US 2022/0016804 A1Published application

Method for Forming a Preform Charge and a Part Having a Complex Geometry

AssigneeArris Composites Inc.

InventorsJ. Scott PERKINS, Arnaud DYEN, Nataniel JACOBSON, Gary Alan HOGUE

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Abstract

A method for forming a preform charge having a complex geometry includes determining a partitioning axis defining first and second portions the preform charge, each portion having a major segment and a minor segment that are not co-planar with each other, creating a fixture having segregable elements that form cavities for partially consolidating the major segments of the first and second portions, and a cavity for partially consolidating the minor segments, separately partially consolidating the major segments, and, while partially consolidating the major segments to one another, forming the minor segments and partially consolidating them to the major segments. And a fixture capable of carrying out the method.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

determining at least one partitioning axis for a fiber-composite part, the partitioning axis defining at least a first portion and a second portion of a perform charge that is used to make the fiber-composite part, the first and second portions having:
(i) a major segment aligned with a first plane, and
(ii) a minor segment aligned with a second plane, wherein the two planes are not co-planar,
creating a fixture having segregable elements that form cavities that are shaped to define features included in the major segments and minor segments, and the cavities physically adapted to receive:
(i) a first layup of preforms for at least the major segment of the first portion of the preform charge;
(ii) a second layup of preforms for at least the major segment of the second portion of the preform charge;
and
(iii) a third layup of preforms for the minor segments of the first portion and the second portion of the preform charge;
forming the first layup and partially consolidating same;
forming the second layup and partially consolidating same;
joining together at least some of the segregable elements of the fixture that are used to form the major segments of each portion of the preform charge, the two partially consolidated major segments residing therein;
forming the third layup, wherein cavity that receives the third layup has an out-of-plane orientation with respect to the partially consolidated major segments of the preform charge, the out-of-plane orientation being consistent with the non-coplanar relation between the major segments and the minor segments;
and
partially consolidating the minor segments of the preform charge to the major segments thereof, forming the preform charge.

11 more elements

A method comprising:

providing a fixture having segregable elements that form a first, second, and third cavity, wherein each cavity is shaped to define structural features associated with respective ones of a first, second, and third portion of a fiber-composite part;
forming a first portion of a preform charge, the first portion of the preform charge having a structure based on the first portion of the part, wherein the first portion of the preform charge is formed from the segregable elements that form the first cavity;
forming a second portion of the preform charge, the second portion of the preform charge having a structure based on the second portion of the part, wherein the second portion of the preform charge is formed from the segregable elements that form the second cavity;
joining together at least some of the segregable elements of the fixture that are used to form the first and second portions of the preform charge, the joined segregable elements forming a joint cavity that contains both the first and the second portions of the preform charge;
forming a third portion of the preform charge, the third portion of the preform charge having a structure based on the third portion of the part, wherein the third portion of the preform charge is formed from the segregable elements that form the third cavity, and wherein:
(a) the third cavity is fluidically coupled to the joint cavity;
and
(b) during the forming of the third portion of the preform charge, the first portion, second portion, and third portion of the preform are joined together, thereby forming the preform charge.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/376,950Filed 15 Jul 2021
Priority: 15 Jul 2020
Published: 20 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B29B 11/16
Characterised by structure or composition: comprising fillers or reinforcement
B29B 11/12
By moulding the material: compression moulding
B29C 66/1122
Single lapped joints: single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
B29C 66/721
Characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined: fibre-reinforced materials