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US 12,734,771 B2Granted
Systems and methods for locally curing composite structures
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJonathan Y. Ahn, Xiaoxi Wang, Jill E. Seebergh, Shuonan Dong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for locally curing a composite structure includes a constraining container including a cover and having an interior volume. The cover is configured to enclose a portion of a composite structure. The system includes a retainer configured to hold the cover against the composite structure. The system included an expandable medium configured to be disposed within the interior volume of the cover between the walls and the composite structure.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- enclosing a portion of a composite structure and an initial volume of an expandable medium within an interior volume formed by a constraining container and the composite structure;
- holding at least a portion of the constraining container against the composite structure;
- producing a predetermined change in at least one of an internal cellular structure or a chemical state of the expandable medium thereby expanding the expandable medium disposed within the interior volume formed by the constraining container and the composite structure toward a predetermined volume that is greater than the interior volume and applying positive pressure to the composite structure;
- and
- curing the composite structure under the positive pressure.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- enclosing a portion of a composite structure and an initial volume of an expandable medium within an interior volume formed by a constraining container and the composite structure, wherein the composite structure comprises a plurality of composite layers, and wherein and at least composite layer of the plurality of composite layers is uncured or partially cured;
- holding at least a portion of the constraining container against the composite structure;
- producing a predetermined change in at least one of an internal cellular structure or a chemical state of the expandable medium thereby expanding the expandable medium disposed within the interior volume formed by the constraining container and the composite structure toward a predetermined volume that is greater than the interior volume and applying positive pressure to the composite structure;
- selectively varying the interior volume formed by the constraining container and the composite structure thereby controlling the positive pressure to the composite structure;
- and
- curing the composite structure under the positive pressure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.