IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0238695
(2011-09-21)
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등록번호 |
US-8815145
(2014-08-26)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Everhart, Matthew C.
- Havens, David E.
- Everhart, Joel James
- Kysar, Randy Rex
- Fiegenbaum, Carl Ray
- Priest, Jeffrey W.
- Ford, Kevin John
- Strelow, Delbert Leon
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
87 |
초록
▼
A method and apparatus for fabricating a composite part with a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus usable as both a rigid tool and as a bladder. The SMP apparatus may be heated until malleable, shaped, and then cooled in a desired rigid tool configuration. The composite material may be applied onto
A method and apparatus for fabricating a composite part with a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus usable as both a rigid tool and as a bladder. The SMP apparatus may be heated until malleable, shaped, and then cooled in a desired rigid tool configuration. The composite material may be applied onto the SMP apparatus and then placed into a rigid external mold and heated to composite cure temperatures at which the SMP apparatus is malleable. In some embodiments, an impermeable sheet of material may also be placed over portions of the composite material to compress it against the SMP apparatus. A pressure differential may be induced which urges the SMP apparatus to compress the composite material against the rigid external mold. When the composite material is cured, the pressure differential may be equalized and/or reversed and the malleable SMP apparatus may be removed from within the composite part.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: applying composite material onto at least a portion of a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus;placing the composite material and SMP apparatus into a cavity within a rigid molding tool, such that at least a portion of the composite
1. A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: applying composite material onto at least a portion of a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus;placing the composite material and SMP apparatus into a cavity within a rigid molding tool, such that at least a portion of the composite material rests against the rigid molding tool;placing an impermeable sheet of material over the composite material and SMP apparatus;sealing the impermeable sheet of material to at least one of the rigid molding tool and the SMP apparatus;heating the composite material to a composite material cure temperature;triggering the SMP apparatus to change in modulus from a rigid state to a malleable state;inducing a pressure differential sufficient to drive the impermeable sheet of material and the SMP apparatus, in the malleable state, toward the composite material, thereby compressing at least a portion of the composite material against the rigid molding tool during curing of the composite material into the composite part;removing the impermeable sheet of material from the rigid molding tool after the composite material is cured into the composite part; andremoving the SMP apparatus from within the composite part. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the SMP apparatus is configured to begin to change to the malleable state when heated above a temperature Tg, wherein the composite material cure temperature is greater than Tg, such that heating the composite material and the SMP apparatus to the composite material cure temperature simultaneously triggers a change in modulus of the SMP apparatus from the rigid state to a malleable state. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein inducing the pressure differential comprises at least one of applying vacuum via a vacuum port formed through the impermeable sheet of material or the rigid tool and forcing a pressurized gas toward the SMP apparatus. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step, prior to placing the impermeable sheet of material over the composite material and SMP apparatus, of placing a skin laminate over the SMP apparatus and the composite material such that the skin laminate contacts at least a portion of the composite material. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the impermeable sheet of material compresses the skin laminate into at least a portion of the composite material, such that the skin laminate is co-cured or co-bonded to the composite material. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of forming the SMP apparatus into a desired tool configuration corresponding with an internal shape of the composite part being formed thereon prior to applying the composite material to the SMP apparatus. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the SMP apparatus includes a first SMP apparatus and a second SMP apparatus configured to compress at least a portion of the composite material between the first and second SMP apparatuses. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of applying composite material to the SMP apparatus comprises sandwiching a first portion of the composite material between the first and second SMP apparatuses and sandwiching a second portion of the composite material between the first SMP apparatus and the rigid molding tool, such that the resulting composite part is an elongated stringer having a J-shaped cross-section. 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of placing a skin laminate over the first and second SMP apparatus and the composite material such that the skin laminate contacts the portion of the composite material sandwiched between the first and second SMP apparatuses. