Patent ID: 7258828

Claim:
A method of joining a first component to a second component, wherein the first and second components being a cured resin and fiber composite or a metal, each having a cured or metal portion, the method comprising: (a) placing a preform of composite material on the cured or metal portion of the second component, the preform having a flowpath with an inlet and an outlet, the flowpath having a greater permeability than remaining portions of the preform; (b) placing the cured or metal portion of the first component on the preform on a side opposite the cured or metal portion of the second component; then (c) placing the preform and at least the cured or metal portions of the first and second components within a vacuum bag assembly, thereby sandwiching the preform between the cured or metal portions of the first and second components; then (d) introducing resin into the inlet of the flowpath and creating a suction at the outlet of the flowpath, causing resin to flow along the flowpath and from the flowpath into the preform to infuse the preform with resin; then (e) curing the resin in the preform to bond the cured or metal portion of the first component to the cured or metal portion of the second component to thereby join the first and second components.