Flexible hinge structure forming method

Abstract

According to the flexible hinge structure forming method provided by the invention, a targeted forming tool is designed according to the structure of a flexible hinge so as to align and position the flexible hinge in the forming process; according to the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge and the structure of the forming tool, a layering process is determined; laying and folding the raw material according to a laying process to obtain a formed material; curing the formed material to obtain a cured material; according to the design size of the flexible hinge, the cured material is cut to obtain the flexible hinge meeting the design size, and according to the design qualification requirement of the flexible hinge, the flexible hinge is detected to obtain the flexible hinge meeting the design requirement. The forming tool and the corresponding layering technology are designed in a targeted mode, key technological parameters of flexible hinge forming are defined, the flexible hinge is precisely machined, the product quality and the size precision of the flexible hinge are guaranteed, meanwhile, the overall structural strength of the flexible hinge is improved, and the blank in the field of special forming methods for flexible hinge structures is filled up.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of composite material forming, and particularly to a forming method for a flexible hinge structure. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the requirements for aerospace lightweight and the technology of large-area flexible solar cell wings, flexible and thin hinges are increasingly widely used. However, the current processing of flexible hinges is not standardized, and there is no dedicated forming method for flexible hinge structures.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a forming method for a flexible hinge structure to at least partially solve the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related technologies.

[0005] To this end, the present disclosure provides a forming method for a flexible hinge structure;

[0006] In view of this, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a forming method for a flexible hinge structure is proposed, including:

[0007] Design a forming tooling according to the structure of the flexible hinge;

[0008] Determine the corresponding laying process according to the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge and the structure of the forming tooling;

[0009] Lay and fold the raw materials according to the above laying process to obtain a formed material;

[0010] Cure the above formed material to obtain a cured material;

[0011] Cut the above cured material according to the design dimensions of the flexible hinge to obtain the flexible hinge;

[0012] Detect the above flexible hinge according to the design requirements of the flexible hinge.

[0013] In a feasible implementation manner, the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge includes:

[0014] A first polyimide film;

[0015] A glass fiber aluminum foil, laid on the first polyimide film;

[0016] A first glass fiber prepreg laminate, overlapping the glass fiber aluminum foil;

[0017] A second polyimide film, laid on the first glass fiber limit prepreg laminate;

[0018] The second glass fiber prepreg laminate is laid on the above-mentioned second polyimide film.

[0019] In a feasible implementation manner, the above-mentioned molding tooling includes:

[0020] A tooling main body provided with a lamination area;

[0021] A positioning reference is arranged in the above-mentioned lamination area for positioning the above-mentioned first polyimide film;

[0022] A first positioning ruler is detachably arranged in the above-mentioned lamination area for positioning the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil;

[0023] A second positioning ruler is detachably arranged in the above-mentioned lamination area for positioning the above-mentioned first glass fiber prepreg laminate, wherein the above-mentioned first positioning ruler is closer to the above-mentioned positioning reference than the above-mentioned second positioning ruler;

[0024] A magnetic part, the above-mentioned first positioning ruler and the above-mentioned second positioning ruler are metal parts, and the above-mentioned magnetic part adsorbs on the above-mentioned first positioning ruler and / or the above-mentioned second positioning ruler;

[0025] A positioning pin, and the above-mentioned first positioning ruler and / or the above-mentioned second positioning ruler are fixed to the above-mentioned tooling main body through the above-mentioned positioning pin;

[0026] Lifting bolts are arranged on the side of the above-mentioned tooling main body for hoisting the above-mentioned tooling main body.

[0027] In a feasible implementation manner, the steps of laying and folding the raw materials according to the above-mentioned laying process to obtain the formed material include:

[0028] Disassemble, clean and assemble the above-mentioned molding tooling;

[0029] Determine the allowance of the above-mentioned raw materials according to the design dimensions of the above-mentioned flexible hinge, and preliminarily cut the above-mentioned raw materials according to the above-mentioned allowance;

[0030] Through the positioning function of the above-mentioned molding tooling, perform a primary lamination operation on the laying of the above-mentioned raw materials to obtain a first laminated material;

[0031] After the above-mentioned first laminated material is preliminarily cured, process an arc part in the corresponding area of the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil of the above-mentioned first laminated material;

[0032] Perform a secondary lamination operation on the above-mentioned first laminated material after the above-mentioned arc part is processed to form a second laminated material;

[0033] After the above-mentioned second laminated material is preliminarily cured, fold the above-mentioned arc area to obtain the above-mentioned formed material.

