Bladder mandrel package

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11806949-B2
Application number	US-202117506056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2021
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

A bladder mandrel package, used to manufacture a composite structure, includes a mandrel and a wrap ply, surrounding the mandrel to form a wrapped mandrel. The bladder mandrel package also includes a first radius filler, coupled to the wrap ply at a first radius of the wrapped mandrel, and a second radius filler coupled to the wrap ply at a second radius of the wrapped mandrel. The mandrel, the wrap ply, the first radius filler, and the second radius filler are consolidated to from the bladder mandrel package.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a bladder mandrel package, the apparatus comprising:
a die tool to form a partially wrapped mandrel;
sweep arms, movable relative to the die tool, to form a wrapped mandrel;
a radius filler placement mechanism to place a first radius filler and a second radius filler on the wrapped mandrel; and
a consolidating mechanism to form the bladder mandrel package.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the die tool forms a cavity;
the die tool partially wraps a wrap ply around a mandrel when the wrap ply and the mandrel are pressed into the cavity to form the partially wrapped mandrel; and
the sweep arms further wrap the wrap ply around the mandrel to form the wrapped mandrel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the die tool comprises a die-first portion, comprising a first tooling surface, and a die-second portion, comprising a second tooling surface;
the first tooling surface and the second tooling surface define the cavity;
the first tooling surface sweeps a first intermediate portion of the wrap ply over a second side surface of the mandrel when the wrap ply and the mandrel are pressed into the cavity; and
the second tooling surface sweeps a second intermediate portion of the wrap ply over a first side surface of the mandrel when the wrap ply and the mandrel are pressed into the cavity.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the die-first portion and the die-second portion are movable relative to each other to enlarge the cavity for receiving the wrap ply and the mandrel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the die-first portion further comprises number of first interleafing fingers;
the die-second portion further comprises a number of second interleafing fingers; and
the first interleafing fingers and the second interleafing fingers matingly engage with each other during movement of the die-first portion and the die-second portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a wedge located in the cavity, wherein the wedge supports the wrap ply prior to being pressed into the cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the wedge drives separation of the die-first portion and the die-second portion when the wrap ply and the mandrel are pressed into the cavity.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a pressing tool configured to press the wrap ply and the mandrel into the cavity.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sweep arms are configured to sweep a first end portion and a second end portion of the wrap ply over a bottom surface of the mandrel.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the radius filler placement mechanism is configured to place the first radius filler at a first radius of the wrapped mandrel and to place the second radius filler at a second radius of the wrapped mandrel.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the consolidating mechanism is configured to consolidate the mandrel, the wrap ply, the first radius filler, and the second radius filler to form the bladder mandrel package.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the consolidating mechanism comprises:
a vacuum bagging film located between the die tool and the wrapped mandrel, the first radius filler, and the second radius filler; and
a backing plate configured to be sealed to the vacuum bagging film for application of vacuum pressure to the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the wrap ply, and the mandrel.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the cavity and the backing plate have complementing contours.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:
an inner mold line ply is placed over the wrapped mandrel, the first radius filler, and the second radius filler; and
the backing plate is configured to be sealed to the vacuum bagging film over the inner mold line ply for application of vacuum pressure to the inner mold line ply, the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the wrap ply, and the mandrel.

15. An apparatus for manufacturing a bladder mandrel package, the apparatus comprising:
a die tool comprising a cavity, wherein the tool die partially wraps a wrap ply around a mandrel when the wrap ply and the mandrel are pressed into the cavity to form a partially wrapped mandrel;
sweep arms, movable relative to the die tool to further wrap the wrap ply around the mandrel to form a wrapped mandrel;
a radius filler placement mechanism to place a first radius filler and a second radius filler on the wrapped mandrel; and
a consolidating mechanism to form the bladder mandrel package.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a pressing tool, movable relative to the tool die to press the wrap ply and the mandrel into the cavity.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the sweep arms sweep a first end portion and a second end portion of the wrap ply over a bottom surface of the mandrel.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a wedge located in the cavity, wherein the wedge supports the wrap ply prior to being pressed into the cavity.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the die tool further comprises a die-first portion and a die-second portion;
the die-first portion and the die-second portion form the cavity; and
the die-first portion and the die-second portion are movable relative to each other.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein movement of the die-first portion and the die-second portion relative to each other enlarge the cavity for receiving the wrap ply and the mandrel.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B64C1/064

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• B29C70/446 Primary

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

• B29C33/505

  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

• B29C70/682

  Preformed parts characterised by their structure, e.g. form · CPC title

• B29D99/0003

  Producing profiled members, e.g. beams · CPC title