Flexible material transfer devices, flexible vacuum compaction devices, flexible vacuum chucks, and systems and methods including the same
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B32B-038/18
B29C-070/34
B29C-070/54
출원번호
US-0887006
(2013-05-03)
등록번호
US-9375908
(2016-06-28)
발명자
/ 주소
Metschan, Stephen Lee
Phillips, Richard V.
Rotter, Daniel M.
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소
DASCENZO Intellectual Property Law, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
8
초록▼
Flexible material transfer devices, flexible vacuum compaction devices that include the flexible material transfer devices, flexible vacuum chucks that include the flexible vacuum compaction devices, and systems and methods including the same. The flexible material transfer devices include a flexibl
Flexible material transfer devices, flexible vacuum compaction devices that include the flexible material transfer devices, flexible vacuum chucks that include the flexible vacuum compaction devices, and systems and methods including the same. The flexible material transfer devices include a flexible substrate that is configured to selectively and repeatedly transition between a stowed conformation and a deployed conformation. The flexible substrate defines a material contacting surface that is configured to contact a charge of composite material and to selectively and operatively attach to the charge of composite material. The flexible substrate further defines a plurality of retention conduits that are at least partially defined by the material contacting surface and are configured to have a retention vacuum applied thereto. The flexible material transfer device further includes a retention manifold that provides fluid communication between the plurality of retention conduits and a vacuum source.
대표청구항▼
1. A flexible vacuum compaction device for compacting a charge of composite material on a supporting surface of a layup mandrel that is configured to receive the charge of composite material, wherein the device is configured to be operatively positioned relative to the supporting surface to define a
1. A flexible vacuum compaction device for compacting a charge of composite material on a supporting surface of a layup mandrel that is configured to receive the charge of composite material, wherein the device is configured to be operatively positioned relative to the supporting surface to define an enclosed volume, the device comprising: a flexible substrate that is configured to selectively and repeatedly transition between a stowed conformation and a deployed conformation that is different from the stowed conformation, wherein the flexible substrate defines: (i) a material contacting surface that is configured to contact the charge of composite material;(ii) a plurality of retention conduits that is at least partially defined by the material contacting surface, wherein the plurality of retention conduits is configured to have a retention vacuum applied thereto, and further wherein the flexible vacuum compaction device is configured to retain the charge of composite material on the material contacting surface when the charge of composite material contacts the material contacting surface and the retention vacuum is applied to the plurality of retention conduits; and(iii) a plurality of evacuation conduits that is at least partially defined by the material contacting surface;a retention manifold that provides fluid communication between the plurality of retention conduits and a vacuum source to selectively apply the retention vacuum;an evacuation manifold that provides fluid communication between the plurality of evacuation conduits and the vacuum source to selectively apply an evacuation vacuum to the enclosed volume; anda sealing structure that is configured to form a fluid seal between the supporting surface and the flexible substrate when compressed therebetween. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is formed from at least one of a flexible material and a resilient material. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is defined by a first wall, a second wall, and a plurality of elongate webs that extends between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the first wall, the second wall, and the plurality of elongate webs define a plurality of elongate channels, and further wherein at least a portion of the retention manifold is defined by at least a retention portion of the plurality of elongate channels. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a suspension structure that is operatively attached to the flexible substrate, wherein the suspension structure includes a first suspension member that is operatively attached to a first side of the flexible substrate and a second suspension member that is operatively attached to a second side of the flexible substrate. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the suspension structure forms at least a portion of the retention manifold. 6. The device of claim 4, wherein the suspension structure is a tubular suspension structure that defines an internal volume, wherein the tubular suspension structure further includes a suspension structure retention opening, wherein a back surface of the flexible substrate defines a back surface retention opening, and further wherein the suspension structure retention opening is aligned with the back surface retention opening to provide fluid communication between the internal volume of the suspension structure and the plurality of retention conduits. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the stowed conformation includes an at least substantially planar conformation. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the deployed conformation defines at least one of a non-planar conformation, a curved conformation, and an arcuate conformation. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein, when the flexible substrate is in the deployed conformation, the material contacting surface defines a convex surface contour. 10. The device of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the evacuation manifold is defined by at least an evacuation portion of the plurality of elongate channels. 11. The device of claim 4, wherein the suspension structure is a tubular suspension structure that defines an internal volume, wherein the tubular suspension structure further includes a suspension structure evacuation opening, wherein a back surface of the flexible substrate defines a back surface evacuation opening, and further wherein the suspension structure evacuation opening is aligned with the back surface evacuation opening to provide fluid communication between the internal volume of the suspension structure and the plurality of evacuation conduits. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the tubular suspension structure forms at least a portion of the evacuation manifold. 13. A rotating material transfer assembly, comprising: a vacuum chuck including the flexible vacuum compaction device of claim 1;a conformation regulating structure that is configured to regulate a surface contour of the material contacting surface; andan orientation regulating mechanism that is configured to selectively transition the vacuum chuck between a loading orientation, in which the vacuum chuck is oriented to receive the charge of composite material on the material contacting surface, and an application orientation, in which the vacuum chuck is oriented to locate the charge of composite material on the supporting surface. 14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the conformation regulating structure is operatively attached to a suspension structure that is attached to at least one of the flexible substrate and a back surface of the flexible substrate. 15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the conformation regulating structure includes a slot that permits translation of the conformation regulating structure relative to the suspension structure when the vacuum chuck transitions between the stowed conformation and the deployed conformation. 16. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the assembly further includes a central support beam that is operatively attached to the conformation regulating structure. 17. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the orientation regulating mechanism includes a pivot that is configured to permit rotation of the vacuum chuck about a rotational axis to permit the transition between the loading orientation and the application orientation.
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