APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING HIGHLY CONTOURED COMPOSITE STIFFENERS WITH REDUCED WRINKLING

• US 20140322381A1
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bland, Jamel R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,242,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/394
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/38 characterised by the material or the manufacturing process B29C33/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/76 Cores B29C33/02 - B29C33/70, B29C41/40, B29C53/74, B29C53/82 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/205 the structure being shaped to form a three-dimensional configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/342 using isostatic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/345 using matched moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/549 Details of caul plates, e.g. materials or shape
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0003 Producing profiled members, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/001 Profiled members, e.g. beams, sections
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/064 Stringers; Longerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material

Abstract

A mandrel having an out-of-plane curvature and a corresponding in-plane change in mandrel geometry is used to fabricate substantially wrinkle-free, fiber reinforced stiffeners having an out-of-plane curvature.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. Apparatus for forming a substantially wrinkle-free fiber reinforced composite stiffener having an out-of-plane curved section along its length, comprising:

a mandrel on which fiber reinforced composite plies may be formed,

the mandrel having a first tool face including a section substantially matching the out-of-pane curved section of the stiffener,

the mandrel having a second tool face, the second tool face including a section having an in-plane curved section substantially corresponding to the out-of-plane curved section in the first tool face.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second tool faces extend traverse to each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second tool faces are contiguous to each other.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

tooling for compacting the plies against the first and second tool faces, the tooling including a curved surface substantially matching the out-of-plane curved section of the first tool face, and a curved surface substantially matching the section of the second tool face having the inplane change in geometry.

19. Apparatus for fabricating a fiber reinforced, substantially wrinkle-free composite stringer having an out-of-plane curvature:

a stringer mandrel having an out-of-plane curvature and a corresponding in-plane change in mandrel geometry.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the stringer is hat shaped in cross section and the mandrel includes:

a top face for forming a cap of the stringer,

side faces for respectively forming opposite sides of the stringer, and

a pair of bottom faces for forming oppositely extending flanges of the stringer.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the top face and each of the bottom faces includes a section having the out-of-plane curvature, and

each of the side faces includes a section having the corresponding in-plane change in geometry.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the mandrel includes a top, sides and a base,

the out-of-plane curvature is defined in the base of the mandrel, and

the corresponding in-plane change in geometry is defined as a widening of the sides of the mandrel.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the stringer mandrel includes tool faces for forming a stringer cross section selected from the group consisting of an I, a J, a Z, an L, a C, and a hat.

24. (canceled)

25. Apparatus for forming a substantially wrinkle-free fiber reinforced composite stringer having an out-of-plane curved section along its length, comprising:

a mandrel on which fiber reinforced composite plies may be formed,

the mandrel having a first tool face including a section substantially matching the out-of-pane curved section of the stiffener,

the mandrel having a second tool face contiguous and extending traverse to the first tool face, the second tool face including a section having an in-plane change in geometry substantially corresponding to the out-of-plane curved section in the first tool face; and

a pair of compaction tools for compacting the plies against the first and second tool faces, the compaction tools each including a curved surface substantially matching the out-of-plane curved section of the first tool face, and a curved surface substantially matching the section of the second tool face having the in-plane change in geometry.