Additive manufactured tube assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003157-A1
Application number	US-201514790907-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tube assembly is additive manufactured as one unitary piece and has a first tube that co-extends with and is surrounded by a second tube. An annular void may be defined by and located between the first and second tubes for insulating a fluid flowing through the first tube. The void may be sealed and under a negative atmospheric pressure for enhancing insulating properties.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tube assembly comprising:
an additive manufactured first tube; and an additive manufactured second tube connected to the first tube and manufactured as one unitary piece.

2 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first tube is surrounded by and substantially co-extends with the second tube.

3 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first tube is substantially concentric to the second tube.

4 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 2 further comprising:
an additive manufactured third tube co-extending with the first tube and surrounded by the second tube with the second tube spaced radially outward from the first and third tubes.

5 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 4 , wherein the third tube is manufactured as one unitary piece to the first and second tubes.

6 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first and second tubes co-extend along a centerline having at least one bend.

7 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 2 , wherein a generally annular void is defined by and between the first and second tubes.

8 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 7 , wherein the void is sealed for thermally insulating the first tube.

9 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 8 , wherein the void is under a negative atmospheric pressure.

10 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 9 further comprising:
a pressure maintenance feature attached to the second tube for maintaining the negative atmospheric pressure in the void.

11 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 7 further comprising:
an additive manufactured support structure engaged between the first and second tubes.

12 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 11 , wherein the support structure is in the void.

13 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 6 , wherein the tube assembly is part of a fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine.

14 . A tube assembly comprising:
a first tube for flowing a fluid; a second tube surrounding and spaced radially outward from the first tube with an insulating void defined between the first and second tubes; a support structure engaged between the first and second tubes; and wherein the tube assembly is additive manufactured as one unitary piece.

15 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 14 , wherein the void is sealed and under a negative atmospheric pressure for thermally insulating the fluid.

16 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 14 , wherein the support structure is a plurality of pylons spaced from one-another in the void.

17 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 14 , wherein the support structure is a honeycomb engaged to the first and second tubes in the void.

18 . The tube assembly set forth in claim 14 , wherein the support structure is girder-like and engaged to the first and second tubes in the void.

19 . A method of manufacturing a tube assembly comprising the steps of:
electronically modeling the tube assembly having a first tube co-extending and surrounded by a second tube; and additive manufacturing the tube assembly as one unitary piece.

20 . The method of manufacturing the tube assembly set forth in claim 18 , wherein the tube assembly is modeled into a plurality of slices each slice having a portion of the first and second tubes, and a first slice of the plurality of slices is manufactured before proceeding to the manufacture of a next successive slice of the plurality of slices.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Ott Joe
• Rup Jr John J
• Stempinski Shawn
• Funk Stanley J
• Moura Dennis M
• Dautova Lyutsia
• Coffey Roger O

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B22F5/106 Primary

  Tube or ring forms · CPC title

• B22F12/52

  Hoppers · CPC title

• B22F10/25

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

• B22F10/73

  of powder · CPC title