[0034] In a feasible implementation, the step of performing a single lamination operation on the above-mentioned raw material layup through the positioning function of the above-mentioned molding tooling to obtain the first laminated material includes:

[0035] Position and lay the above-mentioned first polyimide film through the above-mentioned positioning reference;

[0036] Install the above-mentioned second positioning ruler, and position and lay the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil on the above-mentioned first polyimide film through the above-mentioned second positioning ruler;

[0037] Install the above-mentioned first positioning ruler and remove the above-mentioned second positioning ruler, and position the above-mentioned first fiberglass prepreg laminate through the above-mentioned first positioning ruler and lap it on the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil to obtain the above-mentioned first laminated material.

[0038] In a feasible implementation, the overlapping position width of the lap between the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil and the above-mentioned first fiberglass prepreg laminate is 3 mm ± 0.1 mm.

[0039] In a feasible implementation, the step of processing an arc portion in the corresponding area of the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil of the above-mentioned first laminated material after the above-mentioned first laminated material is preliminarily cured includes:

[0040] Transfer the above-mentioned first laminated material that has completed preliminary curing to the curing area of the above-mentioned molding tooling. The above-mentioned molding tooling further includes a pressing plate and a pressing strip, which are arranged in the above-mentioned curing area, and fix the above-mentioned first laminated material in the above-mentioned curing area through the above-mentioned pressing plate and the above-mentioned pressing strip;

[0041] Place a polytetrafluoroethylene rope in the corresponding area of the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil and apply pressure to the above-mentioned polytetrafluoroethylene rope to form the above-mentioned arc portion.

[0042] In a feasible implementation, the step of performing a secondary lamination operation on the above-mentioned first laminated material after processing the above-mentioned arc portion to form a second laminated material includes:

[0043] Transfer the above-mentioned first laminated material after processing the above-mentioned arc portion to the above-mentioned lamination area;

[0044] Position and lay the above-mentioned second polyimide film on the above-mentioned first fiberglass prepreg laminate through the above-mentioned positioning reference;

[0045] Position and lay the above-mentioned second fiberglass prepreg laminate on the above-mentioned second polyimide film through the above-mentioned positioning reference.

[0046] In a feasible implementation, before curing the above-mentioned formed material, silicone rubber and a process skin are placed on the surface of the above-mentioned formed material, and vacuum bagging is carried out using a vacuum bag film;

[0047] After obtaining the above-mentioned cured material, the above-mentioned vacuum bag film, the above-mentioned process skin, and the above-mentioned silicone rubber are removed. In a feasible implementation, the step of curing the above-mentioned formed material to obtain a cured material includes:

[0048] Transfer the above-mentioned formed material after the vacuum bagging to an autoclave for curing;

[0049] Control the autoclave to pressurize and heat up in a stepped manner until the pressure in the autoclave reaches the preset curing pressure and the temperature in the autoclave reaches the preset curing temperature;

[0050] Among them, the above-mentioned preset curing pressing pressure is 3 MPa, the starting pressurizing temperature in the autoclave is 140°C to 210°C, and the above-mentioned preset curing temperature is 210°C.

[0051] Compared with the prior art, the present disclosure at least includes the following beneficial effects: The forming method of the flexible hinge structure provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure designs a targeted forming tooling according to the structure of the flexible hinge to align and position the forming process of the flexible hinge; determines the corresponding lay-up process according to the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge and the structure of the forming tooling; obtains a formed material by laying up and folding the raw materials according to the lay-up process; cures the formed material to obtain a cured material; the structure of the cured material is the same as the structure of the flexible hinge, and the cured material is cut according to the design dimensions of the flexible hinge, so as to obtain a flexible hinge that meets the design dimensions, and the flexible hinge is detected according to the design qualification requirements of the flexible hinge to obtain a high-quality flexible hinge that meets the design requirements. By specifically designing the forming tooling and the corresponding lay-up process for the flexible hinge structure, the key process parameters for forming the flexible hinge are clarified, so as to accurately form and process the flexible hinge, while ensuring the product quality and dimensional accuracy of the flexible hinge, improving the overall structural strength of the flexible hinge, and filling the blank in the field of forming methods dedicated to flexible hinge structures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] By reading the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments below, various other advantages and benefits will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating the exemplary embodiments and are not considered to be a limitation of the present disclosure. And throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0053] Figure 1Schematic flowchart of a forming method for a flexible hinge structure according to an embodiment provided by the present disclosure;

[0054] Figure 2 Schematic structural diagram of a forming tooling according to an embodiment provided by the present disclosure;

[0055] Figure 3 Schematic structural diagram of the processing process of a forming material according to an embodiment provided by the present disclosure;

[0056] Figure 4 Schematic structural diagram of the processing process of a forming material according to an embodiment provided by the present disclosure;

[0057] Figure 5 Schematic structural diagram of the processing process of a forming material according to an embodiment provided by the present disclosure;

[0058] Figure 6 Schematic structural diagram of a flexible hinge according to an embodiment provided by the present disclosure.

[0059] Among them, Figures 1 to 6 The corresponding relationship between the reference numerals and the component names in the figure is as follows:

[0060] 200 forming tooling, 210 tooling main body, 220 positioning reference, 230 first positioning ruler, 240 second positioning ruler, 250 magnetic part, 260 positioning pin, 270 lifting bolt, 280 pressing plate, 290 cover plate, 300 flexible hinge, 310 first polyimide film, 320 fiberglass aluminum foil, 330 first fiberglass prepreg laminate, 340 second polyimide film, 350 second fiberglass prepreg laminate, 360 overlapping area, 370 arc part, 380 hollow shaft body, 390 notch. Detailed implementation manners

[0061] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted here that the description of these embodiments is for helping to understand the present invention, but does not constitute a limitation to the present invention. The specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are only used to describe the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in many alternative forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0062] As Figures 1 to 6As shown, a method for forming a flexible hinge 300 structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: designing a forming tooling 200 according to the structure of the flexible hinge 300; determining a corresponding layup process according to the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge 300 and the structure of the forming tooling 200; performing layup and folding on raw materials according to the layup process to obtain a formed material; curing the formed material to obtain a cured material; cutting the cured material according to the designed dimensions of the flexible hinge 300 to obtain the flexible hinge 300; and inspecting the flexible hinge 300 according to the design requirements of the flexible hinge 300.

[0063] It can be understood that the method for forming a flexible hinge 300 structure provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes steps S110 to S160.

[0064] Among them, step S110: Designing a forming tooling 200 according to the structure of the flexible hinge 300; it can be understood that the designed structure of the flexible hinge 300 can be a multi-level structure. During processing and forming, it is necessary to position and lay up the designed positions of each level of materials in the hierarchical structure. Therefore, designing the forming tooling 200 can ensure accurate positioning of the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge 300 to conform to the designed positions and ensure the structural strength.

[0065] Step S120: Determining a corresponding layup process according to the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge 300 and the structure of the forming tooling 200;

[0066] It can be understood that according to each layer of materials in the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge 300 and the positioning effect of the forming tooling 200 on each level of materials, a corresponding layup process is designed to determine the sequence of layup, the position of layup, and the cooperation relationship between each level of materials.

[0067] In some examples, as Figures 4 to 6 shown, the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge 300 includes: a first polyimide film 310; a fiberglass aluminum foil 320 laid on the first polyimide film 310; a first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 lapped on the fiberglass aluminum foil 320; a second polyimide film 340 laid on the first glass-limited prepreg laminate; and a second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 laid on the second polyimide film 340.

