Systems of forming a skin for a composite structure
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B29C-070/30
B32B-037/14
B32B-037/10
B32B-037/06
B29C-070/54
출원번호
US-0926298
(2015-10-29)
등록번호
US-10226915
(2019-03-12)
발명자
/ 주소
Metschan, Stephen Lee
Phillips, Richard V.
Willden, Kurtis S.
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소
Dascenzo Intellectual Property Law, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
25
초록▼
Systems and methods of forming a skin for a composite structure and composite structures including the same. The systems and methods include operatively attaching a charge of composite material to a flexible substrate to define a composite-substrate assembly. The systems and methods further include
Systems and methods of forming a skin for a composite structure and composite structures including the same. The systems and methods include operatively attaching a charge of composite material to a flexible substrate to define a composite-substrate assembly. The systems and methods further include deforming the composite-substrate assembly by conforming the composite-substrate assembly to a non-planar pre-forming surface of a pre-forming mandrel to define a non-planar skin surface contour on the charge of composite material. The systems and methods further include maintaining the charge of composite material in tension in a direction that is parallel to an interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate during the deforming.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus for forming a composite structure, the apparatus comprising: a layup mandrel that defines a plurality of stiffening element recesses, which is configured to receive a plurality of stiffening elements, and a mandrel surface, which defines a non-planar mandrel surface contour and is co
1. An apparatus for forming a composite structure, the apparatus comprising: a layup mandrel that defines a plurality of stiffening element recesses, which is configured to receive a plurality of stiffening elements, and a mandrel surface, which defines a non-planar mandrel surface contour and is configured to receive a non-planar skin; andan apparatus for defining a non-planar skin surface contour of a skin for a composite structure, wherein the apparatus for defining includes:(i) a flexible substrate that is configured to be operatively attached to a charge of composite material to form a composite-substrate assembly, wherein the charge of composite material includes a plurality of stacked plies of composite material; and(ii) a pre-forming mandrel that defines a non-planar pre-forming surface, wherein a surface of the composite-substrate assembly is configured to be conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface to define the non-planar skin surface contour on a surface of the charge of composite material, and further wherein the flexible substrate is configured to maintain the charge of composite material in tension in a direction that is parallel to an interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate while the composite-substrate assembly is conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface. 2. The apparatus for forming the composite structure of claim 1, wherein: the apparatus for forming includes the plurality of stiffening elements; andthe plurality of stiffening elements is located within the plurality of stiffening element recesses. 3. An apparatus for defining a non-planar skin surface contour of a skin for a composite structure, the apparatus comprising: a flexible substrate that is configured to be operatively attached to a charge of composite material to form a composite-substrate assembly, wherein the flexible substrate is a double-walled panel that is defined by a first planar wall, a second planar wall, and a plurality of elongate webs that extends between the first planar wall and the second planar wall, wherein the first planar wall, the second planar wall, and the plurality of elongate webs together define a plurality of elongate channels, and further wherein the charge of composite material includes a plurality of stacked plies of composite material; anda pre-forming mandrel that defines a non-planar pre-forming surface, wherein a surface of the composite-substrate assembly is configured to be conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface to define the non-planar skin surface contour on a surface of the charge of composite material, and further wherein the flexible substrate is configured to maintain the charge of composite material in tension in a direction that is parallel to an interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate while the composite-substrate assembly is conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus includes the charge of composite material, and further wherein the composite-substrate assembly is conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface of the pre-forming mandrel. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the composite-substrate assembly is deformed such that a first portion of the composite-substrate assembly is in tension in the direction that is parallel to the interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate and also such that a second portion of the composite-substrate assembly is in compression in the direction that is parallel to the interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate, wherein the first portion of the composite-substrate assembly and the second portion of the composite-substrate assembly meet at a point where tension changes to compression, and further wherein the point where tension changes to compression is located within the flexible substrate. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the composite-substrate assembly is a first composite-substrate assembly, wherein the apparatus further includes a second composite-substrate assembly, and further wherein the second composite-substrate assembly is not conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface of the pre-forming mandrel. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flexible substrate of the first composite-substrate assembly defines a deformed conformation and further wherein the flexible substrate of the second composite-substrate assembly defines an undeformed conformation that is different from the deformed conformation. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the undeformed conformation defines an at least substantially planar conformation. 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the deformed conformation corresponds to a conformation of the non-planar pre-forming surface. 10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus includes the composite-substrate assembly, and further wherein the composite-substrate assembly is not conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface of the pre-forming mandrel. 11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-planar pre-forming surface defines a convex surface contour, wherein the composite-substrate assembly is located on and conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface, and further wherein the flexible substrate is located between the pre-forming mandrel and the charge of composite material. 12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-planar pre-forming surface defines a concave surface contour, wherein the composite-substrate assembly is located on and conformed to the non-planar pre-forming surface, and further wherein the charge of composite material is located between the flexible substrate and the pre-forming mandrel. 13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further includes an interfacial force control assembly that is configured to regulate a maximum interfacial force that may be applied to the interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate without relative motion therebetween. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the interfacial force control assembly includes a vacuum assembly that is configured to apply a vacuum between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate, and further wherein the vacuum assembly includes a vacuum manifold that is defined by the flexible substrate. 15. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the composite-substrate assembly is located on the non-planar pre-forming surface, and further wherein the apparatus includes a heating assembly that is configured to heat the charge of composite material to at least one of: (i) increase a rate at which the charge of composite material conforms to the non-planar pre-forming surface; and(ii) at least partially cure the charge of composite material. 16. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further includes a vacuum bag assembly that encloses the charge of composite material, wherein the vacuum bag assembly is configured to compact the charge of composite material on the flexible substrate. 17. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flexible substrate is configured to maintain the charge of composite material completely in tension. 18. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flexible substrate is configured to maintain the charge of composite material in tension across an entire thickness of the charge of composite material. 19. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flexible substrate is configured to maintain at least a threshold fraction of a total volume of the charge of composite material in tension, wherein the threshold fraction of the total volume is at least 80 of the total volume. 20. An apparatus for forming a composite structure, the apparatus comprising: a layup mandrel that defines a plurality of stiffening element recesses, which are configured to receive a plurality of stiffening elements, and a mandrel surface, which defines a non-planar mandrel surface contour and is configured to receive a non-planar skin; andthe apparatus for defining the non-planar skin surface contour of claim 3. 21. The apparatus for forming a composite structure of claim 20, wherein: the apparatus for forming includes the plurality of stiffening elements; andthe plurality of stiffening elements is located within the plurality of stiffening element recesses. 22. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further includes the charge of composite material.
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