US 11,731,325 B2
Self-skinning cast components having negative space spars
Steven McGinnis, Seattle, WA (US); Prescott Gee Glynn, Sammamish, WA (US); Kader Chellabi, Seattle, WA (US); Adrian Timothy Wallace, Seattle, WA (US); and Ricky Dean Welsh, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Jan. 15, 2018, as Appl. No. 15/871,521.
Prior Publication US 2019/0217511 A1, Jul. 18, 2019
Int. Cl. B29C 44/42 (2006.01); B29C 44/58 (2006.01); B29C 44/34 (2006.01); B29C 33/50 (2006.01); B29D 99/00 (2010.01); B29C 33/48 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01); B29C 33/42 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 44/583 (2013.01) [B29C 33/485 (2013.01); B29C 33/505 (2013.01); B29C 44/355 (2013.01); B29C 44/42 (2013.01); B29D 99/0025 (2013.01); B29C 33/424 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3085 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a component, comprising:
inserting a mandrel including at least one surface feature into a molding tool;
metering a self-skinning foam material composition into the molding tool;
closing the molding tool for a period of time and generating an overvolume pressure within the molding tool as the self-skinning foam material composition expands and cures to form a component having a negative space spar formed by the mandrel during the period of time;
opening the molding tool after the period of time;
removing the component from the molding tool; and
removing the mandrel from the negative space spar of the component;
wherein:
the self-skinning foam material composition forms an internal skin on an interior surface of the negative space spar of the component in contact with the mandrel upon generation of the overvolume pressure during expansion and curing during the period of time; and
the at least one surface feature of the mandrel forms a corresponding internal surface feature on the internal skin of the interior surface and is configured to structurally strengthen the component.