Pressure plate arrangement, production arrangement, device and method for producing a transition region between aerodynamic profile elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020386001-A1
Application number	US-202016878027-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	May 21, 2019
Publication date	Dec 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

In order to allow or improve a laminar air flow in a transition region between aerodynamic profile elements, a pressure plate arrangement is proposed. The pressure plate arrangement comprises a pressure plate body and at least one cover strip, in particular a sealing strip. The pressure plate body has an outlet region from which free-flowing sealant can exit during pressing. The cover strip already contains cured sealant and presses the free-flowing sealant flat in order to be able to form the transition region.

First claim

1 . A pressure plate arrangement for producing a transition region between a plurality of profile elements,
wherein the transition region is configured to allow a laminar fluid flow flowing from a first profile element via the transition region to a second profile element, wherein the pressure plate arrangement is configured for pressing free-flowing or pasty sealant, wherein the pressure plate arrangement comprises a pressure plate body and at least one cover strip, wherein the pressure plate body has an outlet region which is configured to allow the free-flowing or pasty sealant to exit during pressing thereof.

2 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet region is arranged on a longitudinal edge region extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the pressure plate body.

3 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a second outlet region is arranged on a second longitudinal edge region extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the pressure plate body and spaced apart from the longitudinal edge region in a transverse direction of the pressure plate body.

4 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure plate body has a plurality of supporting projections for supporting the pressure plate body on a further element, wherein the supporting projections are arranged spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction of the pressure plate body and delimit outlet gaps of the outlet region between them.

5 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 4 ,
wherein the pressure plate body comprises a pressure plate main body from which the supporting projections project, wherein, as seen in plan view, the pressure plate main body, together with the supporting projections, delimits the outlet gaps only on three sides, wherein, as seen in plan view, the fourth side of the outlet gap is delimited by the further element.

6 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure plate main body, has at least one of
a pressure surface for pressing free-flowing or pasty sealant; or a non-stick region comprising a pressure surface, with non-stick properties in relation to the sealant.

7 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the cover strip is releasably fastened to the pressure plate main body.

8 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the cover strip is releasably fastened to the pressure surface.

9 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure plate body has a plurality of positioning projections for positioning the pressure plate body relative to a further element, wherein the positioning projections are arranged spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction of the pressure plate body.

10 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein, the positioning projections are arranged with a larger spacing than a spacing of the supporting projections.

11 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein, the positioning projections are arranged at an integral multiple of the spacing of the supporting projections, and delimit outlet gaps of the outlet region between them.

12 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a further cover strip is provided which is spaced apart from the cover strip in a longitudinal direction and delimits a filling gap with the cover strip.

13 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a crosslinking device which is configured for at least one of partially crosslinking or curing free-flowing or pasty sealant and which is arranged on the pressure plate main body, wherein the crosslinking device has a heating device for heating free- flowing or pasty sealant in order to partially crosslink or cure the free-flowing or pasty sealant.

14 . The pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a crosslinking device which is configured for at least one of partially crosslinking or curing free-flowing or pasty sealant and which is arranged on the pressure plate main body, wherein the crosslinking device has an irradiating device for irradiating free-flowing or pasty sealant in order to partially crosslink or cure the free-flowing or pasty sealant.

15 . A device for producing a transition region between a plurality of profile elements,
wherein the transition region is configured to allow a laminar fluid flow flowing from a first of the profile elements via the transition region to a second of the profile elements, wherein the device comprises a frame which can be releasably fastened to at least one of the profile elements, a pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 that is configured for pressing free-flowing or pasty sealant, and a pressing device which is configured to press the pressure plate arrangement in a direction of the profile elements in such a way that free-flowing or pasty sealant at least one of forms a transition region or is partially crosslinked or cured.

16 . The device according to claim 12 , wherein a plurality of aligning elements which can be releasably fastened to the profile elements and which are configured to interact with the pressure plate arrangement such that the pressure plate arrangement is positionable along a joint portion formed by the profile elements so as to follow the joint portion.

17 . A production arrangement for producing a transition region between a plurality of profile elements, wherein the transition region is configured to allow a laminar fluid flow flowing from a first of the profile elements via the transition region to a second of the profile elements, wherein the production arrangement comprises:
a plurality of profile elements comprising aerodynamic profile elements which together define a joint portion; and a pressure plate arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the cover strip is arranged at the joint portion.

18 . A production method for producing a transition region between a plurality of aerodynamic profile elements, wherein the transition region is configured to allow a laminar fluid flow flowing from a first of the aerodynamic profile elements via the transition region to a second of the aerodynamic profile elements, comprising the following steps:
a) arranging the aerodynamic profile elements such that the aerodynamic profile elements define a joint portion; b) applying free-flowing or pasty sealant to the joint portion, and, to form the transition region, pressing the free-flowing or pasty sealant by means of a pressure plate arrangement delimiting an outlet gap for free-flowing or pasty sealant, wherein a quantity of the free-flowing or pasty sealant is dimensioned such that, during pressing, some of the free-flowing sealant exits from the outlet gap as excess sealant; c) partially crosslinking or curing the free-flowing and/or pasty sealant; and d) removing the excess sealant.

19 . A method for producing a cover strip for use in a device according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
a) applying free-flowing and/or pasty sealant, which is preferably also used in one of the devices, to a base plate; b) pressing the free-flowing or pasty sealant to a defined thickness by means of a further plate to obtain a plate-shaped free-flowing or pasty sealant; c) partially crosslinking or curing the plate-shaped free-flowing or pasty sealant to form a plate-shaped partially crosslinked or cured sealant; and d) cutting the plate-

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Herrles Christian
• Bürger Thomas

Classifications

• B29C43/36

  Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles · CPC title

• B29C43/18 Primary

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C43/206 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29L2031/3085

  Wings · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

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

• B64C3/26

  Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels · CPC title