Layup molding device and related components and methods

Abstract

The layup molding element includes an inner region containing a fluid port. The element further includes a flexible outer surface. The element also includes a support extending between the inner region and the flexible outer surface. The element further includes a fluid cavity extending between the inner region and the flexible outer surface. The fluid cavity is in fluid communication with the fluid port. The support may include one or more ribs. The flexible outer wall may include one or more complementary ribs that form an interface with one or more ribs of the support. Methods for molding layup molding devices and composite structures are also disclosed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Priority Claim) This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 457,097, entitled "LAY-UP FORMING DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS AND METHODS", filed on August 28, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to lay-up forming tools. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to lay-up forming devices, lay-up forming tools, and related components and methods. [Background Art]

[0003] Lay-up forming processes are used to form components from layers of material stacked on top of each other, building up to achieve a greater thickness for the material wall of the associated component. For example, composite forming processes may include lay-up forming processes, in which layers of composite sheets such as fiberglass sheets, fiberglass mats, carbon fiber sheets, or carbon fiber prepreg sheets are stacked to build an associated composite component to a desired thickness. These processes may be used to form vehicle structures such as vehicle body panels, fuselages, subframes, wings, and flaps, tank structures such as tank walls and support structures, general support structures such as support struts and walls, and other composite structures. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a lay-up forming device. The device includes a body and a roller assembly coupled to the body. The roller assembly includes one or more compliant rollers. The one or more compliant rollers include a shaft and a flexible outer surface. The roller further includes at least one support extending between the shaft and the flexible outer surface. The roller also includes at least one fluid cavity extending between the shaft and the flexible outer surface.

[0005] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a layup molded element. The element includes an inner region containing a fluid port. The element further includes a flexible outer wall. The element also includes a support extending between the inner region and the flexible outer wall. The element further includes a fluid cavity extending between the inner region and the flexible outer wall, the fluid cavity being in fluid communication with the fluid port of the inner region.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method for forming a composite structure. The method includes the step of placing a first sheet of material on a mold. The method further includes the step of applying a first compressive force to the first sheet of material through a forming element including a support portion and a flexible portion. The method also includes the step of achieving pressure by internally applying fluid pressure to the flexible portion of the forming element. The method further includes the step of placing a second sheet of material on top of the first sheet of material. The method also includes the step of applying a second compressive force to the second sheet of material through the forming element. The method further includes the step of shaping the flexible portion of the forming element to conform to the geometric shape changes of the rounded feature of the mold caused by the additional sheet of material. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] This disclosure specifically points to embodiments of the disclosure and concludes with the claims that explicitly state them, but the advantages of the embodiments of the disclosure can be more readily confirmed from the following description of the embodiments of the disclosure, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0008] [Figure 1A] A perspective view of a molding device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 1B] A perspective view of a molding device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a plan view of the molding device. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 4]Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 5] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 7] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 8] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 9] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 10] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 11] Figure 1 shows enlarged cross-sectional views of different embodiments of a flexible roller configured to be coupled to the molding device. [Figure 12A] This shows an enlarged perspective view of a flexible slider configured to be coupled to the molding device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 12B] Figure 12A shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the flexible slider. [Figure 12C] Figure 12A shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the flexible slider. [Figure 13] A flowchart illustrating a method for forming a composite structure according to embodiments of this disclosure is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following description provides specific details, such as the composition, shape, and size of the materials, in order to provide a complete description of the embodiments of the disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the disclosure can be carried out without using these specific details. In fact, embodiments of the disclosure can be carried out in conjunction with the prior art employed in the industry.

[0010] The drawings presented herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that they depict any particular material, component, structure, device, or system in actual terms. Variations from the shapes shown in the drawings are expected, for example, as a result of manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Accordingly, embodiments described herein should not be construed as being limited to any particular shape or area as depicted, and may include, for example, deviations from shape resulting from manufacturing. For example, an area depicted or described as a box shape may have rough and / or nonlinear features, and an area depicted or described as a circle may include some rough and / or linear features. Furthermore, an acute angle depicted may be rounded, and vice versa. Accordingly, the areas shown in the drawings are essentially schematic, and their shapes are not intended to show the exact shape of an area and do not limit the scope of these claims. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. In addition, elements common to both drawings may be given the same numerical designation.

[0011] As used herein, the terms “configured” and “configuration” refer to the size, shape, material composition, material distribution, orientation, and arrangement of at least one feature (e.g., one or more of at least one structure, at least one material, at least one region, or at least one device) that facilitates the use of at least one feature in a predetermined manner.

[0012] As used herein, the term “substantially” in relation to a given parameter means, and includes, to the extent that a person skilled in the art would understand that the given parameter, characteristic, or condition is met with only minor differences, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. For example, depending on the specific parameter, characteristic, or condition that is substantially met, the parameter, characteristic, or condition may be met at least 90.0%, at least 95.0%, at least 99.0%, at least 99.9%, or even 100.0%.

[0013] As used herein, “about” or “approximately” with respect to a numerical value of a particular parameter includes the numerical value and the degree of variation from a numerical value that a person skilled in the art would understand to be within an acceptable range for that particular parameter. For example, “about” or “approximately” with respect to a numerical value may include additional values ​​such as a range of 90.0% to 110.0% of the numerical value, for example, a range of 95.0% to 105.0%, a range of 97.5% to 102.5%, a range of 99.0% to 101.0%, a range of 99.5% to 100.5%, or a range of 99.9% to 100.1%.

[0014] As used herein, relative terms such as "beneath", "below", "lower", "bottom", "above", "upper", "top", "lead / leading", "trailing", "left", and "right" may be used to facilitate description when describing the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature, as shown in the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the material in addition to the orientation shown in the drawings. For example, if the material in the figures is inverted, an element described as "beneath", "below", "lower" or "bottom" of another element or feature will be oriented "above" or "top" of the other element or feature. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the term "below" can encompass both upward and downward orientations depending on the context in which the term is used. The material may be otherwise oriented (for example, rotated 90 degrees, inverted, turned over), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein shall be interpreted accordingly.

[0015] 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.

