Apparatus and method for making radius composite gap filler
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPaul Reed Stone, Cody S. Conant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A die assembly for forming a composite gap filler, including a first die having a first portion which extends along a first central axis of the first die and has a first curved surface which has a radius which changes as the first curved surface extends about the first central axis. A second die a second portion which extends along a second central axis of the second die and has a second curved surface which has a radius which changes as the second curved surface extends about the second central axis. A third die defines a third wall member which extends about the third die and which changes in width dimension wherein with the first die abutting the second die and with the third wall member abutting the first and second dies, a closed gap is formed.
Claims20
A die assembly for forming a composite gap filler, comprising:
- a first die having a first central axis wherein the first die comprises:
- a first portion which extends along the first central axis and has a first curved surface having a radius which changes as the first portion extends about the first central axis;
- and
- a first planar surface portion which extends from a first end of the first curved surface and a second planar surface portion which extends from a second end of the first curved surface;
- a second die has a second central axis wherein the second die comprises:
- a second portion which extends along the second central axis and has a second curved surface having a radius which changes as the second portion extends about the second central axis;
- and
- a third planar surface portion which extends from a first end of the second curved surface and a fourth planar surface portion which extends from a second end of the second curved surface;
- and
- a third die has a third central axis and defines a third wall member which extends about the third central axis and changes in width dimension as the third wall member extends about the third central axis, wherein with the first planar surface portion and the third planar surface portion abutting one another and with the third wall member abutting the second planar surface portion and the fourth planar surface portion, a closed gap is formed with the first die, second die, and third die to form the composite material gap filler.
A method for forming a composite gap filler, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a first die and a second die abutting one another and a third die abutting the first die and the second die, wherein:
- the first die has a first central axis, the second die has a second central axis and the third die has a third central axis;
- the first die comprises:
- a first portion which extends along the first central axis and has a first curved surface having a radius which changes as the first portion extends about the first central axis;
- and
- a first planar surface portion which extends from a first end of the first curved surface and a second planar surface portion which extends from a second end of the first curved surface;
- and
- the second die, comprises:
- a second portion which extends along the second central axis and has a second curved surface having a radius which changes as the second portion extends about the second central axis;
- and
- a third planar surface portion which extends from a first end of the second curved surface and a fourth planar surface portion which extends from a second end of the second curved surface;
- and
- a third die defines a third wall member which extends about the third central axis and changes in width dimension as the third wall member extends about the third central axis, such that with the first planar surface portion and the third planar surface portion abutting one another and the second planar surface portion and the fourth planar surface portion abutting the third wall member, a closed gap is formed;
- and
- pulling composite material through the closed gap forming a composite gap filler having a shape of the closed gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.