Tooling assembly and associated system and method for manufacturing a porous composite structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020282603-A1
Application number	US-201916291300-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2019
Priority date	Mar 4, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tooling assembly for manufacturing a porous composite structure. The tooling assembly includes a first tooling member and a second tooling member. The first tooling member includes a first body that defines a first internal volume and a first inlet. The first inlet is fluidly coupled with the first internal volume. The first tooling member also includes a first tooling surface that defines a plurality of first perforations that are fluidly coupled with the first internal volume. The second tooling member includes a second body that defines a second internal volume and a second inlet. The second inlet is fluidly coupled with the second internal volume. The second tooling member also includes a second tooling surface that defines a plurality of second perforations that are fluidly coupled with the second internal volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tooling assembly comprising:
a first tooling member and a second tooling member configured to hold a green layup; a fluid movement device configured to move fluid through said layup; and a manifold system configured to distribute said fluid as said fluid moves through said layup.

2 . The tooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the first tooling member comprises a first body that defines a first internal volume and a first inlet fluidly coupled with said first internal volume, said first tooling member further comprising a first tooling surface that defines a plurality of first perforations fluidly coupled with said first internal volume.

3 . The tooling assembly of claim 2 wherein the second tooling member is opposed from said first tooling member and comprises a second body that defines a second internal volume and a second inlet fluidly coupled with said second internal volume, said second tooling member further comprising a second tooling surface that defines a plurality of second perforations fluidly coupled with said second internal volume.

4 . The tooling assembly of claim 3 wherein said first tooling surface has a contoured shape.

5 . The tooling assembly of claim 4 wherein said second tooling surface has a contoured shape corresponding to said contoured shape of said first tooling surface.

6 . The tooling assembly of claim 3 wherein said plurality of first perforations are uniformly distributed across said first tooling surface.

7 . The tooling assembly of claim 6 wherein said plurality of second perforations are uniformly distributed across said second tooling surface.

8 . The tooling assembly of claim 3 wherein said first tooling surface is integral with said first body.

9 . The tooling assembly of claim 8 wherein said second tooling surface is integral with said second body.

10 . The tooling assembly of claim 3 wherein:
said first body further comprises a first alignment feature; and
said second body further comprises a second alignment feature that corresponds with said first alignment feature.

11 . The tooling assembly of claim 3 wherein said manifold system comprises a first manifold within said first internal volume of said first tooling member.

12 . The tooling assembly of claim 11 wherein said first manifold is integral with said first body.

13 . The tooling assembly of claim 11 wherein said first manifold comprises a primary channel and a plurality of secondary channels extending from said primary channel.

14 . The tooling assembly of claim 13 wherein said secondary channels are generally perpendicular to said primary channel.

15 . The tooling assembly of claim 11 wherein said manifold system further comprises a second manifold within said second internal volume of said second tooling member.

16 . The tooling assembly of claim 15 wherein said second manifold is integral with said second body.

17 . The tooling assembly of claim 15 wherein said second manifold comprises a primary channel and a plurality of secondary channels extending from said primary channel.

18 . The tooling assembly of claim 17 wherein said secondary channels are generally perpendicular relative to said primary channel.

19 . The tooling assembly of claim 1 wherein said fluid movement device establishes a pressure differential across said layup.

20 . A system for manufacturing a porous composite structure comprising:
a tooling assembly comprising:
a first tooling member comprising a first body that defines a first internal volume and a first inlet fluidly coupled with said first internal volume, said first tooling member further comprising a first tooling surface that defines a plurality of first perforations fluidly coupled with said first internal volume; and
a second tooling member opposed from said first tooling member, said second tooling member comprising a second body that defines a second internal volume and a second inlet fluidly coupled with said second internal volume, said second tooling member further comprising a second tooling surface that defines a plurality of second perforations fluidly coupled with said second internal volume; and
a green layup positioned between said first tooling surface of said first tooling member and said second tooling surface of said second tooling member.

21 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a sealing member that overlaps portions of said first tooling member and said second tooling member.

22 . The system of claim 21 wherein said sealing member comprises at least one of a sealant tape and a vacuum bag.

23 . The system of claim 21 wherein said sealing member, said first tooling member, and said second tooling member define an airtight vacuum chamber.

24 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a fluid source fluidly coupled with said first inlet of said first tooling member.

25 . The system of claim 24 wherein said fluid source is atmospheric air.

26 . The system of claim 24 wherein said fluid source comprises inert gas.

27 . The system of claim 24 further comprising a first fluid line that fluidly couples said first inlet with said fluid source.

28 . The system of claim 27 further comprising a first coupling that fluidly couples said first inlet with said first fluid line.

29 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a vacuum source fluidly coupled with said second inlet of said second tooling member.

30 . The system of claim 29 further comprising a second fluid line that fluidly couples said second inlet with said vacuum source.

31 . The system of claim 30 further comprising a second coupling that fluidly couples said second inlet with said second fluid line.

32 . The system of claim 20 further comprising an insulated chamber, wherein said tooling assembly is positioned within said insulated chamber.

33 . The system of claim 32 wherein said insulated chamber is one of an oven and an autoclave.

34 . The system of claim 20 wherein said layup comprises a plurality of plies.

35 . The system of claim 34 wherein at least one ply of said plurality of plies comprises reinforcing fibers embedded in a resin matrix.

36 . The system of claim 35 wherein the resin matrix comprises a thermosetting resin.

37 . The system of claim 35 wherein the resin matrix comprises a thermoplastic resin.

38 . The system of claim 34 wherein:
one ply of said plurality of plies comprises a first fiber orientation; and
another ply of said plurality of plies comprises a second fiber orientation that is different from said first fiber orientation.

39 . The system of claim 38 wherein said first fiber orientation is approximately 45° offset from said second fiber orientation.

40 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a core layer connected to said layup.

41 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a fairing bar positioned between said first tooling member and said second tooling member.

42 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a fluid movement device in fluid communication with said tooling assembly t

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Baker Tara Kovacs
• Serencsits William L
• Thomas Holly J

Classifications

• B29C70/54 Primary

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

• B29C33/0033 Primary

  constructed for making articles provided with holes · CPC title

• B29C70/46

  using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs · CPC title

• B29C35/02

  Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601}) · CPC title

• B29C70/548 Primary

  using distribution constructions, e.g. channels incorporated in or associated with the mould · CPC title