Abstract:
A high strength, light weight crash survivable memory unit (CSMU). The CSMU includes memory storage devices surrounded by a heat resistive material. A housing surrounds the heat resistive material. The housing includes a plurality of panels that include Titanium. Two or more of the panels are fusion welded together. The welding is performed at tapered outer edges of one or more of the panels.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Crash survivable memory units (CSMU) or as they are better known “black boxes” are required to meet certain requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA regulations specify penetration, impact, and temperature requirements that must be met. CSMU manufacturers have been able to meet these requirements, however, aircraft manufacturers are motivated to cut weight within the aircraft.  
         [0002]     Therefore, there exists a need for reducing the weight of CSMUs while still adhering to the rigid FAA regulations.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Embodiments of the present invention include a high strength, light weight crash survivable memory unit (CSMU). The CSMU includes memory storage devices surrounded by a heat resistive material. A housing surrounds the heat resistive material. The housing includes a plurality of panels that include Titanium. Two or more of the panels are fusion welded together. The welding is performed at tapered outer edges of one or more of the panels. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]     The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the crash survivable memory unit (CSMU) formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0007]     FIGS.  3 A-C illustrate end views of various embodiments of a CSMU. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of the fight data recorder (FDR)/cockpit data recorder (CDR) formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The recorder  20  includes a data processing unit  26  and a crash survivable memory unit (CSMU)  28 . When the recorder  20  is fully formed and ready for use, the data processing unit  26  rests on top of the CSMU  28  and is all held together by a cover  24 . The data processing unit  26  includes components for receiving and processing data from various subsystems of the aircraft. The data that is processed by the data processing unit  26  is then sent to the CSMU  28  and stored on memory devices  29 .  
         [0009]     The CSMU  28  is designed to withstand certain high impact forces and to resist high heat, such that the memory devices  29  can survive a crash. The data processing unit  26  is expendable and is thus not protected in the same manner as the memory devices  29  are.  
         [0010]     The memory devices  29  are surrounded by heat resistant or heat dissipation material within the CSMU  28 . The housing of the CSMU  28  includes multiple Titanium (Ti) panels. The Titanium panels include a top panel  30 , a bottom panel  32 , two side panels  34  and  38 , a fixed end panel  36 , and a removable end panel  40 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the CSMU  28  at the fixed end panel  36 . The fixed end panel  36  is sized to fit within a box construction formed of the top and bottom panels  30  and  32  and the side panels  34  and  38 . In one embodiment, the fixed end panel  36  is recessed from the end of the top, bottom, and side panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  38 . The fixed end panel  36  has been machined to include a tapered edge  50  that surrounds the end panel  36 . The tapered edge  50  is on the side of the panel  36  that is exterior to the CSMU  28 . Therefore, when the end panel  36  is properly positioned, a groove is formed between the tapered edge  50  and the top, bottom, and side panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  38  for allowing a weld bead to be formed therein.  
         [0012]     In one embodiment, fusion welding is performed in order to bond the end panel  36  to the other panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  38 . The welding material used within the formed groove is Titanium, but could me any material having similar properties to Titanium.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3A  illustrates and end view of the CSMU  28  with the removable end panel  40  removed.  FIG. 3B  illustrates a zoom view of a first embodiment of the panels shown in  FIG. 3A . Each side panel  34  and  38  has been machined to include a tapered edge  58  that is along the lengthwise edge of the panels  34  and  38 . The tapered edges  58  are on the exterior of the CSMU  28 . The edges  34  and  38  are positioned such that the surface that is exterior to the CSMU  28  is approximately flushed with the ends of the top and bottom panels  30  and  32 . As such, a groove is formed between the side panels  34  and  38 , at the tapered edges  58 , and the top and bottom panels  30  and  32 . The formed groove receives a weld, thereby bonding the side panels  34  and  38  to be top panels  30  and  32 . The welding material and process may be similar to that described above for  FIG. 2 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3C  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the panels shown in  FIG. 3A . In this embodiment, the side panels  34  and  38  have been machined to include the tapered edges  58 . Also, the top and bottom panels  30  and  32  have been machined to include tapered edges  60  that are located adjacent to the tapered edges  58  when the top and bottom panels  30  and  32  are positioned for welding with the side panels  34  and  38 . Thus, a V-groove is formed between the tapered edges  58  and the tapered edges  60 . The V-groove enables a weld to be applied thus attaching the top and bottom panels  30  and  32  to the side panels  34  and  38 . The welding material and process may be similar to that described above for  FIG. 2 .  
         [0015]     Other grooves can be applied to various portions of the panel in order to provide weldable surfaces between the panels. For example, the inner surface of the panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  38  may be machined to include a groove that is positioned adjacent to the tapered edges  50  thereby creating a larger groove surface in for receiving the weld.  
         [0016]     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.