Shape memory manufacturing for vessels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11639040-B2
Application number	US-202016796791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2020
Priority date	Aug 16, 2019
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a cured vessel is disclosed herein. The method comprises wrapping a first bladder in a first composite laminate, wrapping a second bladder in a second composite laminate. The method further comprises joining the first composite laminate and the second composite laminate by wrapping them both in a third composite laminate to form an un-cured vessel. The un-cured vessel is cured by heating the uncured vessel and pressurizing the bladder while the uncured vessel is in a vessel mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a cured vessel, the method comprising:
wrapping a first bladder with a first composite laminate, the first bladder being in a first rigid state, the first bladder comprises an internal support adjacent surface and a protrusion extending away from the internal support adjacent surface when the first bladder is in the first rigid state;
wrapping a second bladder with a second composite laminate, the second bladder being in a second rigid state;
joining the first composite laminate to the second composite laminate;
wrapping the first composite laminate and the second composite laminate in a third composite laminate and forming an un-cured vessel;
curing the un-cured vessel in a vessel mold; and
removing the first bladder and the second bladder.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the cured vessel from the vessel mold.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to wrapping the first bladder:
disposing the first bladder and the second bladder in a bladder mold;
heating the first bladder into a first elastic state and the second bladder into a second elastic state;
pressurizing the first bladder and the second bladder; and
cooling the first bladder into the first rigid state and the second bladder into the second rigid state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the un-cured vessel in the vessel mold further comprises heating and pressurizing the first bladder and the second bladder.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first bladder and the second bladder are removed when they are in a first elastic state and a second elastic state.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the internal support adjacent surface abuts an internal support of the first composite laminate.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion abuts an adjacent protrusion of the second bladder during the curing of the un-cured vessel.

8. A method of manufacturing vessels, the method comprising:
heating a plurality of bladders, each bladder in the plurality of bladders comprising an internal support adjacent surface and a protrusion extending away from the internal support adjacent surface when each bladder is in a rigid state, the plurality of bladders disposed within a plurality of compartments of an un-cured vessel, the un-cured vessel disposed in a vessel mold, each compartment being adjacent to an adjacent compartment in the plurality of compartments;
pressuring the plurality of bladders, each bladder in the plurality of bladders being in an elastic state;
removing each bladder in the plurality of bladders from an aperture of a respective compartment in the plurality of compartments;
removing a first cured vessel from the vessel mold;
disposing each bladder in the plurality of bladders in a bladder mold;
heating each bladder in the plurality of bladders until each bladder is in the elastic state;
pressuring each bladder in the plurality of bladders; and
cooling each bladder in the plurality of bladders until each bladder is in the rigid state.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: wrapping each bladder in the plurality of bladders in a composite laminate of a plurality of composite laminates.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising joining each composite laminate with an adjacent composite laminate.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising wrapping the plurality of composite laminates in an outer composite laminate.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising disposing the outer composite laminate in the vessel mold.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
heating each bladder in the plurality of bladders until each bladder is in the elastic state;
pressurizing each bladder in the plurality of bladders; and
curing each composite laminate in the plurality of composite laminates to an adjacent composite laminate in the plurality of composite laminates.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: curing the outer composite laminate to the plurality of composite laminates.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein each composite laminate in the plurality of composite laminates defines a compartment of a second un-cured vessel.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Ching Nathaniel
• Hu Jin
• Slane Casey

Classifications

• B29D22/003 Primary

  Containers for packaging, storing or transporting, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, barrels, tanks · CPC title

• B29C70/34

  and shaping or impregnating by compression {, i.e. combined with compressing after the lay-up operation} · CPC title

• B29C70/462

  Moulding structures having an axis of symmetry or at least one channel, e.g. tubular structures, frames · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B29C70/72

  Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components {(B29C70/742 takes precedence)} · CPC title