Bladder that changes stiffness based on temperature effects for manufacture of composite components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11292160-B2
Application number	US-201816203925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2018
Priority date	Jan 21, 2016
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Within examples, elastomeric apparatuses for use in manufacture of a composite component, and methods for altering a surface rigidity of an elastomeric apparatus for use in manufacture of a composite component are described. In one example, an elastomeric apparatus comprises an elastomer housing, and a plurality of magnets within the elastomer housing at predetermined positions to provide surface rigidity to the elastomer housing based on one or more alignments of certain magnets of the plurality of magnets due to magnetic forces. An increase in temperature causes a loss in one or more of the magnetic forces of one or more of the plurality of magnets resulting in a reduction of stiffness of the elastomer housing at corresponding predetermined positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for altering a surface rigidity of an elastomeric apparatus for use in manufacture of a composite component, comprising:
providing a housing of the elastomeric apparatus having a plurality of magnets at predetermined positions to provide a surface rigidity state to the housing based on one or more alignments of certain magnets of the plurality of magnets due to magnetic forces, wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing the plurality of magnets oriented within the housing at the predetermined positions such that the one or more alignments are linearly perpendicular to a centerline of the elastomeric apparatus; and
changing the surface rigidity state of the housing based on an increase in temperature associated with processing of a composite component, wherein the temperature increase causes a loss in one or more of the magnetic forces of one or more of the plurality of magnets resulting in a reduction of stiffness of the housing at corresponding predetermined positions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature increase causes the loss in one or more of the magnetic forces of one or more of the plurality of magnets related to a magnetic Curie point of a material of the plurality of magnets.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing the surface rigidity state of the housing to be rigid during layup of the composite component.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface rigidity state of the housing is rigid at room temperature.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cooling the composite component causing the surface rigidity state of the housing to return to rigid based on the one or more magnetic forces of the one or more of the plurality of magnets returning.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cooling the composite component, wherein the plurality of magnets comprise a material in which the loss of the magnetic force remains such that the surface rigidity state of the housing remains flexible;
removing the elastomeric apparatus from the composite component; and
re-magnetizing the elastomeric apparatus causing the surface rigidity state of the housing to be rigid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the increase in temperature associated with processing of the composite component is a result of autoclave cure of the composite component.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing the housing having an inner surface and an interior wall, and providing the plurality of magnets arranged between the inner surface and the interior wall along a perimeter of the housing.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing the housing having an outer surface, and providing the plurality of magnets included within the housing along the inner surface and along the outer surface of the housing.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing the housing having an outer surface, and providing the plurality of magnets included within the housing along the outer surface of the housing.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing additional magnets oriented within the housing at additional predetermined positions forming additional alignments that are linearly parallel to a centerline of the elastomeric apparatus, wherein the additional magnets forming the linearly parallel alignments are provided between the plurality of magnets forming the linearly perpendicular alignments.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing additional magnets oriented within the housing at additional predetermined positions forming additional alignments that are diagonal to a centerline of the elastomeric apparatus, wherein the additional magnets forming the diagonal alignments are provided between the plurality of magnets forming the linearly perpendicular alignments.

13. A method for altering a surface rigidity of an elastomeric apparatus for use in manufacture of a composite component, comprising:
providing a housing of the elastomeric apparatus having a plurality of magnets at predetermined positions to provide a surface rigidity state to the housing based on one or more alignments of certain magnets of the plurality of magnets due to magnetic forces, wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing the plurality of magnets oriented within the housing at the predetermined positions such that the one or more alignments are linearly parallel to a centerline of the elastomeric apparatus;
changing the surface rigidity state of the housing based on an increase in temperature associated with processing of a composite component, wherein the temperature increase causes a loss in one or more of the magnetic forces of one or more of the plurality of magnets resulting in a reduction of stiffness of the housing at corresponding predetermined positions; and
subsequently decreasing the temperature associated with processing of the composite component causing the surface rigidity state of the housing to return to rigid based on the one or more magnetic forces of the one or more of the plurality of magnets returning.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
causing the surface rigidity state of the housing to be rigid during layup of the composite component.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein changing the increase in temperature associated with processing of the composite component is a result of autoclave cure of the composite component.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the surface rigidity state of the housing is rigid at room temperature.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing the housing having an outer surface, and providing the plurality of magnets included within the housing along the outer surface of the housing.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing additional magnets oriented within the housing at additional predetermined positions forming additional alignments that are linearly parallel to a centerline of the elastomeric apparatus, wherein the additional magnets forming the linearly parallel alignments are provided between the plurality of magnets forming the linearly perpendicular alignments.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the temperature increase causes the loss in one or more of the magnetic forces of one or more of the plurality of magnets related to a magnetic Curie point of a material of the plurality of magnets.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing the housing of the elastomeric apparatus having the plurality of magnets comprises providing additional magnets oriented within the housing at additional predetermined positions forming additional alignments that are diagonal to a centerline of the elastomeric apparatus, wherein the additional magnets forming the diagonal alignments are provided between the plurality of magnets forming the linearly perpendicula

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Heath Edward
• Knutson Samuel

Classifications

• B29C33/505 Primary

  cores or mandrels, e.g. inflatable (B29C33/0016 takes precedence; for winding and joining B29C53/824; for supporting articles during joining B29C66/634; flexible cores for vulcanizing tyres B29D30/0654) · CPC title

• B29C33/40

  Plastics, e.g. foam or rubber · CPC title

• B29K2995/0008

  Magnetic or paramagnetic · CPC title