Patent ID: 9566746
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: B29C,B29K,C22F,Y02T

Claim:
1. A method of forming a contoured composite structure, the method comprising: positioning a sheet of composite material in operative relation to a structure of shape memory alloy, wherein the structure of shape memory alloy is configured to deform between a first conformation and a second conformation when heated to within an activated temperature range; following the positioning, heating the structure of shape memory alloy to within the activated temperature range, thereby resulting in deforming the structure of shape memory alloy from the first conformation to the second conformation, and thereby resulting in conforming the sheet of composite material to a desired contour at least partially corresponding to the second conformation and resulting in a conformed sheet of composite material; and following the heating, cooling the structure of shape memory alloy to below the activated temperature range, thereby deforming the structure of shape memory alloy from the second conformation to the first conformation, while maintaining the sheet of composite material in the desired contour.