Inflatable medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. The devices can be medical invasive balloons, such as those used for transcutaneous heart valve implantation, such as balloons used for transcatheter aortic-valve implantation. The balloons can have high strength, fiber-reinforced walls.

According to one implementation, a composite material molding jig 3 includes a tubular member 5 and at least one rigid plate member 6 (6A, 6B) so that a composite material structure O (O1, O2) having a hollow structure can be formed easily. The tubular member 5 has flexibility. The at least one rigid plate member 6 (6A, 6B) reinforces strength of the tubular member 5 partially. The tube is used in a state where air is introduced inside the tube. Further, according to one implementation, a composite material molding method includes using the above-mentioned composite material molding jig 3 in order to produce a composite material structure O (O1, O2) so that the composite material structure O (O1, O2) having a hollow structure can be formed easily.

Systems and methods are provided for a caul plate having a feature for removal. One embodiment is a caul plate for forming a composite part. The caul plate includes a body that includes a lower surface which faces the composite part, and an upper surface that is opposite to the lower surface. The caul plate also includes a groove in the upper surface to accept a tool to slide the caul plate laterally from the composite part.

Systems and methods for a caul plate for an irregular surface. One embodiment is a caul plate for co-curing or co-bonding a first composite part and a second composite part. A body of the caul plate includes a lower surface to face a top surface of the first composite part, a reference edge to locate the second composite part on the first composite part, and an upper surface that is opposite to the lower surface. The lower surface includes one or more bends to match one or more slopes in the top surface of the first composite part. The one or more bends correspond with ply changes in the first composite part.

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for fabricating a composite part. Composite materials are laid up on a mandrel. A caul is placed over the composite materials laid up on the mandrel. An inner mold line of the caul is sized to an outer surface of the composite materials in a cured state. The composite materials laid up on the mandrel with the caul over the composite materials is cured to form the composite part. The composite materials expand to the inner mold line of the caul during curing of the composite materials to form the composite part.

An intensifier mechanism for forming stacked material includes a support, a first body coupled to the support, and a second body having a main portion, a pivoting portion, and a joint. The main portion is coupled to the support and the joint movably couples the main portion to the pivoting portion. The joint allows the pivoting portion to pivot in relation to the main portion when the membrane moves towards the bottom wall.

Disclosed is a vacuum apparatus for applying a vacuum to a reinforcement lay-up during in composite manufacture, and a method of use. The vacuum apparatus comprises a vacuum port component (100) having body portion (102) defining a contact surface (104) and an internal cavity. A vacuum port (108) for connection to a vacuum pump is oriented away from the contact surface communicates with the internal cavity. The vacuum port component can be connected to vacuum component (200) body portion also defining a contact surface and an internal cavity (207), and further comprising a plurality of inlet apertures or slots (206) extending therethrough and in communication with the vacuum component internal cavity.

Provided is a shaping method for shaping a laminated body of multi-layered sheet materials containing reinforcing fibers by using a shaping die. The shaping die has a curved portion formed in a convex shape over a predetermined direction. The shaping method includes: fixing, to the shaping die, a holding member configured to cover the laminated body over the predetermined direction to maintain a state where the laminated body is pressed against the curved portion; sealing the laminated body and the holding member to the shaping die by a sealing member to form a closed space; and depressurizing the closed space to thin the laminated body by sucking air of the closed space, and the fixing fixes the holding member to the shaping die such that the holding member does not come into contact with an end face on one side in the predetermined direction of the laminated body.

A method for closing an injection mold for manufacturing a revolution part made of composite material, the mold including a mandrel supporting a fiber preform and angular sectors comprising an annular base to come into contact with the fiber texture, the annular base extending between first and second side edges along a circumferential direction. The method includes successive positioning and fixing the angular sectors on the mandrel, the annular base of each sector compacting the fiber preform portion present oppositely, the side edges of the annular base of each angular sector being in contact with the side edges of the annular base of the adjacent sectors. Before the positioning and fixing of the angular sectors on the mandrel, strip s are placed on the exposed surface of the fiber preform, each strip covering an area of the fiber preform located facing a junction area between two adjacent angular sectors.

An induction curing system comprises a slip sheet and a power supply. The slip sheet comprises a layup surface configured to receive a composite material, a tool interface surface configured to interface with an upper surface of a tool, a rigid body extending between the layup surface and the tool interface surface, and an induction coil circuit within the rigid body of the slip sheet. The induction coil circuit is configured to heat the layup surface to a temperature sufficient to cure the composite material. The induction coil circuit has a diameter selected to generate heat using a power supply having a frequency below 150 kHz. The rigid body is configured to support the composite material during transport of the composite material. The power supply is coupled with the induction coil circuit, the power supply is selected based on the diameter of the induction coil circuit.