EP0319449A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Tooling and method for forming complex composite articles
Assignee: RTX Corp
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Filing: 1988-12-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-12-01
Abstract
Abstract A method of making a flexible composite tool particularly adapted for composite molding and the composite tool made by this method. The method includes dissolving a B-staged fluoroelastomer in a suitable solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone or toluene to form a fluoroelastomer solution. A fabric is then coated with the fluoroelastomer solution. The solvent is evaporated and the impregnated fabric is sandwiched between unreinforced sheets to form a reinforced tooling material. The reinforced tooling material is laid up with alternating layers of unreinforced fluoroelastomer and then cured to form a composite tool which is stable through a plurality thermal cycle. In addition, an elastomer tool can be provided with detail cavities shaped to accept seperatly formed detail structures, with each cavity including extra reinforcement in order to locate the details to close tolerances without extensive hand positioning or use of adhesives. The tool is useful in molding composites and is reusable. The life of the tool is further prolonged by a described method of repairing damaged portions of the tool.
Inventors
- 👤 David A. Evans
- 👤 Alex C. Dublinski
- 👤 Joseph Goldberg
- 👤 Geoffrey C. R. Davis
- 👤 William Sharp, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:27
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/28; B29C70/54; B29C70/544; B29C33/00; B29C33/30; B29C33/307; B29C33/38; B29C33/3842; B29C33/3857; B29C33/40; B29C43/00; B29C43/02; B29C43/10; B29C43/12; B29C43/32; B29C43/36; B29C43/3642; B29C70/06; B29C70/08; B29C70/086; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/44; C; C08; C08J; C08J5/00; C08J5/04; C08J5/06; B29C2033/385; B29C2043/3644; B29C2791/00; B29C2791/001; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/24; B29K2105/243; B29K2277/00; B29K2827/00; B29K2827/12; B29K2827/18; C08J2327/00; C08J2327/02; C08J2327/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A semi-rigid tool for forming a complex composite article, accurately locating a seperately formed detail structure on the article for co-curing therewith, the semi-rigid tool comprising: an elastomer layer formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, thereby forming a cavity about each detail structure, and including at least one additional layer of a reinforced elastomer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer layer about the detail cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the detail during processing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A semi-rigid tool for forming a complex composite article, accurately locating a seperately formed detail structure on the article for co-curing therewith, the semi-rigid tool comprising: an elastomer layer formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, thereby forming a cavity about each detail structure, and including at least one additional layer of a reinforced elastomer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer layer about the detail cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the detail during processing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
A semi-rigid tool for forming a complex composite article, accurately locating a seperately formed detail structure on the article for co-curing therewith, the semi-rigid tool comprising: a reinforced elastomer layer sandwiched between unreinforced elastomer layers, the layers formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, forming a cavity about each detail structure, and including at least one additional reinforced layer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer about the cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the detail during processing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
87 words
A semi-rigid tool for forming a complex composite article, accurately locating a seperately formed detail structure on the article for co-curing therewith, the semi-rigid tool comprising: a reinforced elastomer layer sandwiched between unreinforced elastomer layers, the layers formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, forming a cavity about each detail structure, and including at least one additional reinforced layer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer about the cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the detail during processing.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for molding a complex composite article which requires accuratly incorporating a separately formed structure in the composite article, with the method comprising: providing a tool including a semi-rigid tool half comprised of an elastomer layer formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, thereby forming a cavity about each detail structure, and including at least one additional layer of a reinforced elastomer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer about the cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the structure during processing, and, a rigid tool half shaped to mate with the semi-rigid half; laying up a composite material on the rigid tool half; inserting the seperatly formed structures in the cavities of the semi-rigid tool; mating the two tool halfs; and, processing to form the final article.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for molding a complex composite article which requires accuratly incorporating a separately formed structure in the composite article, with the method comprising: providing a tool including a semi-rigid tool half comprised of an elastomer layer formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, thereby forming a cavity about each detail structure, and including at least one additional layer of a reinforced elastomer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer about the cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the structure during processing, and, a rigid tool half shaped to mate with the semi-rigid half; laying up a composite material on the rigid tool half; inserting the seperatly formed structures in the cavities of the semi-rigid tool; mating the two tool halfs; and, processing to form the final article.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for molding a complex composite article which requires accuratly incorporating separately formed structures in the composite article, with the method comprising: providing a tool including a semi-rigid tool half comprised of a reinforced elastomer layer sandwiched between unreinforced elastomer layers, the layers formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, thereby forming a cavity about each structure, and including at least one additional reinforced layer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer about the cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the structure during processing, and, a rigid tool half shaped to mate with the semi-rigid half; laying up a composite material on the rigid tool half; inserting the seperatly formed structures in the cavities of the semi-rigid tool; mating the two tool halfs; and, processing to form the final article.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for molding a complex composite article which requires accuratly incorporating separately formed structures in the composite article, with the method comprising: providing a tool including a semi-rigid tool half comprised of a reinforced elastomer layer sandwiched between unreinforced elastomer layers, the layers formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of the article, thereby forming a cavity about each structure, and including at least one additional reinforced layer about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer about the cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the structure during processing, and, a rigid tool half shaped to mate with the semi-rigid half; laying up a composite material on the rigid tool half; inserting the seperatly formed structures in the cavities of the semi-rigid tool; mating the two tool halfs; and, processing to form the final article.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of molding composites comprising, laying up at least one layer of a preimpregnated fabric on a flexible tool applying heat and pressure to cure at least one layer to form a composite wherein the improvement comprises said flexible tool being made of an elastomer layer formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of an article, forming a cavity about each detail structure, with the tool including at least one additional layer of a reinforced elastomer placed about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer layer about the detail cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the detail during processing.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of molding composites comprising, laying up at least one layer of a preimpregnated fabric on a flexible tool applying heat and pressure to cure at least one layer to form a composite wherein the improvement comprises said flexible tool being made of an elastomer layer formed to a shape essentially matching the shape of an article, forming a cavity about each detail structure, with the tool including at least one additional layer of a reinforced elastomer placed about each cavity, the additional reinforcement increasing the rigidity of the elastomer layer about the detail cavity, preventing moving or shifting of the detail during processing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the elastomer comprises a fluoroelastomer impregnated polyaramid fabric.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the fluoroelastomer is layed up in a series of plies, comprising an impregnated polyaramid fabric sandwiched between unreinforced fluoroelastomer sheets.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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