Device, system and method for tacking layers of material
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsNayeem Chowdhury, Pei Li Ong, Shaun McFetridge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tacking device for tacking together two overlapped or abutted layers of material includes a body portion having a first body portion end, one or more micro-heaters attached to the body portion at the first body portion end, and a switch in electrical communication with the one or more micro-heaters and configured to permit or prevent a flow of electric power to the one or more micro-heaters. A system and method for tacking together two overlapped or abutted layers of material are also provided.
Claims42
A tacking device for tacking together two overlapped or abutted layers of material, comprising:
- a body portion having a first body portion end;
- an elongated tip extending from the first body portion end and comprising a distal tip end;
- one or more micro-heaters attached to the elongated tip and disposed on an exterior surface of the distal tip end;
- and
- a switch in electrical communication with the one or more micro-heaters and configured to permit or prevent a flow of electric power to the one or more micro-heaters.
A tacking device for tacking together two overlapped or abutted layers of material, comprising:
- a body portion having a first body portion end;
- a roller having a hub that is rotatably attached to the first body portion end;
- one or more micro-heaters attached about an outer perimeter of the roller;
- and
- a switch in electrical communication with the one or more micro-heaters and configured to permit or prevent a flow of electric power to the one or more micro-heaters.
A method for tacking together two layers of material, comprising:
- overlapping or abutting the two layers of material, thereby providing an overlapped or abutted area;
- applying electric power to a tacking device, wherein the tacking device comprises:
- a body portion with a first body portion end;
- one of an elongated tip extending from the first body portion end and comprising a distal tip end or a roller having a hub that is rotatably attached to the first body portion end;
- one or more micro-heaters attached to one of the elongated tip and disposed on an exterior surface of the distal tip end or about an outer perimeter of the roller, wherein the applied electric power causes the one or more micro-heaters to heat up, thereby providing one or more heated-up micro-heaters;
- and
- pressing the tacking device against the overlapped or abutted area with the one or more heated-up micro-heaters pressed against one or more selected portions of the overlapped or abutted area, thereby producing one or more corresponding tacked portions of the overlapped or abutted layers.
A system for tacking together two layers of material, comprising:
- a tacking device comprising:
- a body portion with a first body portion end;
- one of an elongated tip extending from the first body portion end and comprising a distal tip end or a roller having a hub that is rotatably attached to the first body portion end;
- one or more micro-heaters attached to one of the elongated tip and disposed on an exterior surface of the distal tip end or about an outer perimeter of the roller;
- and
- a switch in electrical communication with the one or more micro-heaters and configured to permit or prevent a flow of electric power to the one or more micro-heaters;
- a power supply for supplying the electric power to the tacking device to heat up the one or more micro-heaters, thereby providing one or more heated-up micro-heaters;
- and
- a work space on which the two layers of material may be overlapped or abutted with each other and tacked together by pressing the one or more heated-up micro-heaters against the two overlapped or abutted layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.