[0068] It can be understood that taking Figure 4The angle shown, the bottommost layer is the first polyimide film 310. The polyimide material has excellent thermal stability, chemical corrosion resistance and mechanical properties, and has a relatively high tensile strength to be suitable for the working environment and bending degree of the flexible hinge 300 to ensure the structural strength. The fiberglass aluminum foil 320 is laid on the first polyimide film 310 and is located at the middle position of the first polyimide film 310 at the angle shown. The fiberglass aluminum foil 320 has good sealing and heat insulation properties, and an arc part 370 can be processed at the middle position of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320, and then a complete circle can be formed by folding. Specifically, the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 can be bonded to the first polyimide film 310 by an adhesive method. The first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 is formed by laying two layers of fiberglass prepregs. The fiberglass prepreg has low density, light weight, high strength, good corrosion resistance and good processability, which ensures the structural strength and is beneficial to the forming of the flexible hinge 300. The first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 overlaps the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 and is located above the first polyimide film 310. The second polyimide film 340 is laid on the above-mentioned first fiberglass limit prepreg laminate, and a part of the second polyimide film 340 is laid on the overlapping area 360 of the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 and the fiberglass aluminum foil 320. The second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 is laid on the above-mentioned second polyimide film 340. Figure 4 The angle shown is located at the middle position of the first polyimide film 310. The fiberglass aluminum foil 320 has good sealing and heat insulation properties, and an arc part 370 can be processed at the middle position of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320, and then a complete circle can be formed by folding. Specifically, the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 can be bonded to the first polyimide film 310 by an adhesive method. The first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 is formed by laying two layers of fiberglass prepregs. The fiberglass prepreg has low density, light weight, high strength, good corrosion resistance and good processability, which ensures the structural strength and is beneficial to the forming of the flexible hinge 300. The first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 overlaps the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 and is located above the first polyimide film 310. The second polyimide film 340 is laid on the above-mentioned first fiberglass limit prepreg laminate, and a part of the second polyimide film 340 is laid on the overlapping area 360 of the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 and the fiberglass aluminum foil 320. The second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 is laid on the above-mentioned second polyimide film 340.

[0069] In some examples, such as Figure 1 shown, the above-mentioned forming tooling 200 includes: a tooling main body 210, provided with a lamination area; a positioning reference 220, provided in the above-mentioned lamination area for positioning the above-mentioned first polyimide film 310; a first positioning ruler 230, detachably provided in the above-mentioned lamination area for positioning the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil 320; a second positioning ruler 240, detachably provided in the above-mentioned lamination area for positioning the above-mentioned first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330, wherein the above-mentioned first positioning ruler 230 is closer to the above-mentioned positioning reference 220 than the above-mentioned second positioning ruler 240; a magnetic part 250, the above-mentioned first positioning ruler 230 and the above-mentioned second positioning ruler 240 are metal parts, and the above-mentioned magnetic part 250 is adsorbed on the above-mentioned first positioning ruler 230 and / or the above-mentioned second positioning ruler 240; a positioning pin 260, fixing the above-mentioned first positioning ruler 230 and / or the above-mentioned second positioning ruler 240 to the above-mentioned tooling main body 210 through the above-mentioned positioning pin 260; a lifting bolt 270, provided on the side of the above-mentioned tooling main body 210 for hoisting the above-mentioned tooling main body 210.

[0070] It can be understood that the forming operation can be provided with a tooling main body 210, a positioning reference 220, a first positioning ruler 230, a second positioning ruler 240, a magnetic part 250, a positioning pin 260 and a lifting bolt 270. Among them, the tooling main body 210 is provided with a lamination area for performing lamination operations. The positioning reference 220 is arranged in the lamination area, and the first polyimide film 310 can be positioned through the positioning reference 220. The first positioning ruler 230 is detachably arranged in the lamination area, and the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 can be positioned through the first positioning ruler 230; the second positioning ruler 240 is detachably arranged in the lamination area, and the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 can be positioned through the second positioning ruler 240. Moreover, the positions of the first positioning ruler 230 and the second positioning ruler 240 are designed according to the designed positions of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 of the flexible hinge 300 and the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330. Specifically, the first positioning ruler 230 is closer to the positioning reference 220 than the second positioning ruler 240. Both the first positioning ruler 230 and the above-mentioned second positioning ruler 240 are metal parts, and a plurality of magnetic parts 250 are provided and can be arranged at intervals to adsorb on the first positioning ruler 230 and / or the second positioning ruler 240. By arranging the magnetic parts 250, the movement of the laminated materials can be avoided when the first positioning ruler 230 or the second positioning ruler 240 is disassembled, improving the reliability. Positioning holes can be arranged at both ends of the first positioning ruler 230 and the second positioning ruler 240, and the above-mentioned first positioning ruler 230 and / or the second positioning ruler 240 can be fixed to the lamination area of the tooling main body 210 through the positioning pin 260, improving the stability. The lifting bolt 270 is arranged on the side of the tooling main body 210 to facilitate the hoisting and movement of the tooling main body 210.

[0071] Step S130: Lay and fold the raw materials according to the above-mentioned laying process to obtain a formed material; Step S130 includes Step S1301 to Step S1306.

