PROBE TIP FOR AIR DATA PROBE

• US 20180143049A1
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Gordon, Grant A., Wong, Yates
• Granted Patent: US 10,605,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 1/0008 specially adapted for particular articles or work
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/46 Pitot tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/10 Preventing damage by freezing or excess pressure or insufficient pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/165 Arrangements or constructions of Pitot tubes

Abstract

A probe assembly includes a heat source; and a probe tip configured to enhance conduction of heat provided by the heat source into a front end tip of the probe. The probe tip includes: a first region having high thermal conductivity in at least a z-direction, wherein the z-direction is parallel to an axis along which the probe tip is extended; and at least one additional region having thermal characteristics different from the first region.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a probe tip for a probe, the method comprising:

providing a first region configured to have a high thermal conductivity in at least a z-direction, wherein the z-direction is parallel to an axis along which the probe tip is extended to enhance heat toward a front end of the probe tip; and

providing at least one additional region in the probe tip having thermal characteristics different from the first region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an additional region further comprises at least one of:

providing a second region configured to function as a thermal reservoir with uniform thermal conductivity in all directions;

providing a third region configured to function as an insulator in all directions; and

providing a fourth region configured to function as a weak insulator having thermal conductivity in the z-direction and approximately no conductivity in other directions, wherein the thermal conductivity of the fourth region in the z-direction is less than the thermal conductivity of the second region.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising brazing a tip of the heat source in a pocket of the probe tip to attach the probe tip to the probe.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing voids in a material having uniform thermal conductivity in all directions.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising layering a collection of sparsely connected and nested tubes along an axis in the z-direction such that the heat is directed in the z-direction, wherein the tubes are composed of a material having uniform thermal conductivity in all directions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing at least one of the first region and the at least one additional region further comprises fabricating at least one of the at least one region and the at least one additional region using a process of additive manufacturing.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein using a process of additive manufacturing further comprises utilizing direct metal laser sintering.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein using a process of additive manufacturing further comprises utilizing electron beam melting.