Titanium crash survivable memory unit

• US 7,333,343 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Olzak, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards; Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US10/906,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 148/421, 148/524, 148/528, 361/683, 361/724, 361/726, 206/521, 701/14, 174/544
• US Class Current: 361/724
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 5/04 to form a firebreak device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/021 specially adapted for data recorders, e.g. for flight recorders

Abstract

A high strength, light weight crash survivable memory unit (CSMU). The CSMU includes memory storage devices surrounded by a heat resistive material. A housing surrounds the heat resistive material. The housing includes a plurality of panels that include Titanium. Two or more of the panels are fusion welded together. The welding is performed at tapered outer edges of one or more of the panels.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

one or more memory storage devices;

heat resistive material surrounding the memory devices;

a housing for surrounding the heat resistive material, the housing comprising a plurality of panels, wherein the panels include Titanium and at least two of the panels are fusion welded together wherein the plurality of panels includes four side panels, a fixed end panel, and a removable end panel configured to form a box housing, the fixed end panel is recessed relative to the four side panels, and wherein the fixed end panel has four tapered edges for receiving the fusion weld.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the panels includes a tapered outer edge for receiving the fusion weld.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein two of the panels include at least one tapered edge for receiving the fusion weld.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein five of the panels include at least one tapered edge for receiving the fusion weld.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the fusion weld includes Titanium as a welding material.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panels includes six panels configured to form a box housing, and wherein at least one of the panels is recessed relative to adjacent panel edges.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the four tapered edges are exterior edges.

6. A method for forming a housing for a crash survivable memory unit, the method comprising:

providing six panels configured to form a box housing;

machining tapered edges into at least three of the panels; and

welding five of the six panels together at the location of the tapered edge, wherein the panels include Titanium wherein the step of providing the six panels includes providing four side panels, a fixed end panel, and a removable end panel configured to form the box housing, and wherein the welding step includes welding the fixed end panel at a recess relative to the four side panels, and further comprising the step of machining four tapered edges into the fixed end panel.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

machining tapered edges into one or more edges of five of the panels; and

welding five of the six panels together at the location of the tapered edges.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of welding includes welding at least one of the panels at a recess relative to adjacent panel edges.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the machining step includes machining the four tapered edges into exterior edges.