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:
Mar. 20, 2018
Filed:
Dec. 28, 2015
Spirit Aerosystems, Inc., Wichita, KS (US);
William Joseph Bryant, Wichita, KS (US);
Trevor Scott Angell, Andover, KS (US);
Matthew Ryan Schroeder, Wichita, KS (US);
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., Wichita, KS (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method configured for manufacturing an aircraft part from formable material. The apparatus may include one or more rigid forming components onto which the formable material is placed and between which non-flange portions of the formable material may be compressed, and at least one inflatable component that, when expanded by inflation, presses flange portions of the formable material against at least one of the rigid forming components. The inflation component(s) may be arranged in any configuration for forming the formable material into C-shaped channels, single L-shaped channels, or opposing Z-shaped channels. Once pressed between the rigid forming components and/or the inflated inflatable components, the formable material may be heated for forming according to the particular formable material used.