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US 12,539,647 B2Granted
Bladder vent plugs for composite-manufacturing bladders and systems and methods for assembling stiffened composite structures
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsByron J. Autry, James R. Kendall, Santiago M. Mejia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems (100) for assembling stiffened composite structures comprise a layup mandrel (102) and a network (104) of fluid lines (116) configured to be selectively and fluidically coupled to stringer bladders (118) positioned relative to the layup mandrel (102). Bladder vent plugs (300) are adjustable in length and are configured to close stringer bladders (118) except for fluid connection to the fluid lines (116).
Claims22
A bladder vent plug, the bladder vent plug comprising:
- a main body defining a main-body bore extending longitudinally through the main body;
- a plug head defining a plug-head bore extending longitudinally through the plug head and longitudinally aligned with the main-body bore, wherein the plug head is configured to be operatively coupled to a composite-manufacturing bladder;
- an elongate conduit extending from the plug head, wherein the elongate conduit is slidingly received within the main-body bore;
- and
- a vent connector coupled to the main body and in fluid communication with the main-body bore;
- wherein the main-body bore, the plug-head bore, and the elongate conduit are fluidically coupled and collectively define a vent passage extending through the bladder vent plug.
3 more elements
A system for assembling stiffened composite structures, the system comprising:
- a layup mandrel comprising an outer surface;
- a network of fluid lines, wherein the network of fluid lines is configured to be selectively and fluidically coupled to stringer bladders positioned relative to the layup mandrel, and wherein the network of fluid lines extends through the layup mandrel;
- and
- a respective bladder vent plug operatively coupled to each respective stringer bladder, such that the respective bladder vent plug closes a hollow interior of the respective stringer bladder except for fluid connection to the network of fluid lines;
- wherein each respective bladder vent plug comprises:
- a main body defining a main-body bore extending longitudinally through the main body;
- a plug head defining a plug-head bore extending longitudinally through the plug head and longitudinally aligned with the main-body bore, wherein the plug head is configured to be operatively coupled to the respective stringer bladder;
- and
- an elongate conduit extending from the plug head, wherein the elongate conduit is slidingly received within the main-body bore;
- and
- wherein the main-body bore, the plug-head bore, and the elongate conduit are fluidically coupled and collectively define a vent passage extending through the respective bladder vent plug, wherein the layup mandrel comprises a face sheet, wherein the main-body bore comprises a main portion within which the elongate conduit is slidingly received and a transverse exit portion that extends transverse to the main portion, and wherein the transverse exit portion is in fluid communication with a vent line extending through the face sheet of the layup mandrel.
8 more elements
A bladder vent plug, the bladder vent plug comprising:
- a main body defining a main-body bore extending longitudinally through the main body;
- a plug head defining a plug-head bore extending longitudinally through the plug head and longitudinally aligned with the main-body bore, wherein the plug head is configured to be operatively coupled to a composite-manufacturing bladder;
- an elongate conduit extending from the plug head, wherein the elongate conduit is slidingly received within the main-body bore;
- and
- at least one stroke limiter fixed to the plug head, wherein the main body further defines at least one stroke-limiter bore, and wherein the at least one stroke limiter is slidingly received within the at least one stroke-limiter bore;
- wherein the main-body bore, the plug-head bore, and the elongate conduit are fluidically coupled and collectively define a vent passage extending through the bladder vent plug.
3 more elements
A bladder vent plug, the bladder vent plug comprising:
- a main body defining a main-body bore extending longitudinally through the main body;
- a plug head defining a plug-head bore extending longitudinally through the plug head and longitudinally aligned with the main-body bore, wherein the plug head is configured to be operatively coupled to a composite-manufacturing bladder;
- an elongate conduit extending from the plug head, wherein the elongate conduit is slidingly received within the main-body bore;
- and
- a sleeve operatively coupled to the plug head and the main body, wherein the sleeve is disposed between the plug head and the main body and extends around the elongate conduit;
- wherein the main-body bore, the plug-head bore, and the elongate conduit are fluidically coupled and collectively define a vent passage extending through the bladder vent plug.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.