Ignition-suppressing devices for shielding fasteners, aircraft fuel tanks having fasteners shielded by ignition-suppressing devices, and methods of installing ignition-suppressing devices in aircraft fuel tanks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12024310-B2
Application number	US-202117519335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2021
Priority date	Apr 8, 2021
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

An ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) for shielding fasteners ( 106 ) comprises a ribbon ( 102 ) and receptacles ( 104 ) that are spaced apart from one another along the ribbon ( 102 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) for shielding fasteners ( 106 ), the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) comprising:
a ribbon ( 102 );
receptacles ( 104 ), spaced apart from one another along the ribbon ( 102 );
an obverse side ( 101 ), a reverse side ( 103 ), and lateral sides ( 118 ) between the obverse side ( 101 ) and the reverse side ( 103 ); and
adhesive regions ( 110 ).

2. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the receptacles ( 104 ) are permeable to gases and impermeable to aircraft fuel.

3. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the receptacles ( 104 ) are permeable to gases and permeable to aircraft fuel.

4. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive regions ( 110 ) comprise adhesive edge regions ( 120 ), located on the reverse side ( 103 ) and extending along and adjacent to the lateral sides ( 118 ).

5. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the adhesive regions ( 110 ) further comprise adhesive cross regions ( 122 ), located on the reverse side ( 103 ), extending transversely to the adhesive edge regions ( 120 ) between the lateral sides ( 118 ), and spaced apart from one another along the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) between the receptacles ( 104 ).

6. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 5 , wherein:
the adhesive regions ( 110 ) further comprise adhesive central regions ( 130 ), located on the reverse side ( 103 ) and spaced apart from one another along the ribbon ( 102 ); and
each of the adhesive central regions ( 130 ) is positioned between the adhesive edge regions ( 120 ).

7. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the adhesive central regions ( 130 ) have a faster curing rate than the adhesive edge regions ( 120 ) and the adhesive cross regions ( 122 ).

8. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 4 , wherein:
the adhesive regions ( 110 ) further comprise adhesive fastener regions ( 124 ), located on the reverse side ( 103 ) and spaced apart from one another along the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ); and
each of the adhesive fastener regions ( 124 ) is positioned within a respective one of the receptacles ( 104 ).

9. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 8 , wherein:
each of the adhesive fastener regions ( 124 ) comprises a first adhesive portion ( 126 ) and a second adhesive portion ( 128 ); and
the first adhesive portion ( 126 ) has a faster curing rate than the second adhesive portion ( 128 ).

10. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the first adhesive portion ( 126 ) and the second adhesive portion ( 128 ) are adjacent to each other.

11. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the first adhesive portion ( 126 ) and the second adhesive portion ( 128 ) are concentric with each other.

12. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the adhesive regions ( 110 ) further comprise adhesive retaining regions ( 131 ), located on the obverse side ( 101 ) and spaced apart from one another along the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) and between the receptacles ( 104 ).

13. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a reverse-side release sheet ( 132 ), releasably coupled to the reverse side ( 103 ) of the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ).

14. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising an obverse-side release sheet ( 133 ), releasably coupled to the obverse side ( 101 ) of the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ).

15. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
each one of the receptacles ( 104 ) comprises a reverse surface ( 154 ), located on the reverse side ( 103 ) of the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ), and
any one of the receptacles ( 104 ) is configured to extend away from the ribbon ( 102 ) responsive to a predetermined pressure, applied to all of the reverse surface ( 154 ) of that one of the receptacles ( 104 ) and/or responsive to a predetermined force, applied to a portion of the reverse surface ( 154 ) of that one of the receptacles ( 104 ).

16. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each of the receptacles ( 104 ) comprises a substrate portion ( 152 ) and concentric rings ( 136 ), coupled to the substrate portion ( 152 ).

17. An aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ), comprising:
the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 ;
a wall ( 114 ); and
the fasteners ( 106 ), extending inside the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ) from the wall ( 114 ) of the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ),
wherein each of the fasteners ( 106 ) is received by a respective one of the receptacles ( 104 ) of the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ).

18. A method ( 200 ) of installing, in the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ) according to claim 17 , the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ), the method comprising steps of:
positioning each of the fasteners ( 106 ), extending inside the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ) from the wall ( 114 ) of the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ), within a respective one of the receptacles ( 104 ) of the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ); and
coupling the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) to the wall ( 114 ).

19. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the ribbon ( 102 ) comprises at least one weakened region ( 134 ), extending laterally across the ribbon ( 102 ) between adjacent ones of the receptacles ( 104 ).

20. An ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) for shielding fasteners ( 106 ), the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) comprising:
a ribbon ( 102 ); and
receptacles ( 104 ), spaced apart from one another along the ribbon ( 102 );
wherein the ribbon ( 102 ) comprises at least one weakened region ( 134 ), extending laterally across the ribbon ( 102 ) between adjacent ones of the receptacles ( 104 ).

21. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the at least one weakened region ( 134 ) comprises perforations ( 148 ).

22. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the at least one weakened region ( 134 ) comprises one or more score lines ( 150 ).

23. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the receptacles ( 104 ) are permeable to gases and permeable to aircraft fuel.

24. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the receptacles ( 104 ) are permeable to gases and impermeable to aircraft fuel.

25. The ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 20 , wherein each of the receptacles ( 104 ) comprises a substrate portion ( 152 ) and concentric rings ( 136 ), coupled to the substrate portion ( 152 ).

26. An aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ), comprising:
the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ) according to claim 20 ;
a wall ( 114 ); and
the fasteners ( 106 ), extending inside the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ) from the wall ( 114 ) of the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ),
wherein each of the fasteners ( 106 ) is received by a respective one of the receptacles ( 104 ) of the ignition-suppressing device ( 100 ).

27. A method ( 200 ) of installing, in the aircraft fuel tank ( 108 ) according to cla

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Roper Christopher S
• O'Masta Mark R
• Schubert Randall C
• Boettcher Philipp A

Classifications

• B64D45/02 Primary

  Lightning protectors; Static dischargers · CPC title

• F16B41/00

  Measures against loss of bolts, nuts, or pins; Measures against unauthorised operation of bolts, nuts or pins ({locking of screws, bolts or nuts F16B39/00;} seals G09F3/00) · CPC title

• F16B11/006

  by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48) · CPC title

• F16B33/004

  Sealing; Insulation (by means of washers F16B43/001) · CPC title

• F16B37/14

  Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps · CPC title