Hybrid lay-up tool
US6168358A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 2, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T409/309016
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hybrid tool serves as a form on which constituent materials are applied for bonding or curing into a part in a desired configuration. It also serves as a holder for the bonded or cured materials in the originally applied position during subsequent machining. The hybrid tool is made by fabricating a face sheet of composite material having a facing surface configured to the reverse of a desired shape of one surface of a part to be made on the tool. The actual part will be laid up on the facing surface, cured while on the tool, and even trimmed before release. Base structure of the tool holds the facing surface of the face sheet in the desired shape, and includes ground-engaging pads that define an "A" datum plane. The tool aligns a reference plane of the face sheet parallel to the datum plane. A substantially continuous groove in the face sheet, used for trimming the part, opens in the facing surface. Edge trimming of the part on the tool is performed using a CNC machine tool following a part program to move a cutter extending into the groove to engage the full thickness of the part. The groove corresponds in space to the position represented by the cutter path of travel in the par…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.