Methods of customizing, manufacturing, and repairing a rotor blade using additive manufacturing processes and a rotor blade incorporating the same
US-2019032491-A1 · Jan 31, 2019 · US
Assembly fixture with anisotropic thermal properties
US11077596B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-11077596-B2 |
| Application number | US-202016814622-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Mar 10, 2020 |
| Priority date | Sep 20, 2017 |
| Publication date | Aug 3, 2021 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 2021 |
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- Title
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Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1. An assembly fixture, comprising: a base structure, wherein the base structure comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure; and a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process; wherein the composite structure comprises a wing; and wherein the plurality of fastening structures comprises: a second plurality of strands of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material; and a second anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the plurality of fastening structures. 2. The assembly fixture of claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property of the base structure comprises a low coefficient of thermal expansion for a length dimension of the base structure. 3. The assembly fixture of claim 1 , wherein the second anisotropic thermal expansion property of the plurality of fastening structures comprises a low coefficient of thermal expansion for a height dimension of the plurality of fastening structures. 4. The assembly fixture of claim 1 , wherein a length dimension of the base structure comprises a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than a length dimension of the wing. 5. The assembly fixture of claim 4 , wherein the smaller coefficient of thermal expansion is configured to cause the length dimension of the base structure to thermally expand at a slower rate than the length dimension of the wing, wherein thermal expansion of the base structure and the wing at different rates is configured to exert a compressive force on the wing. 6. The assembly fixture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers comprises carbon fibers, graphite fibers, or glass fibers. 7. An assembly fixture, comprising: a base structure, wherein the base structure comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure; and a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process; wherein the composite structure comprises a wing; and wherein a length dimension of the base structure comprises a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than a length dimension of the wing. 8. The assembly fixture of claim 7 , wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property of the base structure comprises a low coefficient of thermal expansion for a length dimension of the base structure. 9. The assembly fixture of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of fastening structures comprises: a second plurality of strands of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material; and a second anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the plurality of fastening structures. 10. The assembly fixture of claim 9 , wherein the second anisotropic thermal expansion property of the plurality of fastening structures comprises a low coefficient of thermal expansion for a height dimension of the plurality of fastening structures. 11. The assembly fixture of claim 7 , wherein the smaller coefficient of thermal expansion is configured to cause the length dimension of the base structure to thermally expand at a slower rate than the length dimension of the wing, wherein thermal expansion of the base structure and the wing at different rates is configured to exert a compressive force on the wing. 12. The assembly fixture of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers comprises carbon fibers, graphite fibers, or glass fibers.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Aircraft parts · CPC title
Assembly jigs · CPC title
Pultrusion, i.e. forming and compressing by continuously pulling through a die · CPC title
in the form of fibres or filaments {(not used)} · CPC title
Anisotropic · CPC title
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Frequently asked questions
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- What does patent US11077596B2 cover?
- In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic ther…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Bell Helicopter Textron Inc
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification B29C64/118. Mapped technology areas include Operations & Transport.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Aug 03 2021 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 4 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).