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US 6,673,187 B2Granted
Method for edge wrapping an aircraft interior panel
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJohn D. Nemchick, Don C. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An edge wrap machine for applying decorative laminate to an aircraft interior panel, particularly a stowbin door, lifts the edge to be wrapped with an actuator, wraps the edge automatically by drawing a vacuum between two silicone blankets sandwiching the panel, and lowers the actuator to achieve bonding pressure on the wrapped edge. The machine automates a hand operation that is relatively slow and potentially dangerous to the workers.
Claims1
An edge wrapping method for applying decorative laminate to edges of aircraft interior panels comprising the steps of:
- (a) applying adhesive to a back surface of a panel along an edge of the panel;
- (b) loading the panel from step (a) and at least one sheet of a decorative laminate into a decorative laminate oven having a movable, translating support for the panel, a silicone blanket for overlying the panel and laminate, and a heater, the oven being capable of forming the sheet onto the panel upon heating of the laminate;
- (c) heating the laminate to a set point temperature at which suction is applied in the oven to form the laminate;
- (d) translating the support to open a gap so that the silicone blanket wraps the laminate around the edge and into contact with the adhesive on the back surface;
- and
- (e) curing the adhesive to bond the laminate to the panel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.