Conduits for transporting fluids and methods of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020200318-A1
Application number	US-201816227906-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A conduit (100) for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar (102), a second collar (103), and a bellows (108). The bellows (108) comprises a corrugated inboard ply (110), a corrugated outboard ply (112), and an interstitial space (126), interposed between the corrugated inboard ply (110) and the corrugated outboard ply (112). The conduit additionally comprises a second weld (138), hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply (110) and a first outer collar portion (104), a third weld (134), hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply (112) and a first inner collar portion (106), a fourth weld (186), hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply (110) and a second outer collar portion (105), a fifth weld (184), hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply (112) and a second inner collar portion (107), and a first sensor (116), communicatively coupled with the interstitial space (126).

First claim

1 . A conduit ( 100 ) for transporting a fluid, the conduit ( 100 ) comprising:
a first collar ( 102 ) that comprises:
a first outer collar portion ( 104 );
a first inner collar portion ( 106 ); and
a first weld ( 136 ), hermetically coupling the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) and the first inner collar portion ( 106 );
a second collar ( 103 ) that comprises:
a second outer collar portion ( 105 );
a second inner collar portion ( 107 ); and
a sixth weld ( 137 ), hermetically coupling the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) and the second inner collar portion ( 107 );
a bellows ( 108 ) that comprises:
a central axis ( 180 );
a corrugated outboard ply ( 112 );
a corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ), interposed between the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) and the central axis ( 180 ); and
an interstitial space ( 126 ), interposed between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 );
a second weld ( 138 ), hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the first outer collar portion ( 104 ); a third weld ( 134 ), hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) and the first inner collar portion ( 106 ); a fourth weld ( 186 ), hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the second outer collar portion ( 105 ); a fifth weld ( 184 ), hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) and the second inner collar portion ( 107 ); and a first sensor ( 116 ), communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

2 . (canceled)

3 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first collar ( 102 ) further comprises a first channel ( 118 ), passing through one of the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) or the first inner collar portion ( 106 ); the first channel ( 118 ) is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed; the first channel ( 118 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ) of the bellows ( 108 ); and the first sensor ( 116 ) is communicatively coupled with the first channel ( 118 ) of the first collar ( 102 ).

4 - 6 . (canceled)

7 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first collar ( 102 ) further comprises a first cavity ( 124 ), located between the first outer collar portion ( 104 ) and the first inner collar portion ( 106 ); the second collar ( 103 ) further comprises a second cavity ( 125 ), located between the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) and the second inner collar portion ( 107 ); the first channel ( 118 ) is communicatively coupled with the first cavity ( 124 ); the first cavity ( 124 ) has an annular shape and is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ); and the second cavity ( 125 ) has an annular shape and is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

8 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 7 , further comprising a second sensor ( 117 ), and wherein:
the second collar ( 103 ) further comprises a second channel ( 119 ), passing through one of the second outer collar portion ( 105 ) or the second inner collar portion ( 107 ); the second channel ( 119 ) is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed; the second channel ( 119 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ) of the bellows ( 108 ); and the second sensor ( 117 ) is communicatively coupled with the second channel ( 119 ) of the second collar ( 103 ).

9 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bellows ( 108 ) further comprises a second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ); the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) is interposed between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ); and the second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) is hermetically coupled to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) by the third weld ( 134 ) and is hermetically coupled to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) by the fifth weld ( 184 ).

13 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a sheath ( 130 ) that comprises a reinforcement layer ( 187 ), and wherein the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) is interposed between the sheath ( 130 ) and the central axis ( 180 ).

18 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 17 , wherein the sheath ( 130 ) is coupled to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) of the first collar ( 102 ) and to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) of the second collar ( 103 ).

19 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 18 , wherein the sheath ( 130 ) is movable relative to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) of the first collar ( 102 ) and relative to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) of the second collar ( 103 ).

20 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 19 , wherein the sheath ( 130 ) is translatable along the central axis ( 180 ) relative to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) of the first collar ( 102 ) and relative to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) of the second collar ( 103 ).

21 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 19 , wherein the sheath ( 130 ) is rotatable about the central axis ( 180 ) relative to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) of the first collar ( 102 ) and relative to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) of the second collar ( 103 ).

22 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 17 , wherein:
the sheath ( 130 ) further comprises a low-friction layer ( 189 ), interposed between the reinforcement layer ( 187 ) of the sheath ( 130 ) and the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) of the bellows ( 108 ); and the low-friction layer ( 189 ) of the sheath ( 130 ) has a surface roughness lower than that of the reinforcement layer ( 187 ) of the sheath ( 130 ).

23 . (canceled)

24 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 22 , wherein:
the bellows ( 108 ) further comprises a second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ); the corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) is interposed between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ); the second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) is hermetically coupled to the first inner collar portion ( 106 ) by the third weld ( 134 ) and is hermetically coupled to the second inner collar portion ( 107 ) by the fifth weld ( 184 ); and the low-friction layer ( 189 ) of the sheath ( 130 ) is in contact with the second corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) of the bellows ( 108 ).

25 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . The conduit ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first sensor ( 116 ) comprises a first chamber ( 190 ), containing a first reactant ( 198 ); the first sensor ( 116 ) further comprises a second chamber ( 192 ), containing a second reactant ( 199 ), isolated from the first chamber ( 190 ), and communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ); and the first reactant ( 198 ) is identical to the second reactant ( 199 ).

28 . (canceled)

29 . A method ( 200 ) of fabricating a conduit ( 100 ), the method ( 200 ) comprising steps of:
attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of a tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) to a first inner collar portion ( 106 ) of a first collar ( 102 ) with a third weld ( 134 ); attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end ( 147 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), which is axially opposite the first tubular-outboard-ply end ( 149 ) of the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), to a second inner collar portion ( 107 ) of a second collar ( 103 ) with a fifth weld ( 184 ); inserting a tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) into the tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) and

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Di Carlo Tony
• Vaniman Brian T
• Leuer John P

Classifications

• F16L11/00 Primary

  Hoses, i.e. flexible pipes · CPC title

• F02K9/44

  Feeding propellants · CPC title

• F16L59/147

  the insulation being located inwardly of the outer surface of the pipe · CPC title

• G01M3/182

  for tubes · CPC title

• B21D49/00

  Sheathing or stiffening objects (by winding wire or tape thereon B65H54/00, B65H81/00; specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables H01B13/26) · CPC title