Claims
- 1. A system for controlling the flow of a substance comprising:
a distribution medium for receiving the substance, and a containment layer adjacent to the distribution medium wherein the containment layer substantially prevents the substance from flowing until the distribution medium is substantially filled with substance.
- 2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
a chamber for maintaining a differential pressure from the prevailing atmospheric pressure, and a source for developing such a differential pressure.
- 3. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a heat source for applying heat to the containment layer.
- 4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the heat source includes the substance being applied preheated to a specified temperature.
- 5. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the substance containment layer has a melting point such that the substance containment layer melts upon heating, allowing the substance to flow.
- 6. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the containment layer comprises a plurality of holes through a heat shrinkable material, the holes having a size such that substance will not readily flow there through at ambient temperatures and upon heating, the heat shrinkable material shrinks causing the holes to increase in size, allowing substance to flow from the distribution medium.
- 7. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the containment layer comprises a plurality of holes, the holes having a size such that substance will not flow there through when a vacuum is drawn to an outlet port at a first rate and will flow there through when a vacuum is drawn from the outlet port at a higher second rate.
- 8. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the containment layer comprises a layer of frangible material, the frangible material includes a plurality of partially perforated embossed holes which will release and allow the passage of substance upon application of sufficient pressure.
- 9. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means to apply pressure to the substance while the substance is retained in the distribution medium.
- 10. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the weight of the substance provides sufficient force to rupture the containment layer to allow the substance to flow to an intended destination.
- 11. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a peel ply layer positioned adjacent to the substance.
- 12. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the containment layers is selected from materials whose porosity changes under at least one of the group of: vacuum force, atmospheric pressure, and temperature.
- 13. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: an outer sheet positioned around the distribution medium and the containment layer to form a chamber; and a vacuum outlet port positioned to draw a vacuum within the chamber.
- 14. The system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a mold surface, wherein the vacuum outlet port extends through the mold surface.
- 15. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the vacuum outlet port extends externally from the outer sheet.
- 16. A method for controlling the flow of a substance:
placing a distribution medium adjacent to a containment layer; introducing the substance into the distribution medium; configuring the containment layer to substantially prevent the substance from flowing from the distribution medium until the substance distribution medium is substantially filled with substance; and reconfiguring the containment layer to allow the substance to flow to an intended destination.
- 17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein reconfiguring the containment layer includes varying the pressure on the substance after introducing the substance into the distribution medium.
- 18. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein reconfiguring the containment layer includes heating the containment layer.
- 19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the substance containment layer is heated by the substance.
- 20. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein reconfiguring the containment layer includes applying pressure to the substance to rupture the containment layer.
- 21. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein reconfiguring the containment layer includes at least partially dissolving the containment layer.
- 22. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein reconfiguring the containment layer includes at least partially melting the containment layer.
- 23. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein reconfiguring the containment layer includes at least partially shrinking the containment layer.
- 24. The method as set forth in claims 16 further comprising placing a peel ply layer adjacent to the intended destination of the substance.
- 25. A resin distribution system comprising:
a resin distribution medium for receiving the resin, the resin distribution medium includes a first principle side facing the resin inflow and a second principle side facing the mold surface; and a resin containment layer adjacent to the resin distribution medium, wherein the resin containment layer is configured to substantially prevent the resin from entering the lay-up until the resin distribution medium is substantially filled with resin.
- 26. The system as set forth in claim 25, further comprising:
a mold surface; an outer sheet placed over the lay-up, and over the resin distribution system, wherein the outer sheet's edges are sealed to the mold surface to form a chamber; a resin inlet port in the outer sheet; and a vacuum outlet for drawing a vacuum in the chamber.
- 27. The system as set forth in claim 25 wherein the resin containment layer has a melting point such that the resin can be distributed into the resin distribution medium, and the resin containment layer melts upon heating of the resin.
- 28. The system as set forth in claim 25 wherein the resin containment layer comprises a plurality of holes through a heat shrinkable material, the size of the holes being such that resin will not readily flow there through at pre-selected temperatures and upon adjusting the temperature to another pre-selected value, the material shrinks causing the holes to increase in size, allowing resin to flow from the resin distribution medium.
- 29. The system as set forth in claim 26 wherein the resin containment layer comprises a plurality of holes there through, the holes having a size such that the resin will not flow there through when a vacuum is drawn to an outlet port at a first rate and will flow there through when a vacuum is drawn from the outlet port at a higher second rate.
- 30. The system as set forth in claim 25 wherein the resin containment layer comprises a layer of frangible material, the frangible material including a plurality of partially perforated embossed holes configured to rupture upon application of sufficient pressure to allow the passage of the resin.
- 31. The system as set forth in claim 30, further comprising means to apply pressure to the resin against the resin containment layer.
- 32. The system as set forth in claim 30, wherein the weight of the resin provides sufficient pressure to rupture the embossed holes.
- 33. The system as set forth in claim 25, further comprising a peel ply layer positioned adjacent to one side of the lay-up.
- 34. The system as set forth in claim 33 wherein the peel ply layer is made of a coated fiberglass material.
- 35. The system as set forth in claim 28 wherein the size of the holes is based on the density of the resin and the surface tension of the resin.
- 36. The system as set forth in claim 27 wherein the containment layer comprises a meltable substance that is applied to a porous veil material.
- 37. The system as set forth in claim 28 wherein the layer of perforated heat shrinkable material such as Intercept Shrink film manufactured by FPM, Incorporated.
- 38. The system as set forth in claim 26, wherein the vacuum outlet port is positioned between the outer sheet and the mold surface.
- 39. The system as set forth in claim 26, wherein the vacuum outlet port extends through the mold surface.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 09/919,128, entitled “Method for Making Composite Structures,” having Steve Slaughter and John C. Fish as inventors, which application is assigned to same assignee as the present application, and is hereby incorporated by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09919128 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10641683 |
Aug 2003 |
US |