System and method for forming a composite stiffener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12053938-B2
Application number	US-202217701790-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2022
Priority date	Apr 5, 2021
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A system for forming a composite stiffener includes a support surface to support a composite sheet and a sheet-locating device to locate the composite sheet such that a first sheet-portion is supported on the support surface and a second sheet-portion extends beyond the support surface. The system includes a separation device to separate the second sheet-portion from the first sheet-portion to at least partially form a composite charge. The system includes a layup tool including a longitudinal tool-axis and a layup surface configured to receive the composite charge. The layup surface includes a curvature along the longitudinal tool-axis. The system includes a compaction device to compact the composite charge on the layup surface. The system includes a tool-positioning device to position of the layup tool such that a compaction force, applied to the composite charge by the compaction device, is normal to the layup surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for forming a composite stiffener, the system comprising:
a support surface configured to support a composite sheet;
a sheet-locating device configured to selectively locate the composite sheet such that a first sheet-portion of the composite sheet is supported on the support surface and a second sheet-portion of the composite sheet extends beyond the support surface;
a separation device configured to separate the second sheet-portion from the first sheet-portion to at least partially form a composite charge;
a layup tool comprising a longitudinal tool-axis and a layup surface configured to receive the composite charge, wherein the layup surface comprises a curvature along the longitudinal tool-axis;
a compaction device configured to compact the composite charge on the layup surface; and
a tool-positioning device coupled to the layup tool and configured to selectively position the layup tool such that a compaction force, applied to the composite charge by the compaction device, is normal to the layup surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool-positioning device comprises:
a first actuator coupled to the layup tool at a first location;
a second actuator coupled to the layup tool at a second location that is spaced away from the first location along the longitudinal tool-axis; and
a motion-control device configured to selectively control coordinated motion of the first actuator and the second actuator to adjust an angular orientation and a location of the layup tool relative to the compaction device.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each one of the first actuator and the second actuator comprises:
a first linear actuator configured to adjust a vertical location of the layup tool; and
a second linear actuator configured to adjust a horizontal location of the layup tool.

4. The system of the claim 2 , further comprising a conveyance device configured to move the separation device and the compaction device along the support surface,
wherein the conveyance device is further configured to vary a linear velocity at which the separation device and the compaction device move along the support surface based, at least in part, on a rotational velocity at which the layup tool rotates and a linear velocity at which the layup tool translates in response to coordinated motion of the first actuator and the second actuator.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the layup tool is removable from the tool-positioning device.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sheet-support mechanism configured to support the second sheet-portion, extending beyond the support surface.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation device is further configured to separate the second sheet-portion from the first sheet-portion along a separation line that is continuous and nonlinear.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation device comprises:
a cutter configured to cut the composite sheet; and
a cutter-positioning device configured to selectively adjust a cutting angle of the cutter relative to the composite sheet.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cutter-positioning device is further configured to selectively locate the cutter relative to the composite sheet.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation device is further configured to separate a third sheet-portion of the composite sheet from the second sheet-portion to form the composite charge.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the separation device is further configured to:
separate the second sheet-portion from the first sheet-portion along a separation line; and
separate the third sheet-portion from the second sheet-portion along a second separation line; and

each of the separation line and the second separation line is continuous and nonlinear.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the separation device comprises:
a cutter and a second cutter configured to cut the composite sheet, wherein the cutter and the second cutter are spaced-apart from each other; and
a cutter-positioning device configured to selectively adjust a cutting angle of the cutter and the second cutter and to selectively locate the cutter and the second cutter relative to the composite sheet.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a carousel; and
a plurality of layup tools supported by the carousel,
wherein the carousel is configured to selectively locate one of the plurality of layup tools relative to the support surface.

14. A system for forming a composite stiffener, the system comprising:
a support surface configured to support a composite sheet and comprising a support-surface edge;
a sheet-locating device configured to selectively locate the composite sheet such that a first sheet-portion of the composite sheet is supported on the support surface and a second sheet-portion of the composite sheet extends past the support-surface edge;
a separation device configured to separate the second sheet-portion from the first sheet-portion and to separate a third sheet-portion of the composite sheet from the second sheet-portion to form a composite charge;
a layup tool comprising a longitudinal tool-axis and a layup surface configured to receive the composite charge, wherein the layup surface comprises a curvature along the longitudinal tool-axis;
a compaction device configured to compact the composite charge on the layup surface;
a tool-positioning device coupled to the layup tool and configured to selectively position the layup tool; and
a motion-control device configured to selectively control the tool-positioning device to adjust a position of the layup tool relative to the compaction device as the compaction device compacts the composite charge on the layup surface such that a compaction force, applied to the composite charge by the compaction device, is normal to the layup surface.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the tool-positioning device comprises:
a first actuator coupled to the layup tool at a first location; and
a second actuator coupled to the layup tool at a second location that is spaced away from the first location along the longitudinal tool-axis; and

the motion-control device is configured to selectively control coordinated motion of the first actuator and the second actuator to adjust an angular orientation and a location of the layup tool relative to the compaction device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each one of the first actuator and the second actuator comprises:
a first linear actuator configured to adjust a vertical location of the layup tool; and
a second linear actuator configured to adjust a horizontal location of the layup tool.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a conveyance device configured to move the separation device and the compaction device along the support surface,
wherein the conveyance device is further configured to vary a linear velocity at which the separation device and the compaction device move along the support surface based, at least in part, on a rotational velocity at which the layup tool rotates and a linear velocity at which the layup tool translates in response to coordinated motion of the first actuator and the second actuator.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the layup tool is removable from the tool-positioning device.

19. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a sheet-support mechanism configured to support the second sheet-portion, extending beyond the support-surface edge.

20. The system of claim 14

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Dong Shuonan
• Oviir Marko
• Boroughs Nicholas A

Classifications

• B64C1/064

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29C70/545

  Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding · CPC title

• B29C70/54

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations {, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing} · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title