Induction welding using a heat sink and/or cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230066-B2
Application number	US-201916532950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2019
Priority date	Aug 6, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A method of induction welding a first carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) to a second carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) using an induction coil includes aligning the first TPC with the second TPC to form a weld interface area, flexing a heat sink onto a surface of the first TPC between the weld interface area and the induction coil, and inductively heating the weld interface area with the induction coil.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A method of induction welding a first carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) to a second carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) using an induction coil, the method comprising:
aligning the first TPC with the second TPC to form a weld interface area;
flexing a heat sink onto a surface of the first TPC between the weld interface area and the induction coil; and
inductively heating the weld interface area with the induction coil.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is electrically non-conductive and thermally conductive.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pressing the first TPC and the second TPC together at the weld interface area while inductively heating the weld interface area.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inserting the first TPC, the second TPC, and the heat sink within a vacuum bag; and
consolidating the first TPC and the second TPC via vacuum compression during or after inductively heating the weld interface area.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising welding the weld interface area along a weld line.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drawing heat from the second TPC with a second heat sink.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
inserting the first TPC, the second TPC, the heat sink, and the second heat sink within a vacuum bag; and
compressing the first TPC with the second TPC with a vacuum.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
inserting the first TPC, the second TPC, the heat sink, and the second heat sink within a vacuum bag; and
filling the vacuum bag with an inert gas.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the inductive welding in real time based on sensor feedback.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inserting the first TPC and the second TPC between a first plate and a second plate; and
compressing the first TPC and the second TPC between the first plate and the second plate while inductively heating the weld interface area.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein flexing the heat sink onto the surface of the first TPC includes conforming the heat sink to the surface of the first TPC.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cooling the second TPC with a cooler unit disposed adjacent the second TPC.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the weld interface area, the induction coil, or both to weld the weld interface area along a weld line.

14. A method of induction welding a first carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) to a second carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) using an induction coil, the method comprising:
forming a weld interface area between the first TPC with the second TPC;
flexing a flexible heat sink onto a surface of the first TPC above the weld interface area;
inductively heating the weld interface area with the induction coil;
compressing the first TPC and the second TPC together at the weld interface area; and
dissipating heat from the surface of the first TPC using the flexible heat sink.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the flexible heat sink is electrically non-conductive and thermally conductive.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the flexible heat sink includes a number of tiles flexibly joined together by a joint.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising pressing the first TPC and the second TPC together at the weld interface area while inductively heating the weld interface area.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising pumping a coolant through the flexible heat sink.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising controlling a rate of cooling of the weld interface by pumping the coolant through the flexible heat sink at an elevated temperature.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising drawing heat from the second TPC with a second heat sink.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
inserting the first TPC, the second TPC, the flexible heat sink, and the second heat sink within a vacuum bag; and
compressing the first TPC with the second TPC with a vacuum.

22. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adjusting the inductive welding in real time based on sensor feedback.

23. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
inserting the first TPC and the second TPC between a first plate and a second plate; and
compressing the first TPC and the second TPC between the first plate and the second plate while inductively heating the weld interface area.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein flexing the flexible heat sink onto the surface of the first TPC includes conforming the heat sink to the surface of the first TPC.

25. The method of claim 14 , further comprising cooling the second TPC with a cooler unit disposed adjacent the second TPC.

26. A method of induction welding a first carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) to a second carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) using an induction coil, the method comprising:
aligning the first TPC with the second TPC to form a weld interface area;
flexing a heat sink onto a surface of the first TPC between the weld interface area and the induction coil;
inductively heating the weld interface area with the induction coil;
placing a second heat sink onto a surface of the second TPC;
drawing heat from the second TPC with the second heat sink;
inserting the first TPC, the second TPC, the heat sink, and the second heat sink within a vacuum bag; and
filling the vacuum bag with an inert gas.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Dichiara Robert A
• Burns Richard W
• Samalot Rivera Francis J

Classifications

• B29C66/81465

  one placed behind the other in a single row in the feed direction · CPC title

• B29C66/8181

  characterised by the cooling constructional aspects · CPC title

• B29C66/836

  Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table (B29C66/65 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/81831

  of the welding jaws · CPC title

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title