Systems and methods for adhesive-injected patch repair
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJoseph L. Hafenrichter, Gary E. Georgeson, Marc J. Piehl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an example, a method is described. The method comprises placing a repair patch over a repair area of a structure, the repair patch comprising a repair-patch hole. The method also comprises sealing the repair patch and repair area with a vacuum bag having a seal ring around a periphery of the vacuum bag. The method also comprises evacuating, via an adhesive injection apparatus attached to the repair-patch hole and the seal ring of the vacuum bag, the repair area and an injection channel of the adhesive injection apparatus. The method also comprises forcing adhesive through the evacuated injection channel and into the evacuated repair area.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- placing a repair patch over a repair area of a structure, the repair patch comprising a repair-patch hole;
- sealing the repair patch and repair area with a vacuum bag having a seal ring around a periphery of the vacuum bag;
- evacuating, via an adhesive injection apparatus attached to the repair-patch hole and the seal ring of the vacuum bag, the repair area and an injection channel of the adhesive injection apparatus;
- and
- forcing adhesive through the evacuated injection channel and into the evacuated repair area.
An adhesive injection apparatus comprising:
- a transfer channel configured to be fluidly coupled to an adhesive reservoir;
- an injection channel configured to be fluidly coupled to a repair area;
- an evacuation channel configured to be fluidly coupled to a vacuum source;
- a seal actuation tube configured to be fluidly coupled to the evacuation channel and a seal ring around a periphery of a vacuum bag, wherein the vacuum bag is used to seal a repair patch and the repair area;
- and
- a three-way valve disposed between the transfer channel, the injection channel, and the evacuation channel and selectively operable to establish fluid communication between the evacuation channel and the injection channel, between the evacuation channel and the transfer channel, and between the transfer channel and the injection channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.