Mechanical support tooling and/or mandrel for composite part curing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10889028-B2
Application number	US-201916408662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	Oct 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

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 method comprising:
providing a plurality of tool segments within a housing, each tool segment comprising a plurality of components positioned to create a central opening, each tool segment further comprising at least one expander positioned in the central opening, 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;
providing 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;
operating an actuator to move respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective plurality of components to expand the housing; and
operating the actuator to retract the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to collapse the housing.

2. The method 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.

3. The method 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 housing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of joint linkages couple to a substantially center region of the plurality of tool segments, and the method further comprises:
providing 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.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inserting the housing into an internal cavity of a composite part being cured;
operating the actuator to move the respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective plurality of components to expand the housing to provide a rigid surface for support within the internal cavity of the composite part;
operating the actuator to retract the the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to collapse the housing after cure of the composite part; and
removing the housing from the internal cavity of the composite part.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying a part layup to the housing;
operating the actuator to move the respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective plurality of components to expand the housing, and then curing the part layup to form a composite part;
after curing, operating the actuator to retract the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to collapse the housing; and
removing the housing from an internal cavity of the composite part.

7. A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising:
inserting a housing into an internal cavity of a composite part to be cured, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of tool segments and each tool segment comprises a plurality of components within the housing and positioned to create a central opening within the tool segment and at least one expander positioned in the central opening, 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, wherein a plurality of joint linkages couple 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;
operating an actuator to move respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective plurality of components to expand the housing to provide a rigid surface for support within the internal cavity of the composite part;
operating the actuator to retract the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to collapse the housing after cure of the composite part; and
removing the housing from the internal cavity of the composite part.

8. The method of claim 7 , 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.

9. The method of claim 7 , 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 housing.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of joint linkages couple to a substantially center region of the plurality of tool segments, and the method further comprises:
providing 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.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
applying a part layup to the housing.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
operating the actuator to move the respective expanders into respective central openings of the plurality of tool segments causing respective plurality of components to expand the housing, and then curing the part layup to form a composite part.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
after curing, operating the actuator to retract the respective expanders from the respective central openings causing the respective plurality of components to collapse the housing.

14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
removing the housing from an internal cavity of the composite part.

15. The method of claim 7 , 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.

16. The method of claim 7 , 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.

17. A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising:
applying a part layup to a mandrel, wherein the mandrel comprises:
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

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Register Justin

Classifications

• B29C70/446 Primary

  Moulding structures having an axis of symmetry or at least one channel, e.g. tubular structures, frames · 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

• B64C1/064

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B29D22/00

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