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US 8,940,222 B2Granted
High flow edge breather and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKenneth Marvin Dull
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A breather for vacuum bag processing of a part comprises a sleeve of resilient material placed around the part.
Claims13
A method for allowing air and volatiles to escape from a composite part on a tool surface being compacted by a flexible vacuum bag, the method comprising:
- placing an edge breather on the tool surface around the composite part inside the flexible vacuum bag, the edge breather comprising a sleeve of foraminous woven material having a substantially tubular form and positioned between the composite part and a seal, wherein the sleeve of foraminous woven material comprises a braid of at least two thermoplastic fibers;
- and
- allowing the air and volatiles to pass through the sleeve of foraminous material from edges of the composite part.
A method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising:
- placing a part layup including a composite part on a tool;
- installing a resilient breather sleeve on the tool around the part layup, the resilient breather sleeve comprising a foraminous woven material having a tubular form, wherein the resilient breather sleeve of foraminous woven material comprises a braid of at least two thermoplastic fibers;
- placing a flexible bag over the part layup and the resilient breather sleeve;
- sealing the flexible bag to the tool around a periphery of the part layup with a seal, the resilient breather sleeve spaced between the seal and the part layup;
- drawing a vacuum in the flexible bag to compact the part layup and draw air and volatile from the part layup;
- and
- using the resilient breather sleeve to allow the air and volatiles to escape from the edges of the part layup.
4 more elements
A method for vacuum bagging a composite part, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing a first peel ply on the tool;
- placing a composite part on the first peel ply;
- placing a second peel ply on the composite part;
- placing a caul plate on the second peel ply;
- placing an edge breather on the tool so as to surround the composite part, the edge breather comprising a braid of thermoplastic fibers in substantially tubular form;
- placing a surface breather on the caul plate, the surface breather separate from the edge breather;
- sealing a vacuum bag over the composite part with a seal, the edge breather positioned between the seal and the composite part;
- and
- drawing a vacuum in the vacuum bag so as to compact the composite part.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.