Patent ID: 6036802
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: B29C,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for bending a thermoplastic skinned honeycomb core panel, comprising:clamping a planar portion of said panel to hold said planar portion against movement parallel to the plane of said planar portion;heating a linear band of an inside face sheet on one side of said panel to soften resin in said inside face sheet and disbond adhesive holding said inside face sheet to said honeycomb core;forming said linear band into a bubble separated away from said honeycomb core;bending a distal leg of said panel, outboard of said clamped portion, around a heated anvil along an axis parallel to said linear band to form a bend having an inside radius, with said bubble coinciding with said inside radius;collapsing said bubble around said inside radius and forming an overlapping flap of inside face sheet;pressing said overlapping flap of inside face sheet in a fold between said anvil and a bent leg of said panel, and holding said leg in said bent position while resin in said flap solidifies in said fold.