METHOD OF FORMING AN INTERNAL STRUCTURE WITHIN A HOLLOW COMPONENT
First Claim
1. A method of forming an internal structure within a hollow component, the component comprising first and second panels and at least one membrane disposed between the first and second panels, the method comprising:
- selectively bonding the at least one membrane to the first and/or second panels;
inflating the component by passing a pressurised fluid between the first and second panels such that the first and second panels are inflated into contact with a die assembly and such that the membrane forms an internal structure between the first and second panels; and
deforming the internal structure by applying the pressurised fluid at a first pressure on one side of the membrane and at a second pressure on the other side of the membrane.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of forming an internal structure within a hollow component (2), the component comprising first and second panels (4, 6) and at least one membrane (8; 10) disposed between the first and second panels (4, 6), the method comprising: selectively bonding the at least one membrane (8; 10) to the first and/or second panels (4, 6); inflating the component (2) by passing a pressurised fluid between the first and second panels (4, 6) such that the first and second panels (4, 6) are inflated into contact with a die assembly (38) and such that the membrane (8; 10) forms an internal structure between the first and second panels (4, 6); and deforming the internal structure by applying the pressurised fluid at a first pressure (P1) on one side of the membrane (8; 10) and at a second pressure (P2) on the other side of the membrane (8; 10).
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of forming an internal structure within a hollow component, the component comprising first and second panels and at least one membrane disposed between the first and second panels, the method comprising:
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selectively bonding the at least one membrane to the first and/or second panels; inflating the component by passing a pressurised fluid between the first and second panels such that the first and second panels are inflated into contact with a die assembly and such that the membrane forms an internal structure between the first and second panels; and deforming the internal structure by applying the pressurised fluid at a first pressure on one side of the membrane and at a second pressure on the other side of the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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- 19. An aerofoil structure comprising first and second panels and first and second membranes disposed between the first and second panels, wherein the first membrane is selectively bonded to the first panel and the second membrane is selectively bonded to the second panel, wherein unbonded portions of the first and second membranes are formed into re-entrant features, the re-entrant features of the first or second membrane being spaced apart from the other of the first or second membrane.
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23. A die assembly for forming an aerofoil structure, the die assembly comprising:
first and second dies each having a forming surface between which the aerofoil structure is placed;
wherein the forming surface of the first and/or second dies has a section which is movable relative to the rest of the forming surface.- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of forming an internal structure within an aerofoil structure using a die assembly, the aerofoil structure comprising first and second panels and at least one membrane disposed between the first and second panels and the die assembly comprising first and second dies each having a forming surface;
- wherein the forming surface of the first and/or second dies has a section which is movable relative to the rest of the forming surface, the method comprising;
selectively bonding the at least one membrane to the first and/or second panels; locating the aerofoil structure between the forming surfaces of the first and second dies with the movable section in a first position inflating the aerofoil structure by passing a pressurised fluid between the first and second panels such that the first and second panels are inflated into contact with the forming surfaces of the first and second dies and such that the membrane forms an internal structure between the first and second panels; deforming the internal structure by applying the pressurised fluid at a first pressure on one side of the membrane and at a second pressure on the other side of the membrane; moving the movable section to a second position and further inflating the aerofoil structure such that the first and second panels are inflated into contact with the forming surfaces of the first and second dies.
- wherein the forming surface of the first and/or second dies has a section which is movable relative to the rest of the forming surface, the method comprising;
Specification