Flexible Tooling Method and Apparatus
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMichael P. Kuntz, Mark L. Younie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molding apparatus comprises an upper molding box, a lower mold box, an upper flexible membrane covering an opening of the upper mold box, a lower flexible membrane covering an opening of the lower mold box, a heating system located in the upper mold box, a set of ports located between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane capable of being used to draw a vacuum between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane, and a displacement system located in the lower mold box under the lower flexible membrane.
Claims13
A molding apparatus comprising:
- an upper mold box;
- a lower mold box;
- an upper flexible membrane covering an opening of the upper mold box;
- a lower flexible membrane covering an opening of the lower mold box;
- a number of heaters configured to generate heat;
- a set of ports capable of being used to apply a vacuum between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane;
- and
- a displacement system located in the lower mold box under the lower flexible membrane.
An apparatus comprising:
- an upper mold box;
- a lower mold box;
- an upper flexible membrane covering an opening of the upper mold box;
- a lower flexible membrane covering an opening of the lower mold box;
- a set of ports capable of being used to apply a vacuum between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane;
- and
- a displacement system having a vibration unit and a bladder located in the lower mold box under the lower flexible membrane, wherein the displacement system is capable of displacing a support material to conform to a shape of a part placed between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane to form a conformed surface in which the bladder is capable of being inflated to displace the support material and the vibration unit is capable of placing the support material into a pliable state.
-20. (canceled)
An apparatus for processing aircraft parts comprising:
- an upper mold box;
- a lower mold box;
- an upper flexible membrane covering an opening of the upper mold box;
- a lower flexible membrane covering an opening of the lower mold box;
- a set of ports capable of being used to apply a vacuum between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane;
- a heating system located in the upper mold box;
- and
- a displacement system having a vibration unit and a bladder located in the lower mold box under the lower flexible membrane, wherein the displacement system is capable of displacing a support material comprising a plurality of spheres to conform to a shape of a part placed between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane to form a conformed surface in which the bladder is capable of being inflated to displace the support material and the vibration unit is capable of placing the support material into a pliable state.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.