Method and device for mending damaged areas in fiber composite components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538073-B2
Application number	US-201514804807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2015
Priority date	Jul 24, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A method for mending damaged areas in fiber composite components formed from a plurality of unidirectional fiber layers includes the steps of automatically lifting at least one fiber layer of the fiber composite component at a cutting edge of the at least one fiber layer using a delaminating device, removing the at least one fiber layer in the extension direction of the fiber orientation of the at least one fiber layer, and separating off the removed at least one fiber layer in a defined manner at a separating edge defined by a separating device placed on the fiber composite component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for mending damaged areas in a fiber composite component formed from a plurality of unidirectional fiber layers, the method comprising:
automatically lifting at least one fiber layer of the fiber composite component at a cutting edge of the at least one fiber layer using a delaminating device, which comprises a gripping device that acts adhesively on a surface of the at least one fiber layer, wherein the gripping device is placed on the at least one fiber layer to remove the at least one fiber layer and is moved diagonally upwards away from a surface of the fiber composite component;
removing the at least one fiber layer in an extension direction of a fiber orientation of the at least one fiber layer; and
separating off the removed at least one fiber layer in a defined manner at a separating edge defined by a separating device placed on the fiber composite component.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising forming the cutting edge of the at least one fiber layer by cutting perpendicularly through the fiber layer using a cutting device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising non-invasively determining a depth of damage to the damaged area of the fiber composite component to be mended using a sensor device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor device comprises an ultrasound sensor, an eddy current sensor, an infrared sensor, or a radar sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the delaminating device comprises a delaminating blade which is guided under the fiber layer when the at least one fiber layer of the fiber composite component is automatically lifted.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the delaminating blade comprises two wedge-shaped blade parts which are pressed together to grip the at least one fiber layer when the at least one fiber layer is removed.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the delaminating device comprises a cutting collection device, on which removed fiber material is laid after the at least one fiber layer is removed.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the cutting collection device comprises a cylindrical drum, on which the removed fiber material is rolled up after the at least one fiber layer is removed.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the delaminating device comprises a cutting collection device, on which removed fiber material is laid after the at least one fiber layer is removed.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cutting collection device comprises a cylindrical drum, on which the removed fiber material is rolled up after the at least one fiber layer is removed.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Schulte Benedikt
• Barth Tobias
• Bremer Jan

Classifications

• B29C69/005

  cutting-off or cutting-out a part of a strip-like or sheet-like material, transferring that part and fixing it to an article (if labeling see B65C, in combination with box-making B31B50/81; labelling in general B65C) · CPC title

• B29C2073/264

  for cutting out or grooving the area to be repaired · CPC title

• B32B38/0004

  Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details (cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B38/10

  Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically · CPC title

• B32B43/003

  Cutting · CPC title