| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090154775 | FITTING DOUBLERS USING GAP MAPPING - A method and apparatus are used to fit a metallic or composite doubler on an uneven surface. A three dimensional digital map of the gap between the doubler and the uneven surface is generated by digitally scanning the uneven surface. The digital map is then used to fabricate a stack of adhesive plies tailored to substantially fill the gap between the doubler and the uneven surface. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20100143722 | BOND LINE CONTROL PROCESS - A method and apparatus for bonding parts. An adhesive and a plurality of beads may be applied onto a first surface of a first part to form a layer of adhesive and beads. The first surface of the first part with the layer of adhesive and beads may be placed in contact with a second surface of a second part to form a structure, wherein the structure may be cured. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100276065 | Bonded Patches With Bond Line Control - A patch is used to rework an area of a structure. The patch is bonded to the structure by a layer of adhesive. A spacer placed between the patch and the structure is used to control the thickness of the adhesive and/or a bondline. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20110132523 | SURROGATE PATCH FOR COMPOSITE REPAIR PROCESS - A surrogate patch assembly for a rework area of a structure comprises a surrogate patch body which may be formed of a material for drawing moisture from the rework area. The patch assembly may include a sensor mounted to the surrogate patch body. The sensor may comprise a thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the rework area and the surrogate patch body. The sensor may comprise a moisture sensor for sensing moisture drawn into the surrogate patch body. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20120080135 | Systems and Methods for On-Aircraft Composite Repair Using Double Vacuum Debulking - An in-situ double vacuum debulk (DVD) composite repair system designed to produce partially or fully cured autoclave-quality hot-bond composite repairs on contoured structures. The system provides vacuum pressure for hot bond repairs to be performed on flat and contoured structures using one set-up capable of debulking (partially curing) and then fully curing composite repairs on composite and metallic aircraft structures. The use of in-situ DVD also eliminates handling of the patch/adhesive when transferring from an off-aircraft DVD chamber to the repair site on the aircraft. This can increase the probability of successful repairs because the possibility of contaminating and misaligning the adhesive and repair patch are eliminated. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120125534 | Methods and Apparatus for Void-Free Debulking of Adhesive Bonded Joints - Methods and apparatus for fabricating adhesive bonded joints while minimizing the voids and/or porosity found in the cured bondline. In accordance with various embodiments, the apparatus comprises an evacuation chamber combined with a pressure inducing device to produce bonded joints that are both void free and thoroughly compacted. The surfaces to be bonded are continuously evacuated throughout the bonding process (pre-mating, mating, debulking and cure). Continuous evacuation is provided via standard vacuum, while the induced pressure can be pneumatically or mechanically provided. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120298311 | Apparatus for Void-Free Debulking of Adhesive Bonded Joints - Methods and apparatus for fabricating adhesive bonded joints while minimizing the voids and/or porosity found in the cured bondline. In accordance with various embodiments, the apparatus comprises an evacuation chamber combined with a pressure inducing device to produce bonded joints that are both void free and thoroughly compacted. The surfaces to be bonded are continuously evacuated throughout the bonding process (pre-mating, mating, debulking and cure). Continuous evacuation is provided via standard vacuum, while the induced pressure can be pneumatically or mechanically provided. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20140000788 | SURROGATE PATCH ASSEMBLY FOR A REWORK AREA OF A COMPOSITE STRUCTURE | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140200731 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE - The present disclosure describes one or more systems, methods, routines and/or techniques for thermal management. One or more systems, methods, routines and/or techniques may provide advice or guidance (e.g., to a repair technician) regarding how to perform a hot bond repair, for example, on an aircraft component that has been damaged. The thermal management advisor may provide advice or guidance regarding how to prepare a repair field prior to running a thermal survey. For example, thermal management advisor may recommend a particular heat blanket, a configuration of the heat blanket, placement of various temperature sensors and other preparation guidance. The thermal management advisor may provide advice or guidance regarding how to alter or manage the repair setup during a thermal survey and during the actual curing process. For example, thermal management advisor may recommend particular temperature sensors or areas of the repair field that should be insulated. | 07-17-2014 |
| 20140322540 | SURFACE TREATMENT FOR STRUCTURAL BONDING TO ALUMINUM - Provided are methods for structurally bonding adhesives to aluminum components without using adhesive bond primers. Also provided are apparatuses that include these structural bonds. An aluminum component may be treated with a conversion coating creating a conversion layer on the surface of the aluminum component and then treated with a sol-gel material creating a sol-gel layer on the conversion layer. An adhesive layer is applied directly onto the sol-gel layer without any adhesive bond primers. After curing the adhesive layer, a structural bond is formed between the aluminum component and the adhesive layer. The sol-gel material may be specifically formulated for a specific adhesive type and may include functional groups providing covalent bonds to the adhesive layer. The sol-gel material may be cured within about 30 minutes at a room temperature in comparison to 90 minutes at 250 F needed to cure a typical adhesive bond primer. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20140326389 | BONDED PATCHES WITH BOND LINE CONTROL - A patch may be used to rework a composite structure in the field. The patch is bonded to the structure by a layer of adhesive and includes perforations that allow the escape of air from the adhesive as the patch is compressed against the structure. A spacer may be introduced between the patch and the structure to control the thickness of the adhesive layer. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20150158258 | Systems and Methods for On-Aircraft Composite Repair Using Double Vacuum Debulking - An in-situ double vacuum debulk (DVD) composite repair system designed to produce partially or fully cured autoclave-quality hot-bond composite repairs on contoured structures. The system provides vacuum pressure for hot bond repairs to be performed on flat and contoured structures using one set-up capable of debulking (partially curing) and then fully curing composite repairs on composite and metallic aircraft structures. The use of in-situ DVD also eliminates handling of the patch/adhesive when transferring from an off-aircraft DVD chamber to the repair site on the aircraft. This can increase the probability of successful repairs because the possibility of contaminating and misaligning the adhesive and repair patch are eliminated. | 06-11-2015 |
| 20150198520 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CREATING ALTERED ADHESIVE BONDS - Disclosed are systems and methods of creating altered adhesive bonded joints between metal or composite substrates, including bonds that are weaker in strength than selected reference bonds. One method of creating an altered adhesive bond includes providing a first substrate and a second substrate, selecting a manufacturing process having a plurality of steps designed to produce a desired, or reference, adhesive bond having a desired strength, and selectively altering at least one of the plurality of steps during performance of the manufacturing process to produce an altered bond between the first substrate and the second substrate, the altered bond having an altered strength that is weaker than the strength of the desired adhesive bond. The systems may include systems that may be utilized to create the altered adhesive bonds and/or test standards. | 07-16-2015 |
| 20150284570 | Primer Saturated Carrier Medium Assembly And Method Of Applying To A Surface - The present disclosure is generally directed to a primer saturated carrier medium assembly including a carrier medium having a front face and an opposing rear face, a primer saturating the carrier medium between the front face and the opposing rear face, and removable film impenetrable to the primer covering opposite faces of the carrier medium. A method of applying primer to a surface includes applying a face of a primer saturated carrier medium to contact a surface, and curing the primer saturated carrier medium on the surface. A structure includes a primer saturated medium including a carrier medium having a front face and an opposing rear face, and a primer saturating the carrier medium between the front face and the opposing rear face. The structure further includes a surface adhered to the primer on one face of the primer saturated medium. | 10-08-2015 |
