# US 11,027,935 B2 · Payout of film at composite fabrication systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,935 B2 - Document ID: US11027935B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/013,251 - Filed: 2018-06-20 - Published: 2019-12-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-20 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Richard Allen Miller, II - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027935B2 ## CPC - B65H 35/06: from or with blade, e.g. shear-blade, cutters or perforators (from or with revolving blade B65H35/08) - B65H 16/005: {Dispensers, i.e. machines for unwinding only parts of web roll} - B65H 16/06: both-ends type - B65H 35/002: {Hand-held or table apparatus (B65H35/006 takes precedence)} - B65H 35/0086: {using movable cutting elements} - B65H 35/02: from or with longitudinal slitters or perforators - B29C 70/30: Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core - B64C 2001/0072: {from composite materials} - B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor - B65H 2301/51512: using a cutting member moving linearly in a plane parallel to the surface of the web and along a direction crossing the handled material - B65H 2406/351: facing the surface of the handled material - B65H 2515/84: Quality; Condition, e.g. degree of wear - B65H 2701/172: Composite material - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - 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) - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for paying out material. One embodiment is a method for dispensing film onto a surface. the method includes operating vacuum ports at a suction table, adhering a leading edge of a web of film to the suction table, driving the payout system across the suction table while the vacuum ports are being operated and while unrolling the web of film, unrolling a web of film from a roll of a payout system that is mounted for traversal across the upper surface of the suction table, and enforcing tension at the web of film between the suction table and the roll while payout system is drawn across the suction table. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for dispensing film onto a surface, the method comprising: operating vacuum ports at a suction table; adhering a leading edge of a web of film to the suction table; driving a payout system across the suction table while the vacuum ports are being operated and while unrolling the web of film; unrolling a web of film from a roll of a payout system that is mounted for traversal across an upper surface of the suction table; enforcing tension at the web of film between the suction table and the roll while payout system is drawn across the suction table; inserting projections of a blade cartridge into receptacles of a cutter mount that is affixed to the payout system; rotating the projections of the blade cartridge into tunnels of the cutter mount and cutting the web of film while unrolling the web, via the blade cartridge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: continuously cutting the film to a width of the suction table while the payout system is being driven across the suction table and while the web of film is unrolling. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: taping an end of the film to the suction table prior to drawing the payout system across the suction table. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: placing wheels at a first end of the payout system in contact with a first surface of the suction table, and placing wheels at a second end of the payout system in contact with a second surface of the suction table. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: placing a pinion at a first end of the payout system in contact with a rack defining a first surface of the suction table, and placing a pinion at a second end of the payout system in contact with a rack defining a second surface of the suction table. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: removing the blade cartridge by operating an ergonomic grip of the blade cartridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising: inserting a new blade cartridge into the cutter mount. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein: inserting the new blade cartridge comprises pressing the new blade cartridge into the cutter mount and twisting the new blade cartridge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A portion of an aircraft assembled according to the method of claim 1. ### Claim 10 A method for aligning a cart and transferring a payout system to a table, the method comprising: vertically aligning an upper frame of a cart with at least one surface of a suction table; indexing the payout system to the suction table; rolling the payout system from the cart onto the suction table; driving the payout system across the suction table while continuously paying out a web of film from the payout system onto an upper surface of the suction table; and adhering the web of film to the upper surface as the payout system is being driven. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising: separating the payout system from the upper frame of the cart. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein: vertically aligning the upper frame comprises actuating the upper frame upwards. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein: indexing the payout system comprises indexing the cart to the suction table by aligning at least one mating feature at the cart with at least one mating feature at the suction table. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein: the at least one mating feature of the cart comprises a pin protruding from the cart, the at least one mating feature of the suction table comprises a recess in the suction table, and the method further comprises pushing the cart until the pin enters the recess. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: placing a pinion at a left end of the payout system in contact with a rack defining a left surface of the suction table, and placing a pinion at a right end of the payout system in contact with a rack defining a right surface of the suction table. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) A portion of an aircraft assembled according to the method of claim 10. ### Claim 17 A system for dispensing film onto a table, the system comprising: a suction table comprising: an upper surface; and vacuum ports which draw air from the upper surface; and a payout system comprising: a spool configured to dispense film from a roll; frame elements that are disposed at sides of the spool and are separated by at least a width of the upper surface and provide mechanical integrity for the payout system; linear elements that structurally unite the frame elements together; wheels that are configured to roll the payout system along at least one surface of the suction table while the roll dispenses film; and a cutter mount which removably retains a blade cartridge that comprises retention springs and a blade that cuts the film while the film is being dispensed, wherein the cutter mount defines receptacles that receive projections of the blade cartridge, and further defines tunnels that are dimensioned to receive the projections when the blade cartridge is rotated after the receptacles receive the projections. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: a ratio of a width of the payout system to a length of the payout system is between two to one and four to one. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the roll extends further than a width of the suction table; and the payout system further comprises blades which cut the film to a width of the suction table as the film is dispensed from the roll. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the cutter mount is fixedly attached to one of the linear elements. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: at least one of the linear elements is disposed less than one hundred thousandths of an inch above the upper surface. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the payout system further comprises wheels which travel along a surface of the suction table. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) Fabricating a portion of an aircraft using the system of claim 17. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the blade cartridge includes a housing that holds the blade in place. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the blade cartridge includes an ergonomic grip. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the blade cartridge includes a housing that holds the retention springs in place. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein: the cutter mount slides along a width of the payout system in order to cut the film to a desired length.