Demolding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11701796-B2
Application number	US-202117526718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2021
Priority date	Dec 17, 2020
Publication date	Jul 18, 2023
Grant date	Jul 18, 2023

Abstract

A system includes a mandrel contoured to define a tapering tubular shape of a workpiece cured on the mandrel and a demolding tool. The demolding tool is configured to remove the workpiece from the mandrel after the workpiece is cured on the mandrel and cut longitudinally. The demolding tool is configured to remove the workpiece from the mandrel by deforming a first end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the first end of the workpiece from a first end of the mandrel, and subsequently, deforming a second end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the second end of the workpiece from a second end of the mandrel. The first end of the workpiece may have a first cross-sectional area that is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the second end of the workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of removing from a mandrel a workpiece having a tubular shape defining a plurality of unequal circumferences spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:
after the workpiece is cured on the mandrel, cutting the workpiece along a direction between a first end of the workpiece and a second end of the workpiece using a cutting tool configured to cut the workpiece along a single cut line, wherein the first end of the workpiece has a first circumference that is smaller than a second circumference of the second end of the workpiece;
applying, via a demolding tool, first forces to the first end of the workpiece to deform the first end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the first end of the workpiece from a first end of the mandrel, wherein the demolding tool comprises a first particular coupler arranged to couple to a side of the workpiece opposite of the single cut line; and
after applying the first forces, applying second forces, via the demolding tool, to the second end of the workpiece to further deform the workpiece and at least partially disengage the second end of the workpiece from the mandrel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first forces are applied after at least a portion of the workpiece separates from the mandrel due to sag at cut edges of the workpiece.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before applying the first forces, pre-tensioning actuators coupled to the workpiece to inhibit movement of the workpiece toward the first end of the mandrel.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after applying the second forces, applying third forces to the workpiece to cause vertical displacement of the workpiece relative to the mandrel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after fully disengaging the workpiece from the mandrel, removing the mandrel from within the workpiece by moving the mandrel, the workpiece, or both, relative to the longitudinal axis.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the mandrel comprises a support coupled to the first end of the mandrel and wherein the support moves between cut edges of the workpiece during removal of the mandrel from within the workpiece.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, after removing the mandrel from within the workpiece, coupling a first support ring to the first end of the workpiece and coupling a second support ring to the second end of the workpiece.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, after removing the mandrel from within the workpiece, splicing cut edges of the workpiece together.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first forces have components along a lateral axis, a vertical axis, and the longitudinal axis, and wherein the second forces have components along the lateral axis and the vertical axis.

10. A method of removing a workpiece from a mandrel, the method comprising:
applying forces to the workpiece while cutting the workpiece along a longitudinal direction between a first end of the workpiece and a second end of the workpiece using a cutting tool configured to cut the workpiece along a single cut line, wherein the first end of the workpiece has a first cross-sectional area that is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the second end of the workpiece;
after cutting the workpiece, applying forces, via a demolding tool, to disengage the first end of the workpiece from the mandrel, wherein the demolding tool comprises a first particular coupler arranged to couple to a side of the workpiece opposite of the single cut line; and
after disengaging the first end of the workpiece from the mandrel, applying forces, via the demolding tool, to the second end of the workpiece to deform the workpiece and disengage the second end of the workpiece from the mandrel.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, after disengaging the second end of the workpiece from the mandrel, applying forces to the workpiece to cause vertical displacement of the workpiece relative to the mandrel.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, after fully disengaging the workpiece from the mandrel, removing the mandrel from within the workpiece by moving the mandrel, the workpiece, or both, relative to the longitudinal direction.

13. A system comprising:
a mandrel contoured to define a tapering tubular shape of a workpiece cured on the mandrel;
a cutting tool configured to cut the workpiece along a single cut line; and
a demolding tool configured to remove the workpiece from the mandrel after the workpiece is cured on the mandrel and cut longitudinally, wherein the demolding tool is configured to remove the workpiece from the mandrel by deforming a first end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the first end of the workpiece from a first end of the mandrel, and subsequently, deforming a second end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the second end of the workpiece from a second end of the mandrel, wherein the first end of the workpiece has a first cross-sectional area that is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the second end of the workpiece, and wherein the demolding tool comprises a first particular coupler arranged to couple to a side of the workpiece opposite of the single cut line.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the demolding tool comprises:
a first plurality of couplers arranged to couple to the first end of the workpiece;
a first plurality of actuators, each actuator of the first plurality of actuators coupled to at least one of the first plurality of couplers;
a second plurality of couplers arranged to couple to the workpiece at locations between the first end of the workpiece and the second end of the workpiece, wherein the second plurality of couplers includes the first particular coupler; and
a second plurality of actuators, each actuator of the second plurality of actuators coupled to at least one of the second plurality of couplers.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a controller configured to, after the workpiece is cut longitudinally:
cause the first plurality of actuators to apply, via the first plurality of couplers, first forces to the workpiece to deform the workpiece and at least partially disengage the first end of the workpiece from the first end of the mandrel; and
after causing the first plurality of actuators to apply the first forces to the workpiece, cause the second plurality of actuators to apply, via the second plurality of couplers, second forces to the workpiece to further deform the workpiece and at least partially disengage the second end of the workpiece from the mandrel.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the workpiece comprises layers of laminate material cured on the mandrel to define a skin having a shape corresponding to a shape of the mandrel.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the mandrel defines a plurality of stringer troughs and the workpiece further comprises a plurality of stringers coupled to the skin and cured within the plurality of stringer troughs.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of stringer troughs converge toward the first end of the mandrel.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to, before causing the first plurality of actuators to apply the first forces, cause the first plurality of actuators to pre-tension the first plurality of couplers with respect to the workpiece to inhibit movement of ends of the stringers towards ends of the stringer troughs.

20. The system of claim 17 , wher

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Fix Courtney Michele
• Murray Robert Wayne
• Diep Paul
• Lee Robert E
• Skilton Richard A
• Mcghee Ronald Leroy
• Stoddard Zachary Nathaniel
• Stone Patrick B
• Taylor Phillip Andrew
• Ellerbeck Nickolas Scott

Classifications

• B64C1/064

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• B29C33/485 Primary

  cores or mandrels (collapsible mandrels for shaping tube ends B29C57/02; collapsible mandrels for winding and joining B29C53/824) · CPC title

• B29C33/44 Primary

  with means for, or specially constructed to facilitate, the removal of articles, e.g. of undercut articles · CPC title

• B29C37/0003

  Discharging moulded articles from the mould (constructions for removing the articles B29C33/44) · CPC title

• B29L2031/3082

  Fuselages · CPC title