A collapsible mandrel comprises an inflatable bladder. The bladder includes a reinforcement sandwiched between inner and outer layers of a fluoroelastomeric rubber.
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1. A method of making composite parts, comprising: reinforcing a flexible bladder with substantially rigid strips, the rigid strips being positioned to define a joint between the rigid strips;inflating the bladder, the rigid strips increasing a rigidity of at least one side wall of the flexible blad
1. A method of making composite parts, comprising: reinforcing a flexible bladder with substantially rigid strips, the rigid strips being positioned to define a joint between the rigid strips;inflating the bladder, the rigid strips increasing a rigidity of at least one side wall of the flexible bladder when the flexible bladder is inflated;laying up a composite part over the reinforced inflated bladder;deflating the bladder, the joint providing a hinge to enable a first rigid strip adjacent a second rigid strip to fold relative to the second rigid strip when the flexible bladder is deflated; andremoving the bladder from the layup. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing includes sandwiching the rigid strips between two layers of flexible rubber. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing includes placing the rigid strips in side-by-side relationship between the layers of rubber. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing includes coating each of the rigid strips with rubber before they are placed between the layers of rubber. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the layup before the bladder is removed from the layup. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing includes placing the rigid strips in sidewalls of the bladder, and deflating the bladder includes collapsing the sidewalls along the edges of the rigid strips. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein inflating the bladder is performed using positive air pressure, and deflating the bag is performed using negative air pressure. 8. A collapsible mandrel, comprising: an inflatable bladder having collapsible side walls, the bladder including inner and outer layers of fluoroelastomeric rubber; anda reinforcement assembly positioned between the inner and outer layers, the reinforcement assembly to increase a rigidity of the side walls, the reinforcement assembly including at least a first strip to increase rigidity along a first dimensional portion of a side wall and a second strip to increase a rigidity along a second dimensional portion of the side wall, the first and second strips positioned to form a joint between the strips where the joint is to provide a hinge to allow the first portion of the side wall supported by the first strip to swing and fold relative to the second portion of the side wall supported by the second strip when the bladder is deflated. 9. The collapsible mandrel of claim 8, wherein the reinforcement assembly includes a coating of fluoroelastomeric rubber thereon. 10. The collapsible mandrel of claim 8, wherein the first strip and the second strip are non-continuous in the sidewall. 11. The collapsible mandrel of claim 10, wherein the first strip is fiberglass. 12. The collapsible mandrel of claim 8, wherein, the bladder is elongate and each of the first and second strips is a generally rigid elongate strip positioned in the sidewall. 13. The collapsible mandrel of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second strips includes fiberglass, and each of the first and second strips is coated with fluoroelastomeric rubber. 14. The collapsible mandrel of claim 8, wherein the reinforcement assembly is collapsible. 15. The collapsible mandrel of claim 8, wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a polygonal shape or profile. 16. The collapsible mandrel of claim 15, wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a trapezoidal shape or profile. 17. The collapsible mandrel of claim 1, wherein the first and second strips are positioned longitudinally relative to a longitudinal axis of the mandrel, wherein the first and second strips do not collapse in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. 18. The collapsible mandrel of claim 1, wherein the first and second strips maintain a substantially similar longitudinal length of the mandrel when the mandrel is in an inflated condition and the mandrel is in a deflated condition. 19. The collapsible mandrel of claim 1, where an upper portion of the walls of the mandrel collapse toward a lower portion of the walls of the mandrel when the mandrel is deflated. 20. The collapsible mandrel of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second strips each has a width that is substantially smaller than a longitudinal length. 21. The collapsible mandrel of claim 1, wherein the joint is provided prior to and after the bladder has been cured. 22. The collapsible mandrel of claim 1, wherein the first strip is to swing or fold relative to the second strip to deflate the mandrel after a curing process is complete. 23. A collapsible mandrel for laying up and curing composite parts, comprising: a substantially flexible bladder adapted to inflate when pressurized, the bladder including an inner layer of rubber, an outer layer of rubber and a middle layer between the inner and outer layers of rubber, the middle layer including a substantially rigid reinforcement that provides the bladder with rigidity when the bladder is pressurized, the rigid reinforcement having a first rigid strip adjacent a second rigid strip, the first rigid strip being non-continuous relative to the second rigid strip to define a joint to enable the first rigid strip to fold along the joint relative to the second rigid strip to enable the bladder to collapse when the bladder is depressurized. 24. The collapsible mandrel of claim 23, wherein the rubber in the inner and outer layers is a fluoroelastomeric rubber. 25. The collapsible mandrel of claim 24, wherein the reinforcement is coated with a fluoroelastomeric rubber. 26. The collapsible mandrel of claim 25, wherein the reinforcement is fiberglass fabric. 27. The collapsible mandrel of claim 24, wherein the bladder is elongate, and the joint allows the reinforcement to flex when the bladder collapses. 28. The collapsible mandrel of claim 24, wherein, each of the first and second rigid strips includes fiberglass strips arranged side-by-side to form flexible butt joints allowing the reinforcement to flex.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (27)
Lee, Michael A.; Willden, Kurtis S.; Jones, Darrell D.; Evans, Richard B., Apparatus for forming structural members.
Eslinger David M. (Tulsa OK) McKee L. Michael (Alvin TX) Sorem Robert M. (Lawrence KS) Case Kevin L. (Richmond TX) Pessin Jean L. (Houston TX), Inflation shape control system for inflatable packers.
Lin Chin-I (Tainan TWX) Wu Chung-Lin (Hsinchu TWX) Liu Rong-Shian (Hsinchu TWX) Chu Gou-Don (Hsinchu TWX), Method of forming composite articles using a mandrel assembly.
Azzani Roberto (Modena ITX) Dori Lino M. (Fiorano Modenese ITX) Scaglietti Oscar (Montale Di Castelnuovo Rangone ITX), Process for the construction of hollow monolithic elements of composite material, particularly carbon fibres.
Dull, Kenneth M.; Cox, Gordon M.; Jones, Darrell D.; McCarville, Douglas A.; Louie, Michael K.; Anderson, Robert L., Bladder system for curing composite parts.
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