Hybrid solid-inflatable mandrel for blade manufacturing
US9669589B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 8, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jun 6, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 14, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A mandrel (20, 30) defines a void geometry in a layup for a blade shell (73) via a rigid mandrel core (22, 32) and a plurality of expandable bladders (24A-F, 34A-F) attached adjacently to each other in sequence around a periphery of the core, forming an expandable outer cover on the mandrel. The bladders are controllably expandable (50, 50B, 60) individually or in proper subsets of all the bladders to adjust pressure distribution and mandrel position within the layup after closing a blade shell mold over the layup. The bladders may be transversely partitioned (104) at multiple spanwise (S) positions along the mandrel in order to define additional sets of adjustable bladders along the span of the mandrel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.