Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Internal hydroforming method for manufacturing heat pipe wicks
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Application No.: US16853270Application Date: 2020-04-20
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Publication No.: US11780122B2Publication Date: 2023-10-10
- Inventor: John Lojek, III , Matthew M. Swartz , William A. Byers
- Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
- Applicant Address: US PA Cranberry Township
- Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
- Current Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US PA Cranberry Township
- Agency: K&L Gates LLP
- Main IPC: B29C33/50
- IPC: B29C33/50 ; B29C43/10 ; B29C43/36 ; B29L31/18

Abstract:
A forming assembly configured to form a wick is disclosed. The forming assembly includes an expandable tube and a forming shell assembly. The expandable tube is hydraulically expandable to an expanded configuration. A wick mesh is configured to be wrapped about the expandable tube. The forming shell assembly includes a first forming shell comprising a first recess defined therein and a second forming shell comprising a second recess defined therein. The first recess and the second recess cooperate to define an outer diameter of the wick. The expandable tube and the wick mesh are positionable between the first recess and the second recess. The expandable tube and the forming shell assembly are configured to deform the wick mesh and form the wick based on the expandable tube hydraulically expanding towards the expanded configuration.
Public/Granted literature
- US20210323201A1 INTERNAL HYDROFORMING METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT PIPE WICKS Public/Granted day:2021-10-21
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