Sensor integration in the joining of structural elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328682-B2
Application number	US-201715607019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 13, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A method for joining structural elements to a component made of at least one fiber-reinforced plastics material, includes providing at least two structural elements made of at least one fiber-reinforced plastics material having a particular matrix; providing at least one film element made of a thermoplastic heavy-duty material; arranging the at least one film element on a surface of one of the structural elements or between surfaces to be joined of the at least two structural elements to be joined; and producing the component to be joined in a curing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for joining structural elements into a component made of at least one fiber-reinforced plastics material, the method comprising:
providing at least two structural elements made of at least one fiber-reinforced plastics material having a particular matrix;
providing at least one sensor film element made of a thermoplastic material;
arranging the at least one sensor film element on a surface of one of the structural elements or between surfaces to be joined of the at least two structural elements to be joined; and
producing the component in a curing process, wherein the at least one sensor film element is fused with the structural elements arranged on each side thereof such that the at least one sensor film element is integral to the component produced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the component is produced, a durable intermediate phase is formed on the surfaces of the structural elements to be joined by the sensor film element having the matrix of one of the at least two structural elements.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor film element comprises a polyimide or a polysulfone.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sensor film element forms a sensor holder made of polyetherimide or polyethersulfone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, before being provided, the at least one sensor film element is designed as a sensor holder with at least one sensor or a plurality of sensors.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising monitoring, by the at least one sensor or a plurality of sensors of the sensor holder, at least one of arranging the at least one sensor film element on a surface of one of the structural elements or between surfaces to be joined of the at least two structural elements.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein one or more parameters of the process are recorded by the at least one sensor or a plurality of sensors.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of temperature, pressure, and degree of curing.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor holder comprises at least one metal conductor track to record the temperature.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one metal conductor track comprises a meandering metal conductor track.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor holder comprises metal conductor tracks made of at least two metal materials to record the temperature.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one, or a subgroup of, the at least one sensor or a plurality of sensors is designed as a sensor/actuator combination.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the at least one sensor or the plurality of sensors is an ultrasonic transducer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is designed as a piezoelectric element.

15. The method of claim 5 , wherein producing the component in a curing process is performed in a hot isostatic or unidirectional manner.

16. The method of claim 1 , comprising monitoring the arranging of the at least one sensor film element on a surface of one of the structural elements.

17. The method of claim 1 , comprising monitoring joining of two structural elements, between which the sensor film element is arranged.

18. The method of claim 4 , wherein, when in operation, the sensor holder monitors a state of the component and detects damage.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Koerwien Thomas
• Friedberger Alois
• Helwig Andreas
• Beier Uwe
• Weiland Frank

Classifications

• B29C66/7212

  characterised by the composition of the fibres · CPC title

• B29C66/73754

  the to-be-joined areas of both parts to be joined being partially cured · CPC title

• B29C66/721

  Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C65/4815

  Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives · CPC title

• B32B37/10

  characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure · CPC title