Apparatus, system and method for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059039-B2
Application number	US-201615011434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control of application and cure of one or more curable compounds to a structure. The apparatus has an end effector of an involute conformal mold having a mold body shaped to provide a shroud over an area covered with the one or more curable compounds on the structure, to isolate the area and the controlled environment. The mold body has an exterior surface, and an interior surface with a cavity profile corresponding to a desired curable compound shape. The mold body has one or more ports, and a plurality of involute channels with spiral flow paths. The involute channels include outer channel(s) having an outer path profile for regenerative heat transfer to the curable compound(s), and include inner channel(s) having an inner path profile for convective and radiative heat transfer to the curable compound(s).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control of application and cure of one or more curable compounds to a structure, the apparatus comprising:
an end effector comprising an involute conformal mold having a mold body shaped to provide a shroud over an area covered with the one or more curable compounds on the structure, to isolate the area and to isolate the controlled environment for cure process control of the application and cure of the one or more curable compounds, the mold body comprising:
an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface having a cavity profile corresponding to a desired curable compound shape;
one or more ports formed in the exterior surface of the mold body; and
a plurality of involute channels with spiral flow paths, the plurality of involute channels comprising:
one or more outer channels, each outer channel having an outer path profile configured for regenerative heat transfer to the one or more curable compounds; and
one or more inner channels, each inner channel having an inner path profile configured for convective heat transfer and radiative heat transfer to the one or more curable compounds.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mold body comprises one of a one-piece mold configuration, or a two-piece mold configuration with a split plane configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more ports are configured for one or more of, input of the one or more curable compounds into the end effector, input of conditioned air into the end effector, and minimized output of exhaust air out of the end effector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more outer channels have one or more cross-flow paths relative to the one or more inner channels, to facilitate the regenerative heat transfer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each inner channel has an oblong cross section with a surface that facilitates the convective heat transfer, and further wherein each inner channel has an elongated outer surface that provides a radiative view factor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of involute channels are configured to transfer inerted energy to the one or more curable compounds from conditioned air that is input into the end effector.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the involute conformal mold is configured to conform in-situ to one or more geometric shapes of the area of the structure, while providing a uniform cure profile.

8. A system for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control of application and cure of one or more curable compounds to a structure, the system comprising:
a cure process control system comprising:
a power system;
a process controller system coupled to the power system;
one of a humidity control system, a temperature control system, or an integrated humidity control and temperature control system, coupled to the process controller system and the power system; and
an inerted energy conditioning and conveyance assembly having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled via a connector element to one of the humidity control system, the temperature control system, or the integrated humidity control and temperature control system; and

one or more end effectors, each end effector configured for independent coupling to the second end of the inerted energy conditioning and conveyance assembly, and each end effector shaped to provide a shroud over an area covered with the one or more curable compounds on the structure, to isolate the area and to isolate the controlled environment for cure process control of the application and cure of the one or more curable compounds, and
wherein the one or more end effectors comprise one or more involute conformal molds, each involute conformal mold having a mold body comprising an interior surface with a cavity profile corresponding to a desired curable compound shape and each mold comprises a plurality of involute channels with spiral flow paths, the plurality of involute channels comprising:
one or more outer channels, each outer channel having an outer profile configured for regenerative heat transfer to the one or more curable compounds by transferring waste heat to a regeneration system which recovers the transferred waste heat for use in the mold; and
one or more inner channels, each inner channel having an inner path profile configured for convective heat transfer and radiative heat transfer to the one or more curable compounds.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the cure process control system further comprises one or more in-line components comprising one or more humidifiers for cure process control refinement, one or more mufflers for noise abatement during one or more cure cycles of the one or more curable compounds, and one or more nozzles and one or more diffusers for adiabatic boosting of heat application during the one or more cure cycles.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the inerted energy conditioning and conveyance assembly comprises a non-classified conditioning and conveyance assembly configured for use in a non-classified environment, the one or more end effectors connected to at least one inline heater of the non-classified conditioning and conveyance assembly.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the inerted energy conditioning and conveyance assembly comprises a classified conditioning and conveyance assembly configured for use in a classified environment, the one or more end effectors connected to an insulated air line of the classified conditioning and conveyance assembly, the insulated air line connected to at least one inline heater of the classified conditioning and conveyance assembly, the insulated air line comprising a central opening and a plurality of concentric layers around the central opening.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the cure process control system independently controls one or more of a controlled humidity, a controlled air pressure, a controlled temperature, a controlled start time, and a controlled duration for each of the one or more end effectors, and further wherein the cure process control system independently controls one or more cure cycles of the one or more curable compounds simultaneously.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the structure comprises an aircraft structural part, and further wherein the system is portable and comprises a portable cart configured to transport the system to an aircraft for in-situ process control of application of the one or more curable compounds to the area of the structure.

14. A method for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control of application and cure of one or more curable compounds to a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
connecting an end effector to an inerted energy conditioning and conveyance assembly of a cure process control system, the inerted energy conditioning and conveyance assembly having at least one inline heater, and the cure process control system comprising one of a humidity control system, a temperature control system, or an integrated humidity control and temperature control system, coupled to a process controller system and to a power system, the end effector comprising an involute conformal mold having a mold body shaped to provide a shroud over an area covered with the one or more curable compounds on the structure, the mold body comprising:
an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface having a cavity profile corresponding to a desired curable compound shape;
one or more ports formed in the exterior surface of the mold body; and
a plurality of involute ch

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Heath Jonathan C
• Schumann Robert J

Classifications

• B29C35/02 Primary

  Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601}) · CPC title

• B29C2033/042

  Meander or zig-zag shaped cooling channels, i.e. continuous cooling channels whereby a plurality of cooling channel sections are oriented in a substantial parallel direction · CPC title

• B29C35/0288

  Controlling heating or curing of polymers during moulding, e.g. by measuring temperatures or properties of the polymer and regulating the process (controlling or regulating chemical, physical or physico- chemical processes in general B01J19/0006) · CPC title

• B29C33/02 Primary

  with incorporated heating or cooling means · CPC title

• B29C33/04

  using liquids, gas or steam {(tyre moulds with incorporated heating or cooling means using liquids, gas or steam B29D30/0601)} · CPC title