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite part is at least one of stringers, frames, trapezoidal hat-shaped stiffeners, bell-shaped stiffeners, inverted hat stiffeners, J-stiffeners, F-stiffeners, blade stiffeners, I-stiffeners, C-stiffeners, core stiffeners, honeycomb core, and sandwich panel core. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a caul sheet over the composite material. 12. A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: forming a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus into a desired tool configuration;applying composite material onto at least a portion of the SMP apparatus;placing the composite material and the SMP apparatus into a cavity within a rigid molding tool, such that at least a portion of the composite material rests against the rigid molding tool;placing an impermeable sheet of material over the composite material and SMP apparatus;sealing the impermeable sheet of material to at least one of the SMP apparatus and the rigid molding tool;heating the composite material and SMP apparatus to a composite material cure temperature above a temperature Tg at which the SMP apparatus becomes malleable;inducing a pressure differential sufficient to drive the impermeable sheet of material and the SMP apparatus, above Tg, toward the composite material, thereby compressing at least a portion of the composite material between the SMP apparatus and the rigid molding tool during curing of the composite material into the composite part;removing the impermeable sheet of material from the rigid molding tool after the composite material is cured; andremoving the SMP apparatus from within the cured composite material. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising a step of inflating the SMP apparatus outward toward the composite material during cure via pressurized gas. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising a step, prior to placing the impermeable sheet of material over the composite material and SMP apparatus, of placing a skin laminate over the SMP apparatus and the composite material such that the skin laminate contacts at least a portion of the composite material, wherein the impermeable sheet of material compresses the skin laminate into at least a portion of the composite material, such that the skin laminate is co-cured to the composite material. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the SMP apparatus includes a first SMP apparatus and a second SMP apparatus configured to compress at least a portion of the composite material between the first and second SMP apparatuses during the step of inducing the pressure differential. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the composite part is an internal stiffener, frame, or stringer for an aircraft. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the composite part is an aircraft monolithic fuselage, a wing, a nacelle, an aircraft panel, an aircraft duct, or an aircraft component made from solid laminates, and is co-cured or co-bonded to internal stiffeners, frames, stringers, or core. 18. A method of fabricating a monolithic internal stiffener for an aircraft component, the method comprising: forming two shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatuses into rigid tool configurations;sandwiching at least a portion of a composite material between the SMP apparatuses;placing the composite material and the SMP apparatuses into a cavity within a rigid molding tool;placing a skin laminate over the SMP apparatuses and the composite material such that the skin laminate contacts at least a portion of the composite material;placing an impermeable sheet of material over the composite material, skin laminate, and SMP apparatuses;sealing the impermeable sheet of material to the rigid molding tool;heating the composite material and SMP apparatuses to a composite material cure temperature above a temperature Tg at which the SMP apparatuses becomes malleable;inflating the malleable SMP apparatuses to compress the composite material therebetween during cure;inducing a pressure differential sufficient to compress the composite material and the laminate skin between any of the impermeable sheet of material, the rigid molding tool, and the SMP apparatuses during cure;removing the impermeable sheet of material from the rigid molding tool after the composite material and skin laminate are co-cured into the monolithic internal stiffener; andremoving the SMP apparatuses from the monolithic internal stiffener, while the SMP apparatuses are at a temperature above Tg. 19. A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: applying composite material onto at least a portion of a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus;placing the composite material and SMP apparatus into a cavity within a rigid molding tool, such that at least a portion of the composite material rests against the rigid molding tool;heating the composite material to a composite material cure temperature;triggering the SMP apparatus to change in modulus from a rigid state to a malleable state;inducing a pressure differential sufficient to drive the SMP apparatus, in the malleable state, toward the composite material, thereby compressing at least a portion of the composite material against the rigid molding tool during curing of the composite material into the composite part; andremoving the SMP apparatus from within the composite part. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising placing a sheet of material over at least a portion of the SMP apparatus not resting against the rigid molding tool prior to heating the composite material. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising urging the sheet of material toward the composite material while the SMP apparatus is driven toward the composite material, thereby compressing the composite material between the sheet of material and the SMP apparatus.
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