Sandwich panel inserts and related methods

• US 10,730,604 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2018
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lewis, Michael Steven, Reeves, Brad Jeremy, Bradley, James S., Mills, Christopher John, Balachander, Supriya, Wilkie, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Jun S
• Application Number:
  US16/122,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20190009880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/12 Construction or attachment of skin panels
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/01 by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 5/00 Devices for use where pipes, cables or protective tubing pass through walls or partitions passing insulated pipes through walls F16L59/121; arrangements for leading electric cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings H02G3/22
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to inserts for use with sandwich panels, such as composite panels, and related methods. Presently disclosed inserts may include a retention feature and/or an anti-rotation feature that may be configured to retain the insert in place within a bore formed in the sandwich panel. In this manner, presently disclosed inserts may be secured without the use of adhesive compounds, which may increase efficiency and/or reduce costs in manufacturing apparatus that include one or more sandwich panels having one or more inserts placed therein. Presently disclosed methods of installing an insert into a sandwich panel may include rotating the insert with respect to the sandwich panel as the insert is installed, such that a portion of the insert may be positioned under the skin of the sandwich panel (e.g., a portion of the insert may be positioned between the skin and the core of the sandwich panel).

Claims

1. An insert configured to be installed in a bore of a sandwich panel, the sandwich panel comprising a first skin, a second skin opposite the first skin, and a core therebetween;

the insert comprising;

a panel-engaging structure configured to engage one of the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel;

an opposing end opposite the panel-engaging structure;

a body disposed between the panel-engaging structure and the opposing end, the body being configured to engage the core of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel, the body having a hole formed therein, the hole extending from the panel-engaging structure into the body and towards the opposing end;

a retention feature configured to retain the insert in the sandwich panel without the use of adhesives, at least a portion of the retention feature being configured to be positioned between the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel; and

an anti-rotation feature configured to prevent rotation of the insert with respect to the sandwich panel, wherein the anti-rotation feature is configured to resist rotation of the insert with respect to the sandwich panel, about a longitudinal axis of the hole, wherein the insert is configured to receive a secondary object within the hole, the secondary object being configured to transfer a localized load to the sandwich panel via the insert, wherein the insert is configured to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the hole as it is installed in the sandwich panel, and wherein the insert is configured to be rotated with respect to the sandwich panel such that at least a portion of the panel-engaging structure is rotated to a position between the core and one of the first skin and the second skin, and such that it breaks a bond between the first skin and the core, adjacent the bore.

2. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the hole comprises internal threads.

3. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the panel-engaging structure is substantially triangular.

4. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the first skin of the sandwich panel comprises a first outer surface facing away from the core of the sandwich panel and a first inner surface opposite the first outer surface and facing the core of the sandwich panel, wherein at least a portion of the panel-engaging structure is positioned between the first inner surface of the first skin and the core when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel.

5. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the second skin of the sandwich panel comprises a second outer surface facing away from the core of the sandwich panel and a second inner surface opposite the second outer surface and facing the core of the sandwich panel, wherein at least a portion of the panel-engaging structure is positioned between the second inner surface of the second skin and the core when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel.

6. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation feature of the insert comprises a retainer configured to substantially prevent rotation of the insert within the sandwich panel, wherein the retainer comprises a through-hole that is substantially concentric with the hole of the insert when the retainer is installed with respect to the insert, the through-hole having approximately the same diameter as the hole, and wherein the retainer is configured to cover at least one exposed area of the core of the sandwich panel when the retainer is installed with respect to the insert.

7. The insert according to claim 6, wherein the retainer comprises a substantially flat surface and at least one projecting tab extending from the substantially flat surface, wherein the substantially flat surface is configured to engage the panel-engaging structure of the insert, and wherein the at least one projecting tab is configured to engage at least one selected from the group comprising the core, the first skin, and the second skin of the sandwich panel.

8. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the insert is configured such that rotation of the insert with respect to the sandwich panel effectuates at least one selected from the group comprising engaging the retention feature with the sandwich panel, and engaging the anti-rotation feature with the sandwich panel.

9. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the retention feature engages the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel.

10. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the panel-engaging structure comprises a plurality of straight edges connected by a respective plurality of corner portions, wherein the retention feature comprises at least one of the corner portions, and wherein the corner portions are configured to be positioned between a first inner surface of the first skin and the core when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel.

11. An insert configured to be installed in a bore of a sandwich panel, the sandwich panel comprising a first skin, a second skin opposite the first skin, and a core therebetween;

the insert comprising;

a panel-engaging structure configured to engage one selected from the group comprising the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel, when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel;

an opposing end opposite the panel-engaging structure;

a body disposed between the panel-engaging structure and the opposing end, the body being configured to engage the core of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel, the body having a hole formed therein, the hole extending from the panel-engaging structure into the body and towards the opposing end;

a retention feature configured to retain the insert in the sandwich panel without the use of adhesives; and

a retainer configured to resist rotation of the body with respect to the sandwich panel, about a longitudinal axis of the hole, wherein the insert is configured to receive a secondary object within the hole, the secondary object being configured to transfer a localized load to the sandwich panel via the insert, wherein the insert is configured to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the hole as it is installed in the sandwich panel, and wherein the insert is configured to be rotated with respect to the sandwich panel such that at least a portion of the panel-engaging structure is rotated to a position between the core and the first skin, and such that it breaks a bond between the first skin and the core, adjacent the bore.

