Pre-filled radius layups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040274-B2
Application number	US-201414306994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A void between two or more composite laminate parts is filled by a composite laminate filler that is laid up and integral with at least one of the parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of filling a void in a composite structure between a first radius edge of a first part, a second radius edge of a second part and a third part, the method comprising:
laying up a first plurality of partial plies and a first plurality of full plies only on the first radius edge of the first part and laying up a second plurality of partial plies and a second plurality of full plies only on the second radius edge of the second part, wherein laying up the first plurality of partial plies and the first plurality of full plies are alternated such that the first plurality of partial plies are interspersed between the first plurality of full plies, and wherein laying up the second plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of full plies are alternated such that the second plurality of partial plies are interspersed between the second plurality of full plies; and
joining the first part having the first plurality of partial plies and the first plurality of full plies, the second part having the second plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of full plies, and the third part to form the composite structure with the void substantially filled.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein laying up the first plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of partial plies is performed using an automatic fiber placement machine.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of partial plies are sized and shaped to form a tapered shape partially filling the void.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a size and a shape of the void, and
determining a number and dimensions of the first plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of partial plies required to partially fill the void.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the shape is generally triangular.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the shape includes a base extending along the composite structure.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the shape includes an apex extending into the void.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the shape is substantially triangular and includes a base extending along the composite structure and an apex extending into the void.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mounting a fiber applicator head on a manipulator.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling the manipulator by a computer operated by one or more numeric control programs to move the fiber applicator head.

11. A method of fabricating a composite laminate structure, the method comprising:
laying up a first plurality of full plies and a first plurality of partial plies only on a first radius edge of a first part and laying up a second plurality of full plies and a second plurality of partial plies only on a second radius edge of a second part; and
joining the first part, the second part and a third part to form the composite laminate structure, wherein the first plurality of full plies, the first plurality of partial plies, the second plurality of full plies, and the second plurality of partial plies substantially fill a void between the first radius edge, the second radius edge, and the third part; and
wherein laying up the first plurality of full plies and the second plurality of full plies further comprises: interspersing the first plurality of partial plies with the first plurality of full plies and interspersing the second plurality of partial plies with the second plurality of full plies.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein laying up the first plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of partial plies is performed using an automatic fiber placement machine.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a size and a shape of the void, and
determining the size and number of the first plurality of partial plies and the second plurality of partial plies required to partially fill the void.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the shape is generally triangular.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the shape includes a base extending along the composite laminate structure.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the shape includes an apex.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the apex extends into the void.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the shape is substantially triangular and includes a base extending along the composite laminate structure and an apex extending into the void.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
mounting a fiber applicator head on a manipulator.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
controlling the manipulator by a computer operated by one or more numeric control programs to move the fiber applicator head.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kisch Robert Arthur
• Jeffries Kyle

Classifications

• B32B27/20

  using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents · CPC title

• B32B2307/7265

  Non-permeable · CPC title

• B32B2605/18

  Aircraft · CPC title

• B32B2307/558

  Impact strength, toughness · CPC title

• B32B2605/003

  Interior finishings · CPC title