[0072] Among them, Step S1301: Disassemble, clean and assemble the above-mentioned forming tooling 200;

[0073] It can be understood that before using the forming tooling 200, according to the instruction manual of the forming tooling 200, the forming tooling 200 can be disassembled, and the disassembled parts can be cleaned, and the cleaned parts can be assembled to obtain a clean forming tooling 200. Further, for the cleaning operation, high-temperature mold release agent treatment needs to be carried out on each part, connecting bolts and the positioning pin 260 at least twice to ensure the cleanliness, reduce the influence of the forming tooling 200 on the laying process, and improve the reliability. Exemplarily, 3 to 5 cleaning operations are required when the forming tooling 200 is used for the first time, and 2 to 3 cleaning operations are required when the forming tooling 200 is not used for the first time.

[0074] Step S1302: Determine the allowance of the raw material according to the design dimensions of the flexible hinge 300, and perform preliminary cutting on the raw material according to the allowance.

[0075] It can be understood that it is necessary to consider cutting the cured material to obtain the processing allowance of the flexible hinge 300 with the design dimensions, and perform preliminary cutting on the raw material according to the allowance.

[0076] Step S1303: Through the positioning function of the forming tooling 200, perform a first lamination operation on the raw material layup to obtain a first laminated material.

[0077] Step S1303 includes steps S13031 to S13033.

[0078] Among them, step S13031: Position and lay the first polyimide film 310 through the positioning reference 220.

[0079] It can be understood that the first polyimide film 310 can be abutted against the positioning reference 220 to position the first polyimide film 310 through the positioning reference 220.

[0080] Step S13032: Install the second positioning ruler 240, and through the second positioning ruler 240, position the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 and lay it on the first polyimide film 310.

[0081] It can be understood that the second positioning ruler 240 is installed in place through the positioning pin 260, and the first positioning ruler 230 is removed. The fiberglass aluminum foil 320 is abutted against the second positioning ruler 240 to position the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 through the second positioning ruler 240, and the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 is bonded to the first polyimide film 310 by means of adhesive.

[0082] Step S13033: Install the first positioning ruler 230 and remove the second positioning ruler 240. Through the first positioning ruler 230, position the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 and lap it on the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 to obtain the first laminated material.

[0083] It can be understood that the first positioning ruler 230 is installed in place through the positioning pin 260, and the second positioning ruler 240 is removed. The first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 is abutted against the first positioning ruler 230 to position the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 through the first positioning ruler 230, thereby completing the first lamination operation to obtain the first laminated material.

[0084] The laying position accuracy of each layer of material is controlled by the forming tooling 200. When laying the first polyimide film 310, the fiberglass aluminum foil 320, and the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330, a polytetrafluoroethylene strip is used for gas expulsion and pressing flat and compacting operations to ensure accurate positioning and fitting between each layer of the laid layers, avoid wrinkles, bulges, and inclusions, and improve product quality. Moreover, the polytetrafluoroethylene strip will not react with the materials of each layer, improving reliability.

[0085] Exemplarily, Teflon can be sprayed on the surface of the forming tooling 200 to achieve non-destructive demolding.

[0086] In some examples, the overlapping position width of the above-mentioned fiberglass aluminum foil 320 and the above-mentioned first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330 is 3 mm ± 0.1 mm to ensure structural strength and stability.

[0087] Step S1304: After the above-mentioned first laminate material is preliminarily cured, an arc portion 370 is machined in the corresponding area of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 of the above-mentioned first laminate material;

[0088] Step S1304 includes step S13041 and step S13042.

[0089] Among them, step S13041: Transfer the first laminate material after preliminary curing to the curing area of the forming tooling 200. The forming tooling 200 further includes a pressing plate 280 and a pressing strip, which are arranged in the curing area, and the first laminate material is fixed in the curing area by the pressing plate 280 and the pressing strip;

[0090] It can be understood that after obtaining the first laminate material, the first laminate material can be taken out from the lamination area and preliminarily cured and shaped through a autoclave. Transfer the first laminate material after preliminary curing to the curing area of the forming tooling 200. Specifically, the forming tooling 200 is also provided with a pressing plate 280 and a pressing strip. After the first laminate material is transferred to the curing area, the first laminate material can be fixed in the curing area by using the pressing plate 280 and the pressing strip, and the curing area can be provided with an arc groove corresponding to the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 area to machine the arc portion 370 using the arc groove.

