# US 9,038,687 B2 · Constraint system of sectors of a device for producing an airplane fuselage

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- Number: US 9,038,687 B2
- Document ID: US9038687B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/852,031
- Filed: 2013-03-28
- Published: 2013-11-14
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-30
- Assignees: Alenia Aermacchi S.p.A.
- Applicants: ALENIA AERMACCHI S.p.A.
- Inventors: Guido Sibona; Ettore Mostarda; Giuseppe Iovine
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038687B2

## CPC

- B32B 37/0046: {characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus}
- B29C 33/485: {cores or mandrels (collapsible mandrels for shaping tube ends B29C57/02; collapsible mandrels for winding and joining B29C53/824)}
- B29C 53/824: {collapsible, e.g. elastic or inflatable; with removable parts, e.g. for regular shaped, straight tubular articles (B29C53/825 takes precedence)}
- B64C 2001/0054: {Fuselage structures substantially made from particular materials}
- B64C 2001/0072: {from composite materials}
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- Y10T 156/14: Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with shaping, scarifying, or cleaning joining surface only
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A constraint system of sectors of a device for producing an airplane fuselage in which a lamination mandrel is adapted to receive and support a band of impregnated synthetic material. The lamination mandrel comprises a plurality of sectors angularly spaced about the axis and mobile between: an expanded lamination position and a contracted disassembling position. A constraint system is provided between each sector and the sectors adjacent thereto which guarantees a predetermined arrangement of the first sector with respect to the second sector adjacent thereto, preventing any translation along two directions which lie in an adjustment plane perpendicular to an axis RD which extends radially from the symmetry axis to the external surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A constraint system configured to operate with sectors of a device (2) for producing an airplane fuselage in which a lamination mandrel (4) is defined by an external surface (5) which defines a rotation solid with respect to a symmetry axis (7); said lamination mandrel (4) is adapted to receive and support a band of impregnated synthetic material which is deposited and wound on the external surface (5) forming a plurality of overlapping layers which are subjected to a polymerisation process under vacuum for forming a structural section of the airplane;
the lamination mandrel (4) comprises a plurality of sectors (12) angularly spaced about the axis (7) and mobile between:
an expanded lamination position in which the sectors (12) have greater rectilinear edges (13) parallel to the axis (7) and arranged side by side and the external surfaces of the sectors (12) opposite to the axis (7) define together said external surface (5); and
a contracted disassembling position in which at least part of said sectors (12) approaches the axis (7) moving away from the trace of the surface (5) to reduce the radial dimensions of the mandrel and allow the extraction of the mandrel itself (4) from the structural section of the airplane;
the side by side edges (13) of different sectors are adapted to be arranged one on the other in a peripheral overlapping region (13s),
characterised in that the constraint system is configured to be arranged between each sector and the sectors adjacent thereto; said constraint system comprising a first catch body (R1) borne by a first sector (12-A) and a second catch body (R2) borne by a second sector (12-B) adjacent to the first (12-A);
the first and the second catch body being configured so that, when coupled to one another, a predetermined arrangement of the first sector (12-A) with respect to the second sector (12-B) adjacent thereto is obtained thus preventing any translation along two directions (x-y) which lie in an adjustment plane (PZ, FIG. 4) perpendicular to an axis RD which extends radially from said symmetry axis (7) to the external surface (5); said first catch body (R1) comprises a cup-shaped body (50) coaxial to the axis RD and open towards the second catch body (R2) ; the first catch body (R1) further comprises three metal elements (52) which are housed within the cup-shaped body (50) and are defined by fiat walls (53) facing towards the axis RD and inclined with respect to this axis;
said second catch body (R2) comprises an appendix provided with an end profiled as a spherical calotte adapted to abut in a single point P1, P2, P3 with a respective inclined flat wail (53); said three points P1, P2, P3 lie in said adjustment plane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, characterised by comprising means for adjusting the position of the three metal elements (52) which are housed within the cup-shaped body (50).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one clamping device (25) is provided, which is actuatable in the expanded lamination position of the mandrel and is adapted to maintain in contact the side by side edges (13) of adjacent sectors (12) applying a closing force between the edges in the overlapping region (18s).

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system according to claim 3, wherein said clamping device (25) comprises:
a lever body (30) which has a central portion (30c) hinged to an appendix (32) which extends from a first sector (12_A) inwardly of the lamination mandrel (4) to rotate about a hinge axis (33) parallel to said symmetry axis (7);
an actuator (34) provided with an outlet member (35) having an end portion (36) hinged to a first end portion (30a) of said lever body (30) and linearly mobile with opposite directions along a direction transversal to said hinge axis (33) to obtain the rotation of said lever body (30) about said hinge axis (33) according to opposite rotation directions;
a catch assembly (38) borne by a second sector (12_B) adjacent to the first sector (12_A);
said lever body (30) having a second tooth-shaped end portion (30b) arranged on the opposite side with respect to the first end portion (30a) with respect to said hinge axis (33); the rotation of the lever body (30) according to a first rotation direction takes the toothed portion (30b) from a resting position, in which it is separate from the catch assembly (38) to an actuation position, in which it is coupled to the catch assembly (38) to exert a force directed inwardly of the mandrel (4) and ensure the compression between said overlapped edges.