IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,744,682
Granted Patent B2
US 10,744,682 · App. 15/829,051 · Granted Aug 18, 2020

Vascular channel manufacture by deflagration

Inventors: Nicole Ellison (Madison Heights, MI); Anthony M. Coppola (Rochester Hills, MI)
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
B29C33/448B22D19/0072B22D29/003B29C45/4457B29C64/30B29D22/00B33Y40/00B22D29/007B29C67/0033B29C71/02B29L2031/34B33Y10/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,744,682
App. No.
15/829,051
Granted
Aug 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of forming channels within a substrate includes: (a) molding a sacrificial component directly into the substrate; (b) igniting the sacrificial component to cause a deflagration of the sacrificial component, thereby forming a channel in the substrate; and (c) cleaning the channel in the substrate to remove byproducts of the deflagration of the sacrificial component. The sacrificial component includes a combustible material with a protective shell, and the substrate includes a polymeric material.

Claims (44)

1. A method of forming channels within a substrate, comprising:

molding a sacrificial component directly into the substrate;

igniting the sacrificial component to cause deflagration of the sacrificial component, thereby forming a channel in the substrate;

cleaning the channel in the substrate to remove byproducts of the deflagration of the sacrificial component;

wherein the molding of the sacrificial component directly into the substrate includes:

placing the sacrificial component in a mold;

pressurizing a polymeric resin;

shooting the polymeric resin into the mold; and

curing the polymeric resin.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein molding the sacrificial component directly into the substrate occurs at a processing temperature, the sacrificial component includes a combustible material, the combustible material has a flash point, the processing temperature is less than the flash point of the combustible material, and the substrate includes a substrate material selected from a group consisting of a polymeric material, a reinforcing fiber, and a metal compound.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the combustible material is selected from a group consisting of black powder, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, combustible metals, combustible oxides, thermites, nitrocellulose, pyrocellulose, flash powders, and smokeless powder.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial component includes a protective shell, and the protective shell includes a braided fibrous material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the braided fibrous material is infused with an infusion material selected from a group consisting of a polymer, wax, oil, and a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the polymer is selected from a group consisting of polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyphthalamide (PPA), polyamides (PA), polypropylene, nitrocellulose, phenolic, polyester, epoxy, polylactic acid, bismaleimides, silicone, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, elastomers, polyurethane, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), shellac resin, nitrocellulose lacquer, epoxy resin, alkyd, polyurethane, and a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial component includes a protective shell, and the protective shell includes a polymer casing.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the sacrificial component using an additive manufacturing process.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the additive manufacturing process is a 3D printing process.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sacrificial component is configured as a network, and the network includes filaments intersecting each other.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising coating the sacrificial component with a coat, wherein sacrificial component includes a combustible material, the coat includes a coating material, the coating material has a first modulus of resilience, the combustible material has a second modulus of resilience, and the first modulus of resilience is greater than the second modulus of resilience.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein coating the sacrificial component with the coat including dipping the sacrificial component in a container holding the coat.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising removing the sacrificial component from the container and thereafter curing the coat.

14. A method of forming channels within a substrate, comprising:

molding a sacrificial component directly into the substrate;

igniting the sacrificial component to cause deflagration of the sacrificial component, thereby forming a channel in the substrate;

cleaning the channel in the substrate to remove byproducts of the deflagration of the sacrificial component;

wherein the molding of the sacrificial component directly into the substrate includes:

placing the sacrificial component in a mold;

pouring a metallic material into the mold; and

cooling the metallic material to allow the metallic material to solidify.

15. A method of forming channels within a substrate, comprising:

3D printing a sacrificial component, wherein the sacrificial component includes a combustible material, and the combustible material has a flash point;

molding the sacrificial component with the substrate such that the sacrificial component is at least partially disposed inside the substrate, wherein the molding occurs at a processing temperature, and the processing temperature is less than the flash point;

igniting the sacrificial component to cause a deflagration of the sacrificial component, thereby forming a channel in the substrate; and

cleaning the channel in the substrate to remove byproducts of the deflagration of the sacrificial component; and

wherein cleaning the channel in the substrate includes introducing a liquid into the channel in the substrate to remove byproducts of the deflagration of the sacrificial component.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the molding of the sacrificial component with the substrate includes:

placing the sacrificial component in a mold;

pouring a metallic material into the mold; and

cooling the metallic material.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the molding of the sacrificial component with the substrate includes:

placing the sacrificial component in a mold;

pouring a polymeric resin into the mold; and

curing the polymeric resin.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein cleaning the channel in the substrate includes shooting a gas into the channel in the substrate to remove byproducts of the deflagration of the sacrificial component.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2017
From: ELLISON, NICOLE; COPPOLA, ANTHONY M.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 044283/0877 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190168473A1 · Jun 6, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,213,291