Device and method for processing a fibre compound structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9463599-B2
Application number	US-60141708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2008
Priority date	Jun 5, 2007
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

The present invention provides a connecting device for connecting an unhardened fiber layer which is arranged on a surface section of a fiber compound structure to the fiber compound structure. The connecting device comprises pressure cushion comprising a pressure cap for being arranged above the surface section and a pressure tight cap mat which is pressure tightly connected to a circumferential border of the pressure cap, thereby forming a pressure area which is limited by the pressure cap and by the cap mat. The connecting device further comprises a pressure inducing means for inducing an overpressure which presses the cap mat against the fiber layer into the pressure area. According to a further aspect the invention provides a processing method for processing a fiber compound structure. In a first step at least one unhardened fiber layer is arranged on a surface section of the fiber compound structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connecting device for connecting an unhardened fibre layer arranged on a surface section of a fibre compound structure to the fibre compound structure, the connecting device comprising:
a pressure cushion of said fibre compound structure,
the pressure cushion comprising:
a pressure cap;
a semi-rigid pressure-tight cap mat configured to form a low pressure area with the surface section of said fiber compound structure;

a pressure area limited by the pressure cap and by said pressure-tight cap mat;
a low pressure area limited by said pressure-tight cap mat and the surface section of said fibre compound structure;
wherein the pressure cushion is capable of providing an effective hardening pressure of at least 1 bar against the unhardened fiber layer;
a pressure inducing means capable of inducing an overpressure into the pressure area,
an evacuation means configured to evacuate air from said low pressure area; and
a press-on assembly comprising a support counter bearing on a side of said fibre compound structure opposed to the surface section, capable of forming a hermetically sealed area between the pressure cushion and the surface section of said fibre compound structure;
wherein said semi-rigid pressure-tight cap mat is provided such to fill out contours and/or step like sections of the fibre compound structure by preparing an accordant inversely contoured pressure-tight cap mat.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure cap and said pressure-tight cap mat of the pressure cushion are formed from an elastic material.

3. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure cushion further comprises a sealing area for touching the fibre compound structure along a line enclosing the surface section.

4. The connecting device according to claim 3 , wherein the pressure cushion further comprises a recess that is surrounded by the sealing area.

5. The connecting device according to claim 3 , wherein said pressure area delimited by said pressure-tight cap mat, the fibre compound structure and the sealing area.

6. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein said pressure-tight cap mat is provided in such a manner to fill out a contour of said surface section of the fibre compound structure that under overpressure in the pressure area.

7. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure cap comprises a rigid frame on which the circumferential border is formed.

8. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein further a compressor for supplying the overpressure is provided.

9. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein further a heating element for hardening the unhardened fibre layer by warming up is provided.

10. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein a heating element is arranged on the outside or inside of the cap mat or embedded in said pressure-tight cap mat.

Assignees

• Helfrich Felix Caspar
• Marquardt Hans
• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Helfrich Felix Caspar
• Marquardt Hans

Classifications

• B29C35/12

  Dielectric heating · CPC title

• B29C70/44 Primary

  using isostatic pressure, e.g. pressure difference-moulding, vacuum bag-moulding, autoclave-moulding or expanding rubber-moulding · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

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

• B29C73/12 Primary

  Apparatus therefor, e.g. for applying (B29C73/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29K2307/00

  Use of elements other than metals as reinforcement · CPC title