[0016] As used herein, the term "and / or" means and includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0017] As used herein, the terms “composite material (singular)” or “composite material (plural)” mean, and include, a heterogeneous material comprising at least a material formed from multiple fibers such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, polymer fibers, ceramic fibers, biological material fibers (e.g., hemp, flax, etc.), and metal fibers, and a binder such as a polymer matrix (e.g., epoxy resin, bismalimide resin, thermoplastic, polyimide, phenolic material, etc.), a preceramic matrix, or a ceramic matrix. In some embodiments, the composite material comprises a sheet of material comprising both the material formed from multiple fibers and a binder. In other embodiments, the composite material comprises a sheet of “dry fibers,” the sheet comprising only the material formed from multiple fibers, with the binder being added in a later process. In other embodiments, the composite material comprises a sheet of “dry fibers,” the sheet comprising the material formed from multiple fibers and a binder or a portion of other binding means, with the majority of the binder being added in a later process. In some embodiments, the material formed from multiple fibers comprises continuous fibers (e.g., long, uninterrupted fibers extending over the length of the material sheet). In other embodiments, a material formed from multiple fibers includes discontinuous fibers (for example, short, fragmented portions of fibers that, when bonded together by a binder, function as long, continuous fibers). In some embodiments, a material formed from multiple fibers has a woven or braided form, where the fibers are not maintained within the same plane of the material. In other embodiments, a material formed from multiple fibers has a ply form, where layers of fibers are maintained within the same plane and do not wrap around fibers in adjacent planes.

[0018] The lay-up molding process is used to mold components in order to build up material from mutually stacked layers of material to a desired thickness in different areas of the associated component. When molding complex shapes, a first layer of material may be placed on a mold, which may include angled corners, radiused corners, recesses, projections, and the like, which are configured to create the resulting complex shape by defining corresponding angled corners, radiused corners, recesses, projections, and the like in the layers of material. As additional layers of material are added, the shape of corresponding radii may gradually change as the thickness of the material between the mold and the top layer increases. For example, female radii decrease as additional layers are added, and male radii increase as additional layers are added. A conventional process to accommodate these incremental changes in shape is to change the tool after molding a small number of layers to accommodate the change in shape. This process incurs additional time for changing tools every two to three layers, as well as additional tool costs associated with using a plurality of different devices to accommodate incremental changes in shape. A molding device capable of absorbing progressive changes in shape may potentially reduce both the cost and time of tools for molding associated components, such as composite parts.

[0019] Figures 1A to 2 show different views of a lay-up molding device 100. The device 100 may include a positioning control body 102 and a base 104. Figure 1A shows a perspective view of the lay-up molding device 100 including both the body 102 and the base 104. Figure 1B shows the lay-up molding device 100 in another configuration. Figure 2 shows a side view of the base 104 of the device 100 engaged with a sheet of material (not shown) on a mold 202, such as a mold 202 having a stiffener profile as shown in the embodiment of Figure 2.

[0020] The main body 102 may include a plurality of motors or drive units configured to position the base 104 relative to the main body 102. The main body 102 may also include a coupler 106 configured to attach the main body 102 to another component such as a robot arm, or to another machine or tool. In some embodiments, the main body 102 may include a handle for manually positioning the device 100. The main body 102 may include additional sensors and other electronic equipment such as a controller, transmitter, receiver, pump, and heater. The main body 102 may be enclosed by an outer shell that substantially encloses the motors, drive units, sensors, and other electronic equipment. The outer shell of the main body 102 may be configured to protect the enclosed electronic components from damage such as impact damage and contamination damage. The outer shell of the main body 102 may also be configured to substantially prevent debris from the enclosed components from falling from the main body 102 onto the work surface. In some embodiments, the outer shell of the body 102 is electrically insulating, for example, to protect sensitive electronic components enclosed therein or to prevent discharge from the outside of the body 102.

[0021] The base 104 may include an interface tool for interface with the relevant structure. The base 104 may be configured to be mechanically replaceable so that the device 100 can be modified to fit the relevant structure. In other embodiments, the base 104 may be configurable so that the configuration of the tool attached to the base 104 can be modified to fit the relevant structure. For example, the device 100 shown in Figures 1A and 1B is configured to interface with a reinforcing profile mold 202, as shown in Figure 2.

[0022] The base 104 may include a platform 118. One or more appendages 116a, 116b, and 114 may extend from the platform 118. The appendages 116a, 116b, and 114 may support roller assemblies including rollers 108, 110, and 112 that can interface with associated structures. The rollers 108, 110, and 112 may be configured to apply compressive force to the layers of the associated structure after each layer has been placed. The compressive force may cause the layer to conform to a shape beneath an already molded structure, such as a mold or a previous layer of the associated structure. Different rollers 108, 110, and 112 may have different shapes corresponding to different profile shapes of the associated structure. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the leading roller 108 has a concave profile configured to conform a sheet of material to the upper surface of a reinforcing profile mold 202. The side roller 110 has a substantially flat profile and a female die radius compression feature 124, and is positioned so as to be substantially parallel to the side of the reinforcing profile die 202, so that the side roller 110 conforms a sheet of material to the side of the reinforcing profile die 202 and forms / presses the material to the female die radius on both sides of the die 202. A flat roller 112, having a substantially flat profile, follows the side roller 110. The flat roller 112 is positioned so as to be substantially parallel to the plane of the relevant component or the flange surface 204 of the die, conforming a sheet of material to the component or the surface of the die on both sides of the reinforcing profile die 202. Each of the rollers 108, 110, and 112 may be fixed to one of the arms 114, 116a, or 116b.

[0023] The arrangement of rollers 108, 110, and 112 may be configured to continuously press one or more surfaces of the reinforcing profile by applying an initial compressive force to the top of the reinforcing profile mold 202 and then progressively applying compressive forces to the positions extending away from the top of the reinforcing profile mold 202, thereby substantially preventing discontinuities in the sheet such as wrinkles, bubbles, and creases. In some embodiments, the base 104 is modular. For example, the platform 118 is configured to allow easy attachment of arms 116a, 116b, and 114 to multiple different positions. Thus, the positions of arms 116a, 116b, and 114 may be adjusted for different features. Furthermore, the types of rollers 108, 110, and 112 coupled to each of the arms can also be changed for different types of features.

[0024] Figure 1B shows another configuration of the layup molding device 100. As described above, the platform 118 of the layup molding device 100 may be configured to facilitate the coupling of the arms 114, 116a, and 116b in several different arrangements. For example, the configuration of the layup molding device 100 shown in Figure 1B includes two sets of intermediate arms 114, leading arms 116a, and trailing arms 116b. Other configurations of the layup molding device 100 may include additional sets of intermediate arms 114, leading arms 116a, and / or trailing arms 116b. Different configurations of the layup molding device 100 can incorporate different types of molding elements. For example, the configuration of the layup molding device 100 shown in Figure 1B includes a flexible slider 120 coupled to one of the sets of arms 114 and a corner roller 122 coupled to another set of arms 114. The flexible slider 120 and corner roller 122 may be configured to interface with the flexible material sheet, similar to the rollers 108, 110, and 112 described above with respect to Figure 1A, thereby allowing the flexible material sheet to conform to the underlying structure.

