Method And Apparatus For Making A Polymeric Aircraft Window Panel

Abstract

A mold for casting a polymeric aircraft window panel includes a first mold half having a first mold surface, and a second mold half having a second mold surface. The first mold surface and/or the second mold surface have a shape conforming to a final shape for the major surfaces of the aircraft window panel. The first mold half and/or the second mold half can be formed of rolled, hydroformed, or stamped metal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of casting an aircraft transparency, comprising:
 injecting a polymer precursor liquid into a mold chamber of a mold, the mold comprising a first mold half comprising a first mold surface having a first shape, and a second mold half comprising a second mold surface having a second shape;   curing the polymer precursor liquid to form the aircraft transparency; and   removing the cured aircraft transparency from the mold chamber, wherein the cured aircraft transparency is removed from the mold chamber in an essentially final form configured to be incorporated into an aircraft to form an aircraft window.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, upon removal from the mold chamber, the cured aircraft transparency comprises a central viewing portion having a curved first and/or second surface and a peripheral edge shaped for engagement with a framework of the aircraft to hold the aircraft transparency in place during operation of the aircraft. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mold half and/or the second mold half comprises a rolled, hydroformed, or stamped metal sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor liquid comprises a polyureaurethane precursor liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, upon removal from the mold, the cured aircraft transparency has a first surface corresponding to the first shape of the first mold surface and a second surface corresponding to the second shape of the second mold surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises an inlet defined by the first mold half and/or the second mold half, and wherein injecting the polymer precursor liquid comprises injecting the polymer precursor liquid through the inlet into the mold chamber of the mold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning an article between the first mold half and the second mold half, wherein a portion of the article extends into the mold chamber and a portion of the article extends beyond a peripheral edge of the mold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold further comprises at least one shaped gasket comprising (i) an inner end positioned between a peripheral edge of the first mold half and a peripheral edge of the second mold half and (ii) an outer end positioned outward from the peripheral edges of the mold halves, the inner end comprising a surface defining a portion of the mold chamber that forms at least a portion of a peripheral edge of the aircraft transparency. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the surface of the inner end of the shaped gasket comprises a rabbited or stepped surface shaped to form a rabbited or stepped edge for at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the aircraft transparency. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inner end of the at least one shaped gasket further comprises a pair of opposed grooves near the outer end and a pair of opposed flat surfaces near the surface of the inner end, and wherein the peripheral edge of the first mold half engages one of the grooves and the peripheral edge of the second mold half engages the other groove. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, after injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold, applying at least one clamp to the mold to apply a clamping force on the first mold half and second mold half over the flat surfaces of the at least one shaped gasket. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one shaped gasket comprises a first shaped gasket and a second shaped gasket located between the first mold half and the second mold half, the mold further comprising a flexible or rigid web extending into the mold chamber defined by the first mold half and the second mold half and held in place between the first shaped gasket and the second shaped gasket. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber comprises injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber while the mold is at an inclined angle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the inclined angle is from 0° to 45°. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber comprises injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber while the mold is vertical and then placing the mold on its side during curing of the polymer precursor liquid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing the mold in a fluid bath, injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber while the mold is in the fluid bath, and controlling a fluid level in the fluid bath to correspond to a precursor liquid level in the mold chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising controlling, a temperature of the fluid in the fluid bath to selectively heat and/or cool the polymer precursor liquid in the mold chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber, transporting the mold on a conveyor through a stationary heating chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after injecting the polymer precursor liquid into the mold chamber, moving a movable heating chamber with respect to the mold to heat the polymer precursor liquid in the mold chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, following removal from the mold chamber, engaging the aircraft transparency with a framework of the aircraft to form the aircraft window.