Patent ID: 8932423
Filing Date: 2015-01-13
Classification: B29C,B29D,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of fabricating a contoured composite structure, comprising: laying up a composite charge, including laying up at least one ply of uni-directional fiber pre-preg ply segments, including placing the ply segments in side-by-side, overlapping relationship and aligning longitudinal centerlines of the ply segments in a polar orientation related to the contour of the structure, adjacent ply segments overlapping and forming pie shaped laps in an area adjacent an inner chord comprising said contour and forming pie shaped gaps in an area adjacent an outer chord comprising said contour, the ply segments positioned in overlapping relationship in a substantially flat configuration; cutting a first end and a second end of the ply segments so as to form an angle in each ply segment that substantially matches the inner chord and the outer chord related to the contour of the structure; forming the composite charge substantially into the shape of the structure so as to alter at least a portion of the composite charge from the flat configuration; and curing the composite charge.