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US 12,325,506 B2Granted
System for fusing thermoplastic composite structures
AssigneeSpirit AeroSystems, Inc.
InventorMark Anthony Wadsworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for fusing thermoplastic composite structures includes a skin and a substructure on an inner surface of the skin. The system also includes a shaping surface of a tool, with the skin laid up on the shaping surface. The shaping surface is configured to maintain the shape of an outer mold line. The system further includes at least one insulation layer applied over a flange of the substructure and over exposed portions of the inner surface of the skin not in contact with the substructure, and a vacuum bag at least partly enclosing the skin and the substructure. Heat can be applied to the shaping surface to fuse the substructure to the skin such that the skin exceeds its melting point and at least a portion of a raised segment of the substructure does not exceed its melting point.
Claims21
A system for fusing composite structures, the system comprising:
- a composite part comprising—
- a substructure comprising a flange and a raised segment, the flange comprising a faying surface;
- a skin comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the second side of the skin comprising:
- (A) another faying surface contacting the faying surface of the flange, and (B) an exposed portion not contacted by the substructure;
- a discontinuous insulation layer covering the flange opposite the faying surface of the flange and covering the exposed portion of the skin, the insulation layer being at least two-tenths of an inch (0.2″) thick under ambient pressure;
- a tool comprising—a shaping surface in a shape of an outer mold line and receiving the first side of the skin;
- a heating element supplying heat to the shaping surface;
- and a vacuum bag covering the composite part such that the composite part is at least partially enclosed by the combination of the vacuum bag and the shaping surface of the tool.
5 more elements
A system for fusing composite structures, the system comprising:
- a composite part comprising—
- a substructure comprising a flange and a raised segment, the flange comprising a faying surface;
- a skin comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the second side of the skin comprising:
- (A) another faying surface contacting the faying surface of the flange, and (B) an exposed portion not contacted by the substructure;
- an insulation layer covering the flange opposite the faying surface of the flange and covering the exposed portion of the skin, but not covering the raised segment of the substructure;
- a tool comprising—
- a shaping surface in a shape of an outer mold line and receiving the first side of the skin;
- a heating element supplying heat to the shaping surface;
- and
- a vacuum bag covering the composite part such that the composite part is at least partially enclosed by the combination of the vacuum bag and the shaping surface of the tool.
7 more elements
A system for fusing composite structures, the system comprising:
- a composite part comprising—
- a substructure comprising a first flange, a second flange, a first raised segment, and a second raised segment, the first flange comprising a first faying surface, the second flange comprising a second faying surface, and
- a skin comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the second side of the skin comprising:
- (A) a third faying surface contacting the first faying surface of the first flange, (B) an exposed portion between the first flange and the second flange, and (C) a fourth faying surface contacting the second faying surface of the second flange;
- an insulation layer comprising first and second discontinuous panels having corresponding first and second pre-determined widths, wherein at least one of the first and second discontinuous panels is located between and maintains a pre-determined separation between the first raised segment and the second raised segment, said pre-determined separation corresponding to the first or second pre-determined widths, wherein the insulation layer:
- covers the first flange opposite the first faying surface of the first flange,
- covers the second flange opposite the second faying surface of the second flange, and
- covers the exposed portion of the skin, but does not cover the first raised segment or the second raised segment;
- a tool comprising—
- a shaping surface in a shape of an outer mold line and receiving the first side of the skin;
- a heating element supplying heat to the shaping surface;
- a vacuum bag covering the composite part such that the composite part is at least partially enclosed by the combination of the vacuum bag and the shaping surface of the tool, wherein the vacuum bag comprises a first side facing the composite part and a second side opposite the first side;
- and
- a coolant fluid in contact with the second side of the vacuum bag, the coolant fluid being at a lower temperature than the composite part.
11 more elements
A system for fusing composite structures, the system comprising:
- a composite part comprising—
- a substructure comprising a flange and a raised segment, the flange comprising a faying surface;
- a skin comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the second side of the skin comprising:
- (A) another faying surface contacting the faying surface of the flange, and (B) an exposed portion not contacted by the substructure;
- an insulation layer covering the flange opposite the faying surface of the flange and covering the exposed portion of the skin, the insulation layer being at least two-tenths of an inch (0.2″) thick under ambient pressure;
- a tool comprising—
- a shaping surface in a shape of an outer mold line and receiving the first side of the skin;
- a heating element supplying heat to the shaping surface;
- and
- a vacuum bag covering the composite part such that the composite part is at least partially enclosed by the combination of the vacuum bag and the shaping surface of the tool;
- wherein the vacuum bag comprises a first side adjacent the composite part and a second side opposite the first side, the system further comprising a coolant fluid in contact with the second side of the vacuum bag, the coolant fluid being at a lower temperature than the composite part;
- wherein the system further comprises an autoclave containing the composite part, the tool, and the vacuum bag, wherein the coolant fluid is pressurized by the autoclave during steady-state heating.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.