Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

William E Hovan, Iii

Jonathan Bremmer

Jeffrey George Sauer

Paul H Denavit

Darryl Mark Toni

Edward Joseph Fabian

Robert A Lacko

Christian A Rogg

Neil W Cawthra

Allan R Macallister, Jr

David M Lent

Andrew Varga

Gregory A Davidson

Chandira McNeill

Jeffrey G Sauer

A tool for forming a panel including a core area, at which plies sandwich a core, and a trim area surrounding the core, at which the plies are bonded together, is provided and includes a body having a surface on which the panel is formable, an assembly to apply bonding pressure to the plies at least at the core and trim areas and a clamping device external to the assembly to apply a clamping force to the vacuum bag and the plies.

External to bagging mechanical clamp

A composite structure includes a first laminate, a second laminate, and at least one core component located between the first laminate and the second laminate. The at least one core component includes a honeycomb core and at least one locking ply extending from the honeycomb core between the first laminate and the second laminate. The at least one locking ply is configured such that a pressure applied during a cure cycle of the composite structure retains the at least one locking ply between the first laminate and the second laminate thereby preventing movement of core component.

Composite structure and core positioning ply

A composite panel includes a support layer including a first plurality of prepreg plies wrapped around at least one mandrel; a mid-plane impact layer including a second plurality of prepreg plies, the mid-plane impact layer adjacent to the support layer; a upper skin layer including a third plurality of prepreg plies, the upper skin layer adjacent to the mid-place impact layer; and a lower skin layer including a fourth plurality of prepreg plies, the lower skin layer adjacent to the support layer; whereby each of the first, second, third, and fourth plurality of prepreg plies are co-cured to form the composite panel.

Impact resistant composite panel and method of forming a composite panel

A composite structure includes a first laminate and a second laminate. At least one core assembly is located between the first laminate and the second laminate. The at least one core assembly includes a core component and a layer of filler material disposed at a first face of the core component. The layer of filler material at least partially fills selected cells of the core component to a fill depth such that the filler material rigidizes when cured to prevent movement and/or crushing of core component under a pressure applied during a cure cycle of the composite structure.

Composite structure core crush prevention

A laminate design is provided and includes a substrate formed to define through-holes, an initially uncured pre-preg laminate disposed proximate to the substrate and an initially uncured pre-preg staple. The staple includes a main member and legs extending from the main member and being disposable with the legs extending through the through-holes to pierce the laminate. The staple is co-curable with the laminate.

Composite staple

A caul system for a composite structure having one or more core elements includes a lattice grid hard caul selectively locatable at a portion of the composite structure without core elements. The caul system further includes a soft caul selectively locatable at a portion of the composite structure having a core element. A method of forming a composite structure with one or more core elements includes locating a first laminate in a tool and locating one or more core elements over the first laminate. A second laminate is located over the one or more core elements. A lattice grid hard caul is placed over the second laminate, avoiding locations having core elements of the one or more core elements disposed thereat. A soft caul is located over the one or more core elements, thereby preventing deformation of the one or more core elements.

Lattice grid caul for honeycomb composite structure

A caul plate system for a laminate structure includes a plurality of layers of curable caul plies disposed over a laminate structure and substantially conforming to a surface of the laminate structure. A resin is applied to the plurality of layers of caul plies. Co-curing of the plurality of layers of caul plies with the laminate structure hardens the plurality of layers of caul plies such that a normal pressure is applied to the laminate structure during cure of the laminate structure.

Co-curing reusable elastomeric caul plate

A method of fabricating a conformal deltoid noodle includes providing a composite prepreg material having a predetermined length and a width, the predetermined length being aligned along a longitudinal axis; subjecting the composite prepreg material to a cutting process to form a notched section coextensive along the predetermined length; and rolling the composite prepreg material along its width to create the conformal deltoid noodle.

Growing community of inventors

Oxford, CT, United States of America

William E Hovan, Iii