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US 11,370,159 B2Granted
Apparatus for forming a contoured hat stiffener
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMichael Robert Chapman, Gordon Dale Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible punch and die are used to form a flat composite laminate charge into a stiffener having a desired cross sectional shape. A desired contour is formed in the stiffener by bending the punch and die. Ply wrinkling is avoided during contouring by maintaining those portions of the stiffener subject to wrinkling in tension as the contouring is being performed. Bridging of the plies during the contouring process is avoided by first contouring those sections of the stiffener that are subject to wrinkling, and then contouring the remaining sections of the stiffener.
Claims20
An apparatus configured to form a hat stiffener that comprises a pair of webs that connect a cap with a pair of flanges and a contour along a length of the hat stiffener such that the apparatus comprises:
- an upper platen and a lower platen, wherein:
- the lower platen comprises lower pneumatic cylinders configured to drive lower piston rods against a lower support structure that supports a lower plate that holds a die that comprises a first die member and a second die member configured to space apart from each other and form a cavity therebetween, wherein the lower support structure comprises lower pressure plate cylinders that comprise lower output rods configured to:
- extend through the lower plate;
- connect to a pressure plate that rests within the cavity and on the lower plate;
- and
- press the pressure plate against a surface of a punch connected to an upper plate such that a uniform pressure is applied along an entire length of the pressure plate against an entire bottom of the punch, wherein the entire bottom of the punch is substantially parallel to the pressure plate;
- and
- the upper platen comprises upper pneumatic cylinders that comprise upper piston rods connected to and configured to drive against an upper support structure that comprises upper pressure plate cylinders that comprise upper output rods connected to the upper plate distributed along an upper length of the die, wherein the upper plate is configured to compress a composite charge against an upper surface of the die and comprises the punch configured to drive the composite charge into the cavity and against the pressure plate.
5 more elements
An apparatus configured to form a hat stiffener that comprises a contour along a length of the hat stiffener, such that the hat stiffener comprises:
- a cap, a pair of flanges, and a pair of webs that connect the pair of flanges to the cap, and the apparatus comprises:
- an upper platen and a lower platen, wherein:
- the lower platen comprises lower pneumatic cylinders configured to drive lower piston rods against a lower support structure that supports a lower plate that holds a die that comprises a first die member and a second die member configured to space apart from each other and form a cavity therebetween, wherein the lower support structure comprises lower pressure plate cylinders that comprise lower output rods configured to:
- extend through the lower plate;
- connect to a pressure plate that rests within the cavity and on the lower plate;
- and
- press the pressure plate against a surface of a punch that comprises segments coupled together and attached to an upper plate connected to an upper support structure such that a uniform pressure is applied along an entire length of the pressure plate against an entire bottom of the punch, wherein the entire bottom of the punch is substantially parallel to the pressure plate;
- the upper platen comprises upper pneumatic cylinders that comprise upper piston rods connected to and configured to drive against the upper support structure, wherein the upper support structure comprises upper pressure plate cylinders that comprise upper output rods connected to the upper plate distributed along an upper length of the die, wherein the upper plate is configured to compress a composite charge against an upper surface of the die and comprises a punch;
- a heating blanket configured to lay above the composite charge held by the die;
- and
- the punch configured to drive the composite charge and the pressure plate into the cavity and form the cap and the pair of webs into a portion of the composite charge to form the hat stiffener.
8 more elements
An apparatus configured to form a hat stiffener that comprises a contour along a length of the hat stiffener, such that the hat stiffener comprises:
- a cap, a pair of flanges, and a pair of webs that connect the pair of flanges to the cap, such that the apparatus comprises:
- an upper platen and a lower platen, wherein:
- the lower platen comprises lower pneumatic cylinders configured to drive lower piston rods against a lower support structure that supports a lower plate that holds a die that comprises a first die member and a second die member configured to space apart from each other and form a cavity therebetween, wherein the lower support structure comprises lower pressure plate cylinders that comprise lower output rods configured to:
- extend through the lower plate;
- connect to a pressure plate that rests within the cavity and on the lower plate;
- and
- press the pressure plate against a surface of a punch segmented together and attached to an upper plate connected to an upper support structure such that a uniform pressure is applied along an entire length of the pressure plate against an entire bottom of the punch, wherein the entire bottom of the punch is substantially parallel to the pressure plate;
- the upper platen comprises upper pneumatic cylinders that comprise upper piston rods connected to and configured to drive against the upper support structure, wherein the upper support structure comprises upper pressure plate cylinders that comprise upper output rods connected to the upper plate distributed along an upper length of the die, wherein the upper plate is configured to compress a composite charge against an upper surface of the die and comprises a punch;
- a heating device configured to heat the composite charge to a forming temperature;
- and
- the punch configured to drive the composite charge and the pressure plate into the cavity and form the cap and the pair of webs into a portion of the composite charge that forms the hat stiffener.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.