[0025] As described above, the profile of the reinforcing mold 202 gradually changes as additional layers are placed on the components. In the case of the reinforcing profile mold 202, the changes in the profile may include an increase in the width of the upper cap (e.g., the top surface of the reinforcing profile), an increase in the male radius (e.g., a corner or angle) of the transition between the top surface and the side surface of the reinforcing profile, and a decrease in the female radius (e.g., a corner or angle) of the transition between the side surface of the reinforcing and the flange surface of the associated component.

[0026] Flexible or adaptable rollers, such as rollers 300, 402, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, and 1100 described below, may be used for one or more of the rollers 108, 110, and 112 of device 100, or in combination with one or more such rollers. As will be further detailed below, flexible and adaptable rollers include rollers having a flexible material defining at least a portion of the molding surface of the roller. Flexible rollers may also be adaptable when at least a portion of the molding surface can move or adjust its flexibility or rigidity in response to changes in other properties such as fluid pressure. Flexible or adaptable rollers may also include a rigid material defining other non-flexible portions of the molding surface, which helps to register and control the precise positioning of the roller while crimping a certain profile portion of the manufactured reinforcement or component.

[0027] Figure 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an adaptable or flexible roller 300, such as the lead roller 108 in Figures 1 and 2. The flexible roller 300 includes support structures 302 and 326 coupled to a shaft 304. The support structure 302 may be coupled to the shaft 304 through one or more seals 312, such as an elastomer O-ring or a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) seal. The central support structure 326 may be coupled to the outer wall 310 (e.g., by bonding or clamping) while maintaining a gap 328 between the shaft 304 and the central support structure 326. The support structures 302 and 326 may be molded from a metallic material (e.g., aluminum, titanium, steel, or an alloy thereof) or a rigid polymer (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, etc.). The materials of the support structures 302 and 326 may be formed by conventional processes such as machining, additive manufacturing, and injection molding, in particular, to shape the support structure 302 into a desired shape. The outer wall 310 may be formed from a flexible material such as an elastomer that extends between the support structures 302. The flexible material of the outer wall 310 may include a polymer material (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene) or a rubber material. The support structures 302 and the outer wall 310 may define a cavity 308. The cavity 308 may be filled with a fluid such as a liquid (e.g., water, oil, etc.) or a gas (e.g., air, nitrogen, etc.). The material of the outer wall 310 may be configured to be impermeable to the relevant fluid, so that the outer wall 310 may contain the fluid in the cavity 308, and the fluid may pressurize the cavity 308. The gap 328 may be configured to facilitate fluid flow between the shaft 304 and the central support structure 326, for example, to equalize the pressure within the cavity 308 and / or to transmit fluid from the port 306 to the cavity 308.

[0028] The flexible material of the outer wall 310 may be molded into a desired shape. In the embodiment of Figure 3, the outer wall 310 is molded into the shape of a concave roller, defining a groove 314 having an inclined surface 318 and a top surface 316. A fluid in the cavity 308 may be pressurized to support the flexible material of the outer wall 310 in the region between the support structures 302. The fluid pressure may be selected to facilitate the application of compressive force to the layers of material passing through the outer wall 310, while the outer wall 310 remains flexible to adapt to changes in the shape of the associated features (e.g., reinforcing materials) as additional layers are added. For example, the radius at the transition defined by angles A and B between the top surface 316 and the inclined surface 318 may increase as additional layers are added to the associated features. The width of the top surface 316 may also increase as additional layers are added. The fluid pressure in the cavity 308 may be selected to facilitate the movement of the outer wall 310 to adjust the position of the inclined surface 318 to conform to the associated features. In some embodiments, the fluid pressure within the cavity 308 is selected to match the compressive pressure of the associated molding device 100, while facilitating the movement of the outer wall 310.

[0029] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 3, portions of the outer wall 310 may have different thicknesses. The outer wall 310 shown in Figure 3 includes at least three distinct regions: a flexible region 320, a reinforced region 322, and a support region 324. The flexible region 320 of the outer wall 310 is the thinnest, and may be selected to encompass the areas where the most variation occurs as additional layers are added, such as the top surface 316, angles A and B, and portions of the inclined surface 318. The reinforced region 322 of the outer wall 310 includes an increased thickness from the flexible region 320. The reinforced region 322 may increase the rigidity in areas where less flexibility is required, and may prevent deformation of the outer wall 310 in these areas. For example, Figure 3 shows a reinforced region 322 at the transition from the inclined surface 318 to a flat outer surface (e.g., the full-radius surface). The reinforced region 322 may maintain the transition profile (e.g., angle, radius, etc.) and compress the layers of material at the transition point. While the thicker material of the outer wall 310 in the reinforced region 322 may hinder deformation, the reinforced region 322 may facilitate movement of the entire reinforced region 322 while maintaining its shape, and as a result, the entire region may adapt to changes in the shape of the associated components, such as an increase in the width of the components, as additional layers are added. The support region 324 is the portion of the outer wall 310 that is coupled to the support structure 302. Support for the outer wall 310 in the support region 324 is provided by the support structure 302. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 3, the support region 324 has the maximum thickness of the outer wall 310. This greater thickness can provide a buffering or damping effect between the rigid support structure 302 and the associated components. In other embodiments, the thickness of the outer wall 310 in the support region 324 may be less than or equal to the thickness of the outer wall 310 in the other regions 320, 322. The central support structure 326 is configured to create a second support region within the area of ​​the top surface 316.

[0030] The outer wall 310 may be fixed or joined to the support structures 302 and 326 by adhesive such as glue or epoxy, or by a interference fit. In some embodiments, the support structures 302, 326 and the outer wall 310 may include complementary features configured to fix the outer wall 310 to the support structures 302, 326. The interface between the outer wall 310 and the support structure 302 is configured to maintain a fluid-seal interface, and as a result, the interface retains fluid in the cavity 308 and promotes pressurization of the fluid in the cavity 308, as described above. The pressure of the fluid in the cavity 308 may remain constant during use and operation of the roller 300. In some embodiments, an additional seal or sealing structure is included in at least one of the support structures 302 and the outer wall 310 to promote a fluid-seal interface.

[0031] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an adaptable roller 402 coupled to the arms 116a of a layup molding device 100. The adaptable roller 402 is coupled to the arms 116a via a shaft 304, which is a mounting structure. The shaft 304 may be coupled to the arms 116a via a bearing 440, which may facilitate rotation of the shaft 304 and the adaptable roller 402 relative to the arms 116a. A fluid connector 404 is coupled to the shaft 304 via a rotary connector. The fluid connector 404 is operably coupled to a fluid passage 406 defined within the shaft 304. The fluid passage 406 provides a fluid path from the fluid connector 404 to one or more ports 306. As described above, the port 306 may be directed towards one or more cavities 420 defined within the adaptive roller 402, thereby completing the fluid connection between the fluid connector 404 and the cavity 420, and the fluid connector 404 is in fluid communication with the cavity 420 through the port 306. For example, a gap or clearance may be maintained between the support structure 414 and the shaft 304, thereby allowing fluid to be transmitted from the port 306 to the cavity 420 through the gap or clearance, as described above.

[0032] The fluid connection 404 may be connected to a fluid supply source such as a fluid reservoir. The fluid connection 404 may also be a fluid line (e.g., a hose, pipe, etc.) connected to the shaft 304 via a rotatable joint (e.g., a rotary union joint). The fluid connection 404 may also be connected to a device for pressurizing the fluid supplied to the fluid connection 404, such as a pump or compressor. In some embodiments, the fluid connection 404 may include a pressure regulator, such as a pressure regulator or a back pressure regulator. The pressure regulator is configured to control the pressure supplied to the cavity 420 via the fluid connection 404. In some embodiments, the pressure regulator is a manual pressure regulator set and / or adjusted by an operator. In other embodiments, the pressure regulator may be automated, and as a result, the regulator may be electronically controlled via signals from a controller to control the pressure supplied to the cavity 420.

[0033] Similar to the adaptable roller 300 described above, the cavity 420 within the adaptable roller 402 may be defined between the shaft 304 and the outer wall 408. The outer wall 408 may be supported and / or clamped by one or more support structures 410, 412, 414, and 438. The support structures 410, 412, 414, and 438 may be formed from a substantially rigid material such as a metallic material (e.g., aluminum, titanium, steel, or an alloy thereof) or a rigid polymer (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, etc.). The outer wall 408 may be formed from a flexible material such as a flexible polymer material (e.g., polysiloxane, polyethylene, or polypropylene) or a rubber material.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the adaptive roller 402 includes a main support structure 410 and collar support structures 438 on each axial end of the shaft 304. The main support structure 410 and the collar support structures 438 provide both axial and radial support to the outer wall 408. The main support structure 410 includes a radial extension 422 which can be configured to substantially prevent movement of the outer wall 408 in the axial direction, and a shelf 424 on which the outer wall 408 can be placed, the shelf 424 supporting the outer wall 408 radially. The collar support structure 438 provides additional axial support to the main support structure 410. The collar support structure 438 is fixed to the shaft 304 so that the collar support structure maintains an axial position along the shaft 304. The interface between the collar support structure 438 and the axial outer end of the main support structure 410 is configured to substantially prevent the main support structure 410 from moving axially outward.

[0035] The seal structure 412 may be positioned between the outer wall 408 and the main support structure 410 in the axial end region 434 of the flexible roller 402 where the roller has its maximum diameter. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the seal structure 412 is positioned between the outer wall 408 and the radial extension 422 of the main support structure 410. The seal structure 412 may also include a seal 426, such as a gasket or O-ring, positioned between the seal structure 412 and the radial extension 422 of the main support structure 410 to form an outer seal. The seal structure 412 may also include one or more ribs 428 configured to interact with complementary ribs 430 formed on the outer wall 408. The interface between one or more ribs 428 and the complementary ribs 430 may be configured to fix the outer wall 408 radially with respect to the adaptable roller 402 (for example, substantially preventing the outer wall 408 from moving radially outward when the fluid in the cavity 420 is pressurized). The flexible material of the outer wall 408 within the complementary rib 430 may also form a seal (e.g., a fluid-sealing seal) with the rib 428 of the seal structure 412. The seal formed between the seal structure 412 and the main support structure 410 and the outer wall 408 can substantially prevent fluid from escaping from the outer wall 408, the shaft 304, and the cavity 420 defined between the support structures 410 and 414. An additional seal 436 is positioned between the main support structure 410 and the shaft 304. The seal 436 is configured to maintain fluid pressure within the cavity 420 by forming a fluid-sealing seal between the main support structure 410 and the shaft 304. In some embodiments, the seal structure 412 and the outer wall 408 may be fixed to the main support structure 410 through an inner support structure that sandwiches the outer wall 408 and the seal structure 412 between the inner support structure and the main support structure 410. For example, the outer wall 408 and the seal structure 412 may be positioned between the inner support structure and the radial extension 422 of the main support structure 410 in the region above the shelf 424 of the main support structure 410. In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the axial force between the outer wall 408 and the seal structure 412 and / or the main support structure 410 is applied through the fluid pressure in the cavity 420 and the elastic properties of the flexible material of the outer wall 408.In some embodiments, an additional bonding material (e.g., adhesive or epoxy) is positioned at one or more interfaces between support structures 410, 412, 414, and 426 and / or between support structures 412, 414 and the outer wall 408. The bonding material may be configured to assist in the sealing or fixing properties of each interface.

[0036] In some embodiments, the sub-support structure 414 is included in the apex region 432 of the outer wall 408. The sub-support structure 414 may be configured to provide additional radial support to the apex region 432 of the outer wall 408. The sub-support structure 414 may include a retaining structure 416 and a recess 418 configured to interface with complementary features in the outer wall 408. The interface between the outer wall 408 and the retaining structure 416 and recess 418 of the sub-support structure 414 may be configured to fix the outer wall 408 in the apex region 432 to the sub-support structure 414. The sub-support structure 414 may maintain the outer wall 408 in a substantially uniform cylindrical shape (e.g., a right column) so that the flexible roller 402 can provide substantially uniform or flat forces to the apex of the corresponding composite during the layup process (e.g., the apex may maintain a substantially flat profile). Therefore, the sub-support structure 414 may be configured to substantially prevent the outer wall 408 from deforming (e.g., becoming conical or hyperbolic) or bulging (e.g., expanding radially outward when the cavity 420 is pressurized) in the top region 432.

[0037] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the adaptable roller 500. The adaptable roller 500 includes an outer wall 508, a shaft 304, and a plurality of support structures 504, 506, and 514, the plurality of support structures defining a cavity 502 between the outer wall 508, the shaft 304, and the support structures 504, 506, and 514. The cavity 502 is configured to be filled with fluid supplied through a port 306 in the shaft 304. An additional port 522 may be defined in the support structure 504, which corresponds to the port 306 in the shaft 304 and may form a fluid path from a fluid passage 406 in the shaft 304 to the cavity 502.

