Composite and nanowire conduit

• US 10,177,471 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Emrys, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Krystal
• Application Number:
  US14/542,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20160141773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 174 70 C
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/026 Alloys based on copper
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/004 for manufacturing rigid-tube cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/06 Insulating conductors or cables H01B13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/307 Other macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0045 Cable-harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/16 Rigid-tube cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/18 Protection against damage caused by wear, mechanical force or pressure; Sheaths; Armouring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/01 characterised by the form or arrangement of the conductive interconnection between the connecting locations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/75 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 with a panel or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/06 for laying cables, e.g. laying apparatus on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/04 Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/06 Arrangements for supplying operative power power supply arrangements in general G05F, H02M
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0296 Conductive pattern lay-out details not covered by sub groups H05K1/02 - H05K1/0295 H05K1/11 takes precedence; lay-out adapted to mounted component configuration H05K1/18
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/034 containing halogen
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/101 by casting or moulding of conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 : Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 : Weight reduction

Abstract

An electrical wiring system comprises a plurality of electrical conduits, each of which comprises a plurality of electrically conductive wires, a carrier encapsulating and electrically insulating the wires from each other, the carrier being composed of a rigid material, and at least connector carried by the carrier in electrical communication with the wires. The electrical wiring system further comprises a junction box comprising a plurality of interconnecting wires and a plurality of connectors electrically coupled together by the interconnecting wires. The plurality of connectors of the junction box are coupled to the plurality connectors of the electrical conduits.

Claims

1. An electrical wiring system, comprising:

an electrical conduit comprising;

a plurality of electrically conductive wires, wherein the wires are nanowires;

a carrier encapsulating and electrically insulating the wires from each other, the carrier being composed of a rigid material; and

a pair of connectors located at opposite ends of the carrier, wherein each of the connectors comprises a plurality of receptacles in electrical communication with the plurality of nanowires; and

a junction box comprising a plurality of interconnecting wires and a plurality of connectors electrically coupled together by the interconnecting wires, one of the connectors of the junction box being coupled to at least one of the connectors of the electrical conduit,

wherein each of the connectors of the junction box comprises a plurality of pins and an actuator to translate the pins into the receptacles of at least one of the connectors of the electrical conduit.

2. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the rigid material has a modulus of elasticity greater than 1 gigapascal (GPa).

3. The electrical wiring system of claim 2, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the material is greater than 2 GPa.

4. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the rigid material is a composite material.

5. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the carrier is planar, and the wires are arranged relative to each other in a single rectilinear plane.

6. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the carrier is cylindrical, and the wires are arranged relative to each other in three-dimensional space.

7. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the electrical conduit is entirely solid.

8. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the connectors are mounted to the ends of the carrier and are electrically coupled to the wires.

9. The electrical wiring system of claim claim 1, wherein the nanowires are synthesized from at least one of a metal, a semiconductor, or carbon nanotubes.

10. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, further comprising a pair of slots extending along opposing sides of the carrier at the end of the carrier.

11. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, further comprising a slot formed along a length of the carrier.

12. A method of manufacturing the electrical conduit of claim 1, comprising:

disposing an electrically insulative material in an elongated mold having a length;

suspending the wires in the electrically insulative material along the length of the mold;

curing the electrically insulative material in the mold to form the carrier and integrate the wires in the mold; and

removing the integrated carrier and wires from the elongated mold.

13. A method of manufacturing the electrical conduit of claim 1, comprising:

forming lumens through a length of the carrier; and

growing the wires inside of the lumens.

14. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the material is a carbon-fiber polymer composite material.

15. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the interconnecting wires of the junction box are nanowires.

16. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the electrical conduit is planar, and the wires are arranged relative to each other in a single rectilinear plane.

17. A method of manufacturing the electrical conduit of claim 1, comprising:

disposing a first portion of a liquefied electrically insulative material in an elongated mold having a length;

at least partially curing the first portion of the liquefied electrically insulative material in the elongated mold;

disposing the wires on top of the at least partially cured portion of the electrically insulative material along the length of the mold;

disposing a second portion of the liquefied electrically insulative material over the at least partially cured portion of the electrically insulative material in the elongated mold;

completely curing the electrically insulative material in the mold to form the carrier and integrate the wires between the first and second portions of the completely cured electrically insulative material; and

removing the integrated carrier and wires from the elongated mold.

18. A method of manufacturing the electrical conduit of claim 1, comprising:

extruding an liquid insulative material, wherein the wires are embedded in the liquid insulative material during the extrusion; and

curing the liquid insulative material to form the carrier.

19. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the electrical conduit is cylindrical, and the wires are arranged relative to each other in three-dimensional space.

20. The electrical wiring system of claim 1, wherein the electrical conduit has a thickness of less than one-quarter inch.