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US 2022/0080649 A1Published application
Constrained Forming of Contoured Composite Hat Stringers
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsSteven Joseph Plummer, Kurtis Shuldberg Willden, Megan E. Bliss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Cap wrinkling in a contoured composite hat stringer is reduced by constraining the cap as the hat stringer is being formed from a flat composite charge. The cap is constrained by an inflatable bladder placed in a tool set used to form the composite charge.
Claims20
Apparatus for making a contoured composite hat stringer, comprising:
- a pair of dies configured to be contoured along a length and defining a die cavity into which a composite charge may be formed into a contoured hat section having a cap;
- a punch configured to form the composite charge into the die cavity;
- and
- a bladder located within the die cavity and configured to constrain the cap as the contoured hat section is being formed.
1 more element
A method of forming a contoured composite hat stringer having reduced wrinkling, comprising:
- forming a composite charge into a contoured hat section having sides and a cap by forcing a composite charge into a die cavity;
- and
- reducing stress in the cap during the forming by constraining the cap as the composite charge is being formed.
A method of forming a contoured composite hat stringer having a hat section including sides and a cap, comprising:
- placing a flat composite charge on a pair of dies defining a die cavity;
- forcing the flat composite charge into the die cavity to form a hat section of the stringer having sides and a cap;
- contouring the die cavity;
- and
- reducing wrinkling of the cap during forming of the hat section by transferring stress in the cap away from the cap.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.