Foam stiffened hollow composite stringer
First Claim
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1. A method for manufacturing a hollow composite stringer, the method comprising:
- forming foam with a mandrel installed into the foam;
laying up a composite material and the foam with the mandrel installed into the foam onto a tool in a form of a stringer, wherein the composite material defines an elongated first channel of the stringer and wherein the foam with the mandrel installed into the foam is located within the first channel;
curing the composite material and the foam with the mandrel installed into the foam in the form of the stringer to form a cured stringer;
removing the mandrel from the foam to form a second channel in the foam; and
placing the composite material and the foam on a skin ply such that the foam with the second channel formed in the foam is positioned between the composite material and the skin ply.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for a composite stringer. A method is used for manufacturing a hollow composite stringer. Foam is formed with a mandrel installed into the foam. A composite material and the foam is laid up onto a tool in a form of a stringer. The composite material and the foam in the form of the stringer is cured to form a cured stringer. The mandrel from the foam is removed to form the hollow composite stringer.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a hollow composite stringer, the method comprising:
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forming foam with a mandrel installed into the foam; laying up a composite material and the foam with the mandrel installed into the foam onto a tool in a form of a stringer, wherein the composite material defines an elongated first channel of the stringer and wherein the foam with the mandrel installed into the foam is located within the first channel; curing the composite material and the foam with the mandrel installed into the foam in the form of the stringer to form a cured stringer; removing the mandrel from the foam to form a second channel in the foam; and placing the composite material and the foam on a skin ply such that the foam with the second channel formed in the foam is positioned between the composite material and the skin ply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for manufacturing a hollow composite stringer, the method comprising:
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forming a composite stringer with a first channel extending from a first end to a second end of the composite stringer; forming a foam core within the first channel; creating a set of channels within the foam core; and placing the composite stringer and the foam core on a skin ply such that the foam core with the set of channels is positioned between the composite stringer and the skin ply. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification