Apparatus and method to tailor fiber distortion in composite parts

Abstract

A caul plate for application onto an uncured composite material which includes a first slit defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate. Further included is a method for curing a composite material part having geometric change within the part. The method includes fabricating a part constructed from uncured composite material having a geometric change within the uncured composite material, which includes a step of positioning a caul plate in overlying relationship to the uncured composite material having a geometric change in the uncured composite material, wherein the caul plate includes a first slit defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate.

1 . A caul plate for application onto an uncured composite material, comprising:
 a first slit is defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate.   
     
     
         2 . The caul plate of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first slit extends through the caul plate from a surface of the caul plate, for positioning onto a surface of the uncured composite material; and   the first slit extends through the caul plate to an opposing surface of the caul plate, for positioning in facing away relationship from the surface of the uncured composite material with the surface of the caul plate positioned onto the uncured composite material.   
     
     
         3 . The caul plate of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the surface extends in a linear direction. 
     
     
         4 . The caul plate of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the opposing surface extends in a linear direction. 
     
     
         5 . The caul plate of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the surface extends in a curvilinear direction. 
     
     
         6 . The caul plate of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the opposing surface extends in a curvilinear direction. 
     
     
         7 . The caul plate of  claim 1 , wherein the first slit extends in a linear direction along the caul plate. 
     
     
         8 . The caul plate of  claim 1 , wherein a width dimension of the first slit includes a width dimension of one hundredth of an inch (0.01 inch) up to and including five hundreds of an inch (0.05 inch). 
     
     
         9 . The caul plate of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the caul plate includes a length; and   the first slit extends in a linear direction transverse to the length of the caul plate.   
     
     
         10 . The caul plate of  claim 1 , further including a second slit defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate positioned spaced apart from the first slit. 
     
     
         11 . The caul plate of  claim 10 , wherein the first slit and the second slit extend along the caul plate spaced apart from one another and extending in same direction. 
     
     
         12 . The caul plate of  claim 11 , wherein the caul plate includes an end and a second opposing end. 
     
     
         13 . The caul plate of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first slit extends through the end of the caul plate and extends toward the second opposing end of the caul plate wherein an end of the first slit is defined by the caul plate positioned spaced apart from the second opposing end of the caul plate; and   the second slit extends through the second opposing end of the caul plate and extends toward the end of the caul plate wherein an end of the second slit is defined by the caul plate positioned spaced apart from the end of the caul plate.   
     
     
         14 . The caul plate of  claim 13 , further including:
 a third slit is defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate positioned adjacent to the second slit with the second slit positioned between the first slit and the third slit, wherein:
 the third slit extends through the end of the caul plate toward the second opposing end of the caul plate; and 
 an end of the third slit is defined by the caul plate positioned spaced apart from the second opposing end of the caul plate; and 
   a fourth slit is defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate positioned adjacent to the first slit with the first slit positioned between the second slit and the fourth slit, wherein:
 the fourth slit extends through the second opposing end of the caul plate toward the end of the caul plate; and 
 an end of the fourth slit is defined by the caul plate positioned spaced apart from the end of the caul plate. 
   
     
     
         15 . A method for fabricating a part constructed from an uncured composite material having a geometric change within the uncured composite material, comprising a step of positioning a caul plate in overlying relationship to the uncured composite material having a geometric change in the uncured composite material, wherein the caul plate includes a first slit defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including placing the uncured composite material and the caul plate into a vacuum bag. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further including placing a reduced air pressure within the vacuum bag pulling a portion of the uncured composite material into the first slit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including heating the uncured composite material and curing the uncured composite material and the portion of the uncured composite material positioned within the first slit forming a wrinkle of cured composite material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first slit of the caul plate extends from a surface of the caul plate, for positioning in facing relationship to a surface of the uncured composite material, and extends through a thickness dimension of the caul plate to an opposing surface of the caul plate, for positioning in facing relationship away from the surface of the uncured composite material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the caul plate further includes a second slit defined by and which extends through and along the caul plate positioned spaced apart from the first slit; and   the first slit and the second slit extend along the caul plate spaced apart from one another extending in same direction.