Resin infusion of composite parts using a perforated caul sheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9682516-B2
Application number	US-201514594129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 25, 2010
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

Resin infused composite parts are fabricated using a caul sheet having perforations therein for optimizing the flow of resin through the parts and allowing a simplified tooling and consumable arrangement for complex parts while achieving a smooth, aerodynamic caul-side or bag-side finish.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A resin infusion apparatus for fabricating resin infused composite parts, comprising:
a caul sheet having perforations therein for controlling the flow of resin through a component during resin infusion, the caul sheet comprising:
a first region with a first plurality of perforations having a first density of perforations and a first resin permeability; and
a second region with a second plurality of perforations having a second density of perforations different from the first density of perforations and a second resin permeability different from the first resin permeability such that resin flow through the first region differs from resin flow through the second region;
a vacuum bag covering the caul sheet and the component; and
a resin inlet passing through the bag and located over the caul sheet for supplying resin.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the perforations have a tapered cross section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the perforations are non-uniformly located over the area of the caul sheet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the caul sheet is generally rigid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the density of the perforations is greater in some areas of the caul sheet than in other areas of the caul sheet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the size of some of the perforations is greater than other of the perforations.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
resin distribution media covering the caul sheet for distributing resin over the caul sheet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a peel ply between the component and the caul sheet.

9. An apparatus for fabricating resin infused composite parts, comprising:
a tool adapted to have a component placed thereon;
a generally rigid caul sheet covering the component, the caul sheet having perforations therein based on a desired distribution of resin flow through the caul sheet and into the component, the caul sheet comprising a first region with a first plurality of perforations having a first density of perforations and a second region with a second plurality of perforations having a second density of perforations different from the first density of perforations;
a peel ply between the component and the caul sheet;
resin distribution media covering the caul sheet;
a vacuum bag sealed to the tool and covering the combination of the component, the peel ply, the caul sheet and the resin distribution media;
a source of resin;
a resin inlet passing through the bag and generally centrally located over the caul sheet for supplying resin from the resin supply; and
a resin outlet passing through the bag.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lockett Peter J
• Pook David
• Glynn Andrew K

Classifications

• B29L2031/06

  Rods, e.g. connecting rods {, rails, stakes (shafts B29L2031/75; poles, masts, posts B29L2031/766)} · CPC title

• B29C70/443

  and impregnating by vacuum or injection · CPC title

• B29C70/42 Primary

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

• B29L2031/00

  Other particular articles · CPC title

• B29C37/0085

  by means of openings in the layers (joining through openings B29C66/304) · CPC title