Apparatus and method for batch forming of composite t-stringers

Abstract

An apparatus and method for batch forming of composite T-stringers. The apparatus comprises a core mold platform (1) and a core mold assembly. The core mold assembly comprises a fixed core mold (21) and two movable core molds (22) arranged side by side on two sides of the fixed core mold (21), wherein the fixed core mold (21) comprises two first L-shaped cavities (211), which are formed side by side and are mirror images of each other; and each movable core mold (22) comprises a second L-shaped cavity (222) in communication with a first L-shaped cavity (211) adjacent thereto. When the movable core molds (22) are at an open-mold position, the fixed core mold (21) and the movable core molds (22) preform, by means of a hot-diaphragm preforming operation, L-shaped blanks from composite prepreg sheets placed therein; and when the movable core molds (22) are at a closed-mold position, legs of the L-shaped blanks in the two movable core molds (22) are respectively fitted to legs of the L-shaped blanks in the fixed core mold (21) that are adjacent thereto, thereby simultaneously forming two composite T-stringers.

Description

Equipment and method for batch molding composite material T-type long stringers Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of composite material manufacturing, and in particular to a device for batch forming composite material T-shaped long stringers and a method for batch forming composite material T-shaped long stringers using the aforementioned device. Background Art

[0002] Carbon fiber composites boast a range of excellent properties, including high specific strength, high specific modulus, fatigue resistance, high temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, thermal shock resistance, radiation resistance, and low specific gravity, making them widely used in aerospace and other fields. The application of carbon fiber composites in aircraft has gradually evolved from non-load-bearing and secondary load-bearing components to primary load-bearing components, and is developing towards the manufacture of large-scale, complex, and integrated aircraft structures.

[0003] Therefore, the structure of parts formed by composite materials is becoming increasingly complex, which results in the steps for forming the desired composite material structural parts being very cumbersome and the production cycle being long. Taking a composite material T-shaped long stringer structural part as an example, generally, its manufacturing process at least includes repeatedly manually laying out an L-shaped blank on an L-shaped tooling, then closing the formed multiple L-shaped blanks on a closing mold tooling, and then using twisted wire to fill the triangular area between the L-shaped blanks for encapsulation and curing, and finally forming a composite material T-shaped long stringer. The aforementioned manufacturing process not only requires repeatedly manufacturing the L-shaped blanks, resulting in complicated operations and long manufacturing time, but also requires at least an L-shaped tooling and a closing mold tooling to form a composite material T-shaped long stringer, which results in a complex equipment structure, many structural parts involved, and poor production efficiency.

[0004] As the market demand for composite T-shaped long girders continues to increase, the current production efficiency can no longer meet the demand. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing equipment for forming composite T-shaped long girders so that it is not only simple in structure but also capable of efficiently batch forming composite T-shaped long girders.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, in order to overcome the problems of complex structure and poor production efficiency of existing equipment for molding composite material T-shaped long stringers, the present application proposes a new equipment for batch molding composite material T-shaped long stringers and a method for batch molding composite material T-shaped long stringers using the equipment.

[0007] This application solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions:

[0008] Specifically, according to one aspect of the present application, there is provided an apparatus for batch molding composite T-shaped long stringers, comprising:

[0009] core mold platform; and

[0010] The core mold assembly includes a fixed core mold detachably arranged on the core mold platform and two movable core molds respectively arranged on both sides of the fixed core mold and arranged side by side with the fixed core mold on the core mold platform. The movable core mold is configured to be able to shift between a mold opening position and a mold closing position along the transverse direction of the fixed core mold.

[0011] The fixed core mold includes two first "L"-shaped cavities formed side by side in the transverse direction and mirrored to each other, and each movable core mold includes a second "L"-shaped cavity connected to the first "L"-shaped cavity adjacent thereto and mirrored to each other, and,

[0012] Among them, when the movable core mold is in the open mold position, the fixed core mold and the movable core mold are constructed to be able to pre-form the composite material prepreg sheets pre-placed in the first "L"-shaped cavity and the second "L"-shaped cavity into an L-shaped blank through a heat insulation mold pre-forming operation; and when the movable core mold is in the closed mold position, the vertically extending legs of the L-shaped blank located in the second "L"-shaped cavity of the two movable core molds are respectively fitted with the vertically extending legs of the L-shaped blank located in the first "L"-shaped cavity adjacent to it of the fixed core mold, so that two T-shaped long stringers can be formed simultaneously through the packaging and curing operation.

[0013] The device provided in this application utilizes only two movable core molds and a single fixed core mold to simultaneously preform four L-shaped blanks and simultaneously mold two composite T-shaped long stringers, effectively saving time, simplifying the process, and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency. Furthermore, during the T-shaped long stringer formation process, the device achieves mold closing by shifting the movable core mold to mate with the fixed core mold, eliminating the need for an additional mold closing core mold. This simplifies the device's structure and complexity, reducing costs.

