Composite filler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9630376-B2
Application number	US-201414492720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2014
Priority date	Sep 22, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a composite filler is presented. The method comprises cutting a number of layers from a composite material. The method also aligns the number of layers to form a composite filler having a cross-sectional shape. Each of the number of layers has fibers in plane with the cross-sectional shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
cutting a number of layers from a composite material with a first end of a hollow punch;
cutting additional layers of the composite material such that the number of layers of composite material travels through the hollow punch from the first end to a second end of the hollow punch, wherein at least one of the number of layers is retained within the hollow punch as subsequent ones of the layers of composite material are cut with the hollow punch;
aligning the number of layers to form a composite filler having a cross-sectional shape, each of the number of layers having fibers in plane with the cross-sectional shape; and
removing the composite filler at the second end of the hollow punch as the additional layers of composite material cause the number of layers of composite material travels through the hollow punch.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite filler has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the fibers extend orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially zero orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
surrounding the number of layers of the composite material with a sleeve material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape is substantially triangular.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
placing the composite filler within a gap formed at a bond line between a number of composite members; and
curing the composite filler.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of curing the composite filler further comprises:
co-curing the composite filler with the number of composite members.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially zero orthogonal to each of sides of the cross-sectional shape.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the number of layers of the composite material within a sleeve material as the number of layers of composite material exits the second end of the hollow punch.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sleeve comprises a scrim.

11. A method comprising:
cutting a number of layers from a fabric with a first end of a hollow punch;
cutting additional layers of the fabric such that the number of layers travels through the hollow punch from the first end to a second end of the hollow punch, wherein at least one of the number of layers is retained within the hollow punch as subsequent ones of the number of layers of fabric are cut with the hollow punch;
resin infusing the number of layers to form a number of layers of composite material;
aligning the number of layers of the composite material to form a composite filler having a cross-sectional shape, each of the number of layers having fibers in plane with the cross-sectional shape; and
removing the composite filler at the second end of the hollow punch as the additional layers of composite material cause the number of layers of composite material travels through the hollow punch.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composite filler has a longitudinal axis, wherein the fibers extend orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially zero orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
surrounding the number of layers of the composite material with a sleeve material.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
placing the composite filler within a gap formed by a number of composite members; and
curing the composite filler.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially zero orthogonal to each of sides of the cross-sectional shape.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Griess Kenneth H
• Esposito Jack J

Classifications

• B29L2031/3076

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

• B29L2031/001

  Profiled members, e.g. beams, sections · CPC title

• B32B2038/042

  Punching · CPC title

• B29C67/0074

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C70/30

  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