US 11,999,117 B2
Apparatus and methods for repairing composite laminates
Samuel Colin Hanna, Bangor Down (GB); William Christopher Campbell, Antrim (GB); Mathew Stoessiger, Savannah, GA (US); and Michael Crossthwaite, Elsternwick (AU)
Assigned to Short Brothers PLC, Belfast (GB)
Filed by SHORT BROTHERS PLC, Belfast (GB)
Filed on Dec. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/562,322.
Application 17/562,322 is a division of application No. 16/087,920, granted, now 11,235,540, previously published as PCT/US2017/023512, filed on Mar. 22, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/313,271, filed on Mar. 25, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0118721 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/44 (2006.01); B29C 70/74 (2006.01); B29C 73/02 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/443 (2013.01) [B29C 70/745 (2013.01); B29C 73/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for infusing a flowable matrix material into a porous region in a composite laminate via a face of the composite laminate, the face comprising an area overlaying a location of the porous region in the composite laminate, the method comprising:
supplying the flowable matrix material to a first portion of the area of the face of the composite laminate;
distributing the flowable matrix material across at least some of the first portion of the area of the face; and
while hindering a flow of the flowable matrix material out of the first portion of the area via the face of the composite laminate, drawing the flowable matrix material in the first portion of the area into the porous region and causing some of the flowable matrix material to exit the porous region via a second portion of the area outside the first portion of the area.