[0014] Furthermore, at the open mold position of the movable core mold, the movable core mold is a certain distance away from the fixed core mold. At this point, a diaphragm and diaphragm frame can be placed on the composite prepreg of the movable and fixed core molds. This allows the composite prepreg sheets pre-placed in the fixed and movable core molds to be simultaneously preformed into an L-shaped body using a hot mold preforming process without any interference. The hot mold preforming process preforms the L-shaped body of the T-stringer, using infrared heating and precise vacuum rate control, resulting in an L-shaped body with fewer defects, improved placement accuracy, and higher production efficiency than those formed by traditional manual laying. This ensures that the resulting L-shaped body and the resulting composite T-stringer meet the required shape.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present application, a stop block for stopping the movable core mold at the mold opening position from moving further away from the fixed core mold and a fixed block for fixing the movable core mold at the mold opening position are provided on the core mold platform, and the fixed block is configured to be able to engage with a hook-shaped piece formed on the lower part of the outer side wall of the movable core mold.

[0016] The cooperation between the fixed block and the hook-shaped member of the movable core mold securely holds the movable core mold in the mold opening position, preventing it from leaving the mold opening position or undergoing any undesirable displacement during the preforming process. Furthermore, the stop block further blocks the movement of the movable core mold, making it easy to position the movable core mold in the mold opening position and preventing it from moving beyond its limits during displacement, thereby preventing it from detaching from the core mold platform and potentially causing safety accidents. Furthermore, the stop block prevents the movable core mold from moving arbitrarily if the engagement between the fixed block and the hook-shaped member fails, providing additional protection for workers and preventing accidents.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present application, the fixing block is configured to move longitudinally along the fixed core mold to engage or disengage with the hook portion of the hook-shaped member, thereby securing or releasing the movable core mold. The movable core mold can be secured and released as needed by simply shifting the fixing block, providing simple and quick operation.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present application, a sliding module extending in a transverse direction is provided between the stop block and the fixed core mold on the core mold platform, and the movable core mold is mounted on a sliding guide rail of the sliding module so as to be able to slide along the sliding guide rail. By mounting the movable core mold on the sliding guide rail, it is convenient to manually or automatically move the movable core mold along a predetermined trajectory, thereby easily shifting from a designed mold opening position to a predetermined mold closing position. This solves the problems of laborious, time-consuming, and difficult movement of large-sized tooling and parts, and makes it more convenient for workers to operate.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present application, when the movable core mold is in the mold opening position or the mold closing position, the portion of the top of the sliding module that is not covered by the passive core mold is provided with a removable slide rail cover. Using a removable slide rail cover to cover the exposed portion of the sliding guide rail in the sliding module can prevent other substances from entering the sliding module. Moreover, in the mold opening state, placing the slide rail cover above the sliding guide rail between the fixed core mold and the movable core mold can avoid interference between the sliding guide rail and the thermal diaphragm, thereby preventing accidental bag explosion during the thermal diaphragm preforming process; in the mold closing state, placing the slide rail cover on the sliding guide rails of the movable core mold away from both sides of the fixed core mold can facilitate the production of vacuum bags during the packaging and curing process, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of the thermal diaphragm preforming and packaging and curing molding processes.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present application, the core mold platform is provided with mold closing guide pins on both sides of the fixed core mold for ensuring that the movable core mold moves to the corresponding mold closing position. The mold closing guide pins are configured to abut against recessed portions formed on the lower surface of the bottom of the movable core mold at the mold closing position. The mold closing guide pins are provided below both sides of the fixed core mold. The cooperation between the mold closing guide pins and the recessed portions of the movable core mold ensures that the movable core mold is closed to the specified position without any forward or backward movement. Moreover, due to the limiting effect of the mold closing guide pins, the movable core mold shifted to the mold closing position will not only be in place with the fixed core mold but will also be tightly closed with the fixed core mold.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present application, a plurality of push-pull handle assemblies distributed along the longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold are evenly provided on the upper portion of the outer side wall of the movable core mold.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present application, a push-pull handle assembly includes a handle base installed on an upper portion and a handle quickly detachably connected to the handle base.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present application, the handle base includes a card slot with a circular through hole, and the handle includes a mounting portion, which is configured to be able to perform a quick-release connection by snap-engaging with the card slot through a fastener passing through it in a transverse direction.

[0024] Multiple push-pull handle assemblies are installed on the outer wall of the movable core mold. Workers can use the handles in the push-pull handle assemblies to conveniently push and pull the movable core mold, thereby easily moving the movable core mold on the sliding guide rails to complete the mold opening and closing operations, allowing the movable core mold to shift to the mold opening position or mold closing position as needed. In addition, the handles in the push-pull handle assembly are connected to the mounting base through metal slots to achieve quick-release connection, allowing the handles to be quickly removed from the automatic core mold, thereby reducing the volume and space occupied by the equipment.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present application, the fixed core mold and the movable core mold are respectively provided with material layer positioning blocks at both ends along the longitudinal direction, and the shape of the part of the material layer positioning block that contacts the composite material prepreg sheet is designed to match the shape of the corresponding notch on the composite material prepreg sheet.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present application, a thickness limiting boss extending upward from the bottom of the movable core mold is provided on the inner side wall close to the fixed core mold, and the thickness limiting boss is configured to limit the web of the L-shaped embryo from further extending downward during the hot diaphragm preforming operation and packaging curing process.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present application, thermocouple windows for mounting thermocouple assemblies are evenly disposed on the upper portion of the outer sidewall of the movable core mold. The thermocouple windows are distributed along the longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold, and thermocouple windows for mounting thermocouple assemblies are also distributed along the longitudinal direction of the two outer sidewalls of the fixed core mold. Evenly distributing the thermocouple windows on the outer sidewalls of the movable core mold and the fixed core mold facilitates mounting thermocouple assemblies in the thermocouple windows when needed, thereby enabling uniform heating using the thermocouple assemblies for vacuum bagging and encapsulation curing of the composite T-shaped stringer.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present application, the length and width of the core mold platform are set to be smaller than the length and width of the preforming space of the hot diaphragm preforming device, and the outer side walls of the core mold platform and the movable core mold distributed in the transverse direction have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane, and the outer side walls of the core mold platform, the fixed core mold and the movable core mold distributed in the longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane.

