公开(公告)号：US20220176644A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17682487

申请日：2022-02-28

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Gary E. Georgeson ,  Xiaoxi Wang ,  Jonathan Santiago

IPC: B29C65/00 ,  B29C45/72

Abstract: Composite fabrication system and associated methods. In one embodiment, a composite fabrication system comprises a molding tool that includes a forming surface at least partially disposed within a constrained space, and a foamable material that expands inside of the constrained space to form an expanded material that presses a layup of one or more composite layers against the molding tool. The composite fabrication system further comprises a curing device configured to cure the layup to form a composite part, and a cutting wire embedded in the constrained space that is heated and configured to cut the expanded material into pieces that are removable from the constrained space.

公开(公告)号：US11292225B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-05

申请号：US16363565

申请日：2019-03-25

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Jason Drexler ,  Xiaoxi Wang ,  John C. Wilde

IPC: B32B3/12 ,  H05K3/12 ,  B29D99/00 ,  B32B37/14 ,  H05K1/11 ,  H05K1/09 ,  B29L31/60

Abstract: A honeycomb core includes a honeycomb substrate comprised of a number of sheets. A number of traces are printed onto the sheets of the honeycomb substrate. A number of integrated electronic devices are disposed within the honeycomb substrate. The integrated electronic devices are electrically coupled to the traces.

公开(公告)号：US11292206B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-05

申请号：US16363557

申请日：2019-03-25

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： John C. Wilde ,  Xiaoxi Wang ,  Jason W. Drexler

IPC: B29C65/52 ,  B29L31/60 ,  B32B3/12 ,  B32B3/26 ,  B41M3/00 ,  B29C65/00 ,  B64F5/10 ,  B29L31/30 ,  B64C1/00

Abstract: A method for creating a honeycomb core having venting pathways includes controlling where a resin is applied to sheets by creating a resin affinity portion and a resin repellant portion on the sheets. The resin affinity portion and the resin repellant portion forms the venting pathways. A honeycomb substrate is then formed from the sheets.

公开(公告)号：US11046027B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-29

申请号：US16053733

申请日：2018-08-02

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Xiaoxi Wang ,  Gary Georgeson

IPC: B29C70/44 ,  B64F5/10 ,  B29C33/54 ,  B29C33/46 ,  B29C33/40 ,  B64C1/06 ,  B29C43/36 ,  B64C1/00 ,  B29L31/30 ,  B29C43/32 ,  B64C3/18

Abstract: Prior to curing a composite workpiece assembly, an expandable element can be inserted into a cavity of the workpiece assembly. The expandable element is configured to expand when a predetermined change is produced in an attribute of the element. The attribute can be a temperature of the element. The element is expanded by producing the predetermined change, and the workpiece assembly is cured while the expanded element is in the cavity, so that the expanded element applies positive pressure to inner surfaces of the cavity during curing. The expanded element can be removed from the cavity after curing. The expanded element can comprise a plurality of expandable pellets.

公开(公告)号：US11007764B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-18

申请号：US16659101

申请日：2019-10-21

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Jason W. Drexler ,  John Christopher Wilde ,  Xiaoxi Wang

IPC: B32B37/12 ,  B29C63/02 ,  B32B37/00 ,  C09J7/38 ,  B29C63/00 ,  C09J7/21 ,  B32B5/02 ,  B44C5/04 ,  B32B37/06 ,  B32B37/10

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to form venting pathways in pressure sensitive adhesives for laminate stacks are disclosed. An example method includes forming a laminate stack including a gas permeable nonwoven layer and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer has a first surface and a second surface located opposite the first surface. The first surface contacts the gas permeable nonwoven layer. The method further includes processing the laminate stack by reducing a ductility of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer such that venting pathways are formed in the pressure sensitive adhesive layer in response to a mechanical strain applied to the pressure sensitive adhesive layer via a trapped gas. The venting pathways extend through a thickness of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer to enable the trapped gas to pass through the pressure sensitive adhesive layer from the second surface to the first surface.

公开(公告)号：US20210016525A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-21

申请号：US16513687

申请日：2019-07-16

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Michael J. Cloud ,  Xiaoxi Wang ,  Jason Turner

IPC: B29C70/88 ,  B29C70/08 ,  B29C51/12 ,  B29C70/22

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a reinforced panel. The reinforced panel is produced by a process that comprises applying a reinforcing fiber material, comprising a first polymeric material, to only a portion of a panel sheet, comprising a second polymeric material. The process also comprises, after applying the reinforcing fiber material to the panel sheet, thermoforming both the second polymeric material of the panel sheet and the first polymeric material of the reinforcing fiber material. The thermoforming integrally couples the panel sheet with the reinforcing fiber material to produce the reinforced panel by fusion bonding the first polymeric material with the second polymeric material. The reinforced panel includes one or more reinforced portions, defined by the reinforcing fiber material, and one or more non-reinforced portions, defined between the reinforcing fiber material.

公开(公告)号：US20200307144A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-01

申请号：US16363565

申请日：2019-03-25

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Jason Drexler ,  Xiaoxi Wang ,  John C. Wilde

IPC: B32B3/12 ,  B29D99/00 ,  B32B37/14 ,  H05K3/12

Abstract: A honeycomb core includes a honeycomb substrate comprised of a number of sheets. A number of traces are printed onto the sheets of the honeycomb substrate. A number of integrated electronic devices are disposed within the honeycomb substrate. The integrated electronic devices are electrically coupled to the traces.

公开(公告)号：US20200207033A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-02

申请号：US16237912

申请日：2019-01-02

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Xiaoxi Wang ,  Gary E. Georgeson

IPC: B29C70/34 ,  B29C33/48

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for utilizing pellet-loaded bladders to consolidate and/or harden composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part. The method includes laying up a preform that is made of fiber reinforced material and that includes a cavity, inserting one or more bladders that are loaded with expandable pellets into the cavity, inflating the bladders in response to a triggering condition, consolidating the preform while the bladders are inflated, deflating the bladders, and removing the bladders from the cavity.

公开(公告)号：US20200086621A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-19

申请号：US16687249

申请日：2019-11-18

Applicant: The Boeing Company

Inventor： Xiaoxi Wang ,  John Wilde ,  Jason Drexler

IPC: B32B37/12 ,  B32B5/10 ,  B32B27/06 ,  B32B27/08 ,  B32B27/12 ,  B32B5/18 ,  B32B5/02 ,  B32B27/30 ,  B32B37/14 ,  B32B7/12

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to couple a decorative composite having a reinforcing layer to a panel are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a decorative layer to couple to a panel. The decorative layer including a first tile, a second tile, and an adhesive liner positioned between the first tile and the second tile to couple respective edges of first and second tiles.

公开(公告)号：US10139325B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-27

申请号：US15218451

申请日：2016-07-25

Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY

Inventor： Xiaoxi Wang ,  Jeffrey C. Mentel ,  Shuying Zhu ,  Stephen P. Jones

IPC: G01N17/00 ,  G01N21/17 ,  G01N3/12

Abstract: A system for evaluating bubble formation potential in a structure includes an environment test chamber and an environmental controller for controlling a plurality of environmental conditions within the environment chamber. The system additionally includes a detector for capturing images of a structure under test and an illumination source for controlling illumination of the structure under test. A user interface is coupled to the environment controller for setting and adjusting environmental conditions within the environment test chamber. The user interface is also coupled to the illumination source for setting and adjusting illumination of the structure and the user interface is coupled to the detector for receiving the captured images and evaluating bubble formation potential in the structure under test based on the captured images.