Granted Patent B2

US 9,739,304 · App. 13/674,932 · Granted Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. A system, comprising:

a composite crosshead, comprising:

a crosshead body made of a first composite material, wherein the first composite material comprises a first reinforcing material distributed in a first matrix material, the first reinforcing material comprising a first ceramic material and the first matrix material comprising a second ceramic material, wherein the composite crosshead is configured to move in a reciprocating motion in a machine.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the crosshead body is a one-piece structure made of the first composite material.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the composite crosshead comprises a crosshead pin coupled to the crosshead body.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the crosshead pin is made of a second composite material having a second reinforcing material distributed in a second matrix material.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second composite materials are different.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the crosshead pin has a hollow interior, and the crosshead pin comprises end caps disposed on opposite ends of the crosshead pin.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcing material comprises a plurality of particles.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcing material is different than the first matrix material.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a composite piston made of a third composite material having a third reinforcing material distributed in a third matrix material.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine has the composite crosshead.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ceramic materials are different from one another.

12. A system, comprising:

a composite crosshead, comprising:

a body made of a first composite material comprising a first reinforcing ceramic material distributed in a first ceramic matrix material, wherein the body is configured to move in a reciprocating motion in a machine; and

a pin made of a second composite material comprising a second reinforcing ceramic material distributed in a second matrix material, wherein the pin is configured to couple a connecting rod to the body.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first and second reinforcing ceramic materials each comprise a plurality of reinforcing particles.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first and second composite materials are the same as one another.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first and second composite materials are different from one another.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the pin is hollow, the pin has end caps disposed on opposite ends of the pin, and the end caps are made of a metal.

17. The system of claim 12 , comprising the machine having the composite crosshead.

18. A system, comprising:

a crosshead pin configured to pivotally couple a connecting rod to a crosshead that moves in a reciprocating motion in a machine, wherein the crosshead pin comprises a first composite material having a first reinforcing material distributed in a first matrix material, the first reinforcing material comprising a first ceramic material and the first matrix material comprising a second ceramic material.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the crosshead pin is hollow, the crosshead pin has end caps disposed on opposite ends of the crosshead pin, and the end caps are made of a metal.

20. The system of claim 18 , comprising the machine having the crosshead pin connecting the crosshead to the connecting rod, and a piston coupled to the crosshead.

Assignments (8)