Doubler repair apparatus and method

• US 8,980,029 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Matsen, Marc R., Miller, Robert James, Nigro, Mary Katherine
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoover, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/109,051
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 156/94, 156/60, 156/97, 156/98, 156/244.17, 156/272.2, 156/272.4, 156/273.7
• US Class Current: 156/94
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0811 using induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0272 using lost heating elements, i.e. heating means incorporated and remaining in the formed article for preforms with internal stresses B29C61/0625; joining using lost heating elements B29C65/34; making electrically conductive articles B29C70/882
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/36 heated by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3632 comprising several wires, e.g. in the form of several independent windings B29C65/364 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3668 characterised by the means for supplying heat to said heated elements which remain in the join, e.g. special induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/368 with a polymer coating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4835 Heat curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5057 positioned between the surfaces to be joined B29C65/5035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5326 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/10 using patches sealing on the surface of the article B29C73/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/34 for local heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0008 Magnetic or paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3082 Fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/40 Maintaining or repairing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A doubler repair apparatus includes a composite structure having a repair area, a susceptor having an adhesive film and at least one magnetic component extending within the adhesive film on the repair area, a repair doubler patch on the susceptor and a heat source having an induction coil generally above the repair doubler patch.

Claims

1. A doubler repair apparatus, comprising:

a composite structure having a repair area;

a susceptor layer, disposed over said repair area, comprising an adhesive film and a plurality of magnetic susceptor wires within the adhesive film, each magnetic susceptor wire having a longitudinal axis and being generally parallel to all other magnetic susceptor wires;

a repair doubler patch disposed over said susceptor layer; and

a heat source having an induction coil generally above said repair doubler patch, the induction coil adapted to induce in the susceptor layer a magnetic flux field that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of all of the magnetic susceptor wires.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said magnetic susceptor wires are oriented in spaced-apart relationship to each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said magnetic susceptor wires are oriented generally parallel to a plane of said repair area.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a heat sink disposed in thermal communication with said composite structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said induction coil comprises a Litz wire configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat source is adapted to apply compaction pressure against said repair doubler patch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a compaction surface on said heat source.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each magnetic susceptor wire has a square cross-section.

8. A doubler repair apparatus, comprising:

a composite structure having a repair area;

a susceptor layer, disposed over said repair area, comprising an adhesive film and at least one magnetic component extending within said adhesive film on said repair area, the at least one magnetic component comprising a plurality of magnetic susceptor wires, each magnetic susceptor wire having a longitudinal axis and being generally parallel to all other magnetic susceptor wires;

a repair doubler patch disposed over said susceptor layer;

a heat source having an induction coil generally above said repair doubler patch; and

said induction coil of said heat source is adapted to induce a magnetic flux field in said susceptor layer, said magnetic flux field generally parallel to said repair area and generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of all of the magnetic susceptor wires.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said magnetic susceptor wires are oriented in spaced-apart relationship to each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said magnetic susceptor wires are oriented generally parallel to a plane of said repair area.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a heat sink disposed in thermal communication with said composite structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said induction coil comprises a Litz wire configuration.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said heat source is adapted to apply compaction pressure against said repair doubler patch.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a compaction surface on said heat source.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each magnetic susceptor wire has a square cross-section.

17. A doubler repair apparatus, comprising:

a susceptor layer, comprising an adhesive film and a plurality of magnetic susceptor wires within the adhesive film, each magnetic susceptor wire having a longitudinal axis and being generally parallel to all other magnetic susceptor wires, the susceptor layer adapted to be placed between a repair area of a composite structure and a repair doubler patch; and

a heat source, adapted to be placed generally above the repair doubler patch, having an induction coil adapted to induce in the susceptor layer a magnetic flux field that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of all of the magnetic susceptor wires.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a compaction surface on the heat source, adapted to apply compaction pressure against the repair doubler patch.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the magnetic susceptor wires are oriented in spaced-apart relationship to each other, and are configured to be oriented generally parallel to a plane of the repair area when the susceptor layer is placed between the repair doubler patch and the composite structure.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the induction coil comprises a Litz wire configuration.