Systems and methods for making prepreg composite sheets including contoured charges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016243767-A1
Application number	US-201514630231-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2015
Priority date	Feb 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system ( 100 ) for making a prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) comprising contoured charges ( 308 ) comprises first means ( 102 ) for forming precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in a resin film layer ( 200 ). The system ( 100 ) also comprises second means ( 106 ) for impregnating a fiber reinforcement ( 220 ), comprising fibers ( 222 ), with the resin film layer ( 200 ), comprising the precursor outline regions ( 206 ), to form the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ). The prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ), as so formed, comprises non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) that define the contoured charges ( 308 ). The non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) in the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) correspond to the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ). The system ( 100 ) further comprises third means ( 104 ) for guiding the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) and the resin film layer ( 200 ) to the second means ( 106 ). The resin film layer ( 200 ) comprises the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) formed by first means ( 102 ).

First claim

1 . A system ( 100 ) for making a prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) comprising contoured charges ( 308 ), the system comprising:
first means ( 102 ) for forming precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in a resin film layer ( 200 ); second means ( 106 ) for impregnating a fiber reinforcement ( 220 ), comprising fibers ( 222 ), with the resin film layer ( 200 ), comprising the precursor outline regions ( 206 ), to form the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) comprising non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) that define the contoured charges ( 308 ), wherein the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) in the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) correspond to the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ); and third means ( 104 ) for guiding the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) and the resin film layer ( 200 ) to the second means ( 106 ), wherein the resin film layer ( 200 ) comprises the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) formed by the first means ( 102 ).

2 .- 9 . (canceled)

10 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising fourth means ( 108 ) for separating the contoured charges ( 308 ) from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ).

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the fourth means ( 108 ) for separating the contoured charges ( 308 ) from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) is capable of applying a shear force to the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ), wherein the shear force is perpendicular to the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) and has a magnitude sufficient to overcome a friction force between at least one of the following:
(i) at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ) and at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) corresponding to the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ), or (ii) the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) and at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) corresponding to the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the fourth means ( 108 ) for separating the contoured charges ( 308 ) from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) is capable of applying the shear force having a magnitude of less than about twenty pounds per foot of a perimeter length of the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the fourth means ( 108 ) for separating the contoured charges ( 308 ) from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) is capable of applying the shear force having a magnitude of less than about ten pounds per foot of a perimeter length of the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

14 .- 16 . (canceled)

17 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first means ( 102 ) for forming the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) is configured to form voids ( 212 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ).

18 .- 19 . (canceled)

20 . The system according to claim 17 , further comprising fifth means ( 116 ) for shearing the fibers ( 222 ) within at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ).

21 . The system according to claim 20 , wherein the fifth means ( 116 ) for shearing the fibers ( 222 ) within the at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) is capable of applying a shear force to the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ), wherein the shear force is perpendicular to the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) and has a magnitude sufficient to shear the fibers ( 222 ) within the at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ).

22 . (canceled)

23 . The system according to claim 17 , further comprising sixth means ( 118 ) for cutting the fibers ( 222 ) within at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ).

24 .- 25 . (canceled)

26 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising seventh means ( 112 ) for separating the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) into sub-sheets ( 302 ), wherein each of the sub-sheets ( 302 ) contains at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

27 . A method ( 1000 ) of making a prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) comprising contoured charges ( 308 ), the method comprising:
forming precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in a resin film layer ( 200 ), wherein the resin film layer ( 200 ) has a viscosity; and impregnating a fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) having fibers ( 222 ) with the resin film layer ( 200 ) to form non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) that define the contoured charges ( 308 ) in the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ), wherein the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) correspond to the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ).

28 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein forming the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ) comprises forming hardened portions ( 208 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ) by locally curing the resin film layer ( 200 ).

29 . (canceled)

30 . The method according to claim 28 , wherein impregnating the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) with the resin film layer ( 200 ) further comprises locally altering the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) with the hardened portions ( 208 ).

31 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein locally altering the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) with the hardened portions ( 208 ) comprises at least one of completely or partially uncoupling the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) within each of the contoured charges ( 308 ) from the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) outside the contoured charges ( 308 ).

32 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein locally altering the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) with the hardened portions ( 208 ) comprises at least one of completely or partially severing the fibers ( 222 ) of the fiber reinforcement ( 220 ) with the hardened portions ( 208 ).

33 . The method according to claim 28 , wherein each contoured charge ( 308 ) is separable from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) by applying a shear force to the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ), wherein the shear force is perpendicular to the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) and has a magnitude sufficient to overcome a friction force between at least one of the following:
(i) at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ) and at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) corresponding to the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ), or (ii) the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) and at least one of the non-impregnated outline regions ( 310 ) corresponding to the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

34 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein each of the contoured charges ( 308 ) is separable from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) by applying the shear force having a magnitude of less than about twenty pounds per foot of a perimeter length of the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

35 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein each of the contoured charges ( 308 ) is separable from the prepreg composite sheet ( 300 ) by applying the shear force having a magnitude of less than about ten pounds per foot of a perimeter length of the at least one of the contoured charges ( 308 ).

36 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein forming the precursor outline regions ( 206 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ) comprises forming voids ( 212 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ), each of the voids ( 212 ) having a width ( 216 ).

37 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein forming the voids ( 212 ) in the resin film layer ( 200 ) comprises forming at least one of t

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Humfeld Keith Daniel

Classifications

• B29C2793/0081

  before shaping · CPC title

• C08J2300/22

  Thermoplastic resins · CPC title

• B29C70/40

  Shaping or impregnating by compression (B29C70/34 takes precedence){not applied} · CPC title

• B29C2793/0009

  Cutting out · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

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