US 12,070,915 B2
Autoclave system, bladder assembly, and associated method for forming a part
Byron J. Autry, Charleston, SC (US); William H. Ingram, Puyallup, WA (US); and Karl M. Nelson, Issaquah, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/556,688.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/133,667, filed on Jan. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212425 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/54 (2006.01); B29C 70/44 (2006.01); B29K 63/00 (2006.01); B29K 307/04 (2006.01); B29K 309/08 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/54 (2013.01) [B29C 70/44 (2013.01); B29K 2063/00 (2013.01); B29K 2307/04 (2013.01); B29K 2309/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bladder assembly for forming a part made of a fiber-reinforced polymeric material, the bladder assembly comprising:
a bladder comprising an interior having a hollow interior channel within the interior of the bladder;
an intake port fluidically coupled with an exterior of the bladder and the interior of the bladder such that a fluid within the exterior of the bladder can flow into the interior of the bladder;
an exhaust port fluidically coupled with the interior of the bladder and the exterior of the bladder such that the fluid within the interior of the bladder can flow out of the interior of the bladder;
a first sensor fluidically coupled with the exterior of the bladder and configured to detect a first pressure of the fluid within the exterior of the bladder;
a second sensor fluidically coupled with the interior of the bladder and configured to detect a second pressure of the fluid within the interior of the bladder; and
a pressure control device operably coupled with the first sensor and the second sensor, fluidically coupled with the exhaust port and configured to control a pressure drop across the interior of the bladder from the intake port to the exhaust port in response to a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure.