Forming end effector and methods of use
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJonathan Young Ahn, Christopher Robert Brown, Karina Elizabeth Mealey, Ricardo Andreas Fritzke, Alexander K. Strait, Colin Noronha, Kurtis Shuldberg Willden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A forming end effector and methods of use are presented. Methods of forming a composite material onto a mandrel are presented. A forming end effector carrying the composite material is positioned over the mandrel. The forming end effector is connected to the mandrel. The composite material is swept onto the mandrel using sweepers of the forming end effector.
Claims24
A method of forming a composite material onto a mandrel, the method comprising:
- performing the steps below using a forming end effector comprising:
- a frame;
- a number of legs movably connected to the frame, wherein the number of legs comprise engagement pins;
- forming heads with sweepers each movably connected to the frame, respectively, by a number of actuators movably connected to the frame;
- a center actuator connected to the frame between the forming heads;
- and
- center pressers movably connected to the center actuator;
- positioning the forming end effector carrying the composite material over the mandrel;
- connecting the forming end effector to the mandrel;
- and
- sweeping the composite material onto the mandrel using sweepers of the forming end effector.
A forming end effector configured to form a composite material, wherein the forming end effector comprises:
- a frame;
- a number of legs movably connected to the frame, wherein the number of legs comprise engagement pins;
- forming heads with sweepers each movably connected to the frame, respectively, by a number of actuators movably connected to the frame;
- a center actuator connected to the frame between the forming heads;
- and
- center pressers movably connected to the center actuator.
A forming end effector configured to form a composite material, wherein the forming end effector comprises:
- a frame;
- forming heads each comprising, respectively, sweepers movably connected to the frame by a number of actuators movably connected to the frame and connected to the forming heads by pairs of hinges;
- a center actuator connected to the frame between the forming heads;
- and
- center pressers movably connected to the center actuator.
A method comprising:
- performing the steps below using a forming end effector comprising:
- a frame;
- a number of legs movably connected to the frame, wherein the number of legs comprise engagement pins;
- forming heads with sweepers each movably connected to the frame, respectively, by a number of actuators movably connected to the frame;
- a center actuator connected to the frame between the forming heads;
- and
- center pressers movably connected to the center actuator;
- forming a composite material onto a mandrel using sweepers of a forming end effector;
- and
- reacting loads from the forming end effector into the mandrel during forming of the composite material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.