Method of manufacturing curved composite structural elements
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a curved composite element, comprising:
- providing a plurality of composite fiber ply segments;
joining a group of the ply segments together to form a ply, said group of ply segments held at said ply segment edges within a flexible frame;
placing the joined group of ply segments in said frame against a first curved tool surface comprising a tool;
wrapping the joined group of ply segments onto a second generally flat tool surface comprising said tool;
wrapping the joined group of ply segments onto a third curved tool surface comprising said tool; and
,curing the ply.
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Abstract
A curved composite element is laid up over a tool having first and second curved tool surfaces possessing differing radii of curvatures. A plurality of composite fiber ply segments are arranged in substantially side-by-side relationship into a group. The ply segments are formed as a group onto the first curved tool surface, and the group is then formed from the first curved tool surface onto the second curved tool surface.
55 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a curved composite element, comprising:
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providing a plurality of composite fiber ply segments; joining a group of the ply segments together to form a ply, said group of ply segments held at said ply segment edges within a flexible frame; placing the joined group of ply segments in said frame against a first curved tool surface comprising a tool; wrapping the joined group of ply segments onto a second generally flat tool surface comprising said tool; wrapping the joined group of ply segments onto a third curved tool surface comprising said tool; and
,curing the ply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of laying up a curved composite element, comprising:
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arranging a group of composite fiber ply segments substantially side-by-side relationship, said group of ply segments held at said segment edges within a flexible frame; forming the group of ply segments in said frame onto a first curved tool surface comprising a tool having a first radius of curvature; and
,forming the group of ply segments from the first curved tool surface onto a second generally flat tool surface comprising said tool; and forming the group of ply segments from the generally flat tool surface onto a third curved tool surface comprising said tool having a second radius of curvature. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of fabricating a curved structural element for an aircraft, comprising:
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cutting a plurality of composite fiber ply segments from a composite sheet; forming a group of ply segments by arranging the ply segments in side-by-side relationship with a common fiber orientation; forming gaps between at least certain of the fibers in the group of ply segments; joining and holding the arranged group of ply segments at said ply segment edges within a flexible frame; using the frame to form the group of ply segments onto a first curved tool surface comprising a tool; using the frame to form the group of ply segments onto a second curved tool surface comprising said tool having a radius of curvature different than the first curved tool surface, including folding the frame to bend the group of ply segments.
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Specification