Boeing has filed a patent for a composite material protection system that prevents UV degradation. The system involves a co-cured composite material substrate combined with a UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, exclusively designed for use in UV/visible light-resistant vehicle fuel tank assemblies. The coating layer has a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% and completely covers the composite material substrate. GlobalData’s report on Boeing gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Boeing, light-weight composite fuselage was a key innovation area identified from patents. Boeing's grant share as of September 2023 was 74%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Uv-resistant coating for composite material vehicle fuel tanks
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230312124A1) describes a co-curable composite material that can be used to create a vehicle fuel tank. The material consists of a co-curable composite material substrate and a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass-containing coating layer. The coating layer has a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% for wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm to about 800 nm. The coating layer completely covers the composite material substrate, which can be made of an epoxy resin-based matrix or a fiber reinforced epoxy resin-based matrix containing carbon fibers, boron fibers, aramid fibers, fiberglass fibers, polyester fibers, or combinations thereof. The composite material substrate and the coating layer can be co-cured at a temperature ranging from about 250°F to about 370°F.
The patent also describes a vehicle fuel tank assembly that includes the co-cured composite material. The assembly consists of a co-cured composite material substrate and a co-cured UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass-containing layer. The layer completely covers the substrate and has a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% for wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm to about 800 nm. The assembly is co-cured at a temperature ranging from about 250°F to about 370°F. The fuel tank assembly can be used in various vehicles, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, spacecraft, rotorcraft, terrestrial vehicles, surface waterborne vehicles, sub-surface waterborne vehicles, and satellites.
The patent also includes a method for creating the co-cured composite material vehicle fuel tank assembly. The method involves applying a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass-containing layer onto a co-curable composite material substrate and co-curing them to form the assembly. The resulting assembly has a co-cured UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass-containing layer with a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% for wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm to about 800 nm. The inclusion of the co-cured layer eliminates the need for a UV/visible light-absorbing detail primer layer or paint layer in the assembly. The composite material substrate can be made of a fiber reinforced epoxy resin-based matrix containing carbon fibers, boron fibers, aramid fibers, fiberglass fibers, polyester fibers, or combinations thereof. Additionally, a fuel tank primer layer can be applied on top of the co-cured layer.
Overall, this patent describes a co-curable composite material and a method for creating a vehicle fuel tank assembly using this material. The material and assembly have a UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass-containing layer that provides protection and eliminates the need for additional layers. The assembly can be used in various vehicles, offering potential benefits in terms of durability and performance.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
