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US 8,800,953 B2Granted
Method for Producing Composite Laminates Using a Collapsible Mandrel
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJohn D. Morris, Michael A. Lee, Kenneth L. Brook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible bladder has flexible outer walls and at least one strut inside the enclosure. The strut is connected to the outer walls and controls the shape into which the enclosure may be collapsed.
Claims18
A collapsible bladder, comprising:
- flexible outer walls forming an enclosure, the flexible outer walls connected by corners, the walls defining the bladder in an inflated configuration and a collapsed configuration;
- and
- a plurality of struts positioned inside the enclosure, the plurality of struts each having first and second ends, and wherein the first end of each of the struts is connected to one of the walls and the struts are directly joined to each other at their second ends, the plurality of struts are flexible and are configured to control a shape into which the enclosure may be collapsed during deflating of the bladder from the inflated configuration to the collapsed configuration wherein the plurality of struts flex so that opposing corners of the bladder draw toward each other.
The collapsible bladder of claim, wherein:
- the flexible outer walls form a plurality of corners, and
- each of the struts has its first end connected to one of the corners.
A collapsible mandrel, comprising:
- an inflatable pressure bladder having flexible walls and folding points along which the bladder folds as it is collapsed, the bladder having an inflated configuration and a collapsed configuration;
- and
- a plurality of flexible struts having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each of the struts is connected to the folding points and the struts are directly joined to each other at their second ends in a central region of the bladder, the plurality of struts are flexible and are configured to restrain outward displacement of the folding points as the bladder is being deflated to the collapsed configuration.
A collapsible mandrel with folding points, comprising:
- an inflatable bladder for forming and compacting a composite layup, the bladder including flexible walls and being collapsible to allow removal of the bladder from the compacted layup;
- and
- a plurality of struts inside the bladder and contacting the flexible walls for restraining the walls against widening within the layup as the bladder is being collapsed, the plurality of struts each having first and second ends, the first end of each of the struts is connected to one of the walls and the struts intersect and are directly joined together at their second ends in a central region of the bladder, plurality of struts flex so that opposing corners of the bladder draw toward each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.