Bonding process and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018072003-A1
Application number	US-201715702068-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	Mar 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and process for bonding involves a pocket made into one article is used to secure that article to another using a flowable, curable material (e.g., resin) which during saturation enters through a passageway and at least partially fills the void. When the article is cured, the article is bonded to another article to which resin has also been applied since the void (now containing cured material) is larger than the passageway.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A process comprising:
providing a first material; growing a part of a second material, the part having at least one surface; defining at least one pocket in the part, and further defining a passageway from the pocket to the surface; applying the first material onto the surface of the part; introducing the part to a flowable, curable substance which enters the pocket through the passageway; curing the substance to create a bond between the first and second materials.

2 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a fiber system.

3 . The process of claim 1 wherein the substance is one of a thermoset resin and a thermoplastic resin.

4 . The process of claim 3 wherein the substance is a thermoset resin.

5 . The process of claim 3 wherein the substance is a thermoplastic resin.

6 . The process of claim 1 wherein the growing step is executed using one of a 3-D printing, a composite layup, and a casting process.

7 . The process of claim 6 wherein the step of defining pocket in the part comprises:
sizing the pocket to have a cross-sectional dimension larger than a dimension of the passageway such that the substance will be retained within the pocket after being cured.

8 . A fastening process comprising:
configuring a first article such that a first attachment surface of the second article defines a first passageway leading into a first void formed into and underneath the first attachment surface; sizing a void cross section in the first void to have a dimension that is greater than at least a portion of a cross sectional dimension in the first passageway; causing a curable fluid to be introduced into the first passageway and then into the first void to at least partially fill the first void; and curing the fluid to secure the first article to the second article.

9 . The process of claim 8 comprising:
configuring a second surface of the first article to have a second void configured according to the same process as used to configure the first void; and
introducing the curable fluid into the second void to secure the first article to a third article.

10 . The process of claim 8 comprising:
saturating the second article with the curable fluid before the curing step.

11 . The process of claim 10 comprising:
providing a fiber material in a process of constructing the second article; and
completing the second article in executing the curing step creating a first integrated connection between a body of the second article and the first void via a first cured mass of the curable fluid.

12 . The process of claim 11 comprising:
providing the fiber material in a process of constructing the third article; and
completing the third article in one of: (i) executing the curing step; and (ii) executing an additional curing step; to create a second integrated connection between a body of the third article and the second void via a second secured mass of the curable fluid.

13 . The process of claim 12 comprising:
using the first article to secure the second and third articles together to form an aircraft part.

14 . The process of claim 8 wherein the configuring step comprises:
growing a material layer by layer to form the first article such that the first void and first passageway are included in the article.

15 . The process of claim 14 comprising:
wherein the growing step is executed using a 3-D printing process.

16 . The process of claim 8 comprising:
constructing the first article of a plastic using a 3-D printing process; and
constructing the second article of composite materials.

17 . A system for securing a composite material to a substrate, the system comprising:
an opening made into the substrate material, the opening transitioning into a void formed underneath a surface of the substrate material; the void having a lateral dimension that is greater than a dimension of the opening, thus creating a dimensional difference; a bond formed between the composite and substrate materials, the bond being formed of a cured product of the fluid, the bond being at least enhanced by a retaining force provided by the dimensional difference.

18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the bond is primarily held to the composite material by adhesive strength, and the bond is primarily held to the substrate material by the retaining force provided by the dimensional difference.

Assignees

• Textron Aviation Inc

Inventors

• Kendrick Phillip Anthony
• Gintert Lawrence Arthur
• Skidmore Herbert Lee
• Mckown Mike Preston

Classifications

• B29C65/48

  using adhesives {, i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding} · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29K2101/12

  Thermoplastic materials · CPC title

• B29C70/30 Primary

  Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core · CPC title

• B29C70/302 Primary

  Details of the edges of fibre composites, e.g. edge finishing or means to avoid delamination · CPC title