公开(公告)号：US11897210B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-13

申请号：US17454265

申请日：2021-11-10

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Daniel R. Smith ,  Darrell D. Jones ,  Byron James Autry ,  James R. Kendall ,  Raviendra Sidath Suriyaarachchi

IPC分类号： B29C70/54 ,  B29C70/34 ,  B29C70/44

CPC分类号： B29C70/549 ,  B29C70/342 ,  B29C70/443

摘要： Methods and apparatus involved in the process of hardening a composite part are disclosed herein. The methods include applying a preform to a mandrel, covering the preform with a caul plate, sealing the caul plate to the mandrel, pushing the caul plate toward the preform and the mandrel and hardening the preform into a composite part while the caul plate is held against the preform. The apparatus include a mandrel, a caul plate which defines a surface of a preform and where the caul plate may include a rigid material and seals disposed between the mandrel and the caul plate. In an additional aspect, the apparatus may include a sealed chamber with a mandrel and a caul plate and a circumferential seal between the mandrel and the caul plate.

公开(公告)号：US20230356857A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-09

申请号：US17735426

申请日：2022-05-03

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Santiago Mejia ,  Patrick James Macko ,  Byron James Autry ,  Paul Gabriel Werntges ,  Larry Scott Smotherman ,  David Raines ,  Sara Murphy

IPC分类号： B64F5/10

CPC分类号： B64F5/10

摘要： A device to assemble a skin and a frame of an aircraft fuselage. The device includes first and second brace members that extend along opposing sides of a gap. Arches are spaced apart and fixedly connected to the first and second brace members and that extend across the gap. A strongback is attached to and movable along the first and second brace members with the strongback having a curved shape that matches the plurality of arches. The strongback includes clamps configured to engage with the frame. First and second tension devices apply tension to the skin at the strongback.

公开(公告)号：US11358348B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16238177

申请日：2019-01-02

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Byron James Autry

IPC分类号： B29C70/54 ,  B29C70/30 ,  B29L31/30

摘要： A mold insert and method of using a mold insert to make a composite part. The mold insert is configured to make a composite part from composite material. The mold insert is configured to be attached to a mandrel. Once attached, the composite material is applied to the mandrel over the mold insert, stringers, and bladders. The composite material is then cured on the mandrel. The mold insert can then be removed from the mandrel.

公开(公告)号：US11220353B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-11

申请号：US16388791

申请日：2019-04-18

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Samuel James Knutson ,  Brian Timothy Peters ,  Brian Bentley Reid ,  Byron James Autry ,  Raviendra Suriyaarachchi ,  James R. Kendall

IPC分类号： B64F5/10 ,  B29C70/34 ,  B29C70/44 ,  B29L31/30 ,  B64C1/00

摘要： A method of fabricating a composite structure is presented. The method comprises laying up a plurality of composite plies over a layup mandrel; positioning a first caul plate and a second caul plate over the plurality of composite plies, leaving composite material exposed; removing at least part of the composite material exposed between the first caul plate and the second caul plate to separate a first composite section from a second composite section; curing the first composite section and the second composite section to form a first composite part and a second composite part; and removing the first composite part and the second composite part from the layup mandrel immediately following curing.

公开(公告)号：US11938689B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-26

申请号：US17522987

申请日：2021-11-10

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： James R. Kendall ,  Byron James Autry

IPC分类号： B29C70/44 ,  B29L31/30

CPC分类号： B29C70/443 ,  B29C70/446 ,  B29L2031/3076

摘要： An apparatus for processing a composite structure includes a first processing-tool and a second processing-tool that are movable between an open position, in which the first processing-tool and the second processing-tool are separated from each other, and a closed position, in which the first processing-tool and the second processing-tool are configured to be sealed to each other. In the closed position, the first processing-tool and the second processing-tool are configured to be sealed to a mandrel-tool, located between the first processing-tool and the second processing-tool and supporting the composite structure. In the closed position, the first processing-tool, the second processing-tool, and the mandrel-tool form a vessel, configured to apply at least one of pressure and heat to the composite structure.

