Ignition-quenching systems, apparatuses, and methods

• US 10,501,202 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Roper, Christopher S., Lowell, John Rubrecht, Kwon, Eddie, Damazo, Jason Scott, Clough, Eric C., Eckel, Zak C., Smith, Sloan Patrick, Schubert, Randall, McKnight, Geoffrey P., Mikulsky, Jacob J., Yang, Sophia Shu, Kolodziejska, Joanna, Cameron, Michael Scott, Rawdon, Blaine Knight, Hansen, Darrin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saether, Flemming
• Application Number:
  US15/684,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20190061975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 4113725, 4113726, 411373
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/04 for dust or loosely-baled or loosely-piled materials, e.g. in silos, in chimneys flame traps A62C4/00
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/065 for containers filled with inflammable liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/32 Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions extinguishing or preventing fires in aircraft A62C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/02 Lightning protectors; Static dischargers in general H01T
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/004 Sealing; Insulation by means of washers F16B43/001
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/00 Washers or equivalent devices; Other devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts circlips F16B21/18; for indicating tensile load F16B31/02; forming a whole with the bolt or nut F16B33/00; locking bolts or nuts by means of a fixed plate or ring, or washer-like resilient plates F16B39/10, F16B39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/02 by means of fastening members using screw-thread F16B5/0004 takes precedence; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/14 by means of granular or plastic material, or fluid

Abstract

Ignition-quenching systems comprise an ignition-quenching cover configured to quench an ignition event in a combustible environment triggered by an ignition source associated with a fastener stack. The ignition-quenching cover comprises a porous body that is gas permeable and that has pores sized to quench ignition in the combustible environment. The ignition-quenching cover further comprises a cover attachment feature configured to mate with a fastener attachment feature of the fastener stack. The ignition-quenching cover is configured to cover the fastener stack, which may be associated with a potential ignition source that produces an ignition event in the combustible environment. The porous body may include one or more porous elements that may be formed of various polymeric, mesh, or fabric materials. The ignition-quenching cover may comprise a non-porous frame that is bonded to the porous body and that defines the cover attachment feature.

Claims

1. An ignition-quenching cover configured to quench an ignition event in a combustible environment triggered by an ignition source associated with a fastener stack, the ignition-quenching cover comprising:

a porous body that is gas permeable and that has pores sized to quench ignition in the combustible environment;

a cover attachment feature configured to mate with a fastener attachment feature of the fastener stack; and

a non-porous frame that is bonded to the porous body and that defines the cover attachment feature;

wherein the ignition-quenching cover is configured to cover the fastener stack, wherein the fastener stack is associated with a potential ignition source that may produce the ignition event in the combustible environment.

2. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the porous body includes one or more porous elements, wherein each of the one or more porous elements independently is a mass of sintered polymer particles, a salt-templated polymer, an inverse-cast polymer, a mesh, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a felt fabric.

3. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 2, wherein at least one of the porous elements is a mass of sintered polymer particles.

4. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 2, wherein the porous elements are each independently selected from the group consisting of a mesh, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, and a felt fabric.

5. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the porous body is composed essentially of polysulfide.

6. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the porous body has a pore volume that is greater than 50% comprised of pores with an effective diameter between 0.01 mm and 1.5 mm.

7. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the porous body is flexible and includes a seam at a tip of the ignition-quenching cover, and wherein the porous body is formed by sealing an open-topped porous body with the seam.

8. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the porous body includes a flexible region at a base of the ignition-quenching cover that is configured to at least partially conform to a support structure around the fastener stack.

9. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, further comprising a locking clip configured to mechanically interlock the porous body of the ignition-quenching cover with the fastener stack, wherein the cover attachment feature includes a flexible portion at a base of the ignition-quenching cover, wherein the locking clip is configured to tighten around the flexible portion to compress the flexible portion against the fastener stack.

10. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, further comprising an attachment structure that includes the cover attachment feature, wherein the cover attachment feature of the attachment structure includes a size-changing material that is at least one of shrink-fit material or grow-fit material, wherein the attachment structure is configured to fit over the fastener stack before the size-changing material is activated, and wherein the attachment structure is configured to mechanically interlock with the fastener attachment feature when the size-changing material is activated.

11. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the ignition-quenching cover is configured to be affixed to a support structure around the fastener stack by an adhesive.

12. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the fastener attachment feature includes a radially protruding tab and the cover attachment feature includes an entry slot to receive the radially protruding tab, a locking ramp to engage the tab while twisting the ignition-quenching cover, and a retention slot to positively hold the radially protruding tab, and wherein the ignition-quenching cover is coupled to the fastener stack with the radially protruding tab engaged in the retention slot.

13. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the ignition-quenching cover includes at least two cover members that selectively mate together to form the ignition-quenching cover, wherein the cover members are configured to mate with the fastener stack received between the cover members, and wherein each of the cover members includes a mating structure that is a portion of the non-porous frame and that is configured to couple to complementary mating structures.

14. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the non-porous frame includes a cap structure configured to span a tip of the ignition-quenching cover that is distal from a base of the ignition-quenching cover that is configured to receive the fastener stack.

15. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the non-porous frame includes a flexible region at a base of the ignition-quenching cover that is configured to at least partially conform to a support structure around the fastener stack.

16. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the non-porous frame is configured to support the porous body, and is an exoskeleton, an endoskeleton, or an internal skeleton for the porous body.

17. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, wherein the porous body at least partially defines a cavity that is configured to receive a plurality of fastener stacks.

18. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1, further comprising a locking clip configured to mechanically interlock the non-porous frame of the ignition-quenching cover with the fastener stack, wherein the cover attachment feature includes a channel to accept the locking clip, wherein the fastener attachment feature includes a shoulder, and wherein the locking clip fits within the channel to contact the shoulder.

19. The ignition-quenching cover of claim 1 in combination with the fastener stack and a support structure from which the fastener stack extends,

wherein the fastener stack includes the fastener attachment feature;

and

wherein the ignition-quenching cover encloses the fastener stack into an enclosed volume around the fastener stack, wherein the ignition-quenching cover and the fastener stack are coupled together by engagement of the cover attachment feature and the fastener attachment feature.

20. The combination of claim 19, wherein the fastener attachment feature includes a radially protruding tab and the cover attachment feature includes an entry slot to receive the radially protruding tab, a locking ramp to engage the radially protruding tab while twisting the ignition-quenching cover, and a retention slot to positively hold the radially protruding tab, and wherein the ignition-quenching cover is coupled to the fastener stack with the radially protruding tab engaged in the retention slot.