Scalable modular component architecture and scalable nacelle cover or spinner cover kit
阅读说明：本技术 可缩放模块化组件结构和可缩放机舱罩或旋转器罩的套件 (Scalable modular component architecture and scalable nacelle cover or spinner cover kit ) 是由 乌尔里克·雷蒙德 佩尔·约翰森 亨里克·高尔德·拉森 乔舒亚·雷登托·德索萨 安德斯·弗罗曼 于 2018-06-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供可缩放模块化组件结构和可缩放机舱罩或旋转器罩的套件。结构由复合叠层的面板子元件组成,面板子元件是从伸长复合叠层片面板切割的分段,伸长复合叠层片面板具有自由第一伸长边缘和相反的第二伸长自由边缘,其中面板子元件具有至少一个自由切割边缘、自由第一边缘和自由第二边缘,至少一个自由切割边缘具有在切割之后添加的第一联接轮廓,自由第一边缘具有与自由第一伸长边缘相同的第二联接轮廓,自由第二边缘与自由第一边缘平行,自由第二边缘具有与自由第二伸长边缘相同的第三联接轮廓,第二联接轮廓和第三联接轮廓用于使两个相邻的面板子元件并排接合。套件包括面板子元件和子部件。(The present invention provides a scalable modular component structure and a scalable nacelle cover or spinner cover kit. The structure is comprised of composite laminated panel subelements, the panel subelements being sections cut from an elongated composite laminated sheet panel having a free first elongated edge and an opposite second elongated free edge, wherein the panel subelements have at least one free cut edge having a first coupling profile added after cutting, a free first edge parallel to the free first edge and a free second edge having a third coupling profile identical to the free second elongated edge, the second and third coupling profiles for joining two adjacent panel subelements side-by-side. The kit includes a panel sub-component and a sub-component.)
1. A scalable modular component structure, characterized in that said scalable modular component structure is composed of composite laminate panel sub-elements, the panel sub-elements are segments cut from an elongated composite laminate panel having a free first elongated edge and an opposite second elongated free edge, and wherein the panel sub-element has at least one free cutting edge, a free first edge and a free second edge, the at least one free cutting edge having a first coupling profile added after cutting, the free first edge having a second coupling profile identical to the free first elongated edge, the free second edge being parallel to the free first edge, and said free second edge has a third coupling profile identical to said free second elongated edge, the second and third coupling profiles are for engaging two adjacent panel sub-elements side by side.
2. A scalable modular assembly structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said panel sub-element (34) has a first and/or a fourth coupling profile at opposite respective ends.
3. A scalable modular assembly structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said second coupling profile and said third coupling profile are the same or different.
4. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that said second and third coupling profiles are complementary, such that they mate together when creating a joint between adjacent panel sub-elements.
5. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-4, wherein said elongated composite laminate panels are substantially flat and straight between said free first elongated edge and said opposite second elongated free edge.
6. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-5, wherein said elongated composite laminate panels have longitudinally extending spaced apart protruding stiffening ribs facing the interior of the nacelle cover or the rotator cover in assembled state, preferably said stiffening ribs are arranged at equal distances from each other.
7. A scalable modular assembly structure according to claim 6, wherein said cross-section of said reinforcing rib is selected from the group comprising a semi-circular cross-section, a trapezoidal cross-section and a parabolic cross-section, optionally said reinforcing rib further having indentations and/or protrusions or the like.
8. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-7, characterized in that said second and third coupling profiles are molded coupling profiles or machined coupling profiles.
9. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 2-8, characterized in that any of said first, second, third and/or fourth coupling profiles has at least one additional coupling means selected from the group comprising: an adhesive means, optionally an adhesive tape; and/or mechanical fastening means, optionally comprising mounting holes for receiving blind fasteners such as blind rivets and/or backing means such as strips, clips or plates of metal for the blind fasteners; and combinations of these additional coupling devices.
10. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-9, characterized in that said elongated composite laminate panels have opposite first and second fiber reinforced plastic skins sandwiching a core, optionally said core being a foam core, an end-cut balsa core or an aluminium honeycomb core, preferably said core being lightweight.
11. The scalable modular assembly structure of claim 10 wherein said first and fourth coupling profiles are L-shaped with the short leg of said L exposing said core and the long leg of said L being a protruding single fiber reinforced plastic skin.
12. A scalable modular assembly structure according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that said first and fourth coupling profiles are keys protruding between said first and second fiber reinforced plastic skins or slots between said first and second fiber reinforced plastic skins.
13. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 9-12, characterized in that said backing means is a metal clip having a length from the free end of the long leg of said L out of the associated mounting hole and having an aperture to receive a mechanical fastening means, said aperture to be aligned with the corresponding mounting hole of the corresponding coupling profile.
14. A scalable modular component structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-13, characterized in that said scalable modular component structure is a nacelle cover, a spinner cover, a vehicle housing or a large container.
15. A scalable modular component structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-14, characterized in that said modular component structure is assembled without using a supporting framework or skeleton for fixing and supporting said panel sub-elements, e.g. without using a supporting metal framework or skeleton for fixing and supporting said panel sub-elements.
16. A scalable modular component structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-15, comprising sub-components adapted for assembling said scalable modular component structure, said sub-components being selected from the group comprising:
a corner profile adapted to couple two adjacent panel sub-elements in an angular relationship, optionally having a similar coupling profile to the panel sub-elements to couple with the panel sub-elements, preferably the corner profile is substantially U-shaped; and/or
A corner profile adapted to complete a corner when assembling three panel sub-elements to create a corner; and/or
A bracket device.
17. The scalable modular assembly structure of claim 16, wherein said corner profile comprises a corner profile having a first corner profile side and a second corner profile side at an angle α, said angle α being between 45 ° and 135 °, such as 135 °, 90 ° and/or 45 °.
18. A scalable modular assembly structure according to claim 17, wherein said first corner profile side has a fifth coupling profile and said opposite second corner profile side has a sixth coupling profile.
19. A scalable modular assembly structure according to claim 18, characterized in that said fifth and sixth coupling profiles have the same cross section as one of said first, second, third and fourth coupling profiles in order to match one of these coupling profiles.
20. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-19, wherein said elongated composite laminate panels are made of fast curing polymer parts.
21. A scalable modular assembly structure according to any one of the preceding claims 1-20, characterized in that panel sub-elements have cut-out sections defining openings for fixing other equipment, such as the tower, hub, hatch and shaft of a wind turbine.
22. Kit of scalable nacelle covers or spinner covers, characterized by comprising said panel sub-elements and said sub-components as defined in any of the preceding claims 1-21.
Technical Field
The invention relates to a scalable modular component architecture.
Background
In the context of the present invention, the term "composite laminate" is used for a structural panel or similar construction, which in its simplest form consists of two relatively thin composite skins bonded to and separated by a "core" (typically a lightweight core). In the context of the present invention, a "core" may be any configuration that creates a distance between opposing facings, and has high shear strength and compressive stiffness that supports the composite facings against buckling and against out-of-plane shear loads. As an example of a typical composite laminate, mention may be made of a glass fibre/foam sandwich laminate. The fiberglass/foam sandwich laminate is typically manufactured in a vacuum process, but it is also possible to simply hand laminate the fiberglass/foam sandwich laminate in a mold without applying a vacuum. In some methods, the fiberglass facer can be pre-cured and then bonded to the foam core. In other methods, the fiberglass facer and the foam core are co-cured in a single operation. Combinations of the above methods are also known in the art of making layered composite materials having a sandwich structure. The composite lay-up may be pre-impregnated.
Various foams may be used as a core material, such as polystyrene, for example, polystyrene having a tightly closed cell structure with no voids between the cells to provide high compressive strength. Another option is Polyurethane (PU). Polyurethanes are fairly inexpensive and compatible with most adhesives. Other options include, but are not limited to: polypropylene (PP), which is also compatible with most adhesives and epoxy resins, but not polyester resins; polyvinyl chloride (PVC), such as closed cell, medium and high density PVC foam with high compressive strength and durability; closed-cell Polymethacrylimide (PMMA), which has good mechanical properties and high dimensional stability even when subjected to thermal changes, and which has excellent creep compression resistance. The above list of chemicals for the foam core should not be construed as exhaustive, but the skilled person will appreciate alternatives thereof.
In the context of the present invention, the term "fibre-reinforced" refers to a composite plastic material resin reinforced by reinforcing fibres (e.g. glass fibres or carbon fibres), preferably a thermosetting polymer matrix or a thermoplastic polymer matrix. Preferred thermosetting polymers include, but are not limited to, for example, epoxy resins, polyester resins, or vinyl esters, or combinations thereof. Glass fibers are made of various types of glass and may contain silica and/or silicates, and have varying amounts of oxides of calcium, magnesium, and sometimes boron. Carbon and glass fibers are the most common reinforcements in thermoplastic composites, but fibers such as aramid, boron, and ceramic fibers (e.g., silicon carbide or alumina fibers) are also contemplated, depending on the requirements of the final product.
The fiber-reinforced composite sheet may be made in, for example, a hand lay-up process or a spray lay-up process.
In a typical hand lay-up process, the selected mold is initially coated with a gel coat to assist in removal of the final product from the mold. A resin mixture, such as one comprising polyester, vinyl or epoxy as described above, is then added to the mold. Next, a fiber mat, such as a glass fiber mat, is laid into the mold, and more resin mixture is added by using a brush or roller to conform to the mold without trapping air between the glass fibers and the mold. Additional resin and possibly additional glass fibre sheets are applied. Hand pressure, vacuum or rollers are quickly used to remove residual air pockets and saturate all of the fiberglass skin with resin mixture before the resin begins to cure. If a high temperature resin is used, there is better time to remove air pockets, compact the layers and smooth the surface because curing will not start before heat is applied to the mold. The mold may also be covered by some type of cover (e.g., a plastic sheet) and a vacuum may be used to remove air bubbles and press the glass fibers to the shape of the mold. The manual layering process may be more or less automated.
The spray lamination process differs from the hand lamination process only in that the resin and fiber reinforcement are sprayed onto the mold, either alone or as a composite mixture. The spray is compacted into a stack using a roller. A core material (typically a foam core) may then be added and a second spray layer sprayed onto the core material to obtain a composite laminate, such as a fiberglass/foam sandwich. The foam core is bonded between the fiberglass skins to achieve a composite laminate. The composite layup is then cured, cooled and removed from the mold. Like the manual lamination process, the spray lamination process may also be more or less automated.
In both manufacturing processes, it is known to use gel coats as release agents and optionally for coloring. The gel coat typically has the same resin chemistry as the resin, e.g., the glass fiber composite, and is sprayed into the mold as an initial step in the manufacturing process. Once the gelcoat is in the mold, the gelcoat begins to chemically transform from a liquid to a solid by cross-linking polymerization. When the fiber-reinforced composite is applied in the following step, crosslinking of the polymer chains occurs between the gel coat and the skin of the fiber-reinforced composite, so that the gel coat and the skin of the fiber-reinforced composite are molecularly combined into one layer. In this way the gel coat becomes an integral part of the fibre-reinforced composite material.
Traditionally, modular component structures such as fiberglass/foam sandwich materials (e.g., nacelle covers or spinner covers) have required to be molded as smaller individual sections and thus as multiple smaller distinct parts or elements that are molded individually. Each part is made with a customized coupling profile that is uniquely customized to engage with an adjacent part. Thus, adjacent parts have a unique coupling profile which is made in the moulding process so that the part comprising the coupling profile has an externally closed surrounding glass fibre composite skin. Before the parts are molded, the location and design of the coupling profiles on adjacent parts must be selected at an early stage so that the adjacent coupling profiles match exactly when assembling the adjacent parts. The matching coupling profiles of adjacent parts are designed and customized according to the shape and design of the final structure and the subsequent assembly of only these two parts. The model or master of the final product is studied to establish where the seam line can be acceptably positioned on the final structure, for example, in terms of finishing, assembly, structural integrity, concealment, demolding, and how the molds for the individual parts are disassembled and reassembled after use. The mold or master is cut into sections and used to make several individual molds for molding individual parts having unique joining profiles for assembly into larger final structures. This procedure is expensive, requires a lot of time and space, and cannot be line-produced, since each modular assembly structure consists of unique smaller parts with unique coupling profiles. Some modular assembly structures are unique in that the individual parts will take all of the shape and characteristics of the mold, and therefore the quality of each individual part is severely affected by the quality of the mold made from the model. Storing many molds and molded parts and shipping the shaped smaller parts before, during, and after molding is also very expensive, and assembling the final structure is a challenging task from a spatial organization perspective. And even if a set of molds for the final structure can be reused in a continuous production, such continuous production still requires time and any minor errors in the mold parts are repeated for all parts molded in the mold parts.
Thus, in addition, large structures such as nacelle covers must undergo a rigorous product development cycle before they enter continuous production. Parts and components are designed, prototyped, tested, verified, and certified at the appropriate level, if necessary. Thus, there remains a challenge and prejudice in the art to make up, for example, nacelle covers of various shapes and sizes from the same type of panel subelement, and has not heretofore been successfully conceived and implemented.
To solve some of the problems with the conventional technology, indian patent application No. 2011IN-MU03105 proposes to make a modular nacelle cover from a plurality of panels instead of making it from many different parts that have to be drilled and bolted. As a prerequisite, such known modular wind turbine nacelle covers require a rigid framework with a plurality of metal frames. Each frame includes a base support member, left and right support members, a top support member, and a corner support member, and each support member is interconnected to form the frame. A plurality of side panels are configured to be mounted between the frames, and a plurality of corner panels are configured to be mounted between the frames. The panels are moulded from the fibre-reinforced polymer into individual parts according to a single mould by using a Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) method, hand lay-up or foil infusion. The panels have flange edges of a C-shaped coupling profile configuration at each side for overlapping with similar flange edges of adjacent panels on the support members of the framework. The need for a framework to support and attach the panels is an indispensable prerequisite, as relatively thin polymer panels require support to maintain structural strength. Furthermore, the panel is also curved at the contoured edges and cannot be made from an elongated, substantially flat panel, since the C-shaped coupling profile protrudes above the face plane of the panel. These known panels are molded separately, ready for use, and should not be machined, and are not provided by a composite laminate having a central core.
European patent application EP2947001a1 describes a composite truss structure formed of a fibre reinforced resin material, consisting of a fabric of woven or non-woven fibres impregnated with resin and then cured into a one-piece construction. The mandrels, which are covered with dry fabric and therefore not pre-impregnated with resin, are arranged in a truss pattern between the sheets of dry fabric, and the structure is laid up in a bag and resin is injected to allow the fabric to absorb the resin.
Disclosure of Invention
In a main aspect of the invention, a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is provided, by which the manufacture of large modular structures of composite laminates can be simplified.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, by which the manufacture of large structures of composite laminates can be made faster and easier than hitherto known.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, by which a panel sub-element of a modular assembly structure for composite lay-ups can be prefabricated as a standard panel sub-element.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, by which a panel sub-element of a modular assembly structure for a composite laminate can be manufactured using a minimum of moulds.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, by which a modular assembly structure of composite laminates can be assembled from a minimum of different sets of standard size and standard construction panel sub-components, preferably from stock panel sub-components and additional sub-components.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, by which a modular assembly structure of composite laminates can be assembled from a minimum of different sets of standard size and standard construction panel sub-components, preferably from stock panel sub-components and additional sub-components.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, by which a modular assembly structure of composite laminates can be assembled without using a supporting framework or skeleton for fixing and supporting the panel sub-elements, for example without using a supporting metal framework or skeleton for fixing and supporting the panel sub-elements.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, wherein panel sub-elements of a scalable modular component structure for composite lay-ups are manufactured.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph for manufacturing a panel sub-element of a modular assembly structure for composite laminates, which panel sub-element is cut and machined from stock of elongate composite laminate panels.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph for manufacturing a panel sub-element of a modular component structure for a composite laminate, which composite laminate is a glass fibre/foam sandwich laminate.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a nacelle cover made of a minimum number of different sets of composite laminated panel subelements of the same design.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a set of panel subcomponents and subcomponents for a modular assembly structure of a composite lay-up.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a method of modular assembly construction that enables composite laminates to be designed from standard panel subcomponents and standard subcomponents.
The novelty and uniqueness of achieving these and other aspects in accordance with the present invention resides in performing step d) by machining a coupling profile along at least one of the free edges, preferably along at least one free cutting edge, or by providing the first coupling profile as a separate part which is subsequently attached along the at least one free edge.
The casting step a) may be performed in any desired manner as long as the resulting elongated composite laminate panel may be demolded in step b) to be cut in step c).
In step a), the elongated composite laminate panel may be manufactured, for example, in an elongated female standard mould to produce a standard panel having a given length selected according to the expected length of the subsequent sections, thereby avoiding excessive waste of panel length. The casting can be carried out simultaneously in a plurality of identical moulds. The molds have a limited height and are elongated so that the molds can be stacked for curing, which can preferably be done in an oven or by ultraviolet radiation, depending on the polymer selected, to speed up the curing process, leaving the molds free for a new mold cycle.
An alternative step a) includes manufacturing an elongated composite laminate panel in an endless mold. Such a mould may be an endless mould, for example with a closed bottom, wherein the fibre-reinforced plastic composite skin may be applied sequentially, for example as a mat, prepreg or by spraying, and wherein curing and de-moulding may be carried out continuously at successive downstream stations of the production line.
Preferably, the elongated composite laminate panel is made of a fast curing polymer part to speed up steps a) and b).
In step c), the elongated composite laminate panel is cut into shorter sections in view of subsequent use or handling.
For example, each segment may be used as a blank for further machining in step d), wherein at least a first coupling profile is provided along the at least one free cutting edge.
Before performing step d), the segment generated in step c) has: at least one free cutting edge; a free first edge having the same profile as the free first elongated edge of the elongated composite laminate panel cast in step a); and a free second edge having the same contour as the free second elongated edge of the elongated composite laminate panel poured in step a).
In the simplest embodiment of the panel sub-element, the obtained section may be machined in step d) such that the at least one cutting edge is provided with the first joining profile. Steps c) and d) may be performed immediately after step b) or later. It is also an option to perform step c) immediately after step b) and to perform step d) later. It is also an option that the machining of step d) is performed simultaneously with the cutting of step c).
In an alternative embodiment, step d) is performed by: providing a first joining profile as a separate part and attaching the first joining profile along a free elongate edge and/or cut edge of the elongate composite laminate panel or along a free edge and/or cut edge of a section of a panel sub-element.
Preferably, any suitable attachment means may be used to attach the first coupling profile in the form of a separate part at least along the at least one free cutting edge. The attachment means include, but are not limited to, fastening by gluing and/or other fasteners. An intermediate fastening profile may be used, for example, between the respective free elongated edge and the separate coupling profile, and glue and any type of fastener may additionally be used to produce a firm and reliable fastening of the separate coupling profile to the free cutting edge. Exemplary intermediate fastening profiles may, for example, have an H-shaped cross-sectional area to receive the oppositely facing free edges or coupling profiles of the panel sub-elements and the oppositely separate coupling profiles that need to be added to the panel sub-elements to impart the desired coupling function to the panel sub-elements. A separate joining profile may be added to any free edge of the entire elongate composite laminate panel or to any edge of the segments, as is convenient and appropriate.
By pre-processing steps a) to d), a plurality of similar panel sub-elements are manufactured, ready for use in assembling a modular assembly structure.
In this way different kinds of panel sub-elements can be manufactured. The cutting of step c) may for example be adjusted to cut sections of different lengths and in this way produce batches of panel sub-elements of different lengths but generally of the same width, but subsequent longitudinal cutting and machining may also be performed. Typically, the length of the panel sub-element may be selected according to any of the height, width or depth of the modular assembly structure. The machining in step d) may conveniently provide the panel sub-elements with a specific coupling profile at any stage after step c), as opposed to providing all coupling profiles during casting as in conventional techniques.
Thus, in contrast to conventional very large structures assembled from multiple smaller custom parts of a composite laminate (e.g., a fiberglass/foam sandwich laminate), the present invention proposes to manufacture a modular component structure without first having to manufacture many custom mold parts from a physical model. Instead, the modular assembly structure is assembled from several different kinds of panel sub-elements of the composite laminate panel and optionally several additional other sub-components. The panel sub-elements have a standard coupling profile, several standard sizes and standard shapes and the panel sub-elements can easily be further machined, reduced in size and/or processed to make special adaptation features such as recesses, cut-out segments and be further divided etc. to facilitate coupling and connection to other machinery and devices and to meet any special needs. Accordingly, substantial costs for custom mold manufacturing, stacking are saved, and substantial assembly time can be saved due to the time saved to identify the correct assembly sequence for the pieces of a conventional custom modular component structure. Standard structures of many sizes can be manufactured from the same limited kind of standard panel sub-elements. Thus, it is not important whether the modular component structure is a four panel subelement long structure or a five panel or longer panel subelement structure; the sources of the panel sub-elements to be assembled are almost the same.
In contrast to the prior art, in which all coupling profiles are formed in the molding process, at least a first coupling profile can be machined later in the at least one free cutting edge of the cutting segment to produce the panel subelement.
The two opposite cutting edges of the segments may be provided with a machined coupling profile. The machined coupling profiles may have the same or different cross-sections, including mirror image cross-sections, depending on the subsequent use of the modular assembly structure, and allow for the provision of panel sub-elements with a certain degree of freedom of orientation.
The first coupling profile at the opposite free cut edge may for example be shaped such that it does not matter which end or which edge of the panel sub-element faces up or down or right or left. Alternatively, the cut segment may be machined such that the finished panel sub-element has a fourth machined joining profile at the free cut edge that is opposite the first joining profile. The cutting segment may also have a cast first coupling contour and/or a machined fourth coupling contour at the opposite free edge.
Once a section has been cut from the elongate composite laminate panel, machining may be performed so that the panel sub-elements are immediately manufactured as ready-to-use products, or more or less machining may be performed later, in which case the elongate composite laminate panel or cut section is stored as a semi-finished product.
A free first elongated edge of the elongated composite laminate panel may be provided with a second coupling profile and/or an opposite second elongated free edge of the elongated composite laminate panel may be provided with a third coupling profile, the second and third coupling profiles advantageously serving to easily engage two adjacent panel sub-elements side by side. The second coupling profile and the third coupling profile can be cast or machined.
In view of said engagement, the second and third coupling profiles may be identical or different in view or multi-functional use and orientation to have an orientation freedom of the panel sub-elements. Preferably, the second and third coupling profiles are complementary to match together and in this way give the panel sub-elements the ability to be connected in series side by side. A long series of such panel sub-elements may then for example be formed into a closed loop structure by serially joining the second coupling profile of the first panel sub-element to the third coupling profile of the last panel sub-element of the series.
The elongated composite laminate panel produced in steps a) and b) may be substantially flat, such that the elongated composite laminate panel is substantially straight between a free first elongated edge and an opposite second elongated free edge on at least one of the facings. However, during casting, curing and/or demolding, there is a tendency for: the cast object shrinks slightly and/or the cast object rotates the free first elongated edge and the opposite second elongated free edge upwards away from the bottom of the mold so that the free first elongated edge and the opposite second elongated free edge are slightly closer to each other. In such a configuration, the elongated composite laminate panel may still be considered generally flat, although its elongated edges may be slightly offset from the entire at least one skin plane of the elongated composite laminate panel. Alternatively, the free first elongate edge and the opposite second elongate free edge may be offset to the same side of the elongate composite laminate panel produced in steps a) and b) so that the composite laminate panel does not significantly sag/bulge. It is emphasized that any bending, concavity/convexity of the elongated composite laminate panel produced in steps a) and b) is so small that the overall feel of the elongated composite laminate panel is that it is a flat plate, optionally with reinforcing ribs, as will be described in further detail below.
As mentioned above, the panel sub-elements may be provided with the second and/or third coupling profiles in a number of ways, and the second and/or third coupling profiles may be provided in a similar manner to the first coupling profile.
One method is to mold one or both of the second and third joining profiles into an integral part of the elongated composite laminate panel in a casting step a). In this embodiment, the mold is pre-designed for manufacturing the respective coupling profiles, so that the profiles of the respective second and third coupling profiles can be immediately prepared for matching. Preferably, the second and third coupling profiles match together when a joint is formed between adjacent panel sub-elements. Thus, the panel sub-elements of a row of joined panel sub-elements may have a second coupling profile and a third coupling profile such that the same type of panel sub-elements is repeated along the assembled row of panel sub-elements. In an alternative, the first panel subelement type may have the same second coupling profile along the free first edge and the free second edge, the first panel subelement type being assembled alternately with the second panel subelement type, the second panel subelement having a third coupling profile along its free first edge and free second edge.
In the alternative, one or both of the second and third coupling profiles may be manufactured by machining the entire free first elongated edge and/or the entire opposite second elongated free edge of the elongated composite laminate panel in a further step b') performed after step b) and before step c). In this embodiment, an elongated composite laminate panel can be produced simply by molding a simple rectangular composite laminate having parallel short edges and parallel long edges, optionally with a core exposed between opposing skins.
It is also possible in a further step c' performed before step c) to machine the at least one first joining profile in the at least one first cutting edge while machining the second and third joining profiles in the cutting section, to machine the second and third joining profiles in step d), or to machine the second and third joining profiles after step d).
Thus, the machining of the joining profile may be performed at any suitable stage during the method of the present invention, and the machining of the joining profile may be performed for any free edge of the elongated composite laminate panel, for any free edge of the cut segment, and for any free edge of any semi-finished panel sub-element.
Machining exposes a core (e.g., a foam core) that is generally unacceptable in the wind turbine industry, however, due to the matching standard design of the corresponding coupling profiles, any exposed core will be confined in a closed joint, for example, between the skins of adjacent panel sub-elements or between the skins of the panel sub-elements and any additional sub-components required to assemble the modular assembly structure, as will be described in further detail below with reference to the drawings. In view of the opening of the foam core by machining, the preferred foam core has a closed cell structure to reduce the vulnerability to moisture and liquid ingress.
At least the pre-treatment steps a), b) and c), preferably also step d), can be performed in a continuous in-line production process to save processing time. Such an in-line production process may have several successive manufacturing stations for performing each respective pre-treatment step. For example, a suitable wire production process may include a casting station, a curing station, a demolding station, a cutting station, and a machining station. The machining station of the line production process may even be followed by further finishing stations, such as a painting station, a labelling station, a quality inspection station, a testing station, a sorting station, etc. Semi-automatic or fully automatic line processes are preferred, such as continuous fully automatic line processes. Robots and computerized equipment may be advantageously applied to simplify the method and production line, thereby eliminating the need for human interaction and the associated unpredictable effects on the manufacturing process. However, partially automated or completely non-automated production processes and methods should not be excluded from the scope of the present invention.
The machined panel sub-elements constitute an intermediate panel product which, in a further step e), can be saved at the inventory area until being picked up for subsequent assembly into a kit for a modular component structure. In this way, a certain variety and number of various panel sub-elements for a modular assembly structure can be collected, packaged and delivered to a customer at the inventory area immediately or shortly after placing an order. Other sub-components required to assemble the modular component structure may be part of the kit or may be picked from an inventory area.
Alternatively, the elongated composite laminate panels may be stored as intermediate panel products prior to cutting into sections in step c).
In a similar manner, other sub-components required to assemble the modular component structure may be kept in the inventory area as semi-finished goods that are processed (e.g., also cut and/or machined) according to an order for a kit of parts for the modular component structure.
The method may comprise one or more further steps f) of providing at least one additional coupling means for any one of the first, second, third and/or fourth coupling profiles, regardless of whether such a coupling profile is cast or machined. The additional coupling means may for example be selected from the group comprising: an adhesive means, optionally an adhesive tape; and/or mechanical fastening means, optionally comprising mounting holes for receiving blind fasteners (e.g. blind rivets) and/or backing means for blind fasteners; and combinations of these additional coupling devices. The mounting hole may be provided at any position, not limited to positions at the first, second, third, and fourth coupling profiles. Mounting holes may also be provided to be set back from the respective coupling profiles, the mounting holes may extend fully or at any location partially through the blind holes of the composite lay-up, the mounting holes may extend through the entire thickness of the panel sub-elements, or the mounting holes may be adapted for various types of rivets, screws or bolts. Backing means, such as clips for pop rivets and washers for bolts, may be provided in association with the mounting holes.
During assembly of the final modular assembly structure, the panel sub-elements manufactured by the method of the invention are preferably assembled using a blind fastener system to avoid, to the greatest possible extent, excessive further penetration of the outer skin of the fibre-reinforced plastic. A further advantage of using blind fasteners is that they can be applied quickly and easily, for example using riveting pliers, especially in situations where access is difficult from both sides of the parts to be assembled. When assembling the panel sub-components and other sub-components of the modular assembly structure, the pop rivets are the preferred mechanical fastening means for installation in the mounting holes due to the high clamping and high pull-up strength that allows vibration-proof assembly, does not damage the surface and provides tamper-resistance.
Step f) of providing the coupling profile with additional coupling means can be conveniently performed after step b) and before step c), after step b '), after step c') and/or after step d). If additional coupling means in the form of adhesive tape are applied, for example, on the coupling contour cast in step a), the first step f) can follow step b). Then, before performing step c), a second step f) may be performed, which may comprise drilling mounting holes for receiving mechanical fastening means, preferably blind fasteners, including mounting holes for receiving a blind rivet of a suitable type. In this embodiment, the mounting holes may simply be drilled through the adhesive tape.
In an alternative embodiment, mounting holes for receiving blind fasteners are made prior to applying the tape and the blind fasteners may simply be forced through the tape during assembly of the modular component structure.
In a further alternative embodiment, after demolding in step b), mounting holes for receiving blind fasteners may be drilled in the first step f), and adhesive tape with preformed holes having a distance corresponding to the distance between the mounting holes may be applied to the respective coupling profiles.
The step f) of providing the backing means as an integral part embedded in the core (e.g. foam core) may even be done in the casting step a) by inserting backing means, e.g. in the form of metal strips and/or clips, in which case the backing means may be provided spaced apart from each other at a distance matching the mounting hole. The strips or clips may be distributed, for example, along a free first elongate edge and/or an opposite second elongate free edge, on a strip interposed between two foam pads having, for example, half the total thickness of the resulting core and retracted from the free edge by a distance defining a position below the position of the associated mounting hole. In some locations, the step f) of inserting the backing means may also be accomplished in conjunction with the insertion of blind fasteners at the assembly site. Step f) relating to the provision of the backing means may also be applied to the free cut edges of the panel sub-elements by inserting the backing means between the face skin and the core after the corresponding cut sections of the panel sub-elements have been cut and machined.
For a machined coupling contour, step f) of providing a hole for receiving a blind fastener can be carried out before or after a further step f), after step b '), after step c'), or after step d), with or without adhesive tape being applied beforehand on the coupling contour, a combination of these alternatives also being possible.
Thus, step f) may be provided in a plurality of stages during the process, where convenient, advantageous and/or easiest.
Thus, the holes for receiving the blind fasteners are always prefabricated and need not be made according to the specific design of the modular assembly structure. The pre-formed holes enable later assembly because the modular assembly structure is of a standard size and shape determined by standard size and shape panel sub-elements. Thus, the locations where holes and blind fasteners are or are to be made during the method are known in advance. The enlargement or reduction in size and shape of the modular assembly structure is associated with an increase or decrease in the number of panel sub-elements, and such scaling has little or no effect on the complexity of the assembly process itself. The enlargement or reduction may also include downsizing and further machining of some panel sub-components and/or other sub-components.
Another advantage of making modular component structures scalable is that knowledge of the behavior of the modular component structures when subjected to various external forces is easily calculated, modeled, and therefore predictable for a variety of uses and environments.
As an example of how to manufacture the at least one additional coupling means of the respective coupling profile that can be provided in step f), it may be mentioned that the at least one additional coupling means can be made, for example, by:
drilling a mounting hole in any coupling profile, preferably such that a first mounting hole is drilled in a second coupling profile of the free first elongated edge and/or in a third coupling profile of the opposite second elongated free edge before step c), after step b ') or after step c'), preferably such that the first mounting hole is provided in the respective coupling profile and at a position selected for later assembly of adjacent panel sub-elements at the first and second coupling profiles, and/or
-after step c), drilling a second mounting hole in the first coupling profile and/or the fourth coupling profile, and/or
-providing said at least one additional coupling means in the form of a backing means, preferably in the form of a metal strip or clip inserted into the core at a position selected to be below the mounting hole, and/or during assembly of the panel sub-element
-providing said at least one additional coupling means in the form of a tape along said respective coupling profile before or after drilling said mounting hole.
Combinations of one or more of the above-described additional coupling devices are within the scope of the invention.
The machined coupling profiles may be manufactured at several stages of the method, including by machining in step d), machining in step b '), and/or machining in step c'). The cross section of the machined coupling profile may be obtained by removing one or more of the following sections:
-at least an edge section of the first fiber reinforced plastic skin; and/or
-at least an edge section of a second fiber reinforced plastic skin; and/or
At least some of the edge segments of the core, preferably removing the entire thickness of the core along the respective at least one free edge segment; and/or
-an edge section of the core between the first and second fiber reinforced plastic skins.
Preferably, the machined coupling profile is L-shaped, with the short leg of the L exposing the core and the long leg of the L being a protruding single fiber reinforced plastic facepiece. The L-shaped coupling profiles may be turned into an overlapping relationship such that the exposed foam cores of the short legs are arranged facing each other with minimal clearance such that, for example, the cell structure of the foam core becomes hidden and thus closed again, and such that the long legs of the L-shaped coupling profiles cover, for example, the facings of adjacent panel sub-elements. The backing means in the form of a metal clip may conveniently be of sufficient length to reach from the free end of the long leg of the L beyond the associated mounting aperture. Preferably, the backing means may have an aperture to receive a mechanical fastening means, which aperture will align with a corresponding mounting hole of a corresponding coupling profile.
Another profile of the coupling profile may be a key protruding between the first fiber reinforced plastic skin and the second fiber reinforced plastic skin, and yet another profile of the coupling profile may be a slot between the first fiber reinforced plastic skin and the second fiber reinforced plastic skin. These profile examples of the coupling profiles should not be interpreted as limiting the options for other designs for realizing the coupling profiles, whether these are machined or added by fastening.
In most embodiments of modular assembly structures, the coupling profile is also intended for coupling with other kinds of panel sub-elements or sub-components. Thus, any of the first, second, third and/or fourth coupling profiles, e.g. machined or cast, can also be assembled together with another sub-component used in the assembly method to obtain a modular assembly structure. Examples of such sub-components include, but are not limited to: an angular profile for coupling two adjacent panel sub-elements into an angular relationship; or a corner profile to complete a corner when, for example, three panel sub-elements are assembled to create a corner. Alternatively, in a row or series of panel sub-elements, the second coupling profile of one panel sub-element is designed to couple with the third coupling profile on an adjacent panel sub-element.
The corner profile may have a similar coupling profile to the panel sub-element to couple with the coupling profile of the panel sub-element in a similar manner to that described above. In order to secure the joining of the three panel sub-elements at the corners, additional joining means may be required, for example as backing means from inside the modular assembly structure, for further securing the corner profile to all three panel elements meeting at the corner, optionally also to any corner profile that reaches into the corner.
Typically, the length of the panel sub-elements corresponds to the height of the modular assembly structure, as will become more apparent in connection with the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
The elongate composite laminate panel may advantageously be an elongate panel having one or more strengthening ribs along its length. The cut segment of the initial panel then results in a stiffening rib extending parallel to the free first edge and the opposite free second edge. The reinforcement ribs eliminate the need for metal framing as a skeleton for assembling the modular assembly structure and impart structural strength to the modular assembly structure. The reinforcing ribs may preferably be distributed along the length of the elongate composite laminate panel, preferably at equal distances. The stiffener may simply consist of a longitudinally protruding narrow section along the length of the elongate composite laminate panel having an increased thickness and thus an increased distance between the opposing first and second fiber reinforced plastic skins, thereby having a thicker core at the stiffener. The stiffening ribs may protrude from a skin intended to face the inside of the modular component structure but not on the opposite skin, so that the visual appearance from the outside of the modular component structure is free of stiffening ribs. The reinforcing ribs may have any suitable cross-section including, but not limited to, semi-circular, trapezoidal, parabolic, the reinforcing ribs may have indentations and/or protrusions, and the like.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the stiffening ribs may protrude from only one side of the elongate composite laminate panel and the opposite side is substantially planar to provide a modular assembly structure of panel sub-elements having a visually acceptable appearance with as few cavities and gaps as possible which would allow for the accumulation of material circulating in the environment in which the assembled modular assembly structure is erected and put into operation.
When the machined first and/or fourth coupling profile is manufactured, it traverses the reinforcing rib and some of the reinforcing rib length may be machined away so that the first and/or fourth coupling profile can mate with another subcomponent to engage another panel subcomponent through such a subcomponent. Such other panel sub-elements also typically lack stiffening ribs along their width, and thus along their first and/or fourth coupling profiles. In case the first and/or fourth coupling profiles are added as separate parts, the separate parts may alternatively be pre-designed such that the presence of a stiffening rib extending to the free cutting edge does not need to be taken into account and such that no stiffening rib needs to be machined away.
The interactive software module may be adapted to design a modular component structure from a plurality of panel sub-elements, e.g. such that the modular component structure complies with predefined set criteria. The interactive software module may be constructed such that a user can design his/her own modular component structure from the panel sub-elements as basic structural elements simply by using a user interface.
The interactive software module may be programmed to produce modular component structures from known panel subcomponents and optional subcomponents of the interactive software module based on, for example, test results and security standards. For example, test results may be established to design various modular component structures based on structural strength under various external force applications (e.g., external force applications that simulate certain extreme conditions, such as wind and weather conditions in general) such that the modular component structures may withstand and must be able to withstand certain environments when put into operation to comply with laws and regulations. Calculations based on theoretical test environments and real-time test results in physical test environments can be used as basic data for interactive software modules, enabling a user to design his/her own modular component structure from panel sub-elements manufactured by the method of the present invention.
Most of the panel sub-elements for modular component structures have standard sizes and standard shapes to enable fast and easy interpolation and extrapolation, for example to enlarge a modular component structure known to interactive software modules as a springboard for creating other designs of modular component structures, and to make test models via interactive software modules to physically test, confirm and verify the calculated expected values before the enlarged modular component structure becomes available to customers.
The method of the invention allows for the continuous manufacture of panel sub-components as standard panel sub-components, such that they can always be kept as stock goods, or can be quickly finished from stock semi-finished products, to deliver panel sub-components to customers, preferably as complete sets comprising sub-components required for complete or almost complete assembly of modular assembly structures, without delay. Thus, the panel sub-components may also be made from stock composite laminate panels as desired.
The interactive software module may be operated by a customer through a user interface to input data for personalized design of the modular component structure as required, which, despite being designed out of selected standard panel sub-elements, may ensure that the modular component structure will be safely erected and made to conform to any legal standard that may be relevant to the technical field in which the modular component structure is to be used. Any other sub-components required to assemble the modular component structure are added to the customer's order by the interactive software module, for example, in response to at least entering data of the size and shape of the modular component structure.
If the user enters data targeting a modular component structure that has not been tested so far or is unknown to the interactive software module, he/she may initially be rejected such an order, but he/she may ask whether such a modular component structure can ultimately be manufactured. The provider and operator of the method and interactive software module can then decide whether the calculations are sufficient to set a particular modular component structure to free order, or whether the order is extreme and requires physical testing to verify confirmation of theories and calculations that have been made for the unknown structure.
In a simple and preferred embodiment, the pouring of step a) may be performed inside a female mould, which may optionally be covered by a top during pouring. The female mold may be a continuous mold whereby the elongated composite laminate panel may be cast into a continuous length of elongated composite laminate panel as an initial panel.
In a preferred embodiment, a female die may be used as the die portion for forming the reinforcing ribs. In this embodiment, the female mold may have a longitudinal groove. During the lamination process, a first skin layer is placed on the gel coat to conform to the inner surface of the female mold, so the first skin layer is closely positioned along the width of the female mold along alternating longitudinal grooves and lands. The longitudinal grooves can then easily be filled with core material, followed by laying down more core material (e.g. foam pads) to cover the core material already inside the longitudinal grooves and on top of the platform. A second skin is then applied and the casting is completed using any suitable casting technique (e.g., vacuum infusion) with or without a male mold portion on top of a female mold or using a similar covering device.
The machining step may comprise one or more of simultaneous drilling, milling and/or cutting, or a combination of these machining methods. Advantageously, the mounting holes for the blind fasteners can be made by drilling and the machined coupling profiles can be made by milling.
The invention relates in particular to a method of manufacturing laminated panel sub-elements for assembly into a nacelle cover, wherein the laminated panel sub-elements are cut as sections from an elongated composite laminated sheet panel, instead of being tailored to have a shape and curvature defined by the design of the nacelle cover and the limited volume according to specific design requirements. In order to obtain a nacelle cover of a composite laminated panel sub-element as in the present invention, the laminated panel sub-element is advantageously pre-configured as a standard panel sub-element for interconnection directly or via sub-elements. In a configuration where the panel sub-elements are assembled directly, for example side by side, the edges of the panel sub-elements may be provided with various coupling profiles as described above.
Optionally, the at least one joining profile for the panel sub-elements of the nacelle cover is made by machining the free edge as a result of cutting the laminated panel sub-elements into shorter sections. Mounting holes are pre-drilled at predetermined locations along the coupling profile in view of guiding the panel sub-elements into correct and non-aligned engagement.
Sub-components, such as corner profiles, corner profiles and/or bracket arrangements, may be utilized to create an angle between the joined panel sub-elements to create a three-dimensional modular assembly structure (whether the structure is a nacelle cover, a vehicle skin, a large container or the like) and to reinforce the joined location and joined panel sub-elements and sub-components to achieve sufficient strength of the modular assembly structure for the final purpose. As mentioned above, such sub-components may not accommodate reinforcing ribs, in which case portions of such reinforcing ribs that sterically hinder assembly are machined away. This is often the case, for example, when two panel sub-elements are joined end-to-end but at an angle of less than or greater than 180 °. The corner profiles and corner profiles may contact or face the exposed core of the stiffener, and the bracket may be used to limit any gaps and hide the exposed core and to stiffen the joint from the interior of the modular assembly structure.
The invention also relates to a method of assembling a panel sub-element manufactured by the above method.
The assembling method of the invention comprises the following steps:
-providing a panel sub-element;
-removing any protective liner in case the coupling profile has additional coupling means in the form of an adhesive tape;
-providing the coupling profile with backing means at an assembly position where a blind fastener, screw or similar mechanical fastening means is to be inserted through the mounting hole, if backing means have not been provided;
-arranging said coupling profiles of adjacent panel sub-elements in an overlapping relationship;
-fixing the coupling profiles to each other by means of the additional coupling means, preferably by means of blind fasteners passing through the mounting holes and/or by means of adhesive tape;
optionally, applying a bonding pressure, e.g. to ensure a tight bonding contact of the panel sub-elements.
Glue may be injected into the joint between the overlapping coupling profiles before or after the adjacent coupling profiles are fixed to each other by means of the additional coupling means. The glue provides additional attachment force and seals any remaining gaps and crevices at the joint.
Preferably, the first coupling profile is profiled or has a profile matching the fourth coupling profile, the second coupling profile is profiled or has a profile matching the third coupling profile, and the design of any of said coupling profiles may be present in any panel sub-element and other sub-element, in particular in the corner profile.
Once a customer orders the assembly of the panel sub-components and sub-components of the modular assembly structure, these articles are picked and collected from inventory or completed from inventory and packaged and shipped to the assembly and erection destination. In fact, orders for modular component structures such as cabin covers can be shipped in even shorter times of the day.
The method of the invention has its particular advantages in the manufacture of panel sub-elements for the manufacture of rectangular or cuboid modular component structures, such as nacelle covers. The panel sub-elements of the invention are all substantially flat and can therefore be easily stacked, so that during transportation of the components and parts of the nacelle cover, storage space and transportation space are minimal compared to conventional storage requirements. The panel sub-elements are also much simpler and easier to handle and move around, including easy gripping, since the gripping device does not need to be changed each time a new panel sub-element and any optional sub-components need to be hoisted and/or moved. Another advantage is that the modular assembly structure can be assembled from a larger number of smaller panel sub-elements than previous modular assembly structures used to achieve the same purpose, which also helps to save transportation and storage costs. Yet another advantage is that the panel sub-elements can be manufactured quickly on demand, so that the delay in shipping orders is insignificant, even in the case of little stock or stock shortage, compared to the long order times of conventional modular component structures (e.g. cabin covers).
The invention also relates to a modification of the above-described method of manufacturing a panel sub-element for a modular component structure. The method is modified in that in step a) the elongated composite laminate panel is made by extrusion, optionally by pultrusion, and step b) is a curing step. The manufacture of the panel sub-elements by e.g. pultrusion does not require a custom mould made from a model of the modular assembly structure.
Drawings
The modular assembly structure of the present invention is comprised of panel sub-elements and optional sub-components and is very simple in construction. Basically, the present invention is not intended to manufacture complex structures with high curvature. As will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, the vast majority of panel sub-elements for modular assembly structures are of standard dimensions to produce modular assembly structures of standard design defined by the dimensions of the panel sub-elements as a limiting factor, but the customer is still able to design his/her own modular assembly structure from these panel sub-elements optionally in combination with a limited number of additional sub-elements, in which:
figure 1 is a general flow chart illustrating a first embodiment of the method of the present invention,
figure 2 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the pouring of step a),
figure 3 is a general flow chart illustrating a second embodiment of the method of the present invention,
figure 4 is a partial perspective view of an elongated composite laminate panel as seen from a first skin,
fig. 5 is a perspective view of a panel sub-element cut from the elongate composite laminate panel shown in fig. 1, and viewed from a first skin intended as an inner skin of an assembled modular assembly structure,
fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the panel sub-element of fig. 5, viewed from an opposite second skin, intended as an outer skin of an assembled modular assembly structure,
figure 7 shows a detail of the panel sub-element circled in figure 5 on an enlarged scale,
figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a nacelle cover embodying panel sub-elements,
figure 9 shows the nacelle cover of figure 8 in an assembled state,
figure 10 is a sectional view taken through a joint between two adjacent coupling profiles of two base panel sub-elements,
figure 11 is a side view on an enlarged scale of a backing device,
figure 12 is a perspective view of the corner profile,
figure 13 is an end view of the corner profile,
fig. 14 shows the nacelle cover shown in fig. 9, with the side panels omitted,
figure 15 is a perspective view of the first bracket,
figure 16 is a perspective view of a second bracket,
figure 17 is a perspective view of the frame bracket from the face facing the interior of the nacelle cover,
figure 18 shows a perspective view of the frame bracket of figure 17 from the opposite side,
fig. 19 is a view of a circled portion of the inside corner in fig. 14, formed by assembling three panel sub-elements by means of a corner profile,
figure 20 is a perspective view of the corner bracket from the face facing the interior of the nacelle cover,
fig. 21 is a sectional view taken through a first embodiment of a joint between a free edge of a panel sub-element and an individual joining profile, wherein the free edge has neither a prefabricated joining profile made during casting nor a machined joining profile,
fig. 22 is a sectional view taken through a second embodiment of a joint between a free edge of a panel sub-element and an individual joining profile, wherein the free edge has neither a prefabricated joining profile made during casting nor a machined joining profile,
fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken through an alternative joint between a panel sub-element and a corner profile.
Detailed Description
In the following, the method of the present invention is described as a non-exhaustive and non-limiting example in connection with the manufacture of elongated composite laminate panels as initial panels of fiberglass/foam sandwich. An example of a
It should be noted that the elongated fiberglass/foam sandwich initial panel and panel sub-elements may have other designs including, but not limited to, other designs of coupling profiles, other distances between mounting holes, other thicknesses, widths, and lengths, and that at least the second and third coupling profiles may be made in a machining step rather than a casting step. Even the mounting holes can be made in the casting step and the backing means can be incorporated in the casting step. Embodiments of the method, elongated fiberglass/foam sandwich starting panel, panel sub-elements, and modular component structures are provided as non-limiting examples of the various embodiments that can be implemented and manufactured in accordance with the present invention. The examples given in the figures are therefore not exhaustive of the invention.
In a first exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention, as will be further explained in connection with fig. 2, casting an elongated fiberglass/foam
Step b) is performed at a
The cast elongated fiberglass/foam
The pre-finishing (e.g., sanding, polishing, and cleaning) of the elongated fiberglass/foam
When the elongated glass fiber/foam sandwich
It should be noted that in the pouring step a) of the method of the invention for manufacturing an elongated fiberglass/foam sandwich
In the case of cutting an elongated fiberglass/foam
For the present exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention, the
Thus, for example,
The third step f) may comprise: when
As shown in fig. 1, after the panel sub-component 34 exits the finishing station 9 (optionally the second processing station 10), the panel sub-component 34 may or may not be transferred back to the panel
If the machined joining profile is provided at said
The most important casting sub-steps of a simple embodiment of step a) are shown in fig. 2.
In substep a, the mold used to cast the elongated fiberglass/foam
Such sandwich constructions typically include a lightweight core having a flexural strength and flexural modulus that far exceed the flexural strength and flexural modulus of the glass fiber skin laminate alone. The low density core material does not contribute directly to the stiffness of the initial panel; rather, the distance between the skins is a major factor. Therefore, by adjusting the thickness of the core material, a composite sandwich panel with greater or lesser stiffness can be produced. Thus, the same process can be used to manufacture bendable elongated composite laminate panels.
The core material also carries most of the shear load while it keeps the fiberglass skins equidistant from each other, thereby increasing the stiffness of the combined composite laminate structure. Upon bending, the lower skin is under tension, while the opposite fiber reinforced plastic skin is under compression, thereby subjecting the core to shear forces. For the composite laminate panel to function properly, the bond between the skin layer and the core material is preferably at least as strong as the core material itself so that when the structure is subjected to an external force, loads can be transferred to eliminate or at least reduce the risk of delamination, cracking and diffusion thereof. Without proper bonding, the three layers, and therefore the core and the opposing skins, the stiffness and controlled bending ability of the panel are lost.
A variety of glass fiber mats and foam cores may be used, including commercial products available from a variety of suppliers, and stored on a roll from which the appropriate length is cut to match the length and width of the mold. Alternatively, the fiberglass mat and foam core may be purchased as a sheet or mat.
As a non-limiting example of a glass fiber composite material for laminating the layers of the initial panel in step a) of the present invention, mention may be made of Combimat 1380. Combimat 1380 is a stitch-bonded composite fiber-reinforced fabric having an areal weight of 1380g/m2. Combimat 1380 consists of four layers: layer of unidirectional roving in the 0 degree direction (300 g/m)2) Layer of unidirectional roving in the 90 degree direction (300 g/m)2) An intermediate polypropylene nonwoven layer (180 g/m)2) And a layer in the form of Chopped Strands (CSM) (300 g/m) on the outside of the polypropylene layer2). The thickness of Combimat 1380 is about 1.9mm to 2.0 mm. The chopped strand layer constitutes the outer layer, i.e. the face skin of the elongated glass fiber/foam sandwich initial panel. As a result of the stress distribution, the stiffness of the area of the unidirectional roving layer over 90 degrees of the infused resin is lower than the stiffness of the area of the unidirectional roving layer over 0 degrees of the infused resin. Changzhou Utek Composite, Inc. is only one of many suppliers of Commimat 1380 products.
It is emphasized that Combimat 1380 is only one of many products that can be used to make the elongated fiberglass/foam sandwich initial panel. The foam core may be made of any suitable material commonly used for composite interlayers. Polymer alternatives to polypropylene (PP) include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polyethylene (PE), or Polyurethane (PU). A non-exhaustive list of non-polymeric alternatives to core materials includes end-cut balsa wood and aluminum honeycomb cores.
If the lamination process is an automated and continuous process, such as automated continuous line production using endless mold structures, the process may be performed according to the general steps shown in fig. 3, however, other sequences of steps and stations may be included and the process performed in a different order. For the same stations as in the first embodiment of the method, the same reference numerals are used.
As shown in fig. 1, a casting
The second embodiment of the method shown in fig. 3 differs from the first embodiment of the method shown in fig. 1in that after the
At the subsequent
The insertion of the backing means 36 may be integrated with step a) at the casting
Drilling a first mounting hole and/or a
the continuity in the casting step a) may be ensured, for example, by continuously supplying the glass fiber layer for the skin layer and the core material for the core layer via a robot interaction. For example on endless conveyor mould belts, the pouring step a) starts at one end of the endless mould, which end can be closed at the beginning and later opened once the process is started and running. The layers can be laminated in many different ways. For example, the layers may be laminated one after the other with a slight temporal offset, wherein the first layer is a glass fiber layer on a gel coat and the last layer is also a glass fiber layer, which preferably has another orientation than the first glass fiber layer, wherein the core layer is located between said opposite glass fiber layers. The stacked layers, which are continuously arranged in an endless mould, may be covered on top and advanced through a separate running casting area where vacuum is applied, resin is poured and curing is completed. Upon exiting the running casting area, the cured sandwich laminate structure is demolded, for example, at the end of an endless conveyor mold belt rotating about a roll. The rollers at the ends of the endless transport mold belt turn the molds upside down and by separating the top from the bottom (e.g., female mold sections), the stack simply falls off due to gravity or by pulling. The continuously cast composite laminated panel may then be dropped onto a cutting station where it is divided into sections, which are advanced further in the process, as described above.
Figure 4 shows a partial perspective view of an elongated fiberglass/foam
The elongated fiberglass/foam sandwich
At and/or near the
At and/or near the
Reference is also made to fig. 6 in this respect.
E.g. by cutting line CL1And CL2As shown, the elongate fiberglass/foam sandwich
If the elongated fiberglass/foam
Furthermore, during
Fig. 7 shows on an enlarged scale a detail of the
Fig. 8 shows in an exploded perspective view the main components for constructing a modular assembly structure in the form of a
The three-dimensional overall structure of the
Traditionally, nacelle covers are aerodynamically shaped at least to some extent, and manufacturing them as in the present invention with many corners and rectangular parallelpipeds may degrade some of the aerodynamic performance, which is generally not desirable for the functionality, aesthetics and normalization of nacelle covers.
As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the assembly of the
As is clear from fig. 8, the dimensions of the
The embodiment of the
In the present embodiment, the
The panel sub-element 34 of the invention represents the base panel sub-element 34 of the
The
For example, if the width of the
The panel sub-elements 34, 34a are assembled into a three-dimensional structure of the
When an order for a personalized design of the modular component structure (e.g., the nacelle cover shown in fig. 8 and 9) is given, for example, via data entry of the interactive software module, the software module constructs the ordered
It is sometimes necessary to perform final machining, for example to make any openings 39 of the appropriate kind of second panel sub-element 34 a. The corner profiles 40a, 40b may be cut to the appropriate length or ready-to-
In fig. 9, the assembled
The first and
Hollow riveting is a preferred technique for joining and assembling
The assembled
As shown in fig. 10, the protruding
The
Fig. 12 shows a partial perspective view of the substantially
The first
For most embodiments of the invention, two different cross-sectional shaped coupling profiles are sufficient to couple together the
The
FIG. 14 is a view of the interior of the
The joint of the two
The
A
Further, the
In fig. 15, the
In fig. 16, the
In the perspective view of fig. 17, the
The
As described above, the
As shown in fig. 19, which shows the inner corner circled in fig. 14, when the
An exemplary embodiment of the
The
It is emphasized that any free edge of the
In the views of fig. 21 to 23 discussed below, only a segment of the individual coupling profile for coupling with the panel sub-element is shown. Thus, the cross-sectional profile of the coupling profile is not shown in fig. 21 to 23.
Fig. 21 is a sectional view through a first embodiment of a joint between a free edge E of a
Fig. 22 is a sectional view through the second embodiment of the joint between the straight free edges E of the panel sub-elements 34 of the second embodiment provided with fastening profiles 81. The second embodiment of the
Fig. 23 is a sectional view taken through an alternative joint between a
The machining of step d) has exposed the
The result of the present invention is, for example, a unique nacelle cover design that differs from other nacelle cover designs on the market in that it is comprised of a set of standard size and standard shape subcomponents and optional subcomponents, thereby providing a large number of advantageous structural and assembly options. Nacelle covers made from standard sized and shaped sub-elements and optional sub-components can be used with known nacelle interior and exterior structures and can be provided at a very competitive low price.
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