Apparatus for fabricating thermoplastic composite parts

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sleeve located between an inclined die and a composite material that molds the composite material, the sleeve having a first sleeve face and a second sleeve face, wherein the second sleeve face forms an exterior surface of the sleeve and the first sleeve face forms an interior surface of the sleeve, the second sleeve face having features to mold the composite material, the first sleeve face comprising:

a first inclined surface of the first sleeve face, the first inclined surface having an angle greater than about 90 degrees relative to a substantially planar surface of the second sleeve face, the substantially planar surface being opposite a first sleeve surface of the first sleeve face, wherein the first inclined surface contacts the inclined die;

the inclined die having a first die face; and

a shim positioned between the first die face and the first sleeve face; and

a number of substantially rhombus-shaped connectors holding the sleeve in place relative to the inclined die by connecting the inclined sleeve to the inclined die.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the first sleeve face further comprising:

a second inclined surface of a third face extending from the first sleeve surface, the second inclined surface having an angle greater than about 90 degrees, wherein the second inclined surface contacts the inclined die.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first inclined surface substantially conforms to a portion of the inclined die, and wherein the second inclined surface substantially conforms to a second portion of the inclined die.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first sleeve surface is substantially planar.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the

shim is in contact with at least a portion of the first sleeve surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

the inclined die having a third inclined surface, a fourth inclined surface, wherein the first die face is positioned between the third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sleeve face forms a cavity that receives the inclined die.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an inclined die having a first die face;

an inclined sleeve located between the inclined die and a composite charge having a first sleeve face in engageable alignment with the inclined die, wherein the first sleeve face forms an interior wall of the inclined sleeve;

the first sleeve face comprising:

a first inclined surface having an angle greater than about 90 degrees relative to a substantially planar surface of a second sleeve face, wherein the first inclined surface contacts the inclined die;

a second inclined surface having an angle greater than about 90 degrees, relative to the substantially planar surface of the second sleeve face wherein the second inclined surface contacts the inclined die;

wherein the second sleeve face forms an exterior surface of the inclined sleeve and, wherein the second sleeve face contacts the composite charge; and

a shim positioned between the first die face and the first sleeve face of the inclined sleeve; and

a number of substantially rhombus-shaped connectors holding the inclined sleeve in place relative to the inclined die by connecting the inclined sleeve to the inclined die.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the shim is positioned between a substantially planar surface of the first sleeve face and a second substantially planar surface of the first die face.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a second die face comprises a third inclined surface having an angle greater than 90 degrees.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the third inclined surface engages at least a portion of the first inclined surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the shim contacts at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the first sleeve face and at least a portion of a second substantially planar surface of the first die face.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a sleeve located between a continuous compression molding die and a composite charge, the sleeve having a first sleeve face and a second sleeve face, wherein the first sleeve face forms a cavity and, wherein the first sleeve face forms an interior surface of the sleeve and the second sleeve face forms an exterior surface of the sleeve, the second sleeve face comprising:

a surface of the second sleeve face, the surface being opposite the first sleeve face, wherein the second sleeve face contacts the composite charge;

the first sleeve face comprising:

a first inclined surface of the first sleeve face, the first inclined surface having an angle greater than about 90 degrees relative to the surface of the second sleeve face, wherein the first inclined surface contacts the continuous compression molding die; and

a second sleeve surface that is generally planar;

the continuous compression molding die having a first face; and

a shim positioned between the first face of the continuous compression molding die and the first sleeve face; and

a number of substantially rhombus-shaped connectors holding the sleeve in place relative to the inclined die by connecting the sleeve to the inclined die.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , the first sleeve face further comprising:

a third face extending from the second sleeve surface, the third face having a third inclined surface having an angle greater than about 90 degrees, wherein the third inclined surface contacts the continuous compression molding die.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

the continuous compression molding die comprising a second inclined surface conforming to the first inclined surface, a fourth inclined surface conforming to the third inclined surface, and a substantially planar surface between the respective inclined surfaces.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein along a first axis, a width of the sleeve along a second axis varies from an initial width to a second width smaller than the initial width, and then to a third width greater than the second width.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the initial width equals the third width.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the initial width tapers down to the second width along the first axis, and wherein the second width tapers back up to the third width.

19. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the number of connectors comprises two connectors, and wherein a first connector connects the inclined die to the first inclined surface and wherein a second connector connects the inclined die to the second inclined surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the composite material is located between the second sleeve face and a first tooling member and a second portion of the composite material is located between the second sleeve face and a second tooling member.