[0038] Figure 5 shows another arrangement of support structures 504, 506, and 514 configured to support the outer wall 508 in a concave shape defining an apex region 524 similar to that of the flexible rollers 300 and 402. The adaptable roller 500 shown in Figure 5 includes an inner support structure 504, a main support structure 506, and a secondary support structure 514. The inner support structure 504 is positioned adjacent to the shaft 304 and sealed to the shaft through a seal 536. In some embodiments, the inner support structure 504 and the secondary support structure 514 are configured to be sealed to and fixed to the shaft 304 so that the shaft 304, the inner support structure 504, and the secondary support structure 514 rotate together. In other embodiments, the inner support structure 504 and the secondary support structure 514 may be configured to rotate around the shaft 304. For example, the inner support structure 504 and the sub-support structure 514 may include one or more bearings or other friction-reducing elements in addition to the seal 536 at the interface between the shaft 304 and the inner support structure 504 or the sub-support structure 514.

[0039] The main support structure 506 may be fixed (e.g., mechanically fixed or bonded) to the inner support structure 504 and sealed with a seal 520. The main support structure 506 may form the axial outer surface of the adaptable roller 500 and be configured to fix the outer wall 508 to the inner support structure 504 in both the radial and axial directions. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the main support structure 506 is molded to mechanically engage with the outer wall 508 and bonded to 528 to create a seal. The main support structure 506 includes a lower flange 526 and an upper flange 528. The lower flange 526 fixes the connection between the lower flange 526 of the main support structure 506 and the inner support structure 504 to the inner support structure 504, thereby substantially preventing the main support structure 506 from moving axially or radially relative to the inner support structure 504. The connection between the lower flanges 526 and 504 of the main support structure 506 may be a hardware connection (e.g., screws, bolts, pins, etc.), an adhesive connection (e.g., adhesive glue, epoxy, etc.), or an interference connection (e.g., complementary geometric shapes, screw connections, etc.). The lower flange 526 also includes one or more seals 520 (e.g., gaskets, O-rings, etc.) positioned between the lower flange 526 and the inner support structure 504, which may be configured to substantially prevent fluid in the cavity 502 from passing through the interface between the lower flange 526 of the main support structure 506 and the inner support structure 504. The upper flange 528 extends radially away from the inner support structure 504, so that the upper flange 528 forms the axial outer surface of the flexible roller 500. The upper flange 528 also extends radially to the entire diameter of the flexible roller 500, and as a result, the upper flange 528 forms a portion of the outer forming surface and the corners of the forming surface in the entire diameter region 530 of the flexible roller 500.

[0040] As described above, the support structures 504, 506, and 514 are formed from a rigid material, and as a result, when connected to the outer wall 508, the raised surfaces provide positioning and compression to the flat regions of the reinforcing material, applying equal pressure to both the flat and curved sections, while allowing the outer wall 508 to conform to the changing radius as the material layer is added to the reinforcing material. The upper flange 528 of the main support structure 506 may also be formed from a rigid material, and as a result, the outer surface of the flexible roller 500 at its axial end may be rigid and have greater resistance to deformation than the flexible material of the outer wall 508. In the embodiment of the flexible roller 500 shown in Figure 5, the upper flange 528 is fixed to the outer wall 508 through a rib 510 that interfacially contacts a complementary rib 512 within the outer wall 508. The flexible material of the outer wall 508 that interfacially contacts the rigid material of the upper flange 528 may form a fluid-sealing seal at the interface between the rib 510 and the complementary rib 512, configured to substantially prevent fluid in the associated cavity 502 from passing through the interface between the outer wall 508 and the upper flange 528. The interface between the rib 510 and the complementary rib 512 may also radially fix the outer wall 508 to the main support structure 506.

[0041] Similar to the sub-support structure 414 described above, the sub-support structure 514 may be configured to provide additional radial support to the apex region 524 of the outer wall 508. The sub-support structure 514 includes a retaining structure 516 and a recess 518 configured to interface with complementary features within the outer wall 508. The interface between the outer wall 508 and the retaining structure 516 and recess 518 of the sub-support structure 514 may be configured to fix the outer wall 508 within the apex region 524 to the sub-support structure 514 by adhesive connection or mechanical connection, etc. The sub-support structure 514 may maintain the outer wall 508 in a substantially uniform cylindrical shape (e.g., a right column), and as a result, the flexible roller 500 may provide substantially uniform or flat forces to the top surface of the corresponding composite part 532 on the mold 534 during the layup process. Thus, the sub-support structure 514 may be configured to substantially prevent the outer wall 408 from deforming within the apex region 432.

[0042] Figure 6 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the adaptable roller 600. Similar to the adaptable rollers 300, 402, and 500, the adaptable roller 600 includes a flexible outer wall 604 coupled to a rigid support structure 602 that defines a cavity 606. The cavity 606 is configured to be filled with fluid supplied through a port 306 in the shaft 304. The adaptable roller 600 shown in Figure 6 includes a stiffening element 608 located within the cavity 606. The stiffening element 608 includes an opening 610 configured to provide a fluid passage or fluid communication through the stiffening element 608. The stiffening element 608 may be formed from a metallic material similar to the support structure 602 or from a rigid material such as a rigid polymer. The stiffening element 608 may be configured to reduce the flexibility of the outer wall 604 in a specific area while maintaining the flexibility of the outer wall 604 in other areas. For example, the stiffening element 608 of the adaptable roller 600 shown in Figure 6 may reduce the flexibility of the outer wall 604 along the inclined surface 614 extending between the top region 612 and the full-diameter region 616. Thus, the outer wall 604 may have reduced flexibility in the top region 612, the full-diameter region 616, and along the inclined surface 614, while maintaining flexibility in the transition areas between the top region 612 and the inclined surface 614 and between the full-diameter region 616 and the inclined surface 614, where shape changes due to layering are less likely to occur. The stiffening element 608 may also be included in the cavities 308, 420, 502 of other flexible rollers 300, 402, 500 described herein for additional control of the flexibility / rigidity of the respective outer walls 310, 408, 508.

[0043] Figures 3 to 6 show embodiments of an adaptable roller for forming specific features of a reinforcing profile in a layup process, but similar configurations may be used to form adaptable rollers having other shapes for forming other shapes in a layup process. Figures 7 to 11 show some additional embodiments of the adaptable roller. The adaptable rollers described herein are illustrative and non-limiting.

[0044] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the adaptable roller 700. The adaptable roller 700 is a roller configured to compress a flat area of ​​the relevant part during the layup process while simultaneously pressing the material of an adjacent radius. The adaptable roller 700 is coupled to a shaft 702. In some embodiments, the adaptable roller 700 is configured to rotate with the shaft 702. Similar to the shaft 304 (Figures 3-6), the shaft 702 may be configured to supply fluid to a cavity 708 defined within the adaptable roller 700 between the flexible outer wall 704 and a rigid support structure 706. The support structure 706 may be fixed to the flexible outer wall 704 of the adaptable roller through one or more fixed clamps 714. The support structure 706 and the fixed clamps 714 may correspond to a flat contact area 710 of the adaptable roller 700 configured to contact the flat portion of the relevant part during the layup process. The cavity 708 may be defined within an area near the corner region 712, where additional flexibility may be available to facilitate changes to the radius at the corner when additional layers are added during the layup process.

