US 12,030,267 B2
Curing mold for manufacturing a turbomachine component made of composite material from a preform and method for manufacturing a component by means of such a mold
Jérôme Olhagaray, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); Thierry Patrick Chauvin, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); Kris Hoes, Moissy-Cramayel (FR); and Michel Wlasow Wlasowski, Moissy-Cramayel (FR)
Assigned to SAFRAN, Paris (FR)
Appl. No. 17/413,274
Filed by SAFRAN, Paris (FR)
PCT Filed Dec. 10, 2019, PCT No. PCT/FR2019/053002
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 11, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/120896, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1872924 (FR), filed on Dec. 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0016812 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/44 (2006.01); B29C 43/36 (2006.01); B29C 43/52 (2006.01); B29C 70/46 (2006.01); B29C 70/54 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/546 (2013.01) [B29C 43/361 (2013.01); B29C 43/3642 (2013.01); B29C 43/52 (2013.01); B29C 70/446 (2013.01); B29C 70/46 (2013.01); B29C 70/462 (2013.01); B29C 2043/3613 (2013.01); B29C 2043/3649 (2013.01); B29C 2043/525 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0872 (2013.01); B29L 2031/30 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7504 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Curing mold for manufacturing a turbomachine component made of a composite material, starting from a preform made by laying up prepregs comprising reinforcing fibers impregnated in a thermosetting resin, the preform having a portion to be molded and at least one additional portion extending into the prolongation of the portion to be molded and forming an edge of the preform, the curing mold comprising:
a first body and a second body designed to be fitted together, the first and second bodies each comprising an internal surface itself comprising a peripheral area at which the first and second bodies are in contact with each other and a central area defining a fixed air gap between the first and second bodies, the air gap adapted to accommodate the preform and itself comprising:
a molding part with a shape complementary to the component to be manufactured, the molding part adapted to accommodate the portion to be molded of the preform, and
at least one additional part located in a peripheral space of the air gap, the or each additional part adapted to accommodate an additional portion of the preform;
a heating member designed to heat the preform in the air gap to a first temperature, so as to reduce the viscosity of the resin;
at least one inflatable bladder housed in at least one groove in the central area of the internal surface of the first or second body, facing an additional part of the air gap;
an injection member designed to inject fluid under pressure inside the bladder(s), so as to inflate the bladder(s) from a deflated state to an inflated state, and the or each bladder also being designed so that, in the inflated state, it compresses the additional portion of the preform located in the additional part of the air gap facing said bladder, so as to flush the resin from the additional portion of the preform towards the portion to be molded of the preform and thus put the preform under hydrostatic pressure, when the preform is located in the air gap and the heating member heats the preform to the first temperature,
wherein the or each additional part extends in a direction of prolongation of the molding part, and
wherein the air gap is rectangular.