US 12,434,450 B2
Bladder vent plugs for composite manufacturing and related methods and systems
Keegan D. Bray, Federal Way, WA (US); Wesley E. Perrault, Snohomish, WA (US); Shuonan Dong, Seattle, WA (US); Daniel J. McMillan, Edmonds, WA (US); Asher S. Einhorn, Seattle, WA (US); Samuel B. Williams, Mount Vernon, WA (US); Zena L. Moran, Everett, WA (US); and Jonathan A. Santiago, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/542,397.
Prior Publication US 2025/0196453 A1, Jun. 19, 2025
Int. Cl. B29C 70/54 (2006.01); B29C 33/10 (2006.01); B29C 33/50 (2006.01); B29C 70/44 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/544 (2021.05) [B29C 33/10 (2013.01); B29C 33/505 (2013.01); B29C 70/44 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bladder vent plug for composite manufacturing, the bladder vent plug comprising:
a body defining an interior volume, defining a vent passage extending through the body from the interior volume, and defining a pressure passage extending through the body from the interior volume, wherein the body comprises an interior-volume end face and an interior-volume peripheral face that collectively define the interior volume, and wherein the vent passage and the pressure passage extend through the interior-volume end face;
a manifold block positioned within the interior volume of the body, defining a throughbore aligned with the vent passage, defining a peripheral channel facing the interior-volume peripheral face, and defining a pressure bore aligned with the pressure passage and open to the peripheral channel; and
a diaphragm operatively positioned relative to the peripheral channel, extending fully around the peripheral channel, and configured to expand toward the interior-volume peripheral face when the peripheral channel is pressurized via the pressure bore and the pressure passage;
wherein the bladder vent plug is configured to receive an open-ended composite-manufacturing bladder between the interior-volume peripheral face and the peripheral channel of the manifold block.