Method and apparatus for fabricating variable gauge, contoured composite stiffeners
US9254619B2 · kind B2 · utility
8Cited by
55References
4Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 13, 2013 |
| Grant date | Feb 9, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T156/1031
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Method and tooling apparatus for forming a composite charge into a contoured composite blade stringer including an elongate punch and an elongate die flexible along their lengths. The charge is press formed by using the punch to drive the charge into the die. The punch and the die are mounted between a pair of flexible plates. A press coupled with the plates contours the charge by bending the plates into a desired contour. The stringer is allowed to cool down to room temperature while being constrained, before withdrawing the stringer from the tooling apparatus in order to reduce wrinkling.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.