# US 12,179,298 B2 · In situ crack repair in structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,298 B2 - Document ID: US12179298B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/521,150 - Filed: 2023-11-28 - Published: 2024-03-21 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-17 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Michael J. Deluca; Matthew H. Cawthorne; Howard T. Rolleston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179298B2 ## CPC - B23P 6/04: Repairing fractures or cracked metal parts or products, e.g. castings - B23K 20/002: {specially adapted for particular articles or work (B23K20/129 takes precedence)} - B29C 73/04: using preformed elements - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract A method for repairing a crack in a structure includes mounting a manifold to the structure around the crack. The structure has a nonplanar surface contour that surrounds the crack. The manifold has a base portion, a cover portion, and a plug. The base portion has a grip surface configured to conform to the nonplanar surface contour of the structure. The cover portion is connected to the base portion, and has an injection port and a vent port in fluid communication with a channel aligned to the crack. The injection port transfers a bonding material into and out of the channel. The plug closes and opens the vent port. The method includes filling the channel with the bonding material to direct the bonding material into the crack, and draining the bonding material from the manifold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A repair system comprising: a rig configured to support a structure that has a crack, wherein the structure has a nonplanar surface contour that surrounds the crack; a manifold mountable to the structure around the crack, wherein: the manifold has a base portion, a cover portion, and a plug; the base portion has a grip surface configured to conform to the nonplanar surface contour of the structure that surrounds the crack, the base portion defines a channel, and the channel is in fluid communication with the crack while the base portion is mounted to the structure; the cover portion is connected to the base portion and covers the channel, the cover portion has an injection port and a vent port that are in fluid communication with the channel, and the injection port is configured to transfer a bonding material alternatively into the channel and out of the channel; and the plug is configured to alternatively close and open the vent port; and a container in fluid communication with the injection port and configured to transfer the bonding material into the channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The repair system according to claim 1, further comprising: a heater configured to warm an area of the structure around the crack prior to filling the channel with the bonding material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The repair system according to claim 1, further comprising: one or more arms attached to the structure and removably attachable to the structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The repair system according to claim 3, wherein the one or more arms are configured to apply a mechanical load to the structure to open the crack. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The repair system according to claim 4, further comprising: a pump in fluid communication with the container and configured to fill the channel through the injection port with the bonding material while the crack is open. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The repair system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more arms are further configured to reduce the mechanical load on the structure to close the crack after the bonding material has filled the channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The repair system according to claim 6, wherein the bonding material is drained from the manifold through the injection port after the crack has been closed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The repair system according to claim 1, further comprising: one or more arms attached to the rig; and one or more grips disposed between the one or more arm and the structure, and removably attachable to the structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The repair system according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensor configured to measure a parameter of the structure during the repair. ### Claim 10 A manifold to repair a crack in a structure that has a nonplanar surface contour that surrounds the crack, the manifold comprising: a base portion that has a grip surface configured to conform to the nonplanar surface contour of the structure that surrounds the crack, wherein the base portion defines a channel, and the channel is in fluid communication with the crack while the base portion is mounted to the structure; and a cover portion that is connected to the base portion and covers the channel, wherein the cover portion has an injection port and a vent port that are in fluid communication with the channel, the injection port is couplable to a container, and the injection port is configured to transfer a bonding material alternatively into the channel from the container and out of the channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The manifold according to claim 10, further comprising: a plug configured to open the vent port to pass air out of the channel as the channel is filled with the bonding material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The manifold according to claim 11, wherein the plug is further configured to close the vent port while the bonding material in the channel is under pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The manifold according to claim 10, wherein the cover portion is transparent to infrared light that warms an area of the structure around the crack prior to filling the channel with the bonding material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The manifold according to claim 13, wherein the cover portion is transparent to visible light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The manifold according to claim 10, wherein the base portion is wider at the grip surface than at the cover portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The manifold according to claim 10, wherein the manifold is one of a square manifold, a circular manifold, or a hexagonal manifold. ### Claim 17 A repair system comprising: a rig configured to support a structure that has a crack, wherein the structure has a nonplanar surface contour that surrounds the crack; a manifold mountable to the structure around the crack, wherein the manifold has a base portion, a cover portion, and a plug, the base portion has a grip surface configured to conform to the nonplanar surface contour of the structure that surrounds the crack, the base portion defines a channel, and the channel is in fluid communication with the crack while the base portion is mounted to the structure, the cover portion is connected to the base portion and covers the channel, the cover portion has an injection port and a vent port that are in fluid communication with the channel, and the injection port is configured to transfer a bonding material alternatively into the channel and out of the channel, and the plug is configured to alternatively close and open the vent port; and a heater configured to warm an area of the structure around the crack prior to filling the channel with the bonding material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The repair system according to claim 17, further comprising: one or more arms attached to the structure and removably attachable to the structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The repair system according to claim 18, wherein the one or more arms are configured to apply a mechanical load to the structure to open the crack. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The repair system according to claim 19, further comprising: a pump in fluid communication with the injection port and configured to fill the channel in the manifold with the bonding material while the crack is open.