IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,737,415
Granted Patent B2
US 10,737,415 · App. 14/359,801 · Granted Aug 11, 2020

Forming a profiled prepreg component

Inventors: Christian Gensewich (Nordenham, DE); Fred Eisenbeiss (Eckwarden, DE)
Assignee: Premium Aerotec GmbH
B29C43/12B29C43/3642B29C70/44B29L2031/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,737,415
App. No.
14/359,801
Granted
Aug 11, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A shaping device for producing a profiled component includes a lay-on unit, a press-on unit and a pressure application unit. The lay-on unit has a support surface for laying on a semi-finished product to be shaped. The press-on unit presses a semi-finished product to be shaped onto the support surface. The pressure application unit has, at least on the side that faces the semi-finished product, a bendable shell for lying on the semi-finished product in an unshaped first state and for lying thereon in a shaped second state, as well as a pressure-transmitting and deformable filling. The pressure application unit can be arranged between the press-on unit and a semi-finished product to be shaped. The press-on unit has a bendable surface lying on the pressure application unit, which bendable surface transmits the force for the shaping onto the pressure application unit. The semi-finished product to be shaped may be a fibre-reinforced composite material.

Claims (35)

1. A shaping device for producing a profiled component, the shaping device comprising:

a lay-on unit;

a press-on unit; and

a pressure application unit;

wherein the lay-on unit includes a support surface arranged for laying on a semi-finished product to be shaped,

wherein the press-on unit is provided for pressing the semi-finished product to be shaped onto the support surface,

wherein the pressure application unit has, at least on a side facing the semi-finished product, a bendable shell that lies against the semi-finished product in an unshaped first state and that lies on in a shaped second state, and the pressure application unit has a pressure-transmitting and deformable filling,

wherein the pressure application unit is arranged between the press-on unit and a semi-finished product to be shaped,

wherein the press-on unit has a bendable surface lying on the pressure application unit, wherein the bendable surface transmits a force for shaping onto the pressure application unit,

wherein the pressure application unit is integrated into the bendable surface,

wherein the pressure application unit and the bendable surface together form a double-walled structure filled with the pressure-transmitting and deformable filling, and

wherein the pressure application unit comprises a plurality of chambers separated from each other by a plurality of partitions that provide reduced flow rate or that reduce or completely stop movement of said filling between the plurality of chambers.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the semi-finished product to be shaped is a fibre-reinforced composite material.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the bendable surface of the press-on unit lies on one side on the pressure application unit, and on another side a pressure is applied via a fluid that transmits the force for the shaping; and

for the pressure application unit

i) the bendable surface forms a volume onto which pressure can be applied; or

ii) the bendable surface is a vacuum membrane; and

a vacuum unit is provided to generate a negative pressure in a region between the vacuum membrane and the support surface in such a way that ambient air pressure acting from outside on the vacuum membrane effects a shaping by pressing the semi-finished product onto the support surface.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bendable surface of the press-on unit is held by holding points in such a way that the bendable surface forms a convex contour both in the unshaped first state and in the shaped second state, wherein a tensile stress is applied onto the bendable surface for transmitting the force for the shaping.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure application unit is circumferentially provided with a bendable shell.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the filling is at least one member of the group of:

gaseous fluids;

liquids;

gels; and

loose bulk solids.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the filling of the pressure application unit has a dynamic viscosity of at least 100 Pa·s.

8. The device of claim 3 , wherein the pressure application unit has such a volume that when the pressure application unit lies on the support surface, all recesses of the support surface are filled by the pressure application unit, so that the vacuum membrane forms a convex enveloping surface.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure application unit includes

a replaceable pressure application element; or

a plurality of pressure application elements.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the semi-finished product is tempered by the pressure application unit; and

the pressure application unit supplies and dissipates thermal energy to and from the semi-finished product to be shaped.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the support surface is replaceable and various surface profiles can be inserted.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 16, 2014
From: GENSEWICH, CHRISTIAN; EISENBEISS, FRED
To: PREMIUM AEROTEC GMBH
Reel/Frame 033324/0604 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2011 119 046 · Nov 22, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150158211A1 · Jun 11, 2015