Mechanical support tooling and/or mandrel for composite part curing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328611-B2
Application number	US-201514879122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	Oct 9, 2015
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Example mechanical supports or mandrels are described for composite part curing. In one example, a mandrel includes a housing, and components within the housing and positioned to create a central opening. An expander is also positioned in the central opening, and the expander has a width that increases along a length of the expander. A narrow end of the expander is positioned in the central opening. An actuator is provided to move the expander into the central opening causing the components to expand the housing, and to retract the expander from the central opening causing the components to collapse the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mandrel comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of tool segments within the housing, and each tool segment comprising
(i) a plurality of components positioned to create a central opening within the tool segment, and (ii) at least one expander positioned in the central opening of the tool segment,

wherein the at least one expander has a width that increases along a length of the at least one expander, and a narrow end of the at least one expander is positioned in the central opening;
a plurality of joint linkages coupling the plurality of tool segments in a sequential manner, wherein the plurality of joint linkages allow for movement of the plurality of tool segments with respect to each other; and
an actuator positioned through the plurality of tool segments and coupled to the plurality of joint linkages, wherein the actuator moves respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective plurality of components to expand the housing and to retract the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to collapse the housing.

2. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the actuator moves the narrow end of the respective expanders into the respective central openings so that wider portions of the respective expanders contact the respective plurality of components and push the respective plurality of components outward to expand the housing.

3. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the actuator moves the respective expanders into the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to separate from each other, resulting in expansion of the housing.

4. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the actuator retracts the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to reduce a size of the respective central openings, resulting in a reduction in size of the housing.

5. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a threaded member positioned within the respective expanders, wherein the threaded member is rotatable to move the respective expanders into the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to slide outward and expand the housing.

6. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a threaded member positioned within the respective expanders, wherein the threaded member is rotatable to pull the respective expanders into the respective central openings toward a center of the mandrel.

7. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of joint linkages couple to a substantially center region of the plurality of tool segments, and the mandrel further comprises:
multiple connected plates enclosing respective gaps between adjacent tool segments of the plurality of tool segments, wherein the multiple connected plates slide over each other to allow for movement of the plurality of tool segments with respect to each other.

8. A mandrel comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of tool segments within the housing, and each tool segment comprising
(i) an upper component, a lower component, a first side component, and a second side component each within the housing and positioned to create a central opening, and (ii) at least one expander having a width that increases along a length of the at least one expander, and the at least one expander positioned in the central opening;

a plurality of joint linkages coupling the plurality of tool segments in a sequential manner, wherein the plurality of joint linkages allow for movement of the plurality of tool segments with respect to each other; and
a threaded member positioned through the plurality of tool segments and coupled to the plurality of joint linkages, wherein the threaded member is rotatable to move respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective upper components, lower components, first side components, and second side components to to slide outward and expand the housing.

9. The mandrel of claim 8 , wherein the respective upper components, lower components, first side components, and second side components are positioned within the housing in a first unexpanded state, and rotation of the threaded member causes the respective upper components, lower components, first side components, and second side components to be positioned in a second expanded state.

10. The mandrel of claim 8 , wherein the respective first side components and second side components have a top surface that abuts a bottom surface of the respective upper components, and a bottom surface that abuts a top surface of the respective lower components.

11. The mandrel of claim 10 , wherein rotation of the threaded member causes the top surface of the respective first side components and second side components to push the bottom surface of the respective upper components upward as the respective first side components and second side components slide outward causing the respective upper components, first side components, and second side components to separate.

12. The mandrel of claim 8 , wherein the respective first side components and second side components include internal side channels, and the respective expanders includes side rails to slide into the internal side channels of the respective first side components and second side components.

13. The mandrel of claim 8 , wherein the respective first side components and second side components include external channels, and the respective upper components includes rails to slide into the external channels of the respective first side components and second side components.

14. The mandrel of claim 8 , wherein the respective first side components and second side components include internal side channels, external upper channels, and external lower channels,
wherein the respective expanders includes side rails to slide into the internal side channels of the respective first side components and second side components;
wherein the respective upper components includes rails to slide into the external upper channels of the respective first side components and second side components; and
wherein the respective lower components includes rails to slide into the external lower channels of the respective first side components and second side components,
wherein the internal side channels, the external upper channels, and the external lower channels of the respective first side components and second side components, as well as the side rails of the respective expanders, the rails of the respective upper components, and the rails of the respective lower components maintain positioning of the respective first side components, second side components, upper components, and lower components with respect to each other in the housing.

15. The mandrel of claim 8 , wherein the housing has a first end and a second end, and wherein the respective central openings are at the first end and respective second central openings are at the second end, and the plurality of tool segments further comprise:
respective second expanders having a width that increases along a length of the respective second expanders, and the respective second expanders are positioned in the respective second central openings,
wherein the threaded member is positioned within the respective second expanders.

16. The mandrel of claim 15 , wherein the threaded member is rotatable to move the respective expanders into the respective central openings and the respective second expanders into the respective

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Register Justin

Classifications

• B30B15/026

  Mounting of dies, platens or press rams · CPC title

• B29D22/00

  Producing hollow articles (tubular articles B29D23/00; pneumatic tyres B29D30/00) · CPC title

• B29C43/02

  of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles {(B29C35/0227 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C33/485 Primary

  cores or mandrels (collapsible mandrels for shaping tube ends B29C57/02; collapsible mandrels for winding and joining B29C53/824) · CPC title

• B30B3/045

  with co-operating cones · CPC title