[0029] The core mold platform's dimensions facilitate placement of the entire device containing the composite prepreg into the preforming space of the hot diaphragm preforming unit, enabling the preforming of the L-shaped composite T-shaped long stringer using the hot diaphragm preforming process. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the outer walls of the core mold platform, fixed core mold, and movable core mold relative to the horizontal plane prevents sharp edges on these platforms, fixed core mold, and movable core molds from causing bag bursts and hindering vacuum bag formation during the hot diaphragm preforming and encapsulation curing processes.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present application, the device further comprises a preforming platen, which is configured to be fixed to the core mold platform by spring screws when placed on the upper surface of the composite material prepreg sheet, so as to press the composite material prepreg sheet into the "L"-shaped cavity of the corresponding movable core mold or fixed core mold, and to make the composite material prepreg sheet completely fit into the "L"-shaped cavity and be bent and preformed into an L-shaped embryo during the hot diaphragm preforming operation. The fastening connection method of the spring screws makes it easy to apply an elastic pre-tightening force to the composite material prepreg sheet through the preforming platen as needed. On the one hand, it can ensure that the composite material prepreg sheet is pressed into the cavity of the movable core mold and the fixed core mold. On the other hand, the force acting on the composite material prepreg sheet can be adjusted by the applied elastic pre-tightening force to avoid damage to the composite material prepreg sheet, and on the other hand, it can prevent adverse effects on the preforming of the L-shaped embryo.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present application, the device further comprises a support frame disposed below the bottom of the core mold platform, the support frame being provided with a through hole extending in a transverse direction for receiving a forklift in a forklift. By disposing the support frame below the bottom of the core mold platform, it is convenient to adjust the overall height of the device using the height of the support frame, thereby making the operation of the device ergonomic and facilitating the corresponding operation by the staff. Moreover, by providing a through hole capable of receiving a forklift in the support frame, the device can be conveniently moved as a whole using a forklift to move it to the destination workstation, further resolving the problems of laborious, time-consuming, and difficult movement of large-sized tooling and parts.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present application, a method for batch forming composite material T-shaped long stringers using the apparatus according to any of the aforementioned embodiments is provided, the method comprising:

[0033] The movable core mold is moved to the mold opening position, and the fixing block on the core mold platform is moved to engage with the hook-shaped member of the movable core mold, thereby fixing the movable core mold in the mold opening position;

[0034] Using the material layer positioning blocks at both ends of the movable core mold and the fixed core mold, multiple composite material prepreg sheets are positioned in the second "L"-shaped cavity of the movable core mold and the first "L"-shaped cavity of the fixed core mold respectively;

[0035] The preformed pressing plates are sequentially placed on the upper surface of the composite prepreg sheets, and each preformed pressing plate is fixed to the core mold platform using spring screws so that each composite prepreg sheet is pressed into the first "L"-shaped cavity or the second "L"-shaped cavity. The pressed composite prepreg sheets are then preformed into an L-shaped embryo using a hot diaphragm preforming device;

[0036] The preform pressing plate is removed and the fixed block is moved so that the fixed block is disengaged from the hook-shaped member of the movable core mold. The movable core mold with the L-shaped embryo is then shifted to the mold closing position so that the vertically extending leg of the L-shaped embryo in the movable core mold is aligned with the vertically extending leg of the adjacent L-shaped embryo in the fixed core mold.

[0037] Two composite T-shaped long stringers are cured and formed by a potting and curing operation; and

[0038] After the curing is completed, the movable core mold is moved to the mold opening position, so that the two formed composite material T-shaped long truss self-fixing core molds and the movable core mold can be removed.

[0039] According to one embodiment of the present application, the method further includes installing a removable slide rail cover on the top portion of the sliding module group for moving the movable core mold that is not covered by the movable core mold when each movable core mold is in its corresponding mold opening position or mold closing position.

[0040] On the basis of conforming to the common sense in this field, the above-mentioned preferred conditions can be arbitrarily combined to obtain the preferred embodiments of the present application.

[0041] The beneficial technical effects and advantages achieved by the apparatus and method for batch molding composite material T-shaped long stringers according to the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application are:

[0042] 1. This equipment for batch-forming T-stringers utilizes a simple, relatively small number of components to simultaneously preform four L-shaped blanks and two composite T-stringers, effectively saving time, reducing costs, simplifying the process, and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency. Furthermore, the use of a hot-insulated mold preforming process to preform the L-shaped blanks for the T-stringers significantly reduces defects, improves placement accuracy, and increases production efficiency compared to traditional manual laying methods, thereby ensuring that the resulting L-shaped blanks and the resulting composite T-stringers meet desired shapes.

