Methods of assembling stiffened composite structures are disclosed. Some methods include forming a stiffener assembly by compacting it within a trough formed in a trunnion. A single trunnion may accommodate two or more different types of stiffeners, thereby avoiding the need for multiple sets of tooling. In some methods, a plurality of stiffener segments may be spliced together, thereby avoiding the need to transport and handle an entire stiffener. A vacuum chuck may be utilized in some examples to transfer the stiffener assembly from the trunnion to a transfer tool. The same vacuum chuck may be transferred along with the stiffener assembly on the transfer tool and loaded onto an inner mold line layup mandrel, where the vacuum chuck may be used to compact the stiffener assembly to the inner mold line layup mandrel.
Process for handling, installing, compacting, splicing, and/or assembling composite stringers
2020-10-20
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64F GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT , Boden- oder Flugzeugträgerdeckeinrichtungen besonders ausgebildet für die Verwendung in Verbindung mit Luftfahrzeugen / B29C Formen oder Verbinden von Kunststoffen , SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS / B29D PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE , Herstellen besonderer Gegenstände aus Kunststoff oder aus Stoffen in plastischem Zustand / B29L INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES , Index-Schema für besondere Gegenstände in Verbindung mit Unterklasse B29C / B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge |
PROCESS FOR HANDLING, INSTALLING, COMPACTING, SPLICING, AND/OR ASSEMBLING COMPOSITE STRINGERS
Europäisches Patentamt | 2018
|Europäisches Patentamt | 2018
|Method and apparatus for forming and installing stringers
Europäisches Patentamt | 2016
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