[0091] Step S13042: Place a polytetrafluoroethylene rope in the corresponding area of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 and apply pressure to the polytetrafluoroethylene rope to form the arc portion 370.

[0092] It can be understood that, according to the design drawing of the flexible hinge 300, a polytetrafluoroethylene rope can be placed in the corresponding area of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320, and pressure can be applied through the polytetrafluoroethylene rope. In cooperation with the arc groove, the corresponding area of the fiberglass aluminum foil 320 is pressed to form an arc portion 370. Moreover, the polytetrafluoroethylene rope will not adhere to the fiberglass aluminum foil 320, improving the reliability.

[0093] Step S1305: Perform a secondary lamination operation on the above-mentioned first laminated material with the above-mentioned arc portion 370 processed to form a second laminated material;

[0094] Step S1305 includes steps S13051 to S13053.

[0095] Among them, step S13051: Transfer the above-mentioned first laminated material with the above-mentioned arc portion 370 processed to the above-mentioned lamination area;

[0096] It can be understood that after the arc portion 370 is processed, the pressing plate 280 and the pressing strip are removed to transfer the first laminated material to the lamination area.

[0097] Step S13052: Position the above-mentioned second polyimide film 340 through the above-mentioned positioning reference 220 and lay it on the above-mentioned first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330;

[0098] It can be understood that after the first laminated material is transferred to the lamination area, the first laminated material can be abutted against the positioning reference 220, so that the second polyimide film 340 abuts against the positioning reference 220. The second polyimide film 340 is positioned through the positioning reference 220 to lay the second polyimide film 340 on the first fiberglass prepreg laminate 330.

[0099] Step S13053: Position the above-mentioned second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 through the above-mentioned positioning reference 220 and lay it on the above-mentioned second polyimide film 340.

[0100] It can be understood that the second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 can be abutted against the positioning reference 220, and the second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 is positioned through the positioning reference 220 to lay the second fiberglass prepreg laminate 350 on the second polyimide film 340, thereby completing the secondary lamination operation to form a second laminated material.

[0101] It should be noted that when laying the second polyimide film 340 and the second glass fiber prepreg laminate 350, a polytetrafluoroethylene strip is used for purging air and pressing flat to ensure accurate alignment between each layer of the laminate, avoid wrinkles, bulges and inclusions, and improve product quality. Moreover, the polytetrafluoroethylene strip will not react with the materials of each layer, improving reliability.

[0102] Step S1306: After the above-mentioned second laminate material is preliminarily cured, the above-mentioned arc region is folded to obtain the above-mentioned formed material.

[0103] It can be understood that after the second laminate material is preliminarily cured, the second laminate material can be transferred to the forming tooling 200. The bottom of the forming tooling 200 is provided with a folding panel, and the second laminate material can be folded by using the folding panel so that the arc region is folded to form a complete circular part, thereby obtaining the formed material.

[0104] Step S140: Cure the above-mentioned formed material to obtain a cured material.

[0105] In some examples, before curing the above-mentioned formed material, silicone rubber and a process skin are placed on the surface of the above-mentioned formed material, and vacuum bagging is carried out using a vacuum bag film; after obtaining the above-mentioned cured material, the above-mentioned vacuum bag film, the above-mentioned process skin and the above-mentioned silicone rubber are removed to obtain the above-mentioned flexible hinge 300.

[0106] It can be understood that a cover plate 290 is also provided on the forming tooling 200 for vacuum bagging operation and curing operation, so as to realize curing and shaping. Before curing the formed material, silicone rubber and a process skin can be placed on the surface of the formed material, and vacuum bagging is carried out using a vacuum bag film to ensure the protection of the formed material during subsequent curing, avoid deformation and damage of the formed material, and improve reliability. After the curing operation is completed, the vacuum bag film, the process skin and the silicone rubber can be removed to obtain the cured material. Among them, after vacuum bagging, the vacuum pressure is -0.09 MPa to -0.1 MPa.

[0107] Step S140 includes Step S1401 and Step S1402.

[0108] Among them, Step S1401: Transfer the above-mentioned formed material after the above-mentioned vacuum bagging treatment to a autoclave for curing;

[0109] It can be understood that the formed material after the vacuum bagging treatment can be transferred to an autoclave for hot pressing and curing.

