Grooved mold apparatus and process for forming fiber reinforced composite structures
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorsEdward Norman McClure, Steven Alan Jackson, Philip J. Sweesy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a process for forming a fiber-reinforced resin structure against a mold surface by vacuum bag forming. The process includes grooving the mold surface to form resin distribution conduits therein. A fiber-reinforced ply is distributed adjacent the mold surface. A flexible covering is placed over the fiber-reinforced ply and the mold surface to form a chamber therebetween. The chamber is evacuated. Resin is dispensed into the evacuated chamber such that the resin enters the resin distribution conduits and is thereby distributed about the ply.
Claims19
A process for forming a fiber-reinforced resin structure against a mold surface by vacuum bag forming comprising:
- (a) grooving the entire mold surface, including any planar- and irregular-shaped portions thereof, to form unobstructed resin distribution conduits therein extending thereacross, the resin distribution conduits being formed to intersect one another in a criss-cross pattern;
- (b) distributing a fiber-reinforced ply adjacent the mold surface;
- (c) placing a flexible covering over the fiber-reinforced ply and the mold surface to form a chamber therebetween;
- (d) evacuating the chamber;
- and
- (e) dispensing resin through the flexible covering into the evacuated chamber such that the resin enters the resin distribution conduits flowing in an uninterrupted pattern and is thereby distributed across the entire mold surface about the ply.
In an apparatus for fabricating a fiber-reinforced resin structure including:
- a flexible covering;
- a mold surface formed to support a fiber-reinforced ply thereon and over which the covering may be placed to form a chamber therebetween, wherein the mold surface includes planar and irregular shaped regions conformal to a required shape of the fiber-reinforced resin structure;
- a vacuum inlet for evacuating the chamber to collapse the covering against the ply and the mold surface;
- an apparatus improvement comprising:
- a plurality of unobstructed resin distribution conduits formed in both the planar and irregular shaped regions the mold surface for distribution of the resin in an uninterrupted pattern on said mold surface about the ply when the resin is dispensed into the evacuated chamber through the flexible covering, the resin distribution conduits being formed to intersect one another in a criss-crossed pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.