Ply transporting and compacting apparatus and method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11697255-B2
Application number	US-202217684535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2022
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

A ply transporting and compacting apparatus comprises a rigid frame, a top-layer sheet of flexible rubber material fastened to the frame, and a bottom-layer sheet of perforated flexible rubber material having openings. The apparatus also comprises a middle-layer sheet of flow media material disposed in a first plenum area that is defined between the top and bottom layer sheets. The apparatus further comprises a moving device coupled to the frame and arranged to lower the frame and sheets onto a composite ply at a trimming location to pick up the composite ply with a suction force when a vacuum is drawn in the first plenum area to create the suction force through the openings of the bottom-layer sheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a composite structure with a desired shape, the method comprising:
picking up a composite ply at a first location by using a suction force from a first vacuum chamber to engage the composite ply;
transporting the composite ply from the first location to a second location while the composite ply is engaged by the first vacuum chamber;
placing the composite ply on a forming tool at the second location;
forming a second vacuum chamber when the composite ply is placed on the forming tool at the second location, the second vacuum chamber comprising the first vacuum chamber; and
drawing a vacuum in the second vacuum chamber to provide a vacuum bag structure in which the composite ply can consolidate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein placing the composite ply on a forming tool at the second location includes:
placing the composite ply on any previously draped plies so that the composite ply is draped-formed to contours of the previously draped plies or to contours of the forming tool.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
drawing a vacuum in the second vacuum chamber to provide a vacuum bag structure in which a composite preform is formed from a plurality of composite plies.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:
allowing the composite preform to be compacted by the vacuum in the vacuum bag structure and thereby to form the composite structure with the desired shape.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
releasing the vacuum that is in the vacuum bag structure.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
removing the formed composite structure with the desired shape.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
trimming the composite ply prior to picking up the composite ply.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more program of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a storage medium readable by the computer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first vacuum chamber is defined by the composite ply and a ply transporting and compacting apparatus engaged with the composite ply.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the ply transporting and compacting apparatus comprises:
a top-layer sheet of flexible material; and
a bottom-layer sheet of perforated flexible material.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the top-layer sheet comprises rubber.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the bottom-layer sheet comprises rubber.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the ply transporting and compacting apparatus further comprises:
a middle-layer sheet of flow media material disposed between the top-layer sheet and the bottom-layer sheet.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the ply transporting and compacting apparatus further comprises:
a rigid frame fastened to the top-layer sheet.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the transporting the composite ply from the first location to the second location is performed by a moving device coupled to the rigid frame.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the second vacuum chamber is defined by the forming tool, the ply transporting and compacting apparatus, and a seal positioned between the forming tool and the ply transporting and compacting apparatus.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying mechanical forming to the composite ply while the composite ply is engaged by the first vacuum chamber.

18. A method for forming a composite structure with a desired shape, the method comprising:
picking up a composite ply at a first location by drawing a vacuum through a ply transporting and compacting apparatus to engage the composite ply, the ply transporting and compacting apparatus comprising:
a top-layer sheet of flexible material;
a bottom-layer sheet of perforated flexible material; and
a middle-layer sheet of flow media material disposed between the top-layer sheet and the bottom-layer sheet;

transporting the composite ply from the first location to a second location while the composite ply is engaged with the ply transporting and compacting apparatus;
placing the composite ply on a forming tool at the second location;
while the composite ply is on the forming tool, urging the ply transporting and compacting apparatus against the forming tool to define a vacuum chamber between the forming tool and the ply transporting and compacting apparatus; and
during the urging, drawing a vacuum in the vacuum chamber.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising positioning a seal between the forming tool and the ply transporting and compacting apparatus.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the ply transporting and compacting apparatus further comprises a rigid frame connected to the top-layer sheet, and wherein the transporting the composite ply from the first location to the second location is performed by a moving device coupled to the rigid frame.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Prause Richard A
• Halbritter Allen J
• Modin Andrew E

Classifications

• B29C70/342

  using isostatic pressure · CPC title

• B29C70/44

  using isostatic pressure, e.g. pressure difference-moulding, vacuum bag-moulding, autoclave-moulding or expanding rubber-moulding · CPC title

• B29C2043/3644

  Vacuum bags; Details thereof, e.g. fixing or clamping · CPC title

• B29C43/3642

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

• B29C70/541 Primary

  Positioning reinforcements in a mould, e.g. using clamping means for the reinforcement (positioning inserts in moulds B29C33/12; lay-up on a mould B29C70/30) · CPC title