HEATING ELEMENTS FOR REPAIR OF MOLDING DEFECTS FOR CARBON FIBER THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES
First Claim
1. A method of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure, the method comprising:
- applying a heating element over a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure comprising a defect, wherein the heating element defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of a first contoured surface and the heating element comprises an electrically conductive layer including a fabric and a thermoset polymer; and
heating a portion of the first contoured surface with the heating element, wherein the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface to repair the defect.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure are provided. A polymeric patch may optionally be disposed over a defect on a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure having the defect. A heating element that defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of the first contoured surface is applied over the polymeric patch. The heating element includes an electrically conductive layer that includes a fabric and a thermoset polymer. The polymeric patch is heated with the heating element, where the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface so that the polymeric patch fills the defect. Methods of making the customized heating elements and the customized heating elements are also provided.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure, the method comprising:
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applying a heating element over a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure comprising a defect, wherein the heating element defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of a first contoured surface and the heating element comprises an electrically conductive layer including a fabric and a thermoset polymer; and heating a portion of the first contoured surface with the heating element, wherein the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface to repair the defect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. A heating element for repairing a defect in a molded polymeric composite structure, the heating element comprising an electrically conductive layer including a fabric and a thermoset polymer, wherein the electrically conductive layer defines a contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of a corresponding surface of the molded polymeric composite structure comprising the defect and the heating element is capable of maintaining a substantially uniform temperature across the contoured surface.
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18. A method of forming a heating element for repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure, the method comprising:
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disposing a fabric in a cavity of a template defining a contoured surface profile; introducing a liquid precursor of thermoset polymer into the cavity so that the liquid precursor fills the fabric, wherein at least one of the liquid precursor or the fabric comprises an electrically conductive material; and solidifying the liquid precursor to form the thermoset polymer, wherein the thermoset polymer and the fabric together define the heating element having the contoured surface profile. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification