Syntactic tunnel core
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorsCarl Reis, Doris Reis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique and tool are provided for repairing damaged areas of honeycomb structures. The tool includes a plurality of rods axially translatable into the damaged area. Foam material is inserted about the rods and allowed to cure. The rods are later withdrawn leaving a porous core of material. Sleeves may be provided to receive and support the rods as they translate into the damaged area. The sleeves may remain in the damaged area after the rods are withdrawn into the sleeves.
Claims62
A method for fabricating a replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core of a vehicle that has a damaged section of honeycomb core comprising the steps of;
- a. disposing a plurality of removable rods within an area where the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core is to be fabricated;
- b. filling the area about the removable rods with syntactic foam;
- c. curing the syntactic foam;
- and
- d. retracting the rods to define a perforated replacement core;
- e. wherein the rods are disposed in the area while the damaged section remains on the vehicle.
A method for fabricating a replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core of a vehicle that has a damaged section of honeycomb core comprising the steps of;
- a. scaping the damaged section of honeycomb core, to form the area where the replacement foam tunnel core is to be fabricated;
- b. disposing a plurality of removable rods within the area where the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core is to be fabricated;
- c. filling the area about the removable rods with syntactic foam;
- d. curing the syntactic foam;
- and
- e. retracting the rods to define a perforated replacement core.
A method for fabricating a replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core of a vehicle that has a damaged section of honeycomb core comprising the steps of;
- a. disposing a plurality of removable rods within an area where the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core is to be fabricated;
- b. filling the area about the removable rods with sequentially applied layers of syntactic foam, at least one layer having a different foam formulation;
- c. curing the syntactic foam;
- and
- d. retracting the rods to define a perforated replacement core.
A method for fabricating a replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core of a vehicle that has a damaged section of honeycomb core comprising the steps of
- a. disposing a plurality of removable rods within an area where the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core is to be fabricated, the rods having a hexagonal cross section;
- b. filling the area about the removable rods with syntactic foam;
- c. curing the syntactic foam;
- and
- d. retracting the rods to define a perforated replacement core.
A method for fabricating a replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core of a vehicle that has a damaged section of honeycomb core comprising the steps of
- a. disposing a plurality of removable rods within an area where the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core is to be fabricated;
- b. wherein the rods are arrayed at an angle offset from normal to the path direction of load forces in the honeycomb core;
- and
- c. wherein the offset angle of the plurality of removable rods varies across the foam tunnel core;
- d. filling the area about the removable rods with syntactic foam;
- e. curing the syntactic foam;
- and
- f. retracting the rods to define a perforated replacement core.
A method for fabricating a replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core of a vehicle that has a damaged section of honeycomb core comprising the steps of;
- a. disposing a plurality of removable rods within an area where the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core is to be fabricated at least some of the sods having sleeves placed thereover before being disposed in the area;
- b. filling the area about the removable rods with syntactic foam;
- c. curing the syntactic foam;
- and
- d. retracting the rods from the sleeves to define a perforated replacement core, the sleeves remaining in the replacement honeycomb foam tunnel core after the rods are retracted from the sleeves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.