[0045] Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the adaptable roller 800. The adaptable roller 800 is a corner roller similar to the corner roller 122 (Figure 1B) and is configured to compress a layer of material 802 into a corner 804 defined on a tool 806 such as a mandrel or mold during the layup process. The adaptable roller 800 is coupled to a shaft 814. In some embodiments, the adaptable roller 800 is configured to rotate with the shaft 814. Similar to the shaft 304 (Figures 3-6), the shaft 814 may be configured to supply fluid through one or more ports 816 to a cavity 812 defined within the adaptable roller 800 between the flexible outer wall 808 and a rigid support structure 810. The support structure 810 may correspond to a flat contact area 818 of the flexible roller 800 configured to contact the material 802 on a planar portion of the tool 806 during the layup process. The cavity 812 may be defined within a region corresponding to a corner region 820, which is configured to be complementary to a corner 804 defined within the tool 806. The additional flexibility created by the fluid-filled cavity 812 is configured to facilitate the modification of the corner 822 of the material 802 to a radius when additional layers of material 802 are added during the layup process.

[0046] Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the adaptable roller 900. Similar to the adaptable roller 800, the adaptable roller 900 is a corner roller similar to the corner roller 122 (Figure 1) and is configured to compress a layer of material 802 into a corner 804 defined within the tool 806 during the layup process. The adaptable roller 900 is coupled to a shaft 914. Similar to the shaft 304 (Figures 3-6), the shaft 914 may be configured to supply fluid through one or more ports 916 to a cavity 908 defined within the adaptable roller 900 between the flexible outer wall 902 and the rigid support structures 904, 906. The support structures include an outer support structure 904 and a central support structure 906. The outer support structure 904 may correspond to a flat contact area 910 of the adaptable roller 900 configured to contact the material 802 on the planar portion of the tool 806 during the layup process. The central support structure 906 may be positioned within a corner region 912 configured to be complementary to a corner 804 defined within the tool 806. The central support structure 906 may be configured to provide rigid support directed into the corner 804 of the tool 806. The central support structure 906 may be relatively narrow compared to the outer support structure 904. For example, the central support structure 906 may be configured to apply force at a point in the corner region 912 while facilitating the bending of the radius of the corner region 912 to adapt to the changing radius at the associated corner 822 formed by the material 802 above the corner 804 defined within the tool 806. A cavity 908 may be defined between the central support structure 906 and the outer support structure 904. The fluid-filled cavity 908 may facilitate some movement of the outer wall 902 around the corner region 912, facilitating changes to the radius at the corner 804 when additional material layers 802 are added during the layup process.

[0047] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the adaptable roller 1000. The adaptable roller 1000 is an inverted corner roller or male corner roller configured to compress a layer of material 1018 around a male corner defined by a tool 101 during the layup process. The adaptable roller 1000 is coupled to a shaft 1002. Similar to shaft 304 (Figures 3-6), shaft 1002 may be configured to supply fluid through one or more ports 1004 to a cavity 1010 defined within the adaptable roller 1000 between the flexible outer wall 1006 and the rigid support structure 1008. The support structure 1008 may correspond to an outer region of the adaptable roller 1000 configured to position the roller and compress a flat region of material around the corner region 1012. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the support structure 1008 is configured to extend within a region of the outer wall 1006 corresponding to the inclined surface 1014 leading to the corner region 1012, and thus the support structure 1008 may provide additional support to the outer wall 1006 over a portion of the inclined surface 1014. The cavity 1010 is defined between the support structures 1008 corresponding to the corner region 1012 of the adaptable roller 1000. The fluid-filled cavity 1010 facilitates flexibility in the outer wall 1006 around the corner region 1012 and may facilitate changes to the radius around the corner when additional material layers are added during the layup process.

[0048] Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the adaptable roller 1100. The adaptable roller 1100 is a corner roller configured to compress a layer of material 1102 into a female-type radius corner 1104 defined within a tool 1106 such as a mandrel or mold during the layup process. The adaptable roller 1100 is coupled to a shaft 1116. Similar to shaft 304 (Figures 3-6), shaft 1116 may be configured to supply fluid through one or more ports 1118 to a cavity 1114 defined within the adaptable roller 1100 between the flexible outer wall 1108 and rigid support structures 1110, 1112. The support structures 1110, 1112 may correspond to flat contact areas 1122, 1124 of the adaptable roller 1100 configured to contact the material 1102 on the planar portion of the tool 1106 during the layup process. In the embodiment shown in Figure 11, the contact areas 1122 and 1124 of the adaptable roller 1100 have different lengths. Thus, the first support structure 1110 corresponding to the first contact area 1122 is larger than the second support structure 1112 corresponding to the second contact area 1124. The cavity 1114 may be defined within a region corresponding to a corner area 1120, which is configured to be complementary to the corner 1104 defined within the tool 1106. The additional flexibility created by the fluid-filled cavity 1114 may facilitate the change to a radius at the corner 1104 when an additional material layer 1102 is added during the layup process.

[0049] In addition to rollers, the molding device may include molding elements that do not roll along the surface, such as the adaptive slider 120 shown in Figure 1B. Figures 12A and 12B show embodiments of the adaptive slider 1200. Figure 12A is a perspective view of the adaptive slider 1200, and Figures 12B and 12C show cross-sectional views of different embodiments of the adaptive slider 1200.

[0050] The adaptable slider 1200 may include a contact surface 1202 configured to apply pressure to a flexible material sheet as the adaptable slider 1200 slides along the surface of the material. The contact surface 1202 may be shaped to be complementary to a desired shape of the material, such as defined by an underlying tool, such as tool 806 (Figure 8) or tool 1106 (Figure 11). For example, in the embodiments of the adaptable slider 1200 shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the contact surface 1202 defines a vertex 1204 that may be complementary to a corner defined by the underlying tool. The adaptable slider 1200 may also include a support structure 1206 extending between the contact surface 1202 and a mounting structure 1208, the mounting structure 1208 configured to fix the adaptable slider 1200 to associated arms of a molding device.

[0051] The adaptable slider 1200 may be configured to include a flexible region similar to that of the flexible rollers 300, 402, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 described above. The adaptable slider 1200 may be configured to receive fluid through a fluid connection 1210 and to apply and / or change pressure within the flexible region. The fluid connection 1210 may supply fluid to a cavity 1212 defined within the adaptable slider 1200 through one or more ports 1218. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 12B, the fluid connection 1210 is operably coupled to a port 1218 that supplies fluid to a cavity 1212 defined in the central region of the flexible adaptable slider 1200, adjacent to a vertex 1204 defined by the contact surface 1202. The contact surface 1202 may be formed by an outer wall 1214 which can be formed from a flexible material such as an elastomer, a flexible polymer material (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene), or a rubber material.

[0052] The cavity 1212 may be defined within the support structure 1206 of the adaptive slider 1200. The support structure 1206 may also include a semi-rigid support structure 1216. Similar to the flexible rollers 300, 402, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 described above, the support structure 1216 may be configured to support the outer wall 1214 substantially rigidly, and the cavity 1212 may facilitate the flexibility of the outer wall 1214 at the vertex 1204 to adapt to changes in dimensions such as the radius, angle, etc. of the relevant features when layers of material are added.

[0053] In the embodiment shown in Figure 12C, the fluid connection portion 1210 is operably coupled to a port 1218 that supplies fluid from the fluid connection portion 1210 to a cavity 1212 defined within a flexible, adaptable slider 1200 adjacent to a vertex 1204 defined by the contact surface 1202. The contact surface 1202 may be formed by an outer wall 1214 which can be formed from a flexible material such as an elastomer, a flexible polymer material (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene), or a rubber material.

[0054] The cavity 1212 may be defined within the support structure 1206 of the adaptable slider 1200. The support structure 1206 may also include a semi-rigid support structure 1216 and a semi-rigid central support structure 1220. Similar to the flexible rollers 300, 402, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 described above, the support structures 1216 and 1220 may be configured to semi-rigidly support the outer wall 1214, and the cavity 1212 may facilitate the flexibility of the outer wall 1214 at the vertex 1204 to adapt to changes in dimensions such as radius, angle of the relevant feature when layers of material are added.

[0055] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for forming a composite structure 1300. In action 1302, a first sheet of material (e.g., prepreg material, carbon fiber mat, fiberglass mat, etc.) is placed on at least a portion of a mold. The mold may be a cylindrical mold such as a mandrel, or it may be a substantially flat mold. The mold may include discontinuous geometric features such as ribs, corners, ledges, angled corners, rounded corners, recesses, and protrusions, configured to create complex shapes in the resulting composite structure.

[0056] Next, in action 1304, an adaptable molding element (e.g., adaptable rollers 300, 402, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000 and 1100 or an adaptable slider 1200) may be used to fit and press the sheet of material into the mold. The adaptable molding elements may be positioned adjacent to complementary parts of the mold. For example, the adaptable rollers 300, 402, 500, and 600 may be positioned adjacent to the upper surface of a raised portion; the adaptable roller 700 may be positioned adjacent to a flat portion of the mold near a discontinuous geometric feature; the adaptable rollers 800, 900, 1100 or the adaptable slider 1200 may be positioned adjacent to an internal corner of the mold; and the adaptable roller 1000 may be positioned adjacent to an external corner of the mold. As described above, the adaptable rollers 300, 402, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000 and 1100, and the adaptable slider 1200, include a support structure adjacent to a portion of the flexible element configured to interfacially contact a substantially flat portion of the mold, the flexible element including a flexible portion configured to interfacially contact a non-flat region whose shape or radius changes when a continuous ply such as a corner is added.

[0057] In action 1306, fluid pressure may be applied internally to the flexible portion of the flexible element through a pressurized fluid in a cavity defined within the flexible element. The fluid pressure may be applied in action 1306 at the same time that the clamping force is applied in action 1304. In some cases, the fluid pressure may be applied in action 1306 before the clamping force is applied in action 1304, and then maintained while the clamping force is applied in action 1304. The fluid pressure may be increased or decreased to match the clamping force applied by the flexible portion with the compressive force applied by the molding device through the rigid section of the molding element. In some embodiments, the fluid may be heated or cooled to compress the material using a heated or cooled adaptable molding element. For example, a heated fluid may be used to generate fluid pressure within the adaptable molding element. The heated fluid raises the temperature of the flexible outer wall of the adaptable molding element, so that the contact surface of the adaptable molding element becomes hot. When the adaptive molding element is heated to a high temperature, it improves the conformability or flexibility of the associated material, allowing the material to conform to the shape of the associated mold. The heated fluid may be heated to a temperature in the range of ambient temperature (e.g., about 70°F (about 21°C)) to about 300°F (about 148.9°C), for example, about 100°F (about 37.78°C) to about 200°F (about 93.33°C). In another embodiment, a cooled fluid may be used to generate fluid pressure within the adaptive molding element. The cooled fluid will cool the flexible outer wall of the adaptive molding element. The cooled fluid may facilitate the cooling of the shaped molding element when the adaptive molding element is applied to a high-temperature surface. Cooling the adaptive molding element may reduce wear of the adaptive molding element when it is used to apply pressure to a high-temperature surface. The cooled fluid may be cooled to a temperature in the range of approximately 0°F (approximately -17.78°C) to approximately 40°F (approximately 4.4°C) to approximately 20°F (approximately -6.67°C), for example, from ambient temperature. The heated or cooled fluid may be maintained at a high or low temperature through a recirculation system. For example, the axis of the adaptive molding element may define a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet so that the fluid can pass through the adaptive molding element in question.The recirculation system may then use the fluid to maintain the fluid at a high or low temperature while pressurizing and heating or cooling the associated adaptive molding element.

[0058] After applying compressive force using the adaptive molding element in actions 1304 and 1306, in action 1308, a second sheet of material may be added on top of at least a portion of the first sheet of material. After at least a portion of the second sheet of material has been added, in action 1310, the adaptive molding element may be used to conform the sheet of material to the mold and the first ply. With each additional sheet of material added, slight changes occur in the shape of the geometric features, such as radii around corners or changes in transitions between flat geometric features. As described above, the flexible portion of the adaptive molding element may be configured to facilitate small changes in shape while still applying uniform compressive pressure to the sheet of material in all areas. In some embodiments, the fluid pressure within the flexible element may be adjusted in action 1304 to adapt to changes in the clamping force by the entire molding device.

[0059] Embodiments of the present disclosure include adjustable rollers and other adjustable molding elements for applying pressure to layers of material during a layup process, such as a composite molding process. The adjustable rollers include a flexible portion and a substantially rigid portion at the contact surface of the roller, so that a portion of the roller exhibits flexibility to adjust for shape changes, such as corner radii, as additional layers of material are added during the layup process. The rigid portion of the roller can facilitate positioning while applying compressive pressure to a more consistent geometric shape portion of the layer during the layup process.

[0060] Conventional layup processes may involve numerous roller changes to adapt to the shape changes caused by the added material layers. Flexible or adaptable rollers can reduce the number of roller changes during the layup process, thereby reducing both the time and labor requirements of the layup process.

