# US 10,766,212 B2 · Method and apparatus for forming radius filler kits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,212 B2 - Document ID: US10766212B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/840,793 - Filed: 2017-12-13 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-13 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: James R. Kendall; Paul D. Shaw; Raviendra Sidath Suriyaarachchi; Sadie Lee Fieni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766212B2 ## CPC - B29C 70/745: {Filling cavities in the preformed part (for joining B29C70/84)} - B29C 70/342: {using isostatic pressure} - B29C 70/544: {Details of vacuum bags, e.g. materials or shape} - B29D 99/0005: {Producing noodles, i.e. composite gap fillers, characterised by their construction} - B29L 2031/3082: {Fuselages} - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A plurality of segments of radius filler is positioned onto a radius filler forming tool. The plurality of segments of radius filler is applied to a stringer in a single placement step. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: positioning a plurality of segments of radius filler onto a radius filler forming tool; and applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to a stringer in a single placement step; wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises bending the radius filler forming tool to press the plurality of segments of radius filler against the stringer and remove the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: co-curing the plurality of segments of radius filler and the stringer to form a portion of an aircraft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: lifting the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool using a carrier material, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler is performed using the carrier material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the carrier material is a vacuum bag material, the method further comprising: sealing the vacuum bag material to a stiffener forming tool holding the stringer; and applying a vacuum to the plurality of segments of radius filler and the stringer to apply compression force to the plurality of segments of radius filler. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the vacuum bag material is a component of a radius filler placement system, the method further comprising: rolling the plurality of segments of radius filler and the carrier material around a roller manifold of a radius filler placement system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the stringer comprises unrolling the plurality of segments of radius filler from the roller manifold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises forming joints using the plurality of segments of radius filler. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises placing the plurality of segments of radius filler into two grooves in the radius filler forming tool, wherein the two grooves are separated by a distance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the stringer comprises applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to a first gap and a second gap of the stringer, wherein the first gap and the second gap are separated by the distance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the first gap and the second gap comprises the plurality of segments of radius filler to the first gap and the second gap simultaneously. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: positioning a radius filler kit relative to a stringer; and applying the radius filler kit to the stringer in a single placement step; wherein applying the radius filler kit to the stringer comprises bending a radius filler forming tool to press a plurality of segments of radius filler of the radius filler kit against the stringer and remove the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: co-curing the radius filler kit and the stringer to form a portion of an aircraft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: applying a compression force to the radius filler kit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: sealing a vacuum bag material to a stiffener forming tool holding the stringer; and applying a vacuum to the stringer and radius filler kit below the vacuum bag material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein applying the radius filler kit to the stringer comprises unrolling the radius filler kit to contact the stringer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein applying the radius filler kit to the stringer comprises placing a first section of radius filler of the radius filler kit into a first gap of the stringer and a second section of radius filler of the radius filler kit into a second gap of the stringer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein applying the radius filler kit to the stringer places the first section of radius filler and the second section of radius filler simultaneously. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein applying the radius filler kit comprises simultaneously applying a first section of radius filler, a second section of radius filler, and a ply to the stringer. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: positioning a plurality of segments of radius filler onto a radius filler forming tool; and applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to a stringer in a single placement step; wherein positioning the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises placing the plurality of segments of radius filler into two grooves in the radius filler forming tool, wherein the two grooves are separated by a distance. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising: co-curing the plurality of segments of radius filler and the stringer to form a portion of an aircraft. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises bending the radius filler forming tool to press the plurality of segments of radius filler against the stringer and remove the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising: lifting the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool using a carrier material, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler is performed using the carrier material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the carrier material is a vacuum bag material, the method further comprising: sealing the vacuum bag material to a stiffener forming tool holding the stringer; and applying a vacuum to the plurality of segments of radius filler and the stringer to apply compression force to the plurality of segments of radius filler. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the vacuum bag material is a component of a radius filler placement system, the method further comprising: rolling the plurality of segments of radius filler and the carrier material around a roller manifold of a radius filler placement system. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the stringer comprises unrolling the plurality of segments of radius filler from the roller manifold. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein positioning the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises forming joints using the plurality of segments of radius filler. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the stringer comprises applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to a first gap and a second gap of the stringer, wherein the first gap and the second gap are separated by the distance. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the first gap and the second gap comprises the plurality of segments of radius filler to the first gap and the second gap simultaneously. ### Claim 29 A method comprising: positioning a plurality of segments of radius filler onto a radius filler forming tool; applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to a stringer in a single placement step; and lifting the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool using a carrier material, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler is performed using the carrier material; wherein the carrier material is a vacuum bag material, the method further comprising: sealing the vacuum bag material to a stiffener forming tool holding the stringer; and applying a vacuum to the plurality of segments of radius filler and the stringer to apply compression force to the plurality of segments of radius filler. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29 further comprising: co-curing the plurality of segments of radius filler and the stringer to form a portion of an aircraft. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises bending the radius filler forming tool to press the plurality of segments of radius filler against the stringer and remove the plurality of segments of radius filler from the radius filler forming tool. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the vacuum bag material is a component of a radius filler placement system, the method further comprising: rolling the plurality of segments of radius filler and the carrier material around a roller manifold of a radius filler placement system. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the stringer comprises unrolling the plurality of segments of radius filler from the roller manifold. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises forming joints using the plurality of segments of radius filler. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the plurality of segments of radius filler comprises placing the plurality of segments of radius filler into two grooves in the radius filler forming tool, wherein the two grooves are separated by a distance. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the stringer comprises applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to a first gap and a second gap of the stringer, wherein the first gap and the second gap are separated by the distance. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein applying the plurality of segments of radius filler to the first gap and the second gap comprises the plurality of segments of radius filler to the first gap and the second gap simultaneously.