Clamping system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022097210-A1
Application number	US-202117490305-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Sep 30, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A clamping mechanism for machining a composite component. The clamping mechanism comprising two or more opposing clamping plates, each clamping plate comprising a clamping surface; and wherein each clamping surface is adaptable to follow the microstructural surface of the composite component being clamped. The clamping surface may comprise a plurality of deformable micropillars featuring a body that extends to a base on the clamping plates and a head that deforms to follow the microstructural surface of the composite component. The clamping surface in use may be an exact negative of the microstructural surface of the component clamping surface. Each clamping surface may comprise a disposable insert that replicates exclusively at the point of contact the microstructural surface of the component being clamped.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A clamping mechanism for machining a composite component, the clamping mechanism comprising two or more opposing clamping plates, each clamping plate comprising a clamping surface; and wherein each clamping surface is adaptable to follow the microstructural surface of the composite component being clamped.

2 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each clamping surface comprises a disposable insert that replicates exclusively at the point of contact the microstructural surface of the component being clamped.

3 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the clamping surface in use is an exact negative of the microstructural surface of the component clamping surface.

4 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a microtextural surface to be clamped is scanned using a scanning technique, before the negative is reproduced for the clamping surface which is used on the clamping surface.

5 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the scanning technique is an optical or laser scanning technique.

6 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the clamping surface is made as an algorithmic negative representation of the expected surface of the composite component that is to be clamped.

7 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the clamping surface ( 43 , 53 , 63 73 ) comprises a plurality of deformable micropillars featuring a body that extends to a base on the clamping plates and a head that deforms to follow the microstructural surface of the composite component.

8 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the micropillars are positioned so that under deformation the micropillars do not contact each other.

9 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the micropillars have a non-uniform stiffness across the plurality of micropillars.

10 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the micropillars have a non-uniform length.

11 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the micropillars have a height of less than 5 mm with a body of 0.8 mm×0.8 mm and a head of 1 mm×1 mm.

12 . The clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the clamping surface is made from a plastics material or a metallic material.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• NOVOVIC Donka
• Axinte Dragos A
• Gameros Madrigal Andres A
• Gavaldà Diaz Oriol

Classifications

• Y10T29/49998

  Work holding · CPC title

• B23Q3/086

  using a solidifying liquid, e.g. with freezing, setting or hardening means · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B25B5/14

  Clamps for work of special profile {(using chains or strips B25B1/205)} · CPC title

• B25B5/163

  Jaws or jaw attachments · CPC title