Composite Filler

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a composite filler is presented. The method comprises cutting a number of layers from a composite material. The method also aligns the number of layers to form a composite filler having a cross-sectional shape. Each of the number of layers has fibers in plane with the cross-sectional shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite filler comprising:
 a cross-sectional shape; and   a number of layers of composite material, each of the number of layers of the composite material having fibers in plane with the cross-sectional shape.   
     
     
         2 . The composite filler of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a sleeve surrounding the number of layers of the composite material. 
 
     
     
         3 . The composite filler of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve comprises a scrim. 
     
     
         4 . The composite filler of  claim 1 , wherein each layer of the composite material has the cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         5 . The composite filler of  claim 4 , wherein the cross-sectional shape is a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         6 . The composite filler of  claim 1 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion orthogonal to each side of the cross-sectional shape that is substantially zero. 
     
     
         7 . The composite filler of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the number of layers of the composite material are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the composite filler. 
     
     
         8 . The composite filler of  claim 7 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially zero orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . A composite filler having a cross sectional shape, the composite filler comprising:
 a number of layers cut from a fabric with a hollow punch;   wherein the number of layers are infused with resin to form a composite material.   
     
     
         10 . The composite filler of  claim 9 , wherein the number of layers of the composite material are aligned to have the cross sectional shape so that each of the number of layers has fibers in a plane with the cross sectional shape. 
     
     
         11 . The composite filler of  claim 10 , wherein the cross sectional shape is the same as a hollow punch cross sectional shape. 
     
     
         12 . The composite filler of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a sleeve material surrounding the number of layers of the composite material.   
     
     
         13 . The composite filler of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a gap between a number of composite members, the gap configured to receive the composite filler.   
     
     
         14 . The composite filler of  claim 9 , wherein the composite filler has a longitudinal axis and fibers of the composite filler extend in an orthogonal direction to a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The composite filler of  claim 14 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially zero orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 . The composite filler of  claim 9 , wherein the composite filler is formed by removal from the hollow punch when additional layers of composite material cause the number of layers of composite material to travel through the hollow punch. 
     
     
         17 . The composite filler of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the number of layers is retained within the hollow punch as subsequent ones of the number of layers of fabric are cut with the hollow punch. 
     
     
         18 . A composite filler comprising:
 a cross-sectional shape; and   a number of layers of composite material, each of the number of layers of the composite material having fibers in a plane with the cross-sectional shape;   a sleeve surrounding the number of layers of the composite material;   wherein the sleeve comprises a scrim; and   wherein the fibers of the number of layers of the composite material are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the composite filler.   
     
     
         19 . The composite filler of  claim 18 , wherein each layer of the composite material has the cross-sectional shape and the cross-sectional shape is a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         20 . The composite filler of  claim 19 , wherein the composite filler has a coefficient of thermal expansion orthogonal to each side of the cross-sectional shape that is substantially zero.