US 11,826,972 B2Granted

Molded laminated structure with negative draft angles and associated methods of manufacturing

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorJeffrey Wirrick

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a molded laminated structure having negative draft angles and methods of manufacturing a molded laminated structure having negative draft angles. A preliminary structure having a first outer layer and a second outer layer is molded with a bend that divides the preliminary structure into two sections with an angle between the two sections of less than 180-degrees. Portions that extends from the sections are at positive draft angles. A groove is formed in the preliminary structure at the bend but not formed in a constant cross-section of the second outer layer. The preliminary structure is folding along the bend to at least partially close the groove and form a molded laminated structure with portions that extend at a negative draft configuration while retaining the second outer layer continuous throughout the molded laminated structure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A molded laminated structure comprising:

a first outer layer, defining a first outer surface;
a second outer layer, defining a second outer surface, wherein the first outer surface is opposite the second outer surface;
a core, interposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer;
an intermediate portion;
a first portion, extending from the intermediate portion at a first negative draft angle relative to a horizontal plane;
a second portion, extending from the intermediate portion towards the first portion at a second negative draft angle relative to the horizontal plane, wherein the first portion and the second portion are at opposite ends of the intermediate portion and the first portion extends towards the second portion;
a groove formed in the first outer layer and in the core, and extending in a linear path across an entirety of the intermediate portion along a folding joint between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the groove is not formed in a constant cross-section of the second outer layer such that the second outer layer is continuous across a constant cross-section of the intermediate portion along the groove, wherein the groove divides the first outer layer into two sections and divides the core into two sections, and wherein the groove is large enough so that the two sections of the first outer layer are not in contact with each other and the two sections of the core are not in contact with each other;
and
an adhesive filling the groove.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/350,867Filed 17 Jun 2021 · division
Priority: 4 Feb 2020
Published: US 2021/0237378 A17 Oct 2021
Granted: 28 Nov 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification43 codes

B29C 70/545
Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations , e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing:…
B64F 5/10
Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing…
B29C 53/06
Of plates or sheets: forming folding lines by pressing or scoring
B29C 53/066
Combined with folding: and joining the sides of the folding line, e.g. "Abkantschweissen"

Family

Application16/781,640Parent of this division · filed 4 Feb 2020
US 2021/0308970 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Oct 2021
US 11,077,630 B1Parent of this division
US 2021/0237378 A1Published application
US 11,826,972 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.