Bladder system for curing composite parts

US11370150B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Boeing Company · US

Inventors

• Amy E. Bahe · Tukwila, US
• Megan E. Bliss · Des Moines, US
• William S. Hollensteiner · Kent, US
• William H. Ingram · Seattle, US
• John D. Morris · Seattle, US
• Jonathan A. Santiago · Seattle, US
• Benjamin Jeffrey Stephenson · Seattle, US
• Samuel Ray Stewart · Redmond, US
• Charles William Thomas · Issaquah, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 30, 2020
• Grant date: Jun 28, 2022
• Expiry date: Mar 30, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B29C70/544
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A structure comprising a plurality of walls defining a bladder cavity, the bladder cavity comprises an initial cross section size. A first plurality of wave features provided along at least one of the plurality of walls defining the bladder cavity. In one arrangement, the first plurality of wave features allow the structure to expand from the initial cross section size to a second cross section size after the structure becomes inflated during a composite charge cure, the second cross section size larger than the initial cross sectional size.