公开(公告)号：US20220152951A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-19

申请号：US17522999

申请日：2021-11-10

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： James R. Kendall ,  Byron James Autry

IPC分类号： B29C70/44

摘要： A method of processing a composite structure includes a step of positioning a first processing tool of a tooling assembly and a second processing-tool of the tooling assembly from an open position, in which the first processing-tool and the second processing-tool are spaced apart, to a closed position, in which the first processing-tool and the second processing-tool are sealed to each other and are sealed to a mandrel-tool, supporting the composite structure, to form a vessel that surrounds the composite structure. The method also includes a step of processing the composite structure.

公开(公告)号：US20220134610A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-05

申请号：US17467056

申请日：2021-09-03

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Richard Alexander Prause ,  Richard E. Heath ,  Andrew E. Modin ,  Byron James Autry ,  Ivan Gilberto Ramirez

IPC分类号： B29C43/02 ,  B29C33/48 ,  B29C33/50 ,  B29C43/36 ,  B29C43/56 ,  B29C70/02 ,  B29C70/34 ,  B29C70/44 ,  B29C70/46 ,  B29C70/54 ,  B29D99/00 ,  B64C1/06

摘要： Described herein are methods and systems for forming composite stringer assemblies or, more specifically, for shaping composite charges while forming these stringer assemblies. A system comprises a bladder, having a bladder core, and a bladder skin. The bladder core is formed from foam. The bladder skin is formed from an elastic material and encloses the bladder core. When a composite stringer assembly is formed, the bladder is positioned over a charge base. The charge base later becomes a stringer base, such as a fuselage section or a wing skin. A charge hat is then positioned over the bladder and is conformed to the bladder. A combination of the bladder skin and the bladder core provides support during this forming operation and later while the stringer assembly is cured. In some examples, the bladder core is collapsible for the removal of the bladder from the cavity of the stringer assembly.

公开(公告)号：US20160069746A1

公开(公告)日：2016-03-10

申请号：US14477277

申请日：2014-09-04

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Brian D. Smith ,  Kyle Michael Ithal ,  Byron James Autry ,  David H. Curry, III

IPC分类号： G01J3/46 ,  B05D3/00

CPC分类号： G01B11/03 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/88

摘要： A method of forming a mandrel assembly for use in fabricating a large scale component includes boring a plurality of cavities into an outer surface of the mandrel assembly and filling the plurality of cavities with a contrast color substrate to form a contrast target on the mandrel assembly. The method also includes curing the contrast color substrate such that an outer surface of the contrast color substrate is substantially flush with the outer surface of the mandrel assembly when the substrate is fully cured.

摘要翻译： 形成用于制造大型部件的心轴组件的方法包括将多个腔体镗孔到心轴组件的外表面中，并用对比色基底填充多个空腔，以在心轴组件上形成对比度靶。 该方法还包括固化对比色基底，使得当基底完全固化时，对比色基底的外表面与心轴组件的外表面基本齐平。

公开(公告)号：US20240101277A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-28

申请号：US18526548

申请日：2023-12-01

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： Santiago Mejia ,  Patrick James Macko ,  Byron James Autry ,  Paul Gabriel Werntges ,  Larry Scott Smotherman ,  David Raines ,  Sara Murphy

IPC分类号： B64F5/10

CPC分类号： B64F5/10 ,  B23P2700/01 ,  B64C1/061

摘要： A device to assemble a skin and a frame of an aircraft fuselage. The device includes first and second brace members that extend along opposing sides of a gap. Arches are spaced apart and fixedly connected to the first and second brace members and that extend across the gap. A strongback is attached to and movable along the first and second brace members with the strongback having a curved shape that matches the plurality of arches. The strongback includes clamps configured to engage with the frame. First and second tension devices apply tension to the skin at the strongback.

公开(公告)号：US20240010357A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US17857918

申请日：2022-07-05

申请人： The Boeing Company

发明人： James Russell Kendall ,  Byron James Autry ,  Santiago Mejia

IPC分类号： B64F5/10 ,  B64C1/06 ,  B29C70/34 ,  B64C1/12

CPC分类号： B64F5/10 ,  B64C1/064 ,  B29C70/342 ,  B64C1/12 ,  B29L2031/3082

摘要： Systems (100) for assembling stiffened composite structures comprise a layup mandrel (102) and a network (104) of fluid lines (116) configured to be selectively and fluidically coupled to string bladders (118) positioned relative to the layup mandrel (102).