Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7678306?dq=5311516
Timestamp: 2017-03-26 17:45:11
Document Index: 244608019

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'art 510', 'art 510', 'art 950', 'art 950', 'art 950', 'art 950', 'art 950', 'art 950']

Patent US7678306 - Vibration apparatus and methods of vibration - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsThe present invention relates to apparatus and methods of vibration. In particular, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods of vibration for tooling in a structure, such as, for example, a fuselage. In one implementation, the tooling comprises at least two conductors that create a force...http://www.google.com/patents/US7678306?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7678306 - Vibration apparatus and methods of vibrationAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7678306 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/783,239Publication dateMar 16, 2010Filing dateApr 6, 2007Priority dateJul 22, 2002Fee statusLapsedAlso published asUS7217380, US7527488, US7662331, US20050002269, US20070182049, US20070182050, US20080237908Publication number11783239, 783239, US 7678306 B2, US 7678306B2, US-B2-7678306, US7678306 B2, US7678306B2InventorsCurtis LongoOriginal AssigneeToyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (47), Non-Patent Citations (7), Referenced by (2), Classifications (17), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetVibration apparatus and methods of vibration
US 7678306 B2Abstract
1. A method of extracting media from an elastomeric tooling with media, the media being added to provide rigidity during processing, comprising;
inserting a vacuum into the tooling;
removing media from the tooling using the vacuum; and
vibrating the tooling during removing media to dislodge the media in the tooling,
wherein vibrating further comprises:
breaking at least one clump of solid media in the tooling into smaller pieces of solid media to aid dislodgment of the media by producing a vibration in the tooling by generating a second current flow opposite the first current flow in a second conductor located in the tooling and being in proximity to the first conductor thereby creating a second magnetic field around the second conductor;
wherein the first and second magnetic fields force the first and second conductors apart thereby producing the vibration in the tooling.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein vibrating the tooling occurs at timed intervals during removing media from the tooling.
This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 10/623,551, filed Jul. 22, 2003 by Curtis Longo and titled VIBRATION APPARATUS AND METHODS OF VIBRATION, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,380, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/397,022, filed Jul. 22, 2002, by Curtis Longo and titled VIBRATION APPARATUS AND METHODS OF VIBRATION, for which benefit of priority is claimed herein, and both of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
In some cases, internal tooling is constructed of elastomeric materials. The use of elastomeric materials provides for increased flexibility in the formation of the shape of the tooling. However, elastomeric tooling may not provide the rigidity needed during the formation of the tooling. Therefore, to solve this problem, the elastomeric tooling may be filled with a filler media, such as ceramic spheres available under the product name Macrolite, which is then held under vacuum to provide the necessary rigidity. After curing, the media is removed from the tooling.
The use of these methodologies, however, has proven to be inefficient in filling the tooling with media, compacting the media in the tooling, and extracting the media from the tooling. By generally acting only on a portion of the tooling, these methods affect only a small, localized area of the tooling. Thus, these methodologies must be repeated numerous times to achieve the desired result. This repetition increases the time to produce the structure as well as the labor costs.
Another method consistent with the present invention provides a method of filling a tooling with media. The method includes placing, media in the tooling and vibrating the tooling to compact the media in the tooling. Vibrating further comprises generating a first current flow in a first conductor located in the tooling and producing a vibration in the tooling by generating a second current flow opposite the first current flow in a second conductor located in the tooling and being in proximity to the first conductor.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mandrel form created on a mandrel consistent with an embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 8A-8E;
FIG. 11 illustrates removing a mandrel from, a mandrel form consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C.
In this implementation, process 500 begins with start 510. After start 510 is prepare mandrel 520. In this implementation, prepare mandrel 520 comprises the selection of the size, shape, and type of mandrel to form the fuselage (such as fuselage 300). Prepare mandrel 520 is further described in FIGS. 6A-6B.
In this implementation, form mandrel 530 is followed by fill with media 540. Fill with media 540 comprises filling the mandrel with filler media, such as ceramic spheres available under the product name Macrolite. Fill with media 540 may also comprise compacting the media. Fill with media 540 is further described in FIGS. 8A-8E.
In this implementation, form part around mandrel 550 is followed by remove media 560. Remove media 560 comprises the extraction of the media from the mandrel. Remove media 560 may also comprise dislodging any compacted media. Remove media 560 is further described in FIGS. 10A-10C.
Bag 610 may comprise premolded silicone or any other appropriate form or substance. Some silicone materials that have been found acceptable comprise those available from Mosite and Kirkhill. In addition, there are many other suppliers of high temperature (up to 400° F.), unfilled, and uncured silicone sheet materials that may be used, depending upon the cure temperature of the desired part. In one implementation, a material, such as Depco 63 available from D Aircraft Products, can be sprayed to make an elastomeric mandrel. These implementations are merely exemplary, and other parts may also be used.
