초록 ▼

Methods are disclosed for forming silicone rubber vacuum bag assemblies which can be used repeatedly to debulk and autoclave composite layups. These bags can be formed of a single layup of uncured silicone rubber over a tool of a simple shape or as a layup of uncured silicone rubber over the totalit

Methods are disclosed for forming silicone rubber vacuum bag assemblies which can be used repeatedly to debulk and autoclave composite layups. These bags can be formed of a single layup of uncured silicone rubber over a tool of a simple shape or as a layup of uncured silicone rubber over the totality of the tool and a prepreg consisting of a fiber in uncured silicone rubber laid up over areas which do not include male and female radii on the tool. Additionally, a further bag can be constructed by removing those portions of a simple bag which overlay recesses and female radii followed by curing of the silicone rubber and filling of the recesses within uncured silicone rubber followed by a second cure period. Each of the vacuum bag assemblies of the invention is postcured preferredly removed from its defining tool so as to stabilize and fully shrink the silicone rubber. The vacuum bag assemblies are mounted in a silicone rubber membrane which is preferably then supported in a frame.

대표청구항 ▼

In a method for manufacturing a molded bag for use in vacuum debulking and autoclaving operations on composite parts formed on a tool including a shaped mold on which the part is formed, said mold having first portions of relatively low curvature and second portions of high curvature, said second po

In a method for manufacturing a molded bag for use in vacuum debulking and autoclaving operations on composite parts formed on a tool including a shaped mold on which the part is formed, said mold having first portions of relatively low curvature and second portions of high curvature, said second portions having much smaller surface extent than said first portions, the steps of: providing a plurality of cured, preshrunk, and stabilized panels of silicone rubber, covering said tool over said first portions and extending over all of said tool except said second portions to form a partial bag structure which form the major segments of a bag while leaving gaps or removing portions to form gaps at tight inside radiuses and recesses in the tool configuration, providing strips of uncured sheet silicone rubber, laying said strips over said second portions to bridge the panels across the second portions and the gaps and to interconnect said panels into a unitary, complete bag structure for completely covering the mold to complete a total enclosed bag structure, vacuum bagging an autoclaving the completed bag at elevated temperature and pressure, stabilizing the total bag structure so formed against shrinkage by postcuring the total bag structure in an oven at elevated temperature greater than the autoclave temperature to thereby form a molded blanket of silicone rubber formed about said mold to form said molded bag, said molded bag being of dimensions to fully cover said mold and to fully conform to said mold shape and dimensions throughout said first and second portions without stretching and further being fully preshrunk throughout.