Bonded tab and tooling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11007766-B2
Application number	US-201916508585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a composite part. An apparatus comprises a tooling plate, a tab co-bonded with the tooling plate, and a group of alignment features associated with the tab. The tooling plate is configured for use with a tool to form a composite part. The group of alignment features is configured to position the tooling plate with respect to the tool used to form the composite part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a tooling device and forming a composite part, the method comprising:
laying up a first number of layers of composite material on a first tool;
positioning a tab having a group of alignment features with respect to the first number of layers of composite material using an alignment feature of the group of alignment features, the first tool, and a spacer positioned with respect to the first tool, wherein the alignment feature comprises a first opening configured to receive a first pin associated with the first tool;
laying up a second number of layers of composite material, wherein the tab has a first portion interposed between the first number of layers of composite material and the second number of layers of composite material;
after positioning the tab, co-bonding the first number of layers of composite material, the second number of layers of composite material, and the tab to form the tooling device;
positioning a third number of layers of composite material with respect to a second tool; and
positioning the tooling device on the third number of layers of composite material to form the composite part, wherein a second alignment feature of the group of alignment features comprises a second opening configured to receive a second pin associated with the second tool.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tab has a second portion that extends from a first end of the second number of layers of composite material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of alignment features is selected from an opening, a groove, a slot, a notch, a protrusion, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of alignment features comprises openings, and the method further comprises:
receiving a group of pins associated with the first tool in at least one of the openings.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming the entire group of alignment features in the tab prior to co-bonding the tab, the first number of layers of composite material, and the second number of layers of composite material.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
positioning the spacer between the first tool and a lower surface of the tab to support the tab during co-bonding of the tab, the first number of layers of composite material, and the second number of layers of composite material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises a set of clearance holes, and the method further comprises:
receiving a pin extending from a surface of the first tool in at least one of the set of clearance holes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the spacer has a first thickness that is substantially a same thickness as a second thickness of the first number of layers of composite material, and the method further comprises:
positioning the tab to rest on a coplanar surface formed by the spacer and the first number of layers of composite material.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
placing a layer of resin tape on the group of alignment features to maintain a shape of the group of alignment features.

10. A method of forming a tooling plate with a tab and a composite part, the method comprising:
forming the composite part comprising:
positioning a first number of layers of composite material with respect to a first tool;
positioning the tab, the tooling plate, and a group of alignment features over the first number of layers of composite material, wherein the tooling plate comprises a second number of layers of composite material, and the group of alignment features is associated with the tab; and
positioning the tooling plate with respect to the first tool using a first alignment feature of the group of alignment features, wherein the first alignment feature comprises a first opening configured to receive a first pin associated with the first tool; and
forming the tooling plate with the tab comprising:
positioning the tab with respect to a second tool and an offsetting spacer using a second alignment feature of the group of alignment features, the second tool, and the offsetting spacer, wherein the tab has a first portion that is interposed between layers of the second number of layers of composite material and wherein the second alignment feature comprises a second opening configured to receive a second pin associated with the second tool; and
after positioning the tab with respect to the second tool, co-bonding the second number of layers of composite material and the tab.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tab has a second portion that extends from a first end of the tooling plate.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
forming the entire group of alignment features in the tab prior to co-bonding the tab and the second number of layers of composite material.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
positioning the offsetting spacer between the second tool and a lower surface of the tab to support the tab during co-bonding of the tab and the second number of layers of composite material.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the offsetting spacer comprises a set of clearance holes, and the method further comprises:
receiving a pin extending from a surface of the second tool in at least one of the set of clearance holes.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
placing a layer of resin tape on the group of alignment features to maintain a shape of the group of alignment features.

16. A method of forming a tooling device and a composite part, the method comprising:
forming the composite part comprising:
positioning a first number of layers of composite material with respect to a first tool;
positioning the tooling device over the first number of layers of composite material, the tooling device comprising a tooling plate, a tab, and a group of alignment features, wherein:
the tooling plate comprises a second number of layers of composite material; and

the group of alignment features comprises:
a first alignment feature configured to position the tooling plate with respect to the first tool; and
a second alignment feature configured to position the tab with respect to a second tool and a spacer, the spacer configured to support the tab during a co-bonding process of the tab with the tooling plate; wherein the tab:
has a first portion that is between layers of the second number of layers of composite material; and
has a second portion that extends from a first end of the tooling plate;

forming the tooling device comprising:
positioning the tab using the second alignment feature, the second tool, and the spacer; and
after being positioned, co-bonding the tab with the second number of layers of composite material to form the tooling device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first alignment feature comprises an opening configured to receive a pin associated with the first tool.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second alignment feature comprises an opening configured to receive a pin associated with the second tool.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
forming the entire group of alignment features in the tab prior to co-bonding the tab and the second number of layers of composite material.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
placing a layer of resin tape on the group of alignment features to maintain a shape of the group of alignment features.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bye Steven D

Classifications

• B32B38/1808 Primary

  characterised by the laying up of the layers · CPC title

• B29C70/46 Primary

  using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs · CPC title

• B29C70/86

  Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, {e.g. by winding} · CPC title

• B32B2327/12

  containing fluorine · CPC title

• Y10T156/1089

  of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina · CPC title