# US 2019/0168466 A1 · System, valve, and method for liquid resin infusion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168466 A1 - Document ID: US20190168466A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/833,604 - Filed: 2017-12-06 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Richard W. Roberts; Kursat Sezai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168466A1 ## CPC - B29C 70/443: {and impregnating by vacuum or injection} - B29C 70/546: {Measures for feeding or distributing the matrix material in the reinforcing structure} - B29C 70/547: {using channels or porous distribution layers incorporated in or associated with the product} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract Described herein is a system for infusing liquid resin into a sheet of fibrous material. The system comprises a tool and a permeable media layer, configured to have the sheet therebetween. The system further comprises a non-permeable bladder configured to be sealed to the tool about the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer such that the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer are sealed between the non-permeable bladder and the tool. The system additionally comprises an inlet selectively fluidly coupleable with the permeable media layer to deliver liquid resin to the permeable media layer. The system also comprises an outlet selectively fluidly coupleable with the permeable media layer to create a pressure differential across the non-permeable bladder. The system further comprises a permeability control valve selectively operable to adjust the permeability of the permeable media layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for infusing liquid resin into a sheet of fibrous material, the system comprising: a tool; a permeable media layer, wherein the tool and the permeable media layer are configured to have the sheet therebetween; a non-permeable bladder configured to be sealed to the tool about the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer such that, when the sheet of fibrous material is between the tool and the permeable media layer, the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer are sealed between the non-permeable bladder and the tool; an inlet selectively fluidly coupleable with the permeable media layer to deliver liquid resin to the permeable media layer; an outlet selectively fluidly coupleable with the permeable media layer to create a pressure differential across the non-permeable bladder; and a permeability control valve selectively operable to adjust the permeability of the permeable media layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a gap formed in the permeable media layer, wherein the permeability control valve is selectively operable to plug the gap to reduce the permeability of the permeable media layer, by urging the non-permeable bladder into the gap, and unplug the gap to increase the permeability of the permeable media layer, by urging the non-permeable bladder out of the gap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the permeability control valve comprises a rigid cap sealed to the non-permeable bladder over the gap. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3, wherein: the rigid cap defines an interior cavity between the rigid cap and the non-permeable bladder; and the permeability control valve further comprises a first vacuum fluidly coupleable with the rigid cap and selectively operable to reduce a first pressure (P1) in the interior cavity to below atmospheric pressure to allow the non-permeable bladder to move out of the gap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, further comprising a vent fluidly coupled with the rigid cap and selectively operable to vent the interior cavity to the atmosphere to plug the gap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, further comprising: a resin source configured to contain the liquid resin and fluidly coupleable with the inlet to deliver the liquid resin to the inlet; a second vacuum fluidly coupleable with the resin source to adjust a second pressure (P2) applied to the liquid resin in the resin source; and a third vacuum fluidly coupleable with the outlet to adjust a third pressure (P3) at the outlet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein: the system is operable in one of a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode; in the first mode, the first pressure (P1) is approximately zero millibar, the second pressure (P2) is approximately zero millibar, and the third pressure (P3) is approximately zero millibar; in the second mode, the first pressure (P1) is atmospheric pressure, the second pressure (P2) is greater than zero millibar and less than atmospheric pressure, and the third pressure (P3) is approximately zero millibar; and in the third mode, the first pressure (P1) is approximately zero millibar, the second pressure (P2) is greater than zero millibar and less than atmospheric pressure, and the third pressure (P3) is approximately zero millibar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, further comprising a controller operably coupled with the first vacuum, the second vacuum, and the third vacuum and configured to automatically switch operation of the system between the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the permeability control valve is adjacent the outlet and between the inlet and the outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the permeability control valve is adjacent the inlet and between the inlet and the outlet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein: the permeability control valve is a first permeability control valve adjacent the outlet and between the inlet and the outlet; and the system further comprises a second permeability control valve adjacent the inlet and between the inlet and the outlet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a release film layer configured to be interposed between the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer, when the sheet of fibrous material is between the tool and the permeable media layer, and interposed between the tool and the permeable media layer, wherein the release film layer has a permeability lower than the permeability of the permeable media layer and higher than the permeability of the non-permeable bladder. ### Claim 13 A method of infusing liquid resin into a sheet of fibrous material, the method comprising: evacuating gaseous contaminants from a sheet of fibrous material, covered by a non-permeable bladder sealed to a tool about the sheet of fibrous material, through a permeable media layer to an outlet; flowing liquid resin from an inlet through a permeable media layer interposed between the sheet of fibrous material and the non-permeable bladder; infusing the liquid resin into the sheet of fibrous material from the permeable media layer; and selectively adjusting a permeability of the permeable media layer such that the permeability of the permeable media layer while evacuating the gaseous contaminants is higher than while flowing and infusing the liquid resin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein selectively adjusting the permeability of the permeable media layer comprises: controlling a permeability control valve to deflect the non-permeable bladder into a gap formed in the permeable media layer to lower the permeability of the permeable media layer; and controlling the permeability control valve to urge the non-permeable bladder out of the gap formed in the permeable media layer to raise the permeability of the permeable media layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein: deflecting the non-permeable bladder into a gap comprises venting an interior cavity of a rigid cap of the permeability control valve, sealed to the non-permeable bladder over the gap, to the atmosphere while a third pressure (P3) at the outlet is less than atmospheric pressure; and urging the non-permeable bladder out of the gap comprises reducing a first pressure (P1) in the interior cavity of the rigid cap of the permeability control valve to less than atmospheric pressure while the third pressure (P3) at the outlet is more than or equal to the first pressure (P1). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein: the third pressure (P3) is approximately zero millibar; and the first pressure (P1) is approximately zero millibar. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein flowing the liquid resin comprises selectively increasing a permeability of the permeable media layer while liquid resin in a resin source, fluidly coupled to the inlet, is at a second pressure (P2) and a third pressure (P3) at the outlet is less than the second pressure (P2). ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein: the second pressure (P2) is between about 500 millibar and about 800 millibar; and the third pressure (P3) is approximately zero millibar. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein selectively increasing the permeability of the permeable media layer comprises controlling a permeability control valve to urge the non-permeable bladder out of a gap formed in the permeable media layer. ### Claim 20 A valve for adjusting a permeability of a permeable media layer, the valve comprising: a gap formed in the permeable media layer; a non-permeable bladder directly adjacent the permeable media layer and traversing the gap of the permeable media layer; a rigid cap sealed to the non-permeable bladder over the gap, wherein an interior cavity is defined between the rigid cap and the non-permeable bladder; a vacuum fluidly coupleable with the rigid cap and selectively operable to reduce a pressure (P1) in the interior cavity to below atmospheric pressure to urge the non-permeable bladder out of the gap of the permeable media layer; and a vent fluidly coupled with the rigid cap and selectively operable to vent the interior cavity to the atmosphere to urge the non-permeable bladder into the gap of the permeable media layer.