[0043] 2. The design of the stop block, fixed block, and hook-shaped member of the movable core mold facilitates the positioning of the movable core mold and securely holds it in the mold opening position, preventing it from leaving the mold opening position or undergoing any undesired displacement during the preforming process. The design of the mold closing guide pins on both sides of the fixed core mold, combined with the cooperation of the mold closing guide pins with the recessed portion of the movable core mold, ensures that the movable core mold and the fixed core mold are accurately closed to the designated position without any forward or backward movement. This ensures that the movable core mold, when displaced to the mold closing position, not only closes in place with the fixed core mold but also closes tightly to the fixed core mold, thereby maintaining the shape of the composite T-shaped long stringer formed after encapsulation and curing, and thus ensuring the quality of the molded part.

[0044] 3. A removable slide rail cover is used to cover the exposed slide rail portion of the slide module to prevent accidental bag explosion during the hot diaphragm preforming process and facilitate vacuum bag production during the encapsulation and curing process, thereby ensuring smooth hot diaphragm preforming and encapsulation curing processes. In addition, the outer side walls of the core mold platform, fixed core mold, and movable core mold are designed to have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane. This can prevent the side walls of the core mold platform, fixed core mold, and movable core mold from being too sharp and causing bag explosion during the hot diaphragm preforming and encapsulation curing processes, facilitating vacuum bag production.

[0045] 4. Through the multiple push-pull handle assemblies on the outer side wall of the equipment's movable core mold, workers can conveniently push and pull the movable core mold by combining the handles in the push-pull handle assembly with the sliding guide rails. This allows the movable core mold to be easily moved on the sliding guide rails, completing the mold opening and closing operations, allowing the movable core mold to be shifted to the mold opening position or mold closing position as needed. In addition, the handles in the push-pull handle assembly are connected to the mounting base through metal slots to achieve a quick-release connection, allowing the handles to be quickly removed from the automatic core mold as needed, thereby reducing the volume and space occupied by the equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIG1 is a schematic assembly diagram of an apparatus for batch molding composite material T-shaped long stringers according to a preferred embodiment of the present application.

[0047] FIG2 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the core mold platform in the device of FIG1 ,

[0048] FIG3 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a fixed core mold in the apparatus of FIG1 ,

[0049] FIG4 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the movable core mold in the device of FIG1 ,

[0050] 5A and 5B are exemplary schematic diagrams of a handle base and a handle in the push-pull handle assembly of the movable core mold in FIG. 4 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing multiple embodiments according to this application. It should be understood that all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments described in this application without expending creative effort will fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0052] As shown in Figure 1, the equipment for batch molding of composite material T-shaped long stringers includes a core mold platform 1 and a core mold assembly, wherein the core mold assembly includes a fixed core mold 21 detachably arranged on the core mold platform 1 and two movable core molds 22 respectively arranged on both sides of the fixed core mold 21 and arranged side by side with the fixed core mold 21 on the core mold platform 1, each movable core mold 22 can be shifted between a mold opening position and a mold closing position along the transverse direction Y of the fixed core mold 21.

[0053] In Figure 1, for ease of description, one of the two movable core molds 22 is in an open position, separated from the fixed core mold 21, while the other movable core mold 22 is in a closed position, aligned with the fixed core mold 21. As shown in Figure 1, when the movable core mold 22 is in the open position, the cavity of the fixed core mold 21 and the cavity of the movable core mold 22 are separated, enabling the composite prepreg sheets pre-placed therein to be preformed separately into L-shaped preforms through a heat-insulated preforming operation. When the movable core mold 22 is in the closed position, aligned with the fixed core mold 21, the vertically extending space within the cavity of the movable core mold 22 and the vertically extending space within the adjacent cavity of the fixed core mold together form a closed space. At this point, the vertically extending legs of the preformed L-shaped preform in the cavity of the movable core mold 22 closely align with the vertically extending legs of the preformed L-shaped preform in the adjacent cavity of the fixed core mold 21, thereby enabling the T-shaped long stringer to be formed through the encapsulation and curing operation.

[0054] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper surface of the core mold platform 1 is rectangular, and a plurality of stop blocks 11 are provided on both sides of the rectangular upper surface along the transverse direction Y. The multiple stop blocks 11 on the same side are evenly distributed along the longitudinal direction X of the fixed core mold 21, and are arranged in the same position along the transverse direction Y and are designed so that when the movable core mold 22 moves to its corresponding mold opening position, the stop blocks 11 will stop the movable core mold 22 from moving further away from the fixed core mold 21, thereby preliminarily positioning the movable core mold 22 at the mold opening position. In Figure 2, the stop block 11 is a rectangular block, but it should be understood that the stop block 11 may also have other shapes as long as it can stop the movable core mold 22 at the mold opening position from moving further away from the fixed core mold 21.

[0055] As shown in Figure 2, multiple fixing blocks 12 are evenly distributed along each side of the core mold platform 1 along the longitudinal direction X. Each fixing block 12 is positioned adjacent to a stop block 11 and aligned with the stop block 11. The fixing blocks 12 are formed with square slots extending along the longitudinal direction X and can be secured to the core mold platform 1 via fasteners inserted through the slots. The longitudinal distance of the fixing blocks 12 relative to the stop blocks 11 can be adjusted by adjusting the distance between the fasteners and either end of the slots. As shown in Figure 1, when the fixing blocks 12 move along the longitudinal direction X toward the stop blocks 11, they engage with hooks 221 at the lower portion of the movable core mold 22 at the mold opening position, securing the movable core mold 22 in the mold opening position. When the fixing blocks 12 move along the longitudinal direction X away from the stop blocks 11, they disengage from the hooks 221, releasing the movable core mold 22, allowing it to move on the core mold platform 1 as needed.

