Method and apparatus of modular punch forming plates for alignment of a stringer for a vehicle
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJohn Makoto Shinozaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices of fabricating a stringer for a vehicle. The stringer can be constructed from two charges that are formed together into the stringer. During fabricating, the ends of the charges can be formed in a die cavity. When the ends are misaligned in the die cavity, one of the charges can be moved in the die cavity to align the ends. The device used for fabricating the charges can include a punch with separate punch plates that move the ends of the charges into the die cavity. The punch plates can be separately moved to adjust the position of the charges and align the ends.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a composite stringer for a vehicle, the method comprising:
- positioning first and second charges at a die cavity formed between first and second form blocks;
- inserting a first punch plate of a punch into the die cavity and driving a first end of the first charge along the first form block and into the die cavity;
- inserting a second punch plate of the punch into the die cavity and driving a first end of the second charge along the second form block and into the die cavity;
- moving the first punch plate relative to the second punch plate when the first ends are misaligned and moving the first charge relative to the first form block and aligning the first ends of the first and second charges in the die cavity;
- when the first ends are aligned in the die cavity, forming flanges at second ends of the first and second charges;
- moving the first and second punch plates out of the die cavity;
- and
- compressing the first and second charges between the first and second form blocks.
A method of fabricating a composite stringer for a vehicle, the method comprising:
- positioning first and second charges over a die cavity formed between first and second form blocks;
- contacting the first and second charges with a punch and driving a first end of each of the first and second charges into the die cavity;
- when the first ends are misaligned in the die cavity, moving a first section of the punch that is adhered to the first charge relative to a second section of the punch that is adhered to the second charge and moving the first charge and aligning the first end of the first charge with the first end of the second charge in the die cavity;
- forming flanges with second end sections of the first and second charges;
- removing the punch from the die cavity;
- and
- compressing together the charges in the die cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.