# US 11,298,893 B2 · Method for manufacturing structure using composite material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,893 B2 - Document ID: US11298893B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/262,919 - Filed: 2019-08-29 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-04 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Shoya Mano; Masahiko Shimizu; Ryota Ozaki; Akihito Suzuki; Tsuyoshi Okawara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298893B2 ## CPC - B29C 70/443: {and impregnating by vacuum or injection} - B29D 99/0014: {provided with ridges or ribs, e.g. joined ribs} - B29C 53/04: of plates or sheets {(B29C63/04 takes precedence; bending or folding paper B31F1/0003; folding films B65H45/00)} - B29C 70/302: {Details of the edges of fibre composites, e.g. edge finishing or means to avoid delamination} - B29C 70/446: {Moulding structures having an axis of symmetry or at least one channel, e.g. tubular structures, frames} - B29C 70/68: by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers {, e.g. foam blocks (mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70)} - B29C 43/12: using bags surrounding the moulding material {or using membranes contacting the moulding material} - B29L 2031/003: {having a profiled transverse cross-section} - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - 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) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Manufacturing structure using a composite material includes: a tapering step for forming a first tapered surface on a first stiffener in an uncured state; a bending step for bending the stiffener such that a second surface is on the inner side; an arranging step for arranging the first stiffener and a skin at prescribed positions; a vacuum suctioning step for vacuum suctioning the first stiffener and the skin; and a bonding step for curing the first stiffener to bond the first stiffener and the skin. In the tapering step, the angle formed between the first tapered surface and the second surface is an acute angle. In the vacuum suctioning step, the first tapered surface is brought into contact with the skin while maintaining contact between the first surface and the skin, and the first stiffener is deformed so that a second tapered surface is formed on the second surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a structure using a composite material having a skin and a stiffener which is a composite material in which fiber layers are laminated in a plate thickness direction, the method comprising: a tapering step of forming, with respect to the stiffener having a plate shape in an uncured state that has a first surface which is a flat plate surface and a second surface which is a surface opposite to the first surface, a first tapered surface forming an angle with the second surface; a bending step of bending the stiffener tapered in the tapering step so that the second surface is on an inner side; an arranging step of arranging the stiffener and the skin so that the first surface of the stiffener bent in the bending step and the skin comes into contact with each other; a vacuum suctioning step of covering the stiffener and the skin arranged in the arranging step with a flexible material and performing vacuum suctioning on an inside of the flexible material; and a joining step of curing the stiffener subjected to the vacuum suctioning step to join the stiffener and the skin to each other, wherein in the tapering step, the tapering is performed so that the angle between the first tapered surface and the second surface after the bending is performed in the bending step is an acute angle, and in the vacuum suctioning step, the vacuum suctioning is performed to deform the stiffener so that the first tapered surface comes into contact with the skin while maintaining a contact state between the first surface and the skin, and to deform the stiffener so that a second tapered surface having an acute angle with respect to the skin is formed on the second surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing a structure using a composite material according to claim 1, wherein in the tapering step, the tapering is performed so that the angle between the first tapered surface and the second surface is an angle set in consideration of a change in a plate thickness of the stiffener due to the curing in the joining step. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing a structure using a composite material according to claim 1, wherein the skin in the arranging step and the vacuum suctioning step is in an uncured state, and the skin is cured in the joining step.