US 11,724,422 B2
Operator-assisted system and method for preparing a bladder for use in composite stringer manufacturing
Robert W. Whiting, Rigby, ID (US); Darrell D. Jones, Mill Creek, WA (US); Paul Chace Wilcoxson, Kent, WA (US); and Raviendra S. Suriyaarachchi, Daniel Island, SC (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on May 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/876,635.
Prior Publication US 2021/0354337 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 33/50 (2006.01); B29C 35/02 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 33/505 (2013.01) [B29C 35/02 (2013.01); B29C 66/634 (2013.01); B64C 1/064 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3076 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for preparing a bladder for use in manufacturing a composite stringer, comprising:
a sock application station having a sock cartridge configured to progressively apply a breather sock of breather material in tubular form onto a bladder as the bladder exits the sock cartridge to thereby result in a sock-bladder assembly;
a film application station located downstream of the sock application station and configured to inflate a film from a flat shape into an open film tube prior to application over the sock-bladder assembly to thereby result in a film-sock-bladder assembly; and
a composite ply application station located downstream of the film application station and having a wrap ply forming bed containing at least one forming bed opening and configured to receive one or more wrap plies of a wrap laminate for urging into the forming bed opening by the film-sock-bladder assembly to produce a ply-film-sock-bladder assembly.