Flexible reinforced rubber part manufacturing process utilizing stereolithography tooling

• US 5,603,797 A
• Filed: 06/05/1995
• Issued: 02/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E-Systems Incorporated (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Jackson, Willie K., Elwell, Keith D., White, Gary L., Thomas, Stan W., Key, Roger D., Fluegel, Kyle G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SELLS, JAMES D
• Application Number:
  US08/462,802
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 156/272.2, 156/275.5, 156/58, 156/59, 156/192, 156/281, 156/289, 156/155, 156/272.8, 156/273.3, 156/279, 264/401, 264/402, 264/221, 264/317, 264/308, 425/174.4
• US Class Current: 156/272.8
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3842 Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/448 destructible B29C33/52 takes precedence; in particular used in injection moulding B29C45/4457
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/30 Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0809 Fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2709/08 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

A single-tool manufacturing process utilizing a stereolithographic tool for fabricating flexible reinforced rubber parts. The stereolithographic tool is fabricated using a laser and computer-controlled optical scanning system. Then fabric and resin are manually applied to the tool. The stereolithographic tool is utilized like a mold, with successive layers of fabric and resin applied thereto. After curing, the mold is shattered and removed from the designed part.

Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of a flexible rubber part comprising the steps of:

designing a part on a computer-aided design system;

creating from the computer-aided design imaginary cross-sections of the designed part;

selecting a liquid photopolymer having sufficiently brittle properties upon solidification and curing to be shatterable;

stereolithographically solidifying the liquid photopolymer by laser beam energy in accordance with a created cross-section of the part;

repeating the previous step for each cross-section to form a complete stereolithographic tool;

curing the solidified liquid photopolymer of the resulting stereolithographic tool;

cleaning the solidified liquid photopolymer of the cured stereolithographic tool;

preparing the surface of the stereolithographic tool with a sealant;

preparing the surface of the stereolithographic tool with a parting agent;

applying successive layers of glass fabric and silicone resin to the prepared stereolithographic tool to produce a flexible reinforced rubber part;

curing the successive layers of glass fabric and silicone resin of the reinforced rubber part; and

deforming the reinforced rubber part to shatter and remove the stereolithographic tool.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the laser emits light substantially in the ultraviolet spectrum.