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:
Oct. 09, 1984
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1983
Robert F Mittelstadt, Auburn, WA (US);
George R Stumpf, Jr, Seattle, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
A ply (100) of fiber reinforced composite material is laid onto a mandrel (30) having a vacuum ported upper surface with a generally U-shaped cross section. Ply (100) is laid onto the top web (32) of mandrel (30), with its side edges being laid in a cantilevered fashion. A flexible bag (20) is inflated into a stretched condition and lowered over mandrel (30). Bag (20) rolls over mandrel (30) to form play (100) down over mandrel (30). As bag (20) rolls over mandrel (30), it folds ply (100) along two contoured bend lines between the web (32) and flanges (34, 36) of mandrel (30) and simultaneously restrains ply (100) from folding along a straight line. Bag (20) engages a seal (38) carried by mandrel (30). A vacuum is applied through mandrel (30) to evacuate the area between bag (20) and mandrel (30) within seal (38), to compact ply ( 100). Each ply of composite material is formed and compacted before laying another ply.