US 12,240,151 B2
Composite structure with blind hole
Nathaniel Ching, Hartville, OH (US); Jin Hu, Hudson, OH (US); Wenping Zhao, Glastonbury, CT (US); and Casey Slane, Tallmadge, OH (US)
Assigned to GOODRICH CORPORATION, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Goodrich Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Nov. 4, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/672,667.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/789,303, filed on Jan. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0215725 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 33/52 (2006.01); B29C 33/00 (2006.01); B29C 70/00 (2006.01); B29C 70/46 (2006.01); B29K 307/04 (2006.01); B29K 309/08 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 33/52 (2013.01) [B29C 33/0033 (2013.01); B29C 70/46 (2013.01); B29K 2307/04 (2013.01); B29K 2309/08 (2013.01); B29K 2995/0062 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7156 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of making a multi-section composite tank, comprising:
aligning two mating sections of a soluble tool;
applying a composite material between the two mating sections, the composite material having a central hole and a composite layer thickness;
placing a spacer in the central hole, wherein the spacer is configured to ensure that the composite layer does not close around the central opening when the composite layer is cured and the spacer is further configured to have in-plane rigidity such that the spacer keeps its shape during a build of a multi-section tank, wherein the spacer has a spacer thickness that is no greater than the composite layer thickness and the spacer is formed from a material that will cure with the composite layer;
curing the composite material and the spacer around the soluble tool, such that the spacer adheres to the composite material; and
washing out the soluble tool to form a blind hole between mating sections of the tank.