Connectors manufactured by three-dimensional printing
US-9844912-B2 · Dec 19, 2017 · US
Fluid couplings and methods for additive manufacturing thereof
US2018087696A1 · US · A1
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-2018087696-A1 |
| Application number | US-201715825947-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | A1 |
| Filing date | Nov 29, 2017 |
| Priority date | May 9, 2014 |
| Publication date | Mar 29, 2018 |
| Grant date | — |
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- Title
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- Abstract
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- Assignees and inventors
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- First independent claim
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- CPC / IPC classifications
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- Citations and related patents
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Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
A method is provided involving an additive manufacturing system. This method includes a step of forming a first fluid conduit using the additive manufacturing system. The method also includes a step of providing a fluid coupling. The fluid coupling includes the first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit. The first fluid conduit is connected to and fluidly coupled with the second fluid conduit. The first fluid conduit has a first configuration. The second fluid conduit has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1 . A method involving an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising: forming a first fluid conduit using the additive manufacturing system; and providing a fluid coupling, the fluid coupling including the first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit, the first fluid conduit connected to and fluidly coupled with the second fluid conduit; wherein the first fluid conduit has a first configuration, the second fluid conduit has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration, and a joint between the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit has a non-rectangular configuration. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the second fluid conduit using the additive manufacturing system. 3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fluidly coupling the first fluid conduit to the second fluid conduit after the forming of the first and the second fluid conduits. 4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: connecting and fluidly coupling the first fluid conduit to the second fluid conduit; wherein the first fluid conduit is formed discretely from the second fluid conduit. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid conduit interlocks with the second fluid conduit. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid conduit has a cross-section with a first shape; and the second fluid conduit has a cross-section with a second shape that is different than the first shape. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid conduit forms a first flowpath with a first cross-sectional area; and the second fluid conduit forms a second flowpath with a second cross-sectional area that is different than the first cross-sectional area. 8 . A method involving an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising: forming a first fluid conduit using the additive manufacturing system; and providing a fluid coupling, the fluid coupling including the first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit, the first fluid conduit connected to and fluidly coupled with the second fluid conduit; wherein the first fluid conduit has a first configuration, the second fluid conduit has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration, and the first fluid conduit interlocks with the second fluid conduit. 9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising fluidly coupling the first fluid conduit to the second fluid conduit after the forming of the first and the second fluid conduits. 10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising: connecting and fluidly coupling the first fluid conduit to the second fluid conduit; wherein the first fluid conduit is formed discretely from the second fluid conduit. 11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first fluid conduit has a cross-section with a first shape; and the second fluid conduit has a cross-section with a second shape that is different than the first shape. 12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first fluid conduit forms a first flowpath with a first cross-sectional area; and the second fluid conduit forms a second flowpath with a second cross-sectional area that is different than the first cross-sectional area. 13 . An assembly for a fluid delivery system, the assembly comprising: a fluid coupling including a first fluid conduit, a second fluid conduit and a compliant intermediate fluid conduit; the intermediate fluid conduit connecting and fluidly coupling the first fluid conduit to the second fluid conduit; and the intermediate fluid conduit formed integral with the first and the second fluid conduits. 14 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate fluid conduit is adapted to allow movement between the first and the second fluid conduits. 15 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate fluid conduit extends along a substantially straight centerline. 16 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate fluid conduit extends along a curved and/or compound centerline. 17 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first fluid conduit has a first configuration, and the second fluid conduit has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration. 18 . The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising: a fluid source; and a turbine engine component fluidly coupled to the fluid source through the fluid coupling. 19 . An assembly for a fluid delivery system, the assembly comprising: a fluid coupling including a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit; the first fluid conduit connected to and fluidly coupled with the second fluid conduit at a joint; and the first fluid conduit interlocked with the second fluid conduit at the joint. 20 . The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first fluid conduit is formed integral with the second fluid conduit.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
- F02C7/222Primary
Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds · CPC title
Layer deposition · CPC title
Heat exchanger or boiler making · CPC title
Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass · CPC title
T-shaped fitting making · CPC title
Patent family
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Frequently asked questions
Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.
- What does patent US2018087696A1 cover?
- A method is provided involving an additive manufacturing system. This method includes a step of forming a first fluid conduit using the additive manufacturing system. The method also includes a step of providing a fluid coupling. The fluid coupling includes the first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit. The first fluid conduit is connected to and fluidly coupled with the second fluid condu…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- United Technologies Corp
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification F02C7/222. Mapped technology areas include Mechanical Engineering.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Thu Mar 29 2018 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (A1). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 5 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).