Composite Filler Forming Apparatus
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCharles William Thomas, Gabriel Zane Forston, Benjamin Jeffrey Stephenson
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Abstract
A system and method for forming a composite filler. The method comprises applying a pressure to a first portion of a composite material blank with a pair of forming dies of a composite filler forming apparatus, the pair of forming dies having a pair of convex radii, each forming die of the pair of forming dies having a respective convex radius of the pair of convex radii. The method also repeats the applying step to a subsequent portion of the composite material blank to incrementally form the composite material blank into a desired cross-section along its length.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- applying a pressure to a first portion of a composite material blank with a pair of forming dies of a composite filler forming apparatus, the pair of forming dies having a pair of convex radii, each forming die of the pair of forming dies having a respective convex radius of the pair of convex radii;
- and
- repeating the applying step to a subsequent portion of the composite material blank to incrementally form the composite material blank into a desired cross-section along its length.
An apparatus comprising:
- a base that carries a composite material blank;
- a pair of forming dies having a pair of convex radii, each forming die of the pair of forming dies having a respective convex radius of the pair of convex radii, the pair of forming dies positioned to form a first side and a second side of a substantially triangular cross-section in the composite material blank;
- and
- a number of actuators associated with the pair of forming dies, wherein the number of actuators move the pair of forming dies such that a pressure is applied to a portion of the composite material blank with the pair of forming dies.
A method comprising:
- compressing a first portion of a composite material blank with respective convex radii of a pair of forming dies such that a substantially triangular cross-section is formed in the first portion of the composite material blank;
- advancing the composite material blank a designated distance after compressing the first portion of the composite material blank;
- and
- compressing a second portion of the composite material blank with the respective convex radii of the pair of forming dies such that the substantially triangular cross-section is formed in the second portion of the composite material blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.