The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 15, 2022
Filed:
Feb. 11, 2020
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Richard V. Phillips, Enumclaw, WA (US);
Jordan O. Birkland, Lynnwood, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
Forming systems and methods for drape forming a composite charge are disclosed herein. The forming systems include a forming die having a forming surface configured to receive the composite charge and a collapsible support having a support surface. The forming surface has a forming surface edge that extends along a length of the forming surface, and the support surface has a die-proximate support surface edge that extends along the length of the support surface. The forming surface edge and the die-proximate support surface edge define a gap therebetween. A shape of the die-proximate support surface edge corresponds to a shape of the forming surface edge such that a gap width of the gap is at least substantially constant along a length of the gap. The collapsible support is configured to transition from an extended conformation to a collapsed conformation. The methods include methods of utilizing the systems.