Vacuum debulk and radiation cure system and apparatus
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMark S. Wilenski, Arvid J. Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for fabricating a composite item from a layup may comprise a debulking device, a vacuum generator and a curing device. The debulking device may include a vacuum chamber, an envelope and a heater. The vacuum chamber may have a chamber pressure. The envelope may be contained within the vacuum chamber and may have an envelope pressure. The layup may be received within the envelope. The heater may heat the layup. The vacuum generator may be in fluid connection with the debulking device. The curing device may cure the layup.
Claims20
A system for fabricating a composite item from a layup, comprising:
- a debulking device including:
- a vacuum chamber having a chamber pressure;
- an envelope contained within the vacuum chamber and having an envelope pressure, the envelope receiving the layup;
- and
- a heater to heat the layup;
- a vacuum generator in fluid connection with the debulking device;
- and
- a curing device for curing the layup.
An apparatus for fabricating a composite item from a layup of composite material, the apparatus comprising:
- means for degassing the layup including:
- means for reducing an envelope pressure within an envelope containing the layup;
- means for reducing a chamber pressure within a vacuum chamber containing the envelope;
- and
- means for heating the layup;
- means for debulking the layup including:
- means for increasing the chamber pressure relative to the envelope pressure such that the envelope exerts a compressive force upon the layup in response to the relatively higher chamber pressure relative to the envelope pressure;
- and
- means for curing the layup by exposing the layup to radiation to generate the composite item.
A system for fabricating a composite item from a layup including at least one ply of composite material and a radiation curable resin, comprising:
- a mandrel for receiving the layup;
- a debulking device including:
- a vacuum chamber having a chamber pressure;
- a vacuum generator in fluid connection with the vacuum chamber;
- a valve disposed between the vacuum chamber and the vacuum generator for controlling vacuum pressure within the vacuum chamber;
- an envelope contained within the vacuum chamber and having an envelope pressure, the envelope receiving the layup;
- a vacuum generator in fluid connection with the envelope;
- a valve disposed between the envelope and the vacuum generator for controlling vacuum pressure within the envelope;
- and
- a heater to heat the layup and comprising at least one of a heating element and an infrared heater;
- and
- an emitter for curing the layup, the emitter emitting at least one of the following:
- an electron beam, ultraviolet radiation, X-ray radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.