Fastener System for a Thermal Protection System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019078599-A1
Application number	US-201715702425-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 14, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A thermal protection system comprises a ceramic panel, a plurality of apertures, and a fastener system within each of the plurality of apertures. The ceramic panel has a plurality of attachment points to a structure. The plurality of apertures extends through the ceramic panel, each aperture of the plurality of apertures located at an attachment point of the plurality of attachment points. Each fastener system comprises a fastener having a head with a spherical underside and a ceramic bushing with a mating surface configured to mate with the spherical underside of the head of the fastener.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fastener system for a thermal protection system comprising:
a fastener having a head with a spherical underside; and a ceramic bushing with a mating surface configured to mate with the spherical underside of the head of the fastener.

2 . The fastener system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is formed of a ceramic material.

3 . The fastener system of claim 1 further comprising:
a ceramic cover plug having an outer diameter equal to an outer diameter of the ceramic bushing.

4 . The fastener system of claim 1 further comprising:
a nut connected to a shaft of the fastener, wherein a distance from the nut to the head of the fastener is configured to allow movement within the thermal protection system.

5 . A thermal protection system comprising:
a ceramic panel having a plurality of attachment points to a structure; a plurality of apertures extending through the ceramic panel, each aperture of the plurality of apertures located at an attachment point of the plurality of attachment points; a fastener system within each of the plurality of apertures, wherein each fastener system comprises:
a fastener having a head with a spherical underside; and
a ceramic bushing with a mating surface configured to mate with the spherical underside of the head of the fastener.

6 . The thermal protection system of claim 5 , wherein the ceramic panel comprises a number of ceramic matrix composite facesheets and a ceramic foam panel.

7 . The thermal protection system of claim 6 , wherein the number of ceramic matrix composite facesheets comprises a ceramic matrix composite facesheet contacting a first face of the ceramic foam panel.

8 . The thermal protection system of claim 7 , wherein the number of ceramic matrix composite facesheets further comprises a second ceramic matrix composite facesheet contacting a second face of the ceramic foam panel, wherein the second face is opposite the first face.

9 . The thermal protection system of claim 6 , wherein the number of ceramic matrix composite facesheets comprises a ceramic matrix composite facesheet wrapped around the ceramic foam panel.

10 . The thermal protection system of claim 6 , wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures comprises a counterbore, and wherein each ceramic bushing is within a respective counterbore.

11 . The thermal protection system of claim 10 , wherein each counterbore extends through the ceramic foam panel.

12 . The thermal protection system of claim 10 , wherein each counterbore extends through only a portion the ceramic foam panel.

13 . The thermal protection system of claim 5 , wherein each fastener system further comprises a nut secured to a shaft of a respective fastener, and further comprising:
a non-structural layer between each nut and the ceramic panel, wherein the non-structural layer is one of a compliant material layer or a gap.

14 . The thermal protection system of claim 5 , wherein each fastener system further comprises a ceramic cover plug having an outer diameter equal to an outer diameter of the ceramic bushing.

15 . The thermal protection system of claim 5 , wherein each fastener is formed of a ceramic material.

16 . A method comprising:
forming an aperture extending through a ceramic panel of a thermal protection system; inserting a ceramic bushing with a mating surface into the aperture; and inserting a fastener having a head with a spherical underside into the aperture such that the spherical underside of the head of the fastener mates with the mating surface of the ceramic bushing.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the ceramic panel comprises a ceramic matrix composite facesheet wrapped around a ceramic foam panel, and wherein forming the aperture comprises forming a counterbore extending through the ceramic foam panel.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the ceramic panel comprises a ceramic matrix composite facesheet wrapped around a ceramic foam panel, and wherein forming the aperture comprises forming a counterbore extending through only a portion the ceramic foam panel.

19 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:
bonding the ceramic bushing within a counterbore of the aperture.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
extending a shaft of the fastener through a non-structural layer; and attaching a nut to the shaft such that the non-structural layer is positioned between the nut and the ceramic panel, wherein the non-structural layer is one of a compliant material layer or a gap.

21 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
operating a platform comprising the thermal protection system; and allowing movement of the ceramic panel during operation by sliding the mating surface relative to the spherical underside of the head of the fastener.

22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
inserting a ceramic cover plug into the aperture.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pinney Thomas Richardson

Classifications

• B64G1/58

  Thermal protection, e.g. heat shields · CPC title

• Y10T428/249923

  Including interlaminar mechanical fastener · CPC title

• Y10T428/24322

  Composite web or sheet · CPC title

• Y10T428/233

  Foamed or expanded material encased · CPC title

• F16B5/02 Primary

  by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00) · CPC title