Mold with integral driver blocks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864658-B2
Application number	US-201615042972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a toolset configured to fabricate a component of an aircraft, the toolset comprising: a mold base configured to seat at least one mandrel, a mold lid configured to be coupled to the mold base, and at least one driver block that is integral with the mold lid and projects from an interior surface of the mold lid.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for fabricating a component using a composite material, the method comprising:
laying-up mandrels and skins in a mold base and a mold lid, wherein the mold base comprises a first mold base side surface, a second mold base side surface and a depression into the mold base formed laterally between the first mold base side surface and the second mold base side surface;
assembling a mold by assembling the mandrels into the mold base and installing the mold lid onto the mold base, the assembled mold including at least one driver block that is integral with the mold lid such that the at least one driver block and the mold lid are configured as a single unitary body, wherein the at least one driver block projects vertically away from an interior surface of the mold lid, wherein the at least one driver block has a width that decreases as the at least one driver block projects from the interior surface of the mold lid towards a distal end of the at least one driver block, wherein a portion of a first of the mandrels is seated in the depression such that the portion of the first of the mandrels is laterally abutted against the first mold base side surface, wherein the at least one driver block projects vertically into the depression such that the at least one driver block is laterally between and laterally contacts the portion of the first of the mandrels and the second mold base side surface;
closing the mold and placing the mold into a press;
drawing a vacuum and injecting resin;
curing the component at a curing temperature;
removing the mold from the press; and
removing the lid, with the at least one integral driver block, from the mold base, thereby automatically extracting the at least one driver block from the mold base.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lid is removed when the at least one driver block is at an elevated temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite material includes a carbon pre-preg material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component includes at least a portion of a stabilizer of an aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises at least a portion of a stabilator or an aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold base includes a hard stop configured to prevent the first of the mandrels from being inserted into the mold base in an amount greater than a threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the hard stop is configured as an elevated portion of the mold base relative to a floor of the mold base.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one driver block is configured to locate at least one of the mandrels in the mold base in terms of at least two reference directions.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold base includes a guide configured to couple the mold base and the mold lid.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one driver block includes a plurality of driver blocks.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is configured as at least a portion of a control structure, an airfoil or a wing of an aircraft.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a first skin formed by the mold lid and a second skin formed by the mold base.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the component comprises a spar formed by and between a pair of the mandrels.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one driver block includes a double angle and the first of the mandrels includes a matching angle to prevent a mold lock condition.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one driver block is configured to force and hold the composite material to a predetermined dimension during a curing of the component.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the mandrels from the component after the curing of the component.

17. A method for fabricating a component using a composite material, the method comprising:
laying-up mandrels and skins in a mold base and a mold lid, wherein the mold base comprises a first mold base side surface, a second mold base side surface and a depression into the mold base formed laterally between the first mold base side surface and the second mold base side surface;
assembling a mold by assembling the mandrels into the mold base and installing the mold lid onto the mold base, the assembled mold including a tapered driver block that is integral with the mold lid such that the tapered driver block and the mold lid are configured as a single unitary body, wherein a portion of a first of the mandrels is seated in the depression, wherein the tapered driver block projects vertically into the depression such that (a) the tapered driver block is positioned laterally between and laterally contacts the portion of the first of the mandrels and the second mold base side surface and (b) the tapered driver block is configured to push the portion of the first of the mandrels laterally against the first mold base side surface;
closing the mold and placing the mold into a press;
drawing a vacuum and injecting resin;
curing the component at a curing temperature;
removing the mold from the press; and
removing the lid, with the tapered driver block, from the mold base, thereby automatically extracting the tapered driver block from the mold base.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the tapered driver block is configured to push the mandrels laterally together in order to apply lateral pressure to material located laterally between the mandrels.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the width decreases as the at least one driver block projects from the interior surface of the mold lid to the distal end of the at least one driver block.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one driver block is configured to push the mandrels laterally together in order to apply lateral pressure to material located laterally between the mandrels.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Fiegl Michael
• Robinson Craig
• Canela Shawn

Classifications

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29D99/0028

  hollow blades · CPC title

• B64C3/24

  Moulded or cast structures · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• B29C33/12 Primary

  with incorporated means for positioning inserts, e.g. labels {(positioning reinforcements B29C70/541)} · CPC title