[0061] Non-limiting exemplary embodiments of this disclosure include: (Embodiment 1): A layup molding device comprising a main body and a roller assembly including one or more adaptable rollers coupled to the main body, wherein the one or more adaptable rollers each comprises a shaft, a flexible outer wall, at least one support extending between the shaft and the flexible outer wall, and at least one fluid cavity extending between the shaft and the flexible outer wall. (Embodiment 2): The layup molding tool device according to Embodiment 1, wherein the shaft includes at least one fluid port that is in fluid communication with the at least one fluid cavity. (Embodiment 3): The layup molding device according to Embodiment 1 or 2, further comprising a fluid line coupled to the axis of one or more adaptive rollers through the roller assembly. (Embodiment 4): The layup molding device according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the at least one support comprises a rigid material. (Embodiment 5): The layup molding device according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the flexible outer wall comprises an elastomer. (Embodiment 6): A layup molding device according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the position of the at least one support corresponds to a substantially flat contact area of ​​the one or more adaptable rollers. (Embodiment 7): A layup molding device according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the location of the at least one fluid cavity corresponds to the geometric shape transition region of the one or more adaptive rollers. (Embodiment 8): The layup molding device according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the at least one support includes a seal configured to prevent fluid from escaping from the at least one fluid cavity. (Embodiment 9): A layup molding device according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the at least one support includes a reinforcing material disposed within the at least one fluid cavity. (Embodiment 10): The layup molding device according to Embodiment 9, wherein the reinforcing material includes one or more openings configured to facilitate fluid communication through the reinforcing material in the at least one fluid cavity. (Embodiment 11): A layup molding element comprising: an inner region including a fluid port; a flexible outer wall; a support extending between the inner region and the flexible outer wall; and a fluid cavity extending between the inner region and the flexible outer wall, the fluid cavity being in fluid communication with the fluid port of the inner region. (Embodiment 12): The support is a layup molded element according to Embodiment 11, wherein the support includes one or more ribs. (Embodiment 13): The layup molding element according to Embodiment 12, wherein the flexible outer wall includes one or more complementary ribs that form an interface with one or more ribs of the support. (Embodiment 14): The layup molding element according to Embodiment 13, wherein the interface between the one or more ribs of the support and the one or more complementary ribs is configured to form a fluid sealing seal. (Embodiment 15): The layup molding element according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 11 to 14, wherein the support is configured to fix the flexible outer wall in the axial direction. (Embodiment 16): The layup molding element according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 11 to 15, wherein the support is configured to fix the flexible outer wall in the radial direction. (Embodiment 17): The inner region is a layup molded element according to any one embodiment of Embodiments 11 to 16, including a mounting structure. (Embodiment 18): A method for forming a composite structure, comprising the steps of: placing a first sheet of material on a mold; applying a first compressive force to the first sheet of material through a molding element including a support portion and a flexible portion; achieving pressure by internally applying fluid pressure to the flexible portion of the molding element; placing a second sheet of material on top of the first sheet of material; applying a second compressive force to the second sheet of material through the molding element; and adjusting the shape of the flexible portion of the molding element to match the geometric shape change of the rounded feature of the mold caused by the previously added sheet of material. (Embodiment 19): The method according to Embodiment 18, wherein the step of applying fluid pressure includes the steps of heating the fluid and applying the fluid pressure with the fluid after heating the fluid. (Embodiment 20): The method according to Embodiment 18 or 19, wherein the step of applying fluid pressure includes a step of cooling the fluid and a step of applying the fluid pressure with the fluid after the fluid has been cooled.

[0062] The embodiments of this disclosure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings do not limit the scope of the invention, as these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. In fact, various modifications of this disclosure, including useful alternative combinations of the described elements in addition to those shown and described herein, may be obvious to those skilled in the art from the specification. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the accompanying claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. The main unit and A roller assembly including one or more adaptable rollers coupled to the main body, A layup molding device comprising, the one or more adaptive rollers, The axis and Flexible exterior wall, At least one support extending between the shaft and the flexible outer wall, A fluid cavity extending between the shaft and the flexible outer wall, A layup molding device equipped with the following features.

2. The layup molding device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft includes at least one fluid port that is in fluid communication with the at least one fluid cavity.

3. The layup molding device according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid line connected to the axis of one or more adaptive rollers through the roller assembly.

4. The layup molding device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support comprises a rigid material.

5. The layup molding device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible outer wall comprises an elastomer.

6. The layup molding device according to claim 1, wherein the position of the at least one support corresponds to a substantially flat contact area of ​​the one or more adaptable rollers.

7. The layup molding device according to claim 1, wherein the location of the at least one fluid cavity corresponds to the geometric shape transition region of the one or more adaptive rollers.

8. The layup molding device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support includes a seal configured to prevent fluid from escaping from the at least one fluid cavity.

9. The layup molding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one support includes a reinforcing material disposed within the at least one fluid cavity.

10. The layup molding device according to claim 9, wherein the reinforcing material includes one or more openings configured to facilitate fluid communication through the reinforcing material in the at least one fluid cavity.

11. The inner region including the fluid port, Flexible exterior wall, A support extending between the inner region and the flexible outer wall, A fluid cavity extending between the inner region and the flexible outer wall, the fluid cavity being in fluid communication with the fluid port of the inner region, A layup molding element comprising the above features.

12. The support comprising one or more ribs, the layup molding element according to claim 11.

13. The layup molding element according to claim 12, wherein the flexible outer wall includes one or more complementary ribs that form an interface with one or more ribs of the support.

14. The layup molding element according to claim 13, wherein the interface between the one or more ribs of the support and the one or more complementary ribs is configured to form a fluid sealing seal.

15. The layup molding element according to claim 11, wherein the support is configured to fix the flexible outer wall in the axial direction.

16. The layup molding element according to claim 11, wherein the support is configured to fix the flexible outer wall in the radial direction.

17. The inner region includes a mounting structure, as described in any one of claims 11 to 16.

18. A method for forming a composite structure, The steps include placing a first sheet of material on the mold, The steps include applying a first compressive force to the first sheet of material through a molding element including a support portion and a flexible portion, The steps include achieving pressure by internally applying fluid pressure to the flexible portion of the molding element, The steps include placing a second sheet of material on top of the first sheet of material, The steps include applying a second compressive force to the second sheet of material through the molding element, The steps include: adapting the shape of the flexible portion of the molding element to the change in the geometric shape of the rounded feature of the mold caused by the additional sheet of material; Methods that include...

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of applying fluid pressure includes the steps of heating the fluid and applying the fluid pressure with the fluid after heating the fluid.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of applying the fluid pressure includes the steps of cooling the fluid and applying the fluid pressure with the fluid after the fluid has been cooled.

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