Patents by Inventor Simon W. Topping

Simon W. Topping has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Apparatus for manufacturing a composite element
    Patent number: 9573298
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite element. A stack of plies is assembled on a lay-up table, each ply comprising a plurality of reinforcement elements such as dry-fibers. A first part of the stack of plies is bound to form a partially bound stack of plies, a second part of the stack of plies remaining unbound. The partially bound stack of plies is press-formed in a mold cavity between a pair of mold tools to form a shaped pre-form, plies in the second part of the stack sliding against each other during the press-forming. A liquid matrix material is injected into the shaped pre-form in the mold cavity and subsequently cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Simon W Topping, Martin Edwards, Risto Kallinen, Nils Haack
  • METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A COMPOSITE ELEMENT
    Publication number: 20150190974
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite element. A stack of plies is assembled on a lay-up table, each ply comprising a plurality of reinforcement elements such as dry-fibres. A first part of the stack of plies is bound to form a partially bound stack of plies, a second part of the stack of plies remaining unbound. The partially bound stack of plies is press-formed in a mould cavity between a pair of mould tools to form a shaped pre-form, plies in the second part of the stack sliding against each other during the press-forming. A liquid matrix material is injected into the shaped pre-form in the mould cavity and subsequently cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Simon W. TOPPING, Martin EDWARDS, Risto KALLINEN, Nils HAACK
  • Method of manufacturing a composite element
    Patent number: 8911650
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite element. A stack of plies is assembled on a lay-up table, each ply comprising a plurality of reinforcement elements such as dry-fibers. A first part of the stack of plies is bound to form a partially bound stack of plies, a second part of the stack of plies remaining unbound. The partially bound stack of plies is press-formed in a mold cavity between a pair of mold tools to form a shaped pre-form, plies in the second part of the stack sliding against each other during the press-forming. A liquid matrix material is injected into the shaped pre-form in the mold cavity and subsequently cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Simon W Topping, Martin Edwards, Risto Kallinen, Nils Haack
  • METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A COMPOSITE ELEMENT
    Publication number: 20110121487
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite element. A stack of plies is assembled on a lay-up table, each ply comprising a plurality of reinforcement elements such as dry-fibres. A first part of the stack of plies is bound to form a partially bound stack of plies, a second part of the stack of plies remaining unbound. The partially bound stack of plies is press-formed in a mould cavity between a pair of mould tools to form a shaped pre-form, plies in the second part of the stack sliding against each other during the press-forming. A liquid matrix material is injected into the shaped pre-form in the mould cavity and subsequently cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Simon W. Topping, Martin Edwards, Risto Kallinen, Nils Haack