Curved extrusions and method of forming the same

Abstract

A curved extrusion includes a body that has indefinite length and a cross-section, and that is formed to contour and at least one channel cut into the cross-section that is filled with deposited material such that said cross-section of said body is restored. By cutting the channels into the cross-section of the extrusion, the extrusion may be easily formed onto a contoured tool to be curved with lower forming and residual stresses and distortion. By filling the channels with deposited material, the original cross-section and strength of the extrusion can be restored. By adding a transverse stiffener, the strength of the original extrusion may not only be restored but also further improved. By depositing material to create structural features the cross-section of the extrusion may be locally changed. The method for forming curved extrusions of the present invention may be used, for example, to produce T-chords of an aircraft.

1 . A curved extrusion, comprising: 
 a body made out of extrusion material and having indefinite length and a cross-section, wherein said body extends longitudinally and is formed to contour; and    at least one channel cut into said cross-section, wherein said channel is filled with deposited material such that said cross-section of said body is restored.    
   
   
       2 . The curved extrusion of  claim 1 , wherein said body includes a horizontal leg and a vertical leg.  
   
   
       3 . The curved extrusion of  claim 2 , wherein said channel is cut into said vertical leg.  
   
   
       4 . The curved extrusion of  claim 1 , wherein said channel is filled with a deposited vertical leg.  
   
   
       5 . The curved extrusion of  claim 3 , wherein said deposited vertical leg is created using laser powder forming deposition.  
   
   
       6 . The curved extrusion of  claim 1 , wherein said channel is a narrow channel.  
   
   
       7 . The curved extrusion of  claim 1 , wherein said channel has a “V” profile.  
   
   
       8 . A curved extrusion, comprising: 
 a body made out of extrusion material and having indefinite length and a cross-section, wherein said body extends longitudinally and is formed to contour;    at least one channel cut into said cross-section, wherein said channel is filled with deposited material such that said cross-section of said body is restored; and    at least one structural feature deposited onto said body, wherein said structural feature changes said cross-section of said body locally.    
   
   
       9 . The curved extrusion of  claim 8 , wherein said structural feature is a transverse stiffener.  
   
   
       10 . The curved extrusion of  claim 8 , wherein said structural feature is deposited onto said body using filler/weld techniques.  
   
   
       11 . The curved extrusion of  claim 8 , wherein said body includes a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, and wherein said structural feature is deposited onto said horizontal leg supporting said vertical leg.  
   
   
       12 . The curved extrusion of  claim 8 , wherein said extrusion material is a titanium alloy.  
   
   
       13 . The curved extrusion of  claim 8 , wherein said extrusion material is Ti-6Al-4V.  
   
   
       14 . A curved extrusion, comprising: 
 a body made out of extrusion material and having indefinite length and a cross-section, wherein said body extends longitudinally and is formed to contour;    a first channel cut into said cross-section, wherein said first channel is filled with deposited material such that said cross-section of said body is restored;    a second channel cut into said cross-section, wherein said second channel is filled with deposited material such that said cross-section of said body is restored; and    a transverse stiffener, wherein said transverse stiffener is deposited in said second channel such that said cross-section of said body is locally changed.    
   
   
       15 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , wherein said body includes a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, wherein said first channel is cut into said vertical leg, and wherein said first channel is a narrow channel.  
   
   
       16 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , wherein said body includes a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, wherein said second channel is cut into said vertical leg, and wherein said second channel has a straight “V” profile.  
   
   
       17 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , wherein said second channel has a stepped “V” profile.  
   
   
       18 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , wherein said second channel has a profile that is a combination of a straight “V” and a stepped “V”.  
   
   
       19 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , wherein said second channel has a contoured profile.  
   
   
       20 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , comprising at least one additional first channel, wherein said at least one additional first channel is cut into said cross-section.  
   
   
       21 . The curved extrusion of  claim 14 , comprising at least one additional second channel and at least one additional transverse stiffener, wherein said at least one additional second channel is cut into said cross-section, and wherein said at least one additional transverse stiffener is deposited in said at least one additional channel.  
   
   
       22 . A curved extrusion, comprising: 
 a titanium alloy body having indefinite length and a cross-section including a horizontal leg and an angled vertical leg, wherein said body extends longitudinally and is formed to contour;    at least one first channel cut into said vertical leg, wherein said first channel is a narrow channel, and wherein said first channel is filled with said titanium alloy deposited such that said cross-section of said body is restored;    at least one second channel cut into said vertical leg, wherein said second channel has a profile that is a combination of a straight “V” and a stepped “V”, and wherein said second channel is filled with said titanium alloy deposited such that said cross-section of said body is restored;    at least one transverse stiffener, wherein said transverse stiffener is deposited in said second channel such that said cross-section of said body is locally changed; and    at least one structural feature made out of said titanium alloy deposited onto said horizontal leg supporting said vertical leg, wherein said structural feature changes said cross-section of said body locally.    
   
   
       23 . The curved extrusion of  claim 22 , wherein said titanium alloy is deposited to fill said first channel, to fill said second channel, to created said transverse stiffener, and to create said structural feature using laser powder forming techniques.  
   
   
       24 . The curved extrusion of  claim 22 , wherein said body is formed to contour using a contoured tool.  
   
   
       25 . The curved extrusion of  claim 22 , wherein said titanium alloy is Ti-6AL-4V.  
   
   
       26 . A T-chord of an aircraft, comprising: 
 a body made out of Ti-6AL-4V and having indefinite length and a cross-section including a horizontal leg and an vertical leg, wherein said body extends longitudinally and is formed to contour;    at least one first channel cut into said vertical leg, wherein said first channel is filled with deposited Ti-6AL-4V such that said cross-section of said body is restored;    at least one second channel cut into said vertical leg, wherein said second channel is filled with deposited Ti-6AL-4V such that said cross-section of said body is restored; and    at least one transverse stiffener, wherein said transverse stiffener is deposited in said second channel such that said cross-section of said body is locally changed.    
   
   
       27 . The T-chord of  claim 26 , wherein said transverse stiffener is deposited onto said horizontal leg supporting said vertical leg.  
   
   
       28 . The T-chord of  claim 26 , wherein said Ti-6AL-4V is deposited using laser powder forming techniques.  
   
   
       29 . The T-chord of  claim 26 , wherein said first channel is a narrow channel and wherein said second channel has straight “V” profile.  
   
   
       30 . A method for forming a curved extrusion, comprising the steps of: 
 cutting at least one channel into a straight extrusion having a cross-section;    clamping said extrusion to a contoured tool;    filling said channel by depositing material;    restoring said cross-section; and    removing said extrusion from said contoured tool.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of: 
 retrieving a curved extrusion that is free of residual stress.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of: 
 cutting at least one first channel being a narrow channel into said cross-section; and    cutting at least one second channel into said cross-section having a “V” profile.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of: 
 depositing a transverse stiffener in said second channel before filling said second channel.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of: 
 depositing material locally onto said extrusion to change said cross-section.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of: 
 performing standard thermal treatments before removing said curved extrusion from said contoured tool.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of: 
 heating said extrusion before clamping to contoured tool.