Self-Healing Reservoir Coating System

• US 20130068878A1
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Liardon, Darrell
• Application Number:
  US13/238,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20130068878A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03177 made of non-metallic material, e.g. plastics, or of a combination of non-metallic and metallic material B60K15/03006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03407 to protect tanks against projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/52 Helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/06 Constructional adaptations thereof
• 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: Y10T 74/19991 Lubrication

Abstract

The system includes a coating for a reservoir, the coating being configured to self-heal following a penetration by a projectile through the coating and the reservoir. The coating is an elastomeric polymer coating having sufficient elasticity to so as return to the coating to an approximate original shape after the projectile has passed through the coating. Further, the coating is configured to hold the reservoir together following severe damage from the projectile.

Claims

1. A system for a reservoir, the system comprising:

a coating located exterior to the reservoir, the reservoir being configured to contain a fluid;

wherein the coating is configured to self-heal following a penetration by a projectile.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the coating is a single member.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the coating is an elastomeric polymer material.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the coating is configured to part and radially contract outwardly during an impact by the projectile.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the coating is configured to expand radially inward after the projectile has passed through the coating.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the coating is configured to contract radially inward after a projectile has passed through the coating, thereby producing a pin-sized hole where in the projectile passed through the coating.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pin-sized hole is sized such that a surface tension of the fluid prevents leakage from inside the reservoir through the pin-sized hole.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pin-sized hole is sized such that a flow of the fluid through the pin-sized hole is limited to a sustainable rate.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is a gearbox reservoir and the fluid is gearbox lubrication fluid.

10. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

a plurality of rotor blades;

a gearbox;

a reservoir configured to contain a lubrication fluid for the gearbox;

a coating located exterior to the reservoir, the coating being configured to self-heal following a penetration by a projectile through the coating and the reservoir.

11. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is a single member of an elastomeric polymer material.

12. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is bonded to the reservoir.

13. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to separate and radially contract outwardly when the projectile enters the coating.

14. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to radially expand inward after a projectile has passed through the coating.

15. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to elastically return to an approximate original shape.

16. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to contract radially inward after a projectile has passed through the coating, thereby producing a pin-sized hole where in the projectile passed through the coating.

17. The aircraft according to claim 16, wherein the pin-sized hole is sized such that a surface tension of the fluid prevents leakage from inside the reservoir through the pin-sized hole.

18. The aircraft according to claim 16, wherein the pin-sized hole is sized such that a flow of the fluid through the pin-sized hole is limited to a sustainable rate, so that the gearbox remains operable for a period of time necessary for the aircraft to land.

19. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to hold the reservoir together upon sever damage from the projectile.

20. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the thickness of the coating is sized to withstand a certain sized projectile.