Overlapping caul plates and method for composite manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034064-B2
Application number	US-201816116016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2018
Priority date	Aug 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A caul plate assembly for applying compaction pressure to a composite structure includes caul plates arranged side-by-side on the surface of the composite structure. The caul plates include overlapping edges of compliant material which form a continuous face applying even pressure and shear across gaps between the caul plates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A caul plate assembly for applying a compaction pressure to a composite structure, comprising:
at least one pair of caul plates arranged side-by-side and configured to be placed on a surface of the composite structure, the caul plates including overlapping compliant edges configured to be exposed to the compaction pressure, wherein the caul plates include spaced apart caul plate bodies forming a gap therebetween; and
a pressure intensifier installed over the overlapping compliant edges spanning the gap between the caul plate bodies, the pressure intensifier being configured to intensify the compaction pressure applied to the overlapping compliant edges and compensate for an absence of rigid caul material over the gap.

2. The caul plate assembly of claim 1 wherein the overlapping compliant edges fully cover and contact the surface of the composite structure between the caul plates upon application of the compaction pressure.

3. The caul plate assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the overlapping compliant edges is a laminate.

4. The caul plate assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the overlapping compliant edges includes bevel.

5. The caul plate assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the overlapping compliant edges respectively include outer margins that are deformable in response to the compaction pressure, and
the outer margins overlap each other and are configured to form a continuous face that maintains constant contact with the surface of the composite structure upon application of the compaction pressure.

6. The caul plate assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the overlapping compliant edges is integrated into one of the caul plates.

7. The caul plate assembly of claim 6 , wherein:
each of the caul plates includes a caul plate body including composite plies,
each of the overlapping compliant edges includes compliant plies, and
the composite plies and the compliant plies of at least one caul plate are interleaved to form a mechanical connection between the caul plate body and the compliant edge.

8. The caul plate assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least one compliant edge has a thickness less than a thickness of at least one caul plate body.

9. The caul plate assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least one ply of the compliant plies of at least one caul plate is an elastomer.

10. The caul plate assembly of claim 1 wherein the caul plates move relative to each other when the compaction pressure is applied, and wherein the compliant edges are configured to slip relative to each other.

11. The caul plate assembly of claim 1 wherein the composite structure is a composite preform.

12. Fabricating a portion of an aircraft using the caul plate assembly of claim 1 .

13. A caul plate for applying a compaction pressure to a surface of a composite structure, comprising:
a caul plate body, wherein the caul plate body includes a plurality of composite plies; and
a compliant edge located along at least one side of the caul plate body, the compliant edge including an outer margin, the outer margin being flexible and deformable in response to application of the compaction pressure, wherein the compliant edge includes a plurality of compliant plies,
wherein the plurality of composite plies and the compliant plies are interleaved, and
wherein the compliant edge is configured to overlap a compliant edge of an adjacent caul plate and configured to be exposed to the compaction pressure.

14. The caul plate of claim 13 , wherein the compliant edge includes is mechanically connected to the caul plate body.

15. The caul plate of claim 13 , wherein:
the compliant edge is bonded to the caul plate body.

16. The caul plate of claim 13 , wherein at least one ply of the compliant plies of the caul plate is an elastomer.

17. The caul plate of claim 13 , wherein the compliant edge has a thickness less than a thickness of the caul plate body.

18. The caul plate of claim 13 , wherein the compliant edge is a laminate.

19. The caul plate of claim 13 wherein the compliant edge includes a bevel.

20. The caul plate of claim 13 wherein the plurality of compliant plies of the compliant edge are staggered to form a bevel.

21. The caul plate of claim 13 wherein the caul plates are configured to move relative to the adjacent caul plate when the compaction pressure is applied, and wherein the compliant edge is configured to slip relative to the compliant edge of the adjacent caul plate.

22. The caul plate of claim 13 wherein the composite structure is a composite preform.

23. Fabricating a portion of an aircraft using the caul plate of claim 13 .

24. A method of compacting a composite structure, comprising:
placing at least two caul plates on a surface of the composite structure next to each other and arranged to form a gap therebetween;
arranging compliant edges of the caul plates in overlapping relationship to each other spanning the gap;
applying a compaction pressure to the caul plates; and
applying pressure to a pressure intensifier installed over the compliant edges spanning the gap between the caul plates, the pressure intensifier being configured to intensify the compaction pressure applied to the compliant edges spanning the gap and to compensate for an absence of rigid caul material over the gap, wherein compressing the compliant edges against each other and against the surface of the composite structure such that the compliant edges form a continuous face that remains in constant contact with the surface of the composite structure across the gap.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein compressing the compliant edges includes deforming the compliant edges to fill a gap between the compliant edges at the surface of the composite structure.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the caul plates move relative to each other when the compaction pressure is applied, and the method further includes:
allowing the compliant edges to slip relative to each other.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein placing the at least two caul plates includes placing the caul plates on a side of the composite structure opposite a side of the surface supported on a mandrel.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the compliant edge is a laminate.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the compliant edge includes bevel.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein at least one compliant edge comprises a plurality of compliant plies staggered to form a bevel.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein at least one compliant ply of the plurality of compliant plies is an elastomer.

32. The method of claim 24 , wherein the compliant edge has a thickness less than a thickness of a caul plate body of at least one caul plate.

33. The method of claim 24 wherein the composite structure is a composite preform.

34. A portion of an aircraft assembled according to the method of claim 24 .

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Miller Eileen E
• Johnson Daniel

Classifications

• B29C70/342 Primary

  using isostatic pressure · CPC title

• B29C43/3642 Primary

  Bags, bleeder sheets or cauls for isostatic pressing · CPC title

• B29C70/549

  Details of caul plates, e.g. materials or shape · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B29C33/305

  Mounting of moulds or mould support plates (handling of moulds B29C31/006; mounting of moulds for injection moulding B29C45/1742) · CPC title