TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: A Durable Redundant Joint to Build Structures from Sections of Composite Sandwich Panel or Shell (LAR-TOPS-93)

NASA's Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses . THE TECHNOLOGY : NASA's Langley Research Center has developed a new adhesively bonded joint concept for curved and flat panel sandwich architectures. A woven preform, inserted into the seam between sandwich panels, provides a larger total bonding area and multiple load paths for an improved distribution of load through the joint. NASA is able to create structures by joining sections of sandwich panels or curved shells. The new joint provides more durable load transfer and redundant load paths compared to current state-of-the-art adhesively bonded strap joints. NASA is developing next generation launch vehicles that will be based on high-performance composite materials and innovative manufacturing methods. As such, NASA uses adhesively bonded joints where possible, instead of mechanically fastened (bolted) joints, to design and manufacture structures. The adhesive joints are typically lighter and distribute loads more efficiently across an interface, while mechanically fastened joints are prone to stress concentrations around the bolts. The new durable redundant joint (DRJ) offers improved safety and load carrying capability for sandwich structures when compared to conventional H-type joints. The DRJ uses a composite preform to connect two ends of a curved, composite sandwich panel to form, for example, a cylindrical vehicle segment. Figure 1 shows the cross sections of two adhesively bonded joints--the single and the DRJ, including the preform. To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA's Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LAR-TOPS-93 If you have any questions, please contact Langley Research Center at [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/ These responses are provided to members of NASA's Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice .