IP Verse

Method Of Manufacturing A Composite Workpiece

Patent No. US11325282 (titled "Method Of Manufacturing A Composite Workpiece") was filed by The Boeing Co on Jul 1, 2019.

What is this patent about?

’282 is related to the field of manufacturing composite parts, specifically addressing the curing process of fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Traditional methods often involve industrial ovens or autoclaves, which can create bottlenecks due to limited capacity and transportation requirements. The patent aims to provide an alternative, particularly for "Out of Autoclave" (OOA) manufacturing, to achieve comparable quality without the expense and logistical challenges of conventional ovens.

The underlying idea behind ’282 is to use a heat-generating element placed near an uncured composite part to raise its temperature for curing. This element undergoes an exothermic reaction (chemical or physical) when triggered, providing the necessary heat. The process can be enhanced by placing the part and the heat source within a container, potentially eliminating the need for an autoclave. Pressure can also be applied during curing, for example, by using an expandable element within a constraining container.

The claims of ’282 focus on a method of manufacturing a composite workpiece by positioning a heat-generating element and thermally expandable pellets near the workpiece. The heat-generating element, capable of an exothermic reaction, is triggered to raise the temperature. The thermally expandable pellets soften and expand, applying pressure to the workpiece within a constrained volume. Claim 17 focuses on using a mixture of a heat-generating element and a heating mediation agent near an uncured composite aircraft component, where the heating mediation agent undergoes an endothermic reaction to decrease the maximum temperature reached.

In practice, the invention involves placing the uncured composite material, often supported by a rigid form or mold, inside a container along with the heat-generating element. This element could be in the form of packets or pellets containing reactants that, when combined, produce heat. For example, calcium oxide reacting with water, or magnesium reacting with water. The heat then cures the composite. To control the heating process, a heating mediation agent, such as a substance that absorbs heat or undergoes an endothermic reaction, can be added to moderate the temperature.

The invention differentiates itself from traditional methods by offering a more flexible and potentially more cost-effective approach to curing composites. Instead of relying on large, energy-intensive autoclaves, it uses localized heat generation. The use of expandable pellets to apply pressure further eliminates the need for external pressure sources. This is particularly advantageous for manufacturing large or complex-shaped parts that are difficult to fit into autoclaves, or for on-site repairs where transporting parts to an autoclave is impractical. The heating mediation agent also allows for precise control of the curing temperature, preventing overheating and ensuring optimal material properties.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’282 was filed, composite materials were increasingly used in aerospace and other industries, at a time when curing these materials typically involved autoclaves or ovens to apply heat and pressure. Out-of-autoclave (OOA) methods were gaining traction as alternatives, but hardware or software constraints made achieving consistent and high-quality curing outside of traditional autoclaves non-trivial.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because the prior art, specifically Merkel, does not teach or make obvious the claim limitations of independent claim 1, which includes positioning both a heat-generating element and thermally expandable pellets near an uncured composite workpiece. Similarly, for independent claim 18, Merkel does not teach or make obvious positioning a mixture of a heat-generating element and a heating mediation agent near an uncured composite workpiece, where the heating mediation agent undergoes an endothermic physical or chemical reaction to decrease the maximum temperature reached near the composite aircraft component after triggering the heat-generating element.

Claims

There are 20 claims in this patent, with independent claims 1 and 17. The independent claims are directed to methods of manufacturing composite workpieces or aircraft components using heat-generating elements. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and refine the elements and steps described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Constraining a volume
(Claim 1)		“The curing process can be modified by placing the uncured composite workpiece within a container, and adding the heat-generating element to the container adjacent the uncured composite workpiece. In this way, the effect of the heating can be enhanced, and the amount of heat-generating element can be minimized. The selection of an appropriate container can additionally facilitate “out-of-autoclave” curing of composite workpieces, eliminating the need for an industrial oven, and preventing the types of bottlenecks in production flow that can occur result when a production resource is limited.”Limiting the space around the uncured composite workpiece.
Heat-generating element
(Claim 1, Claim 17)		“In general, a heat-generating tooling system includes a heat-generating element configured to be capable of raising the temperature of an uncured composite workpiece to at least a predetermined first temperature, where the predetermined first temperature is a temperature sufficient to cure the uncured composite workpiece. The heat-generating element can be capable of undergoing an exothermic chemical reaction, and triggering the heat-generating element can include initiating the exothermic chemical reaction. Alternatively, or in addition, the heat-generating element can be capable of undergoing an exothermic physical reaction, such as a phase change, and triggering the heat-generating element can include initiating the physical reaction.”A component that produces heat through an exothermic chemical or physical reaction when activated or triggered.
Heating mediation agent
(Claim 17)		“The curing process can optionally be combined with the application of pressure to the uncured composite workpiece as it cures. Any means of applying pressure to the composite workpiece as it is heated is a suitable means of applying pressure. Where the disclosed systems and methods are used for out-of-autoclave manufacturing of composites, it may be particularly helpful to employ a containerfor the uncured composite workpiece that is a constraining container, and to add an expandable element to the constraining container with the heat-generating element, so that the uncured composite workpiece can be subjected to pressure as it is heated.”A substance that undergoes an endothermic reaction to reduce the maximum temperature near the composite aircraft component after the heat-generating element is triggered.
Thermally expandable pellets
(Claim 1)		“Where the disclosed systems and methods are used for out-of-autoclave manufacturing of composites, it may be particularly helpful to employ a containerfor the uncured composite workpiece that is a constraining container, and to add an expandable element to the constraining container with the heat-generating element, so that the uncured composite workpiece can be subjected to pressure as it is heated.”Discrete elements that soften and expand in volume by foaming when heated to a specific temperature.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
1:25-cv-02066Nov 17, 2025Xene Innovations, LLC v. The Boeing Company

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US11325282

THE BOEING CO
Application Number
US16459505
Filing Date
Jul 1, 2019
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Jan 9, 2040
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents