Forming End Effector and Methods of Use
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJonathan Young Ahn, Christopher Robert Brown, Karina Elizabeth Mealey, Ricardo Andreas Fritzke, Alexander K. Strait, Colin Noronha, Kurtis Shuldberg Willden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A forming end effector and methods of use are presented. Methods of forming a composite material onto a mandrel are presented. A forming end effector carrying the composite material is positioned over the mandrel. The forming end effector is connected to the mandrel. The composite material is swept onto the mandrel using sweepers of the forming end effector.
Claims20
A process of forming a composite material onto a mandrel:
- positioning a forming end effector carrying the composite material over the mandrel;
- connecting the forming end effector to the mandrel;
- and
- sweeping the composite material onto the mandrel using sweepers of the forming end effector.
A process of creating a rigid cage supporting forming a composite structure, the process comprising:
- attaching legs onto a frame of an end effector;
- pinning the legs onto a mandrel and forming the rigid cage comprising the mandrel and the frame;
- and
- attaching, between the legs, center pressers to the frame.
A process comprising:
- forming a composite material onto a mandrel using sweepers of a forming end effector;
- and
- reacting loads from the forming end effector into the mandrel during forming of the composite material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.