Caul body and a method for forming a composite structure
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsRichard Gingras, Stephane Laurin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A caul body for forming a composite structure comprises a laminate having at least one carbon layer and at least one silicone layer. The at least one silicone layer defines an outer surface of the laminate. The laminate has a first region and a second region. A thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the second region. The first region has a hardness value greater than a hardness value of the second region.
Claims20
A caul body for forming a composite structure, the caul body comprising:
- a laminate having at least one carbon layer and at least one silicone layer, the at least one silicone layer defining an outer surface of the laminate, the laminate having a first region and a second region, a thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the first region defining a first hardness value and a thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the second region defining a second hardness value, the thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the first region being greater than the thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the second region, and the first hardness value being greater than the second hardness value.
A method of forming a composite structure, the method comprising:
- laying-up a first surface of an uncured composite structure against a first mold region and a second mold region of a mold, the first mold region having a curvature value less than a curvature value of the second mold region;
- placing an outer silicone layer of a caul body to cover the uncured composite structure laid-up against the mold and to overlap the first mold region with a first caul region of the caul body, and to overlap the second mold region with a second caul region of the caul body, the first caul region having a hardness value greater than a hardness value of the second caul region;
- and
- curing the uncured composite structure covered by the caul body with pressure and heat to form a first composite region and a second composite region of the composite structure.
A caul body for forming a composite structure, the caul body comprising:
- a laminate including at least one carbon layer sandwiched between silicone layers, the silicone layers defining at least one outer surface of the laminate to abut against the composite structure, the laminate having a first region having a first hardness value defined by a thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the first region and the laminate having at least a second region having a second hardness value defined by the thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the at least second region, the second hardness value being less than the first hardness value, and the thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the first region being greater than the thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the second region.
A method of forming a caul body, the method comprising:
- laying-up at least one uncured carbon layer;
- varying a thickness of the at least one uncured carbon layer to form a first region of the caul body having a first hardness value and at least a second region of the caul body having a second hardness value less than the first hardness value;
- laying-up at least one uncured silicone layer to cover the at least one uncured carbon layer;
- and
- curing the at least one uncured carbon layer and the at least one uncured silicone layer into a laminate, the cured at least one silicone layer forming an outer surface of the caul body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.