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US 10,479,066 B2Granted
Composite tool having vacuum integrity and method of making the same
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorCharles William Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite tool for vacuum bag processing composite parts comprises a plurality of laminated composite plies, including a facesheet adapted to have a composite part placed thereon. A gas impermeable barrier layer sandwiched between the composite plies prevents air leaks through the tool.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a composite tool used for vacuum bag processing composite parts, comprising:
- forming a first composite tool portion;
- forming a second composite tool portion comprising a tool surface for forming a composite part;
- preventing air leaks through the composite tool via placing a membrane between the first and second composite tool portions, the membrane being impermeable to gas;
- and
- forming a groove surrounding the tool surface and extending down to the membrane, the groove serving as a vacuum manifold around the tool surface, placing the membrane on a surface of the first composite tool portion;
- and adhering membrane to the surface of the first composite tool portion by placing a vacuum bag over the membrane and the first composite tool portion, and, using the vacuum bag, compressing the membrane against the surface of the first composite tool portion.
3 more elements
A method of fabricating a composite tool having vacuum integrity, the method comprising:
- laying up a first set of composite pre-preg plies;
- laying up a second set of composite pre-preg plies;
- placing a membrane between the first and second sets of composite pre-preg plies to prevent through-the-tool leaks, the membrane being impermeable to gas;
- laminating the first and second sets of composite pre-preg plies and the membrane;
- and
- forming a groove surrounding a tool surface of the second set of composite pre-preg plies and extending down to the membrane, the groove forming a vacuum manifold around the tool surface when using the tool surface for vacuum bag processing a composite part.
3 more elements
A method of fabricating a composite laminate tool comprising vacuum integrity used for vacuum bag processing a composite part, the method comprising:
- laying up a first set of composite pre-preg plies;
- laying up a second set of composite pre-preg plies;
- preventing through-the-tool gas leaks via placing a flexible material between the first set of composite pre-preg plies and the second set of composite pre-preg plies, the flexible material being impermeable to gas;
- and
- curing the first and second sets of composite pre-preg plies and the flexible material into the composite laminate tool, such that the laminate composite tool comprises:
- a first set of cured composite plies;
- a second set of cured composite plies forming a facesheet comprising a tool surface adapted for receiving the composite part;
- a barrier layer comprising the flexible material sandwiched between the first set of cured composite plies and the second set of cured composite plies, such that a first face of the barrier layer contacts a last composite ply of the second set of cured composite plies and a second face of the barrier layer contacts a first composite ply of the first set of cured composite plies, in which the first face is opposite the second face;
- and
- an edge breather groove in the facesheet extending down to the barrier layer and surrounding the tool surface.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.