Patent ID: 11859743
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 7:
8. A method comprising:
providing a spacer element having a plurality of cradle brackets each formed of a planar surface and a curved surface;
engaging a plurality of tubular structures to the spacer element such that each tubular structure engages the planar surface and the curved surface of a respective cradle bracket, the spacer element spatially separating the plurality of tubular structures from one another and distributing stress in the plurality of tubular structures;
extending a fastening element comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) band around at least a portion of an outer surface of the plurality of tubular structures; and
fastening and swaging the plurality of tubular structures to the spacer element in an adaptively spaced configuration.