Method and apparatus to locally test pressure seal

• US 6,615,642 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Poblete, Daniel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garber, Charles D
• Application Number:
  US09/940,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 73/37, 73/40, 73/407, 73/498, 73/46, 735/92
• US Class Current: 73/37
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2869 for seals not incorporated in a pipe joint
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/32 for containers, e.g. radiators

Abstract

A tool for conducting localized testing of the integrity of a pressure seal on an aircraft. The tool comprises a body having an exterior surface and an interior cavity. A peripheral edge on the body defines an opening to the interior cavity. The tool is positioned on an aircraft over the pressure seal to be tested with the interior cavity communicating with the pressure seal. A sealing member is positioned between the aircraft and the peripheral edge so that a fluid tight seal is formed between the tool and the aircraft. A vacuum is created in the interior cavity. After a predetermined length of time the amount of vacuum in the interior cavity is observed and the integrity of the pressure seal is determined.

Claims

1. A tool for locally testing a pressure seal on an aircraft, the tool comprising:

a body having an exterior surface, an interior cavity and a peripheral edge that defines an opening in the body that communicates with the interior cavity, the body being configured and adapted to withstand a vacuum created and held in the interior cavity without the body collapsing and the body being configured to allow an exterior portion of a feed through passing through an opening in a fuselage of an aircraft to fit within the interior cavity;

a sealing member, the sealing member providing a fluid tight seal between the peripheral edge and the aircraft so that a vacuum can be created in the interior cavity, the sealing member allowing the interior cavity to communicate with a pressure seal that seals the feed through to the opening in the fuselage on the aircraft; and

a vacuum source connected to an interior portion of the feed through and communicating with the interior cavity so that a vacuum can be created in the interior cavity.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the body is generally spherical.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge is contoured to be complementary to a contour of the aircraft at a location on the aircraft where the pressure seal to be tested is located.

4. The tool of claim 3, wherein the sealing member is contoured to be complementary to both the contour of the peripheral edge and to the contour of the aircraft at the location of the pressure seal.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein a vacuum gauge is attached to the body and measures the vacuum in the interior cavity.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the sealing member is a gasket.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the gasket has opposite first and second sealing surfaces and the first sealing surface is complementary to a contour of the peripheral edge and the second sealing surface is complementary to a contour of the aircraft at a location on the aircraft at which the tool is to be used.

8. A method of locally testing a pressure seal on an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an aircraft having a pressure seal around a feed through passing through an opening in a fuselage of the aircraft which needs to be tested;

providing a tool having a body with an interior cavity and an opening that allows access to the interior cavity;

providing a sealing member;

positioning the tool on the aircraft with the tool opening surrounding the pressure seal and with the sealing member positioned between the tool and the aircraft so that the interior cavity communicates with the pressure seal and a fluid tight seal is formed between the tool and the aircraft;

creating a vacuum of a predetermined level in the interior cavity of the tool with a vacuum source connected to an interior portion of the feed through so that the pressure seal experiences the vacuum; and

observing the level of vacuum in the interior cavity after a predetermined length time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the step of providing a sealing member comprises providing a gasket having an opening therethrough; and

the step of positioning the tool on the aircraft further comprises positioning the tool on the aircraft with the tool opening surrounding the pressure seal and with the gasket positioned between the tool and the aircraft with the gasket opening generally aligned with the opening in the tool body so that the interior cavity communicates with the pressure seal and a fluid tight seal is formed between the tool and the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the step of providing a gasket further comprises providing a gasket with opposite first and second sealing surfaces with the first sealing surface being contoured to be complementary to a contour of the opening in the tool body and the second sealing surface being contoured to be complementary to a contour of the aircraft at the location of the pressure seal; and

the step of positioning the tool on the aircraft further comprises positioning the tool on the aircraft with the gasket first sealing surface being in contact with the opening in the tool and the gasket second sealing surface being in contact with the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing a tool further comprises providing the tool with a body that is generally spherically shaped.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing a tool further comprises providing the tool with an opening that is contoured to be complementary to a contour of the aircraft at a location of the pressure seal.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of providing a vacuum gauge that communicates with the interior cavity of the tool so that the vacuum in the interior cavity can be measured.