Tubular structure and a method of manufacturing thereof
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGeorge Stephen Cowart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and structures are disclosed. An example method includes: rotating a tubular mandrel about a longitudinal axis of the tubular mandrel; depositing a composite material on an inner surface of the tubular mandrel to form a composite tubular member on the inner surface of the tubular mandrel; inserting and expanding an inner expandable mandrel within the composite tubular member to cause the inner expandable mandrel to press the composite tubular member against the inner surface of the tubular mandrel; curing the composite tubular member; removing the inner expandable mandrel; placing a frame within the composite tubular member; and removing the tubular mandrel so as to obtain the composite tubular member with the frame placed therein.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- rotating a tubular mandrel about a longitudinal axis of the tubular mandrel, wherein the tubular mandrel is vertically-oriented;
- depositing a composite material on an inner surface of the tubular mandrel as the tubular mandrel is rotated so as to form a composite tubular member on the inner surface of the tubular mandrel;
- inserting an inner expandable mandrel within the composite tubular member;
- expanding the inner expandable mandrel so as to cause the inner expandable mandrel to press the composite tubular member against the inner surface of the tubular mandrel;
- curing the composite tubular member while being sandwiched between the inner expandable mandrel and the tubular mandrel;
- removing the inner expandable mandrel;
- placing a frame within the composite tubular member, wherein the frame is a geodesic frame comprising two oppositely-wound spirals joined at intersection points of the two oppositely-wound spirals, and wherein placing the geodesic frame within the composite tubular member comprises:
- axially stretching the geodesic frame to reduce a diameter of the geodesic frame, inserting the axially stretched geodesic frame within the composite tubular member, and releasing the geodesic frame to cause the diameter of the geodesic frame to expand, thereby causing the geodesic frame to contact the composite tubular member;
- and
- removing the tubular mandrel so as to obtain the composite tubular member with the frame placed therein.
A method for preparing a tubular structure, the method comprising:
- rotating a tubular mandrel about a longitudinal axis of the tubular mandrel;
- depositing a composite material on an inner surface of the tubular mandrel as the tubular mandrel is rotated so as to form a composite tubular member on the inner surface of the tubular mandrel, wherein the composite tubular member includes one or more sections having an increased thickness compared to other sections of the composite tubular member, and wherein depositing the composite material to form the composite tubular member on the inner surface of the tubular mandrel comprises:
- depositing the composite material via a longitudinally-moving device, wherein a longitudinal speed of the longitudinally-moving device and number of passes of the longitudinally-moving device at the one or more sections are varied to increase thickness of the composite material at the one or more sections of the composite tubular member;
- inserting an inner expandable mandrel within the composite tubular member;
- expanding the inner expandable mandrel so as to cause the inner expandable mandrel to press the composite tubular member against the inner surface of the tubular mandrel;
- removing the inner expandable mandrel;
- inserting a geodesic frame within the composite tubular member;
- and
- removing the tubular mandrel so as to obtain the composite tubular member with the geodesic frame placed therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.