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US 12,128,589 B2Granted
Constant cross section mandrel for CMC components
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsKen F. Blaney, Thomas E. Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mandrel for a molding process includes a first portion and a second portion that form a mandrel having a channel between the first and second portions. At least one locking pin is configured to urge the first and second portions away from each other to establish a gap in response to inserting the locking pin into the channel along a respective end of the mandrel. A molding apparatus and method of forming a matrix composite component are also disclosed.
Claims20
A mandrel for a molding process, comprising:
- a first portion having a first portion outer surface, a first portion inner surface, a first portion first end, and a first portion second end, wherein a thickness of the first portion first end is greater than a thickness of the first portion second end;
- a second portion having a second portion outer surface, a second portion inner surface, a second portion first end, and a second portion second end, wherein a thickness of the second portion first end is smaller than a thickness of the second portion second end;
- wherein the first portion inner surface engages the second portion inner surface to form a mandrel having a constant cross-section and a channel between the first and second portions, the channel extends a length between a first end and a second end of the mandrel, the first end of the mandrel is established by the first portion first end and the second portion first end, and the second end of the mandrel is established by the first portion second end and the second portion second end;
- and
- at least one locking pin configured to urge the first and second portions away from each other to establish a gap in response to inserting the locking pin into the channel along a respective one of the first and second ends of the mandrel, wherein the gap extends between the first and second portion inner surfaces along the length of the channel.
2 more elements
A molding apparatus, comprising:
- a fixture having a first member and a second member extending from a base, the first member having a groove and the second member having a fixture pin;
- a mandrel having a first portion and a second portion, each of the first and second portions having a dovetail mating surface, and the mandrel having first and second locking pins, wherein the mandrel has a constant cross-section and a channel between the first and second portions, the channel extends a length between a first end and a second end of the mandrel, the first end of the mandrel is established by a first portion first end of the first portion and a second portion first end of the second portion, and the second end of the mandrel is established by a first portion second end of the first portion and a second portion second end of the second portion;
- wherein the first and second locking pins urge the first and second portions away from each other to establish a gap in response to inserting the first and second locking pins into openings of the channel along the respective first and second ends of the mandrel, and the gap extends between first and second portion inner surfaces of the respective first and second portions along the length of the channel;
- and
- wherein the mandrel is secured to the fixture by the groove at the first member and by the fixture pin at the second member such that the mandrel spans between the first and second members.
2 more elements
A method of forming a matrix composite component, comprising:
- engaging a first dovetail of a first portion and a second dovetail of a second portion to establish a mandrel, the mandrel having a constant cross-section and a channel extending a length between a first end and a second end of the mandrel established by the first and second portions, the first end of the mandrel is established by a first portion first end of the first portion and a second portion first end of the second portion, and the second end of the mandrel is established by a first portion second end of the first portion and a second portion second end of the second portion;
- urging the first and second portions away from each other to establish a gap in response to inserting at least one locking pin through an opening along a respective one of the first end and the second end of the mandrel and then into the channel, wherein the gap extends between first and second portion inner surfaces of the respective first and second portions along the length of the channel such that the gap is established between opposed faces of the first and second portions;
- wrapping a matrix composite laminate about the mandrel to form a component;
- removing the at least one locking pin;
- and
- removing the first portion from a first end of the component and removing the second portion from a second end of the component.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.