Component with internal sensor and method of additive manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017286821-A1
Application number	US-201515106529-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A component may be self-monitoring having a sensor assembly located on a surface of a substrate and covered by an encapsulating layer additively manufactured over the sensor assembly and thereby bonded to the substrate. The sensor may be wireless, self-powered, and embedded into the substrate such that it is unobtrusive and may not limit the performance or function of the Ccomponent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A component comprising:
a substrate carrying a surface; a sensor assembly disposed on the surface; and an additive manufactured layer disposed over the sensor and secured to the substrate by additive manufacturing.

2 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the additive manufactured layer is a cold sprayed additive layer.

3 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the additive manufactured layer is an ultrasonic additive manufactured layer.

4 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the additive manufactured layer is a thermal sprayed additive layer.

5 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein an EM reflector of the sensor assembly is located between the surface and an RF sensor of the sensor assembly.

6 . The component set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
a protective cover disposed over the sensor assembly and beneath the additive manufacture layer.

7 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly is wireless.

8 . The component set forth in claim 6 wherein the additive manufactured layer is additive manufactured on the protective cover and the substrate.

9 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein a pocket in the substrate has a bottom defined by the surface, and the sensor assembly is in the pocket.

10 . The component set forth in claim 6 wherein a pocket in the substrate has a bottom defined by the surface, and the sensor assembly is in the pocket.

11 . The component set forth in claim 10 wherein the additive manufactured layer is a coating covering a substantial portion of the substrate.

12 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly measures at least one of temperature, motion, strain, and macro-displacement.

13 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly has an embedded power device for energizing the sensor.

14 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly is an RFID.

15 . The component set forth in claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly is completely embedded.

16 . A method of manufacturing a component comprising the steps of:
placing a sensor assembly on a substrate of the component; and additive manufacturing a layer over the sensor and onto the substrate.

17 . The method set forth in claim 16 wherein the additive manufacturing step is a cold spray process.

18 . The method set forth in claim 16 wherein the additive manufacturing step is an ultrasonic additive manufacturing process.

19 . The method set forth in claim 16 comprising the further step of:
placing a protective cover over the sensor assembly before the additive manufacturing step.

20 . The method set forth in claim 16 comprising the further step of:
encapsulating a sensor of the sensor assembly in an encapsulation of the sensor assembly before the additive manufacturing step.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Nardi Aaron T
• Mantese Joseph V
• Klecka Michael A
• Viens Daniel V

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• B22F5/10

  of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups · CPC title

• H10W76/47

  Solid or gel fillings · CPC title

• H10W76/12

  characterised by their shape · CPC title