Metallic structures with additively manufactured metallic articles and methods for fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12240604-B2
Application number	US-202217688180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 7, 2022
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A metallic structure includes a metallic sheet, including a metallic-sheet first surface and a metallic-sheet second surface. The metallic structure includes a metallic doubler, extending from the metallic-sheet first surface, and a first junction between the metallic-sheet first surface and the metallic doubler. The metallic structure includes a metallic article, extending from the metallic-sheet second surface, and a second junction between the metallic-sheet second surface and the metallic article. The first junction has a first-junction boundary. The second junction has a second-junction boundary. When viewed at any point along the second-junction boundary in a direction, perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the second-junction boundary does not extend outside of the first-junction boundary. In a plane, intersecting the metallic doubler and perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the metallic doubler has at least a first doubler thickness and a second doubler thickness, which is less than the first doubler thickness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A metallic structure, comprising:
a metallic sheet, comprising a metallic-sheet first surface and a metallic-sheet second surface, wherein the metallic-sheet first surface and the metallic-sheet second surface face in opposite directions;
a metallic doubler, extending from a portion of the metallic-sheet first surface;
a first junction between the portion of the metallic-sheet first surface and the metallic doubler;
a metallic article, additively manufactured on or welded to a portion of the metallic-sheet second surface; and
a second junction between the portion of the metallic-sheet second surface and the metallic article;
wherein:
the first junction has a first-junction area and a first-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines the first-junction area;
the second junction has a second-junction area and a second-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines the second-junction area;
when viewed at any point along the second-junction boundary in a direction, perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the second-junction boundary does not extend outside of the first-junction boundary;
in a plane, intersecting the metallic doubler and perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the metallic doubler has at least a first doubler thickness and a second doubler thickness, which is less than the first doubler thickness;
in the plane, intersecting the metallic doubler and perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the metallic article has at least a first article thickness and a second article thickness, which is less than the first article thickness; and
in the plane, intersecting the metallic doubler and perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the first article thickness is disposed over the first doubler thickness and the second article thickness is disposed over the second doubler thickness.

2. The metallic structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a second metallic sheet that comprises a second-metallic-sheet first surface and a second-metallic-sheet second surface,
wherein:
the second-metallic-sheet first surface and the second-metallic-sheet second surface face in opposite directions;
a portion of the second-metallic-sheet first surface is in contact with a second portion of the metallic-sheet first surface; and

the metallic doubler is sandwiched between the metallic-sheet first surface and the second-metallic-sheet first surface.

3. The metallic structure according to claim 2 , further comprising webs that extend from the second metallic sheet.

4. The metallic structure according to claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of a cross-section of at least one of the webs overlaps at least a portion of the second junction when each point of at least the portion of the cross-section of at least the one of the webs is viewed in the direction, perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface.

5. The metallic structure according to claim 3 , further comprising a third metallic sheet, spaced apart from the second metallic sheet and comprising a third-metallic-sheet first surface and a third-metallic-sheet second surface,
wherein:
the third-metallic-sheet first surface and the third-metallic-sheet second surface face in opposite directions;
the second-metallic-sheet first surface and the third-metallic-sheet first surface face each other; and
the webs extend between the second metallic sheet and the third metallic sheet.

6. The metallic structure according to claim 5 , further comprising a fourth metallic sheet, comprising a fourth-metallic-sheet first surface and a fourth-metallic-sheet second surface,
wherein:
the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface and the fourth-metallic-sheet second surface face in opposite directions; and
at least a portion of the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface is in contact with at least a portion of the third-metallic-sheet second surface.

7. The metallic structure according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a second metallic doubler, extending between a second portion of the third-metallic-sheet second surface and a second portion of the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface;
a third junction between the second portion of the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface and the second metallic doubler;
a second metallic article, extending from a portion of the fourth-metallic-sheet second surface; and
a fourth junction between the portion of the fourth-metallic-sheet second surface and the second metallic article;
wherein:
the third junction has a third-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines a third-junction area;
the fourth junction has a fourth-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines a fourth-junction area;
when viewed at any point along the fourth-junction boundary in a direction, perpendicular to the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface, the fourth-junction boundary does not extend outside the third-junction boundary; and
in a second plane, intersecting the second metallic doubler and perpendicular to the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface, the second metallic doubler has at least a third doubler thickness and a fourth doubler thickness, which is less than the third doubler thickness.

8. The metallic structure according to claim 7 , wherein, in the second plane, intersecting the second metallic doubler and perpendicular to the fourth-metallic-sheet first surface, the second metallic article has at least a third article thickness and a fourth article thickness, which is less than the third article thickness.

9. The metallic structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a fifth junction between a second portion of the metallic-sheet second surface and the metallic article,
wherein:
the fifth junction has a fifth-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines a fifth-junction area; and
when viewed at any point along the fifth-junction boundary in the direction, perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the fifth-junction boundary does not extend outside the first-junction boundary.

10. The metallic structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third metallic doubler, extending from a third portion of the metallic-sheet first surface;
a sixth junction between the third portion of the metallic-sheet first surface and the third metallic doubler; and
a seventh junction between a third portion of the metallic-sheet second surface and the metallic article,
wherein:
the sixth junction has a sixth-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines a sixth-junction area;
the seventh junction has a seventh-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines a seventh-junction area;
when viewed at any point along the seventh-junction boundary in a direction, perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the seventh-junction boundary does not extend outside the sixth-junction boundary; and
in a third plane, intersecting the third metallic doubler and perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the third metallic doubler has at least a fifth doubler thickness and a sixth doubler thickness, which is less than the fifth doubler thickness.

11. The metallic structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third metallic article, extending from a fourth portion of the metallic-sheet second surface; and
an eighth junction between the fourth portion of the metallic-sheet second surface and the third metallic article,
wherein;
the eighth junction has an eighth-junction boundary that circumscribes and defines an eighth-junction area; and
when viewed at any point along the eighth-junction boundary in a direction, perpendicular to the metallic-sheet first surface, the eighth-junction boundary does not ext

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Sanders Daniel G
• L'Hote Justin
• Bol Eric D
• Cunningham Cory C

Classifications

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• B22F7/08

  with one or more parts not made from powder {(B22F7/062 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B23K2103/14

  Titanium or alloys thereof · CPC title