US 11,000,978 B2Granted

Gap filler roller assembly

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorPaul Reed Stone

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Roller assembly for forming adjacent curved surfaces in a composite gap filler member includes a first roller supported by a first support member, a second roller supported by a second support member and a support including a surface. First roller and the second roller are in contact with one another and in contact with the surface. With rotation of the first roller about a third axis and with at least one of the first roller or second roller moved relative to the other such that the first roller maintains contact with the second roller and the first roller and the second roller maintain contact with the surface, such that the first roller, second roller and the surface form an aperture having a first curved side having a first radius adjacent to a second curved side having a second radius wherein the first radius and second radius are unequal.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A roller assembly for forming adjacent curved surfaces in a composite gap filler member, comprising:

a first roller is supported by a first support member wherein the first roller rotates relative to the first support member about a first axis of rotation;
a second roller is supported by a second support member wherein the second roller rotates relative to the second support member about a second axis of rotation, wherein:
the first support member is rotatable about a third axis of rotation, which provides for rotation of the first axis of rotation about the third axis of rotation;
and
the second support member is rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation, which provides for rotation of the second axis of rotation about the fourth axis of rotation;
and
a support comprising a surface, wherein:
with the first roller and the second roller in contact with one another and in contact with the surface and with rotation of the first roller about the third axis of rotation and with at least one of the first roller or second roller is moved relative to other, such that the first roller maintains contact with the second roller and the first roller and the second roller maintain contact with the surface, the first roller, second roller and the surface form an aperture;
and
the aperture includes the first roller defining a first curved side of the aperture having a first radius and the second roller defines a second curved side of the aperture, adjacent to the first curved side, having a second radius such that the first radius and the second radius are unequal.

7 more elements

A method of forming adjacent curved surfaces in a composite gap filler member, comprising the steps of:

positioning a first roller, which is supported by a first support member, in contact with a surface of a support, wherein:
the first roller rotates relative to the first support member about a first axis of rotation;
and
the first support member is rotatable about a third axis of rotation, which provides for rotation of the first axis of rotation about the third axis of rotation;
positioning a second roller, which is supported by a second support member, in contact with the surface of the support and in contact with the first roller, wherein:
the second roller rotates relative to the second support member about a second axis of rotation;
and
the second support member is rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation, which provides for rotation of the second axis of rotation about the fourth axis of rotation;
and
pulling a composite material in contact with and past the first and second rollers wherein the first roller rotates and the second roller rotates;
and
rotating the first support member and the first roller about the third axis of rotation and moving at least one of the first roller or second roller relative to other maintaining the first and second rollers in contact with one another and in contact with the surface, wherein:
the first roller, the second roller and the surface of the support define an aperture;
and
the first roller defines a first curved side of the aperture having a first radius and the second roller defines a second curved side, adjacent to the first curved side of the aperture, having a second radius such that the first radius and the second radius are unequal.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/178,930Filed 2 Nov 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 26 Jun 2018
Published: US 2019/0389098 A126 Dec 2019
Granted: 11 May 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B29C 43/46
Compression means for making articles of indefinite length: rollers
B29C 43/224
Of articles of indefinite length: having a profiled section, e.g. tubes, rods
B29C 70/504
For producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC]: using rollers or…
B29D 99/0005
Producing profiled members, e.g. beams: producing noodles, i.e. composite gap fillers, characterised by their construction

Family

Application16/018,538Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Jun 2018
US 2019/0389098 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Dec 2019
US 10,875,621 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2019/0389556 A1Published application
US 11,000,978 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.