Armature 620 may be made of any appropriate material. In one implementation, a metal welded armature is used. However, other materials may also be used to form armature 620. In one implementation, to minimize weight and bending, armature 620 may be as large as possible, while allowing it to be removed from, bag 610. This implementation is merely exemplary, and other implementations may also be used.
As further shown in FIG. 6B, in this implementation, spacing layer 640 is located between first conductor layer 630 and second conductor layer 650. If an electrical charge is placed on first conductor layer 630 and second conductor layer 650 (as described in more detail below), spacing layer 640 provides an area for layers 630, 650 to flex apart, as further described in FIGS. 8A-8E.
As still further shown in FIG. 6B, in this implementation, media cavity 660 is between top of media cavity 662 and bottom of media cavity 663. If a charge is placed on first conductor layer 630 and second conductor layer 650 as described above, media cavity 600 also provides an area that may be flexed apart, as electrical currents are passed through conductors 670 and 680, as further described in FIGS. 8A-8E.
With reference to FIG. 8B, in one implementation, during the introduction of media 820, media 820 may be compacted to settle the media and to make mandrel 600 more rigid. The amount of compaction may depend on the particulate size of media 820. For example, if media 820 can be broken into smaller pieces during the filling process, space located in clumps of media 820 may be removed, which would allow for greater compaction. Also, as described in FIGS. 8C-8E (below), conductors 670 and conductors 680 may be used to achieve compaction. This implementation is merely exemplary, and other materials and implementations may also be used.
As shown in FIG. 8C, in one implementation, controllers 860, 870 comprise a power supply 862, 872, a bank of energy storing capacitors 864, 874, and a high voltage switch 866, 876, respectively. Capacitors 864, 874 are connected to power supplies 862, 872, respectively. Switches 866, 876 are connected to capacitors 864, 874 and to conductors 880, 870, respectively. On demand, power supplies 862, 872 provide a charge to capacitors 864, 874. When capacitors 864, 874 are fully charged, high voltage switches 866, 876 may be activated. On activation, switches 866, 876 release the charge from capacitors 864, 874 into conductors 880, 890. This creates a current flow in conductors 880, 890, which in turn produces a magnetic field around conductors 880, 890. The magnetic field around conductors 880, 890 results in a mechanical displacement, which is used for various purposes, as described below. This implementation is merely exemplary, and other implementations may also be used.
With reference to FIG. 8D; in one implementation, conductors 670, 680 are pulsed at timed intervals to reduce the filling time and to increase compaction. When this pulse occurs, media 820 is vibrated in bag 610. After the pulse, the elasticity of bag 610 material restores bag 610 to its original form. The optimum frequency of these pulses will depend on media 820 and the size and shape of bag 610. This implementation is merely exemplary, and other implementations may also be used.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mandrel form created on a mandrel consistent with an embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 8A-8E. As shown in FIG. 9, composite part 950 has been formed around mandrel 600. Prior to formation of composite part 950, form tool 710 is removed. After removal of form tool 710, mandrel 600 will retain its desired shape due to media 820 contained in bag 610, which is held under vacuum. Composite part 950 may then be created around mandrel 600.
FIG. 11 illustrates removing a mandrel from a mandrel form consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C. As shown in FIG. 11, following removal of the media (as shown above) and after the removal of armature 620 from composite part 950 (not shown), bag 610 is also removed from composite part 950. In one implementation, conductors 680 and 670 (not shown) may be once again energized to facilitate separation of bag 610 from fuselage 950. In another implementation, another set of conductors may be positioned in an elastomeric subassembly that would be fitted around fuselage 950. In this implementation, instead of acting from the interior of the assembly, this implementation would act on the exterior of composite part 950 to aid in extraction of bag 610. Still other implementations may also be used. These implementations are merely exemplary, and other implementations may also be used.
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No. 11/783,162.Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8460596 *Jun 17, 2009Jun 11, 2013Airbus Operations SasMethod of making a core comprising an envelope containing granular and/or powdery products, device and core obtainedUS20110226660 *Jun 17, 2009Sep 22, 2011Airbus Operations SasMethod of making a core comprising an envelope containing granular and/or powdery products, device and core obtained* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification264/71, 249/179, 366/127, 366/115, 264/313, 141/12, 366/275, 141/10, 264/443, 264/317International ClassificationB29C33/40, B29C43/22, B29C33/54Cooperative ClassificationB29C33/54, B29C33/405, Y10T29/49815European ClassificationB29C33/54Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionOct 25, 2013REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedMar 16, 2014LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesMay 6, 2014FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20140316RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services