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US 10,766,207 B2Granted
Thermoformed cascades for jet engine thrust reversers
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsAaron William Bartel, Robert Darel Morrow, Alan James Scott, Alexandre D. Curaudeau, Tunde Abiodun Olaniyan, Leonard Joseph England, Randall Dow Wilkerson, Robin L. Westberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cascade for a jet engine thrust reverser is fabricated by co-consolidating pre-consolidated thermoplastic strongbacks and vanes. The strongbacks are reinforced with continuous fibers, and the vanes are reinforced with discontinuous fibers.
Claims20
An apparatus for forming a cascade for a jet engine thrust reverser, the apparatus comprising:
- a tool including a plurality of hard tool inserts fixed on the tool in relationship to each other, wherein the hard tool inserts are configured to fit within vane cavities defined by:
- a plurality of strongbacks that are spaced apart to form slots between adjacent ones of the strongbacks;
- and
- a plurality of vanes arranged and spaced within the slots formed by the strongbacks,
- wherein the hard tool inserts are spaced apart on the tool to insert into alternating ones of the cavities;
- and
- a plurality of expandable mandrels distinct from the hard tool inserts and configured to fit within the remaining ones of the cavities disposed between the alternating cavities defined by the strongbacks and vanes, wherein the mandrels are configured to expand in response to heat and pressure to compress the vanes against the strongbacks and hard tool inserts, and wherein the hard tool inserts and mandrels each have a cross-sectional geometry substantially matching that of their respective vane cavities.
4 more elements
An apparatus for forming a cascade for a jet engine thrust reverser, the apparatus comprising:
- a base onto which a cascade assembly of a plurality of strongbacks and vanes can be preassembled into a grid panel, wherein the base is curved in a side-circumferential direction relative to the cascade;
- a plurality of hard tool inserts fixed on the base in relationship to each other, wherein the hard tool inserts are configured to fit within vane cavities of the cascade defined both by slots formed between adjacent ones of the strongbacks and by vanes arranged and spaced within the slots formed by the strongbacks, and wherein the hard tool inserts are spaced apart on the base to insert into alternating ones of the cavities;
- and
- a plurality of expandable mandrels distinct from the hard tool inserts and configured to fit within the remaining ones of the cavities disposed between the alternating cavities defined by the strongbacks and vanes, wherein the mandrels are configured to expand in response to heat and pressure to compress the vanes against the strongbacks and hard tool inserts, and wherein the hard tool inserts and mandrels each have a cross-sectional geometry substantially matching that of their respective vane cavities.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.