Method for repairing delamination and moisture by heat, pressure and adhesive

Abstract

A method for repairing aircraft window laminates in which two plies have become separated to create a void, and wherein moisture may have entered through an edge of the window laminate and into the void. The method includes the steps of: placing the window laminate in a vacuum bag and inserting the vacuum bag containing the window laminate into an oven or autoclave for a minimum of ten minutes at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to remove the moisture between the plies; removing the vacuum bag and window laminate from the oven, and removing the window from the vacuum bag; forcing a needle on a syringe through the edge of the window laminate in the area of the void; and injecting an adhesive in the syringe into the void to fill the void with the adhesive.

Claims

1. A method for repairing an aircraft window laminate which has been delaminated and wherein moisture has entered into a void created by delamination, comprising the steps of: placing the aircraft window laminate into a vacuum bag, sealing the vacuum bag closed and placing the vacuum bag containing the aircraft window laminate into an oven or an autoclave for a minimum of ten minutes at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to remove moisture between plies of the aircraft window laminate; and removing the vacuum bag and the aircraft window laminate from the oven or the autoclave; and removing the aircraft window laminate from the vacuum bag.

2. The method for repairing an aircraft window laminate, as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: forcing a needle on a syringe through an edge of the aircraft window laminate in an area of delamination so that the needle enters into the void created by delamination; and injecting an adhesive in the syringe into the void to fill the void with the adhesive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft window illustrating the manner in which the syringe and hypodermic needle is inserted through the seal member into the void of the plies of the laminate which have become separated.

(3) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(4) Referring to FIG. 1, a typical aircraft window 10 comprises a transparent laminate structure 12 having several glass and/or acrylic plies adhered together by means of interposed adhesive plies. A frame structure 16 is secured about a perimeter of the window 12 to secure the laminate plies. In particular, the frame structure holds a peripheral edge 14 of the two or more plies of the window laminate structure 12 tightly together.

(5) As noted above, one particular problem encountered with aircraft window laminates, of the type shown in FIG. 1, is the tendency of the two or more plies to delaminate. Upon delamination, voids are created between the two or more plies. Sometimes, moisture can enter through the edge 14 of the window laminate structure 12 to fill the voids created by delamination.

(6) The present invention provides a method for removing moisture within the voids of delaminated aircraft window laminate structures and further a method for repairing the delaminated areas. The method for removing moisture includes the steps of: placing the aircraft window laminate structure in a vacuum bag and sealing the vacuum bag closed; inserting the vacuum bag containing the window laminate into an oven or autoclave for a minimum of ten minutes at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to remove the moisture between the two or more plies of the delaminated aircraft window laminate structure; removing the vacuum bag and the window laminate structure from the oven or autoclave; and removing the window from the vacuum bag. The method further includes the steps of repairing the delaminated areas by forcing a needle on a syringe through the edge 14 of the aircraft window laminate structure 12 in the area of delamination and injecting an adhesive in the syringe into the void to fill the void with the adhesive; and removing the needle from the void and from the edge of the aircraft window laminate structure.