12. The insert according to claim 11, wherein the retainer is configured to be installed on the panel-engaging structure after the body is installed in the bore of the sandwich panel, wherein the retainer comprises a through-hole that is substantially concentric with the hole of the body when the retainer is installed with respect to the body, the through-hole having approximately the same diameter as the hole formed in the body.

13. The insert according to claim 11, wherein the retainer comprises a substantially flat surface and at least one projecting tab extending from the substantially flat surface, wherein the substantially flat surface is configured to engage the panel-engaging structure of the insert, and wherein the at least one projecting tab is configured to engage one or more selected from the group comprising the core, the first skin, and the second skin of the sandwich panel.

14. An insert configured to be installed in a bore of a sandwich panel, the sandwich panel comprising a first skin, a second skin opposite the first skin, and a core therebetween;

the insert comprising;

a panel-engaging structure configured to engage one of the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel;

an opposing end opposite the panel-engaging structure;

a body disposed between the panel-engaging structure and the opposing end, the body being configured to engage the core of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel, the body having a hole formed therein, the hole extending from the panel-engaging structure into the body and towards the opposing end;

a retention feature configured to retain the insert in the sandwich panel without the use of adhesives, at least a portion of the retention feature being configured to be positioned between the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel; and

an anti-rotation feature configured to prevent rotation of the insert with respect to the sandwich panel, wherein the anti-rotation feature is configured to resist rotation of the insert with respect to the sandwich panel, about a longitudinal axis of the hole, wherein the anti-rotation feature of the insert comprises a retainer configured to substantially prevent rotation of the insert within the sandwich panel, wherein the retainer comprises a through-hole that is substantially concentric with the hole of the insert when the retainer is installed with respect to the insert, the through-hole having approximately the same diameter as the hole, and wherein the retainer is configured to cover at least one exposed area of the core of the sandwich panel when the retainer is installed with respect to the insert, and wherein the insert is configured to receive a secondary object within the hole, the secondary object being configured to transfer a localized load to the sandwich panel via the insert.

15. The insert according to claim 14, wherein the retainer comprises a substantially flat surface and at least one projecting tab extending from the substantially flat surface, wherein the substantially flat surface is configured to engage the panel-engaging structure of the insert, and wherein the at least one projecting tab is configured to engage at least one selected from the group comprising the core, the first skin, and the second skin of the sandwich panel.

16. An insert configured to be installed in a bore of a sandwich panel, the sandwich panel comprising a first skin, a second skin opposite the first skin, and a core therebetween;

the insert comprising;

a panel-engaging structure configured to engage one selected from the group comprising the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel, when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel;

an opposing end opposite the panel-engaging structure;

a body disposed between the panel-engaging structure and the opposing end, the body being configured to engage the core of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel, the body having a hole formed therein, the hole extending from the panel-engaging structure into the body and towards the opposing end;

a retention feature configured to retain the insert in the sandwich panel without the use of adhesives; and

a retainer configured to resist rotation of the body with respect to the sandwich panel, about a longitudinal axis of the hole, wherein the retainer is configured to be installed on the panel-engaging structure after the body is installed in the bore of the sandwich panel, wherein the retainer comprises a through-hole that is substantially concentric with the hole of the body when the retainer is installed with respect to the body, the through-hole having approximately the same diameter as the hole formed in the body, and wherein the insert is configured to receive a secondary object within the hole, the secondary object being configured to transfer a localized load to the sandwich panel via the insert.

17. An insert configured to be installed in a bore of a sandwich panel, the sandwich panel comprising a first skin, a second skin opposite the first skin, and a core therebetween;

the insert comprising;

a panel-engaging structure configured to engage one selected from the group comprising the first skin and the second skin of the sandwich panel, when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel;

an opposing end opposite the panel-engaging structure;

a body disposed between the panel-engaging structure and the opposing end, the body being configured to engage the core of the sandwich panel when the insert is installed in the sandwich panel, the body having a hole formed therein, the hole extending from the panel-engaging structure into the body and towards the opposing end;

a retention feature configured to retain the insert in the sandwich panel without the use of adhesives; and

a retainer configured to resist rotation of the body with respect to the sandwich panel, about a longitudinal axis of the hole, wherein the retainer comprises a substantially flat surface and at least one projecting tab extending from the substantially flat surface, wherein the substantially flat surface is configured to engage the panel-engaging structure of the insert, and wherein the at least one projecting tab is configured to engage one or more selected from the group comprising the core, the first skin, and the second skin of the sandwich panel, and wherein the insert is configured to receive a secondary object within the hole, the secondary object being configured to transfer a localized load to the sandwich panel via the insert.