[0110] Step S1402: Control the autoclave to pressurize and step-wise increase the temperature until the pressure inside the autoclave reaches a preset curing pressure and the temperature inside the autoclave reaches a preset curing temperature; wherein the preset curing pressing pressure is 3 MPa, the starting pressurization temperature inside the autoclave is 140°C to 210°C, and the preset curing temperature is 210°C.

[0111] It is understandable that the molding material can be cured by pressurizing and heating the molding material in the autoclave. The curing process requires multiple heating, insulation and exhaust operations to accelerate the flow of the resin of the first glass fiber prepreg laminate 330 and the second glass fiber prepreg laminate 350 in the cavity, increase the compactness of the flexible hinge 300 after curing, and improve the structural strength. Specifically, step-by-step heating and insulation are used during the curing process to avoid uneven temperature caused by rapid heating and improve stability. The initial pressurization temperature is controlled at 140°C to 210°C, the curing pressing pressure is controlled at 3MPa, and the preset curing temperature is controlled at 210°C. The cooling procedure during the curing process can adopt natural cooling or step-by-step temperature control to avoid excessive internal stress caused by rapid cooling, which affects the internal quality and related mechanical properties of the flexible hinge 300. When cooled to below 60°C, the autoclave is opened, the vacuum bag film, the process skin and the silicone rubber are removed to obtain the cured material.

[0112] It should be noted that after the solidified material is obtained, the polytetrafluoroethylene rope can be pulled out to obtain a hollow shaft body 380 at the full circle portion, and the hollow shaft body 380 is the hinge portion.

[0113] Step S150: cutting the solidified material according to the design size of the flexible hinge 300 to obtain the flexible hinge 300;

[0114] It is understandable that the solidified material can be cut according to the design size of the flexible hinge 300 so that the size meets the design requirements to obtain the flexible hinge 300. Specifically, the length and width dimensions are cut to ensure the dimensional accuracy of the length and width. According to the design drawing of the flexible hinge 300, the hollow shaft body 380 is cut radially by the notch 390 cutting tool to obtain a plurality of notches 390. Thus, a first flexible hinge with notches 390 arranged in a first position and a second flexible hinge with notches 390 arranged in a second position are obtained, and the first flexible hinge and the second flexible hinge are assembled so that the hollow shaft body 380 of the second flexible hinge is inserted into the notch 390 of the first flexible hinge, and the hollow shaft body 380 of the first flexible hinge is inserted into the notch 390 of the second flexible hinge, so that the central axes of the hollow shaft bodies 380 of the first flexible hinge and the second flexible hinge are collinear. After the shaft body is inserted into the hollow shaft body 380 , the first flexible hinge can be hinged to the second flexible hinge.

[0115] Step S160: Detect the above-mentioned flexible hinge 300 according to the above design requirements of the flexible hinge 300.

[0116] It can be understood that the length dimension, height dimension, position and dimension of the notch 390 can be detected according to the design dimensions of the first flexible hinge and the second flexible hinge. A steel wire rope with an outer diameter of 1.6 mm is passed through the notch 390 of the first flexible hinge 300 and the notch 390 of the second flexible hinge 300 to detect whether the folding of the first flexible hinge and the second flexible hinge is smooth, so as to determine whether the flexible hinge 300 product is qualified.

[0117] It should be understood that the terms first, second, etc. are only used for distinguishing descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used in this document to describe various units, these units should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one unit from another. For example, the first unit can be called the second unit, and similarly, the second unit can be called the first unit, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0118] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this document is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, B exists alone, and A and B exist simultaneously. The term " / and" in this document describes another association object relationship, indicating that there can be two relationships. For example, A / and B can represent: A exists alone, and A and B exist alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally represents that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0119] It should be understood that in the description of the present invention, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "vertical", "inner", "outer", etc. is the orientation or positional relationship in which the disclosed product is usually placed during use, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly understood by those skilled in the art. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0120] In the description of the present invention, it should also be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "installed", "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0121] The terms used in this disclosure are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes" and / or "including", when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0122] Specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments. However, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the exemplary embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known processes, structures and techniques have not been shown in unnecessary detail in order not to obscure the exemplary embodiments.

[0123] The above are only specific implementations of the present application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the present application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

[0124] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above Background section is only for enhancing the understanding of the background of the present disclosure and thus may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. A method for forming a flexible hinge structure, characterized in that: include: Design the molding tooling according to the structure of the flexible hinge; Determine a corresponding layering process according to the hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge and the structure of the forming tooling; Laying and folding the raw materials according to the lamination process to obtain a molded material; Curing the molding material to obtain a cured material; According to the design size of the flexible hinge, the solidified material is cut to obtain the flexible hinge; The flexible hinge is tested according to the design requirements of the flexible hinge.

2. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hierarchical structure of the flexible hinge includes: a first polyimide film; A glass fiber aluminum foil is laid on the first polyimide film; a first glass fiber prepreg laminate, overlapped on the glass fiber aluminum foil; a second polyimide film, laid on the first glass-limited prepreg laminate; The second glass fiber prepreg laminate is laid on the second polyimide film.

3. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The molding tool comprises: The tooling body is provided with a stacking area; A positioning reference, disposed in the lamination area, for positioning the first polyimide film; A first positioning ruler, detachably disposed in the lamination area, for positioning the glass fiber aluminum foil; A second positioning ruler, detachably disposed in the lamination area, for positioning the first glass fiber prepreg lamination, wherein the first positioning ruler is closer to the positioning reference than the second positioning ruler; A magnetic component, wherein the first positioning ruler and the second positioning ruler are metal components, and the magnetic component is adsorbed on the first positioning ruler and / or the second positioning ruler; A positioning pin, through which the first positioning ruler and / or the second positioning ruler are fixed to the tooling body; The lifting bolts are arranged on the side of the tool body and are used for lifting the tool body.

4. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The steps of laying and folding the raw materials according to the laying process to obtain the molding material include: Disassembling, cleaning and assembling the molding tooling; Determining the surplus of the raw material according to the design size of the flexible hinge, and preliminarily cutting the raw material according to the surplus; Through the positioning function of the forming tool, the raw material layer is laminated once to obtain a first laminated material; After the first laminated material is initially solidified, a circular arc portion is processed in the area corresponding to the glass fiber aluminum foil of the first laminated material; Performing a secondary lamination operation on the first laminated material after the arc portion has been processed to form a second laminated material; After the second laminated material is initially solidified, the arc region is folded to obtain the molding material.

5. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The step of performing a lamination operation on the raw material layer by positioning the forming tool to obtain a first laminated material includes: Positioning and laying the first polyimide film according to the positioning reference; Installing the second positioning ruler, positioning the glass fiber aluminum foil by the second positioning ruler, and laying it on the first polyimide film; The first positioning ruler is installed and the second positioning ruler is removed. The first glass fiber prepreg laminate is positioned by the first positioning ruler and overlapped with the glass fiber aluminum foil to obtain the first laminate material.

6. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The overlap width of the glass fiber aluminum foil and the first glass fiber prepreg laminate is 3 mm±0.1 mm.

7. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: After the first laminated material is initially solidified, the step of processing an arc portion in the area corresponding to the glass fiber aluminum foil of the first laminated material comprises: Transferring the first laminated material that has completed preliminary curing to a curing area of ​​the molding tool, wherein the molding tool further comprises a pressing plate and a pressing strip, which are arranged in the curing area, and the first laminated material is fixed in the curing area by the pressing plate and the pressing strip; A polytetrafluoroethylene rope is placed in the area corresponding to the glass fiber aluminum foil, and pressure is applied to the polytetrafluoroethylene rope to form the arc portion.

8. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The step of performing a secondary lamination operation on the first laminated material after processing the arc portion to form a second laminated material comprises: Transferring the first stacked material after processing the arc portion to the stacking area; Positioning the second polyimide film by means of the positioning reference and laying it on the first glass fiber prepreg laminate; The second glass fiber prepreg laminate is positioned by the positioning reference and laid on the second polyimide film.

9. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: Before curing the molding material, silicone rubber and a process skin are placed on the surface of the molding material, and vacuum bagging is performed; After obtaining the solidified material, the vacuum bag film, the process skin and the silicone rubber are removed.

10. The method for forming a flexible hinge structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: The step of curing the molding material to obtain a cured material comprises: Transferring the molding material after vacuum treatment to an autoclave for curing; Controlling the autoclave to pressurize and step-wise increase the temperature until the pressure inside the autoclave reaches a preset curing pressure and the temperature inside the autoclave reaches a preset curing temperature; Wherein, the preset curing pressing pressure is 3MPa, the starting pressurization temperature in the autoclave is 140°C to 210°C, and the preset curing temperature is 210°C.

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