[0056] As shown in FIG2 , a sliding die set 13 extending in the transverse direction Y is further provided on the upper surface of the core mold platform 1 between the stop block 11 and the fixed core mold 21. The movable core mold 22 is mounted on the sliding guide rail 131 of the sliding die set 13 so as to be able to slide along the sliding guide rail 131. By mounting the movable core mold 22 on the sliding guide rail 131, the movable core mold 22 can be manually or automatically moved along a predetermined trajectory, and thus can be easily shifted from the designed mold opening position to the predetermined mold closing position, thereby solving the problems of laborious, time-consuming, and difficult movement of large-sized tooling and parts, and making it more convenient for workers to operate. For large-sized composite T-shaped long girders, the movable core mold 22 and the fixed core mold 21 used to manufacture them are also correspondingly large in size. Therefore, a plurality of the aforementioned sliding die sets 13 can be evenly arranged along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of the core mold platform 1 to smoothly move each movable core mold 22.

[0057] Preferably, as shown in FIG2 , the portion of the top of the sliding module 13 not covered by the passive core mold 22 is provided with a removable slide rail cover 132, so that the portion of the upper portion of the sliding module 13 not provided with the movable core mold 22 is a flat surface. Using the removable slide rail cover 132 to cover the exposed portion of the sliding guide rail in the sliding module 13 can prevent other substances from entering the sliding module 13. Moreover, in the mold open state, the slide rail cover 132 is placed above the portion of the sliding guide rail between the fixed core mold 21 and the movable core mold 22 to avoid interference between the slide rail 131 and the thermal diaphragm, thereby preventing accidental bag explosion during the thermal diaphragm preforming process. In the mold closed state, the slide rail cover 132 is placed on the portion of the sliding guide rail on both sides of the movable core mold 22 away from the fixed core mold 21 to prevent the space between the slide rail 131 and the side wall of the sliding module 13 from affecting the thermal diaphragm or vacuum bag making, thereby facilitating the making of vacuum bags during the packaging and curing process, thereby ensuring that the thermal diaphragm preforming and packaging curing molding processes proceed smoothly.

[0058] Optionally, as shown in Figure 2, a notch is formed at one end of the sliding rail cover 132 arranged on the upper part of the sliding module 13 along the transverse direction Y, and the shape of the notch matches the fingers or hands of the staff, so that the staff can clamp the sliding rail cover 132 to place it on the sliding module 13 or remove the sliding rail cover 132 from the sliding module 13.

[0059] Preferably, as shown in FIG2 , the core mold platform 1 is further provided with mold closing guide pins 14 on both sides of the fixed core mold 21 for ensuring that the movable core mold 22 moves to the corresponding mold closing position. The mold closing guide pins 14 can abut against the recess formed on the lower surface of the bottom of the movable core mold 22 at the mold closing position. The cooperation between the mold closing guide pins 14 and the recess of the movable core mold 22 can ensure that the movable core mold 22 is closed to the specified position without any forward or backward movement. Moreover, due to the limiting effect of the mold closing guide pins 14, the movable core mold 22 shifted to the mold closing position will not only be closed into place with the fixed core mold 21 but also be tightly closed with the fixed core mold 21, thereby forming a composite material T-shaped long girder in cooperation with the fixed core mold 21.

[0060] The fixed core mold 21, which is detachably mounted on the core mold platform 1, can be shown in FIG3 . It includes two first "L"-shaped cavities 211 formed side by side in the transverse direction Y and mirroring each other, and a material layer positioning block 212 is also provided at each end in the longitudinal direction. The shape of the portion of the material layer positioning block 212 that contacts the composite material prepreg sheet is designed to match the shape of the corresponding notch on the composite material prepreg sheet, thereby enabling the composite material prepreg sheet to be positioned in the first "L"-shaped cavity 211 via the material layer positioning block 212. Furthermore, through the hot diaphragm preforming operation, the composite material prepreg positioned in the first "L"-shaped cavity 211 can be tightly fitted into the cavity, thereby preforming into an L-shaped blank, thereby forming two L-shaped blanks simultaneously.

[0061] As shown in FIG3 , thermocouple windows 213 for installing thermocouple assemblies are further provided on the two outer side walls of the fixed core mold 21 and distributed along the longitudinal direction X, so that the thermocouple assemblies can be installed in the thermocouple windows 213 when needed, thereby enabling subsequent heating and curing.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4 , two movable core molds 22 are arranged on either side of the fixed core mold 21 on the upper surface of the core mold platform 1. These molds include a second L-shaped cavity 222 that communicates with and mirrors the adjacent first L-shaped cavity 211, as well as material layer positioning blocks 212 arranged at either end along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, each movable core mold 22 can position a composite prepreg sheet within the second L-shaped cavity 222 via its material layer positioning blocks 212. In the open mold position, two L-shaped preforms are simultaneously preformed using a hot diaphragm preforming operation. In the closed mold position, the vertically extending legs of one L-shaped preform closely align with the vertically extending legs of the adjacent L-shaped preform in the fixed core mold. As shown in Figure 4 , the upper portion of the outer sidewall of the movable core mold 22 is also uniformly provided along the longitudinal direction X with thermocouple windows 213 for mounting thermocouple assemblies.

[0063] As shown in FIG4 , a hook-shaped member 221 is further formed on the lower portion of the outer sidewall of the movable core mold 22, and a receiving space is formed between the hook portion of the hook-shaped member 221 and the outer sidewall of the movable core mold 22. The length of the receiving space along the transverse direction Y is equal to the length of the fixed block 12 along the transverse direction Y, so that the hook-shaped member 221 of the movable core mold 22 at the mold opening position can receive the fixed block 12 through its receiving space. Thus, the engagement between the hook portion of the hook-shaped member 221 and the fixed block 12 limits the movement of the movable core mold 22, thereby fixing the movable core mold 22 at the mold opening position.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in FIG4 , the upper portion of the outer sidewall of the movable core mold 22 is evenly provided with a plurality of push-pull handle assemblies 223 distributed along the longitudinal direction X. As shown in FIG4 to FIG5B , the push-pull handle assembly 223 includes a handle base 224 mounted on the upper portion and a handle 225 that is quickly connected to the handle base 224. As shown in FIG5A to FIG5B , the handle base 224 includes a slot 227 with a circular through-hole 226, and the handle 225 includes a mounting portion 228 that can be quickly connected by snapping into the slot 227 via a fastener (not shown) extending therethrough in its transverse direction.

[0065] Preferably, a thickness limiting boss 23 extending upward from the bottom of the movable core mold 22 is further provided on the inner side wall close to the fixed core mold 21. The thickness limiting boss 23 is equal to the length of the movable core mold 22 in the longitudinal direction, and is constructed to limit the web of the L-shaped embryo from further extending downward during the hot diaphragm preforming operation and packaging curing process, thereby limiting the web size of the final composite T-shaped long girder.

[0066] It should be understood that in order to facilitate the preforming of the L-shaped blank and the forming of the composite material T-shaped long stringer, the upper surfaces of the fixed core mold 21 and the movable core mold 22 also have laying reference lines, layer reference lines, layer drop start and end lines, silicone positioning lines, composite cover positioning lines, glass cloth position extension lines, part net size lines, part allowance lines, etc. The layout position and demarcation method of these lines will be determined and manufactured according to actual needs, so they will not be further elaborated here.

[0067] Preferably, as shown in Figures 1 to 5B, the length and width of the core mold platform 1 are set to be smaller than the length and width of the preforming space of the hot diaphragm preforming device, and the outer walls of the core mold platform 1 and the movable core mold 22 along the transverse direction Y have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane, while the outer walls of the core mold platform 1, the fixed core mold 21, and the movable core mold 22 along the longitudinal direction X have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane. The dimensional design of the core mold platform 1 facilitates the placement of the entire device containing the composite prepreg into the preforming space of the hot diaphragm preforming device, thereby preforming the L-shaped blank of the composite T-shaped long stringer using the hot diaphragm preforming process. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the outer walls of the core mold platform 1, the fixed core mold 21, and the movable core mold 22 relative to the horizontal plane can prevent the bag from bursting due to overly sharp sidewall edges and hindering vacuum bag production during the hot diaphragm preforming and packaging curing processes.

[0068] Optionally, the device has a preformed pressing plate, which is constructed to be fixed to the core mold platform 1 by spring screws when placed on the upper surface of the composite material prepreg sheet, so as to press the composite material prepreg sheet into the "L"-shaped cavity of the corresponding movable core mold 22 or the fixed core mold 21, and to make the composite material prepreg sheet fit the "L"-shaped cavity and be bent and preformed into an L-shaped embryo during the hot diaphragm preforming operation. During the hot diaphragm preforming process, by placing the diaphragm on the composite material prepreg sheet in the core mold cavity, clamping the diaphragm with a diaphragm frame, and then heating it by infrared to a preset temperature and then controlling the vacuum rate, it can ensure that the composite material prepreg sheet is slowly bent and finally fits onto the cavity surface of the core mold, thereby forming the desired shape. Compared with manual paving, this process method reduces defects, improves paving accuracy and production efficiency.

[0069] Optionally, the device further comprises a support frame arranged below the bottom of the core mold platform 1, the support frame being provided with a through hole extending along the transverse direction Y for receiving a fork in a forklift.

[0070] It should be understood that the device may also have any known components necessary for completing the hot diaphragm preforming and packaging curing operations (such as a forming cover plate). Since the structures of the aforementioned necessary components are already known, they will not be described in detail here.

[0071] The method of batch forming composite material T-shaped long stringers using the above-mentioned equipment may include: moving two movable core molds 22 to the mold opening position, and moving the fixed block 12 so that it engages with the hook-shaped piece 221 of the corresponding movable core mold 22 to fix the movable core mold 22; installing the detachable slide rail cover 132 on the uncovered part of the top of the sliding module 13; using the material layer positioning block 212 to position multiple composite material prepreg sheets in the second "L"-shaped cavity 222 of the two movable core molds 22 and the first "L"-shaped cavity 211 of the fixed core mold 21; placing the preformed pressing plates on the upper surface of the composite material prepreg sheets in sequence, and fixing each preformed pressing plate on the core mold platform 1 with a spring screw, so that each composite material prepreg sheet is pressed and fits the corresponding cavity, and using a hot diaphragm preforming device to press the preformed sheets The tight composite prepreg sheets are preformed into L-shaped blanks; the preforming pressing plate is removed and the fixed block 12 is moved so that the hook-shaped parts 221 of the two movable core molds 22 can be disengaged, and then the two movable core molds 22 with the L-shaped blanks are shifted to their corresponding mold closing positions, so that the vertically downward extending legs of the L-shaped blanks in each movable core mold 22 fit the vertically downward extending legs of the L-shaped blanks adjacent to it in the fixed core mold 21; then a detachable slide rail cover 132 is installed on the part of the top of the sliding module 13 that is not covered by the passive core mold 22 at this time; then two T-shaped long beams are cured and formed through the encapsulation and curing operation; and after the curing is completed, the slide rail cover 132 is removed, and each movable core mold 22 is moved to the mold opening position to remove the formed two T-shaped long beams from the fixed core 21 and the movable core mold 22.

[0072] Optionally, the above method may also include using an automatic tape laying machine to lay out a composite prepreg sheet, where the width of the laid sheet is equal to the sum of the flange and web of the composite T-shaped long stringer, and cutting notches at both ends of the sheet to match the material layer positioning blocks 212. Optionally, the above method also includes, during the encapsulation and curing step, removing the preform pressing plate, placing the prepared twisted filaments between two adjacent L-shaped blanks, then sequentially placing the long stringer base plate and the formed cover plate, and arranging a thermocouple in the thermocouple window 213 to perform vacuum bagging and curing. It should be understood that the known steps for performing thermal insulation preforming and encapsulation and curing are relatively existing and will not be repeated here.

[0073] The device and method for batch molding of composite material T-shaped long girders provided in the present application can realize the simultaneous pre-molding of four L-shaped embryos and the simultaneous molding of two composite material T-shaped long girders by only using two movable core molds 22 and one fixed core mold 21, which effectively saves time, simplifies the process, and significantly improves production efficiency. Moreover, in the process of forming the composite material T-shaped long girders, the device completes the mold closing by shifting the movable core mold 22 so that it cooperates with the fixed core mold 21, without the need for an additional mold closing core mold, thereby simplifying the structure and complexity of the device and reducing costs, thereby greatly improving the parts manufacturing efficiency under the premise of being able to mold T-shaped long girders (including angled composite material T-shaped long girders) with no internal pores and no delamination, no wrinkles at the R angle, and no fiber buckling.

[0074] Moreover, the L-shaped blank of the composite material T-shaped long stringer is preformed by using a hot insulation mold preforming process method. The preforming is carried out through infrared heating and precise control of the vacuum rate. Compared with the L-shaped blank formed by traditional manual laying, the formed L-shaped blank has fewer defects, higher laying accuracy and higher production efficiency, thereby ensuring that the shapes of the formed L-shaped blank and the final composite material T-shaped long stringer can meet the requirements.

[0075] Taking into account the possible problem of bag explosion during the hot diaphragm preforming and packaging curing process of vacuum bag making, a removable slide rail cover 132 is used to cover the exposed portion of the sliding guide rail in the sliding module 13 to avoid accidental bag explosion during the hot diaphragm preforming process and facilitate the production of vacuum bags during the packaging curing process, thereby ensuring that the hot diaphragm preforming and packaging curing molding processes proceed smoothly. In addition, the outer side walls of the core mold platform 1, the fixed core mold 21, and the movable core mold 22 are designed to have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane, which can prevent the side wall edges of the core mold platform 1, the fixed core mold 21, and the movable core mold 22 from being too sharp and causing bag explosion during the hot diaphragm preforming and packaging curing process, which is beneficial to the production of vacuum bags.

[0076] Taking into account the issue of convenient operation and movement, through the multiple push-pull handle assemblies 223 on the outer side wall of the movable core mold 22 of the equipment, the staff can use the handles 225 in the push-pull handle assembly 223 in combination with the sliding guide rail 131 to conveniently push and pull the movable core mold 22, thereby easily achieving the movement of the movable core mold 22 on the sliding guide rail 131, completing the mold opening and closing actions, so that the movable core mold 22 is shifted to the mold opening position or the mold closing position as needed. In addition, the handle 225 in the push-pull handle assembly 223 and the handle base 224 installed on the outer side wall of the movable core mold 22 are connected by a slot 227 to achieve a quick-release connection, which facilitates the rapid removal of the handle 225 from the automatic core mold 22 as needed, thereby reducing the volume and space occupied by the equipment.

