least one portion of a spacecraft, the insulation comprising:
a plurality of shell layers of progressively increasing size that are nested together and formed as a unitary insulation member that is configured to at least partially surround the at least one portion of the spacecraft;
each of the plurality of shell layers having layer edge portions on opposite sides of said each of the plurality of shell layers, and said each of the plurality of shell layers having a layer major portion extending between the layer edge portions;
the respective layer major portions of each of the plurality of shell layers having at least one layer major surface that is configured to be spaced apart from an opposing layer major surface of an adjacent shell layer when in use in a low-gravity and/or low-pressure environment for minimizing thermal conduction between the shell layers; and
the respective layer major portions of the respective adjacent shell layers of the plurality of shell layers have one or more restraints that are formed between and unitary with the respective adjacent shell layers;
wherein the respective one or more restraints of the respective adjacent shell layers are configured to allow the respective adjacent shell layers to be displaceable relative to each other up to a prescribed amount, and are configured to restrict the relative displacement between the respective adjacent shell layers beyond the prescribed amount;
wherein the respective one or more restraints of the respective adjacent shell layers are configured as respective ribbons that allow for lateral and transverse displacement of the respective adjacent shell layers, and permit the respective adjacent shell layers to billow outwardly when used in a low-pressure and/or low-gravity environment; and
wherein the respective ribbons are unitarily formed with the respective adjacent shell layers at respective connection points, such that the respective connection points of each of the respective ribbons are laterally offset relative to each other to provide a longer thermal path for reducing thermal conduction.

2. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shell layers have sufficient flexibility to enable the respective layer edge portions on the opposite sides of the respective shell layers to be movable relative to each other, such that the insulation is flexibly wrappable around the at least one portion of the spacecraft, thereby allowing the insulation to be installed and at least partially surround the at least one portion of the spacecraft for insulating the at least one portion of the spacecraft, and allowing the insulation to be removed from the at least one portion of the spacecraft for enhancing access to the at least one portion of the spacecraft.

3. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the respective layer major portions of the plurality of shell layers are displaceable relative to each other for enhancing the flexibility of the insulation.

4. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of shell layers has at least one bend for at least partially surrounding the at least one portion of the spacecraft in three-dimensions.

5. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shell layers includes an outer shell layer and one or more inner shell layers, the outer shell layer having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of at least one of the one or more inner shell layers.

6. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of one or more of the plurality of shell layers is in the range from 0.03 mm to 0.25 mm.

7. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of shell layers is made of a polymeric material.

8. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 7 , wherein the polymeric material includes a cyanate ester, epoxy, polyurethane, polyimide, or acrylic-based photopolymer.

9. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 7 , wherein the polymeric material has low outgassing with a total mass loss of less than 1.0% and a volatile condensable materials of less than 0.1%.

10. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein a thermal conductivity of one or more of the plurality of shell layers is less than 0.3 W/m K.

11. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of shell layers is metallized with a low emissivity coating.

12. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 11 , wherein an emissivity of the one or more of the plurality of shell layers metallized with the low emissivity coating is in the range of 0.02 to 0.2.

13. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the respective adjacent shell layers and the restraints are made with an ultra-violet (UV) curable polymer that is capable of being additively manufactured by continuous liquid interface production.

14. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an edge binding that is integrally formed and unitary with the plurality of shell layers at the respective layer edge portions on at least one side of each of the plurality of shell layers;
wherein the edge binding is configured to establish spacing between the respective layer major surfaces of the respective adjacent shell layers.

15. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 14 ,
wherein the edge binding is configured to space the respective layer major surfaces of the respective adjacent shell layers by a sufficient amount to enable electroless plating of the shell layers after the insulation has been additively manufactured.

16. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 14 , wherein the edge binding includes at least two edge bindings laterally spaced apart along the at least one side of the respective shell layers to provide at least one passage for enabling venting of fluid from the spacing between the respective layer major surfaces of the respective adjacent shell layers.

17. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation has at least one fastener for removably attaching the insulation to the at least one portion of the spacecraft.

18. The additively manufactured three-dimensional multi-shell insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation has a ground wire integrated therein.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Fiedler Tracy M
• Ketola Kurt S
• Truxel Andrew

Classifications

• B22F10/25

  Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title

• B22F10/40

  Structures for supporting workpieces or articles during manufacture and removed afterwards · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B64G1/50

  for temperature control · CPC title

• B22F7/06

  of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools {(B22F7/002 takes precedence)} · CPC title