Segmented Mold Seal Structure for Stable Composite Sealing

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing seal structures for manufacturing hollow composite material structures, such as aircraft fuselages, require complex adjustments for stable sealing, including pressure and thermal expansion management, leading to increased assembly difficulties and load requirements.

Innovation Solution

A seal structure with line-shaped seal members featuring a lip portion and a hollow or concave design, which are inserted into seal grooves on adjacent segments, allowing for compression and easy adjustment of the sealed state without high loads, thereby simplifying the assembly process and maintaining a stable seal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an expandable O-ring gasket is used with grooves arranged alternately on adjacent side surfaces, then sealing between segments is achieved, but the structure complexity increases and high load is required for compression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing stabilityVSAvoidgroove arrangement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seal member is divided into multiple sealing portions (first sealing portion and second sealing portion) that can be positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows each portion to independently contribute to sealing, simplifying the overall groove arrangement while maintaining reliable sealing between adjacent segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal member acts as an intermediary element between adjacent segments, providing a simple linear sealing solution that mediates the connection without requiring complex alternating groove patterns. The seal member compresses linearly to achieve sealing, reducing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If an expandable O-ring gasket is used with alternating grooves, then sealing is achieved, but assembly difficulty increases due to precise positioning requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing stabilityVSAvoidassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The seal member is divided into multiple sealing portions (first sealing portion and second sealing portion) that can be positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows each portion to independently contribute to sealing, simplifying the overall groove arrangement while maintaining reliable sealing between adjacent segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal member acts as an intermediary element between adjacent segments, providing a simple linear sealing solution that mediates the connection without requiring complex alternating groove patterns. The seal member compresses linearly to achieve sealing, reducing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If high pressure is applied to compress the seal member, then sealing is achieved, but the load requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing stabilityVSAvoidcompression load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The seal member is divided into multiple sealing portions (first sealing portion and second sealing portion) that can be positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows each portion to independently contribute to sealing, simplifying the overall groove arrangement while maintaining reliable sealing between adjacent segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal member acts as an intermediary element between adjacent segments, providing a simple linear sealing solution that mediates the connection without requiring complex alternating groove patterns. The seal member compresses linearly to achieve sealing, reducing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enables a stable and satisfactory sealed state between segments with reduced assembly complexity and load requirements, enhancing the manufacturing efficiency of composite material structures.

Implementation Method 1

When the adjacent side surfaces of the segments are coupled to each other, the seal member is crushed in a cross sectional direction by the other of the adjacent side surfaces of the segments

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS10994447B2Seal structure of mold for manufacturing composite material structure

Publication Date: 2021.05.04 KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KK

AI summary

A seal structure is used in a mold constituted by a plurality of segments to manufacture a hollow composite material structure. In the seal structure, a seal member formed in a line shape having ends is inserted in a seal groove provided on at least one of adjacent side surfaces of the segments. A lip portion is provided at a seal upper portion of the seal member such that at least a tip end of the lip portion projects to an outside of the seal groove. When the adjacent side surfaces of the segments are coupled to each other, the seal member is crushed in a cross sectional direction by the other of the adjacent side surfaces of the segments. With this, complication of the manufacture of the composite material structure can be suppressed or avoided while realizing a satisfactory sealed state between the adjacent segments.