[0077] Although specific embodiments of the present application have been described above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these are merely illustrative and that the scope of protection of the present application is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art may make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present application, and such changes and modifications shall fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An apparatus for batch molding composite T-shaped long stringers, comprising: Core mold platform; and A core mold assembly, the core mold assembly comprising a fixed core mold detachably arranged on the core mold platform and two movable core molds respectively arranged on both sides of the fixed core mold and arranged side by side with the fixed core mold on the core mold platform, the movable core mold being configured to be able to shift between a mold opening position and a mold closing position along the transverse direction of the fixed core mold, Wherein, the fixed core mold includes two first "L"-shaped cavities formed side by side along the transverse direction and mirrored to each other, each of the movable core molds includes a second "L"-shaped cavity connected to the first "L"-shaped cavity adjacent thereto and mirrored to each other, and, Among them, when the movable core mold is in the mold opening position, the fixed core mold and the movable core mold are constructed to be able to pre-form the composite material prepreg sheets pre-placed in the first "L"-shaped cavity and the second "L"-shaped cavity into an L-shaped blank through a heat insulation mold pre-forming operation; and when the movable core mold is in the mold closing position, the vertically extending legs of the L-shaped blank located in the second "L"-shaped cavity of the two movable core molds are respectively fitted with the vertically extending legs of the L-shaped blank located in the first "L"-shaped cavity adjacent to the fixed core mold, so that two composite material T-shaped long stringers can be formed simultaneously through the packaging and curing operation.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The core mold platform is provided with a stop block for stopping the movable core mold at the mold opening position from moving further away from the fixed core mold and a fixed block for fixing the movable core mold at the mold opening position, and the fixed block is configured to be engageable with a hook-shaped piece formed at the lower part of the outer side wall of the movable core mold.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The fixing block is configured to be movable in a longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold to engage with or disengage from the hook portion of the hook member, thereby fixing or releasing the movable core mold.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The core mold platform is provided with a sliding mold group extending along the transverse direction between the stop block and the fixed core mold, and the movable core mold is installed on the sliding guide rail of the sliding mold group so as to be able to slide along the sliding guide rail.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that When the movable core mold is in the mold opening position or the mold closing position, a detachable slide rail cover is provided on the top portion of the sliding mold assembly that is not covered by the movable core mold.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The core mold platform is provided with mold closing guide pins at both sides of the fixed core mold for ensuring that the movable core mold moves to the corresponding mold closing position. The mold closing guide pins are constructed to abut against the recess formed on the lower surface of the bottom of the movable core mold at the mold closing position.

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that A plurality of push-pull handle assemblies distributed along the longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold are evenly arranged on the upper portion of the outer side wall of the movable core mold.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The push-pull handle assembly includes a handle base mounted on the upper portion and a handle quickly detachably connected to the handle base.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that The handle base includes a card slot with a circular through hole, and the handle includes a mounting portion configured to be capable of being quickly disconnected by snap-engaging with the card slot through a fastener passing through the mounting portion in the transverse direction.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The fixed core mold and each movable core mold are respectively provided with material layer positioning blocks at both ends along the longitudinal direction, and the shape of the portion of the material layer positioning blocks that contacts the composite material prepreg sheet is designed to match the shape of the corresponding notch on the composite material prepreg sheet.

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner side wall of the movable core mold near the fixed core mold is provided with a thickness limiting boss extending upward from the bottom thereof, and the thickness limiting boss is configured to limit the web of the L-shaped embryo from further extending downward during the hot diaphragm preforming operation and packaging curing process.

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The upper part of the outer side wall of the movable core mold is also evenly provided with thermocouple windows for installing thermocouple assemblies, and the thermocouple windows are distributed along the longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold, and the two outer side walls of the fixed core mold are also provided with thermocouple windows for installing thermocouple assemblies distributed along its longitudinal direction.

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The length and width of the core mold platform are set to be smaller than the length and width of the preforming space of the hot diaphragm preforming device, and the outer side walls of the core mold platform and the movable core mold distributed along the transverse direction have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane, and the outer side walls of the core mold platform, the fixed core mold and the movable core mold distributed along the longitudinal direction of the fixed core mold have the same inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane.

14. The device according to claim 1 further includes a preforming press plate, which is configured to be fixed to the core mold platform by spring screws when placed on the upper surface of the composite material prepreg sheet, so as to press the composite material prepreg sheet into the L"-shaped cavity of the corresponding movable core mold or fixed core mold, and during the hot diaphragm preforming operation, the composite material prepreg sheet is made to fit the "L"-shaped cavity and be bent and preformed into an L-shaped embryo.

15. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a support frame arranged below the bottom of the core mold platform, the support frame being provided with a through hole extending along the transverse direction for receiving a fork in a forklift.

16. A method for batch forming composite T-type long stringers using the apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: Shifting the movable core mold to the mold opening position, and moving the fixed block on the core mold platform to engage with the hook-shaped member of the movable core mold, thereby fixing the movable core mold in the mold opening position; Using the material layer positioning blocks at both ends of the movable core mold and the fixed core mold, multiple composite material prepreg sheets are positioned in the second "L"-shaped cavity of the movable core mold and the first "L"-shaped cavity of the fixed core mold respectively; Sequentially placing preform pressing plates on the upper surface of the composite prepreg sheets, and fixing each preform pressing plate to the core mold platform using spring screws, so that each composite prepreg sheet is compressed in the first "L"-shaped cavity or the second "L"-shaped cavity, and then using a hot diaphragm preforming device to preform each compressed composite prepreg sheet into an L-shaped embryonic body; Remove the preformed pressing plate and move the fixed block so that the fixed block and the hook of the movable core mold are aligned. The movable core mold with the L-shaped embryo is disengaged, and the movable core mold with the L-shaped embryo is shifted to the mold closing position so that the vertically extending legs of the L-shaped embryo in the movable core mold fit the vertically extending legs of the L-shaped embryo adjacent thereto in the fixed core mold; Two composite T-shaped long stringers are solidified and formed by encapsulation and solidification operation; as well as After curing is completed, the movable core mold is shifted to the mold opening position, so that the two formed composite material T-shaped long stringers can be removed from the fixed core mold and the movable core mold.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: When each movable core mold is at its corresponding mold opening position or mold closing position, the detachable slide rail cover is installed on the portion of the top of the sliding mold assembly for moving the movable core mold that is not covered by the movable core mold.

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