Patent ID: 9375865
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: B29C

Claim Text:
1. A method for monitoring an inflatable bladder during curing of a composite part, wherein an uncured composite material is positioned outward of the bladder and inward of an impermeable membrane: placing the bladder, uncured composite material, and impermeable membrane into an autoclave for curing the composite part; fluidly coupling a vacuum port of the impermeable membrane with a vacuum source; fluidly coupling a vent of the bladder with a first port of a flow meter, wherein a second port of the flow meter is fluidly coupled with atmosphere within the autoclave, wherein the flow meter is located outward of the bladder and outward of the autoclave; pulling vacuum via the vacuum source, thereby evacuating air from within the impermeable membrane; monitoring the flow meter to detect when a flow above a threshold flow is flowing through the flow meter; performing one of the following steps when the flow above the threshold flow amount is detected through the flow meter: