Tubular members integrated to form a structure

• US 20030173460A1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chapman W. Cullen Jr
• Original Assignee: Chapman W. Cullen Jr
• Inventors: Chapman, W. Cullen Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,063,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/123
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/60 using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/821 Mandrels especially adapted for winding and joining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/822 Single use mandrels, e.g. destructible, becoming part of the wound articles B29C53/825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/32 on a rotating mould, former or core
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 24/004 the structure having vertical or oblique ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Integrally stiffened and formed, load carrying structures comprising a plurality of elongated thin-walled tubes placed co-extensively in a complementary side-by-side fashion which together form a hollow structure having a desired external contour. Integral skins forming the external and internal surfaces of the structure cooperatively therewith. The structure can be formed with an underlying internal support member spanning the interior of the load carrying structure, thereby connecting opposite sides of the structure together. Also, each of the tubes are wound with fibers in controlled orientations generally paralleling the direction of the loads applied to the tubes to optimize the strength to weight ratio of the tubes.

Claims

1. An elongated load carrying structure of a predetermined curved exterior contour comprising:

a wall formed by a plurality of elongated co-extensive triangular cross-section filament wound tubes nested complementally together in juxtaposition and arranged to cooperate together in forming at least a portion of a hollow shell defining a body of revolution having said predetermined exterior contour;

a bond bonding said tubes together; and

an outer skin covering the exterior surface of said shell.

2. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 for carrying a predetermined load wherein:

said tubes are wound with filaments oriented and arranged to efficiently carry said predetermined load.

3. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said exterior cross section is a fluid foil and wherein:

said tubes are arranged to define the shape of said shell as said fluid foil.

4. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are wound with filaments having a helical pitch from 0°

to 90°

to the longitudinal axis.

5. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said skin is filament wound.

6. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said foil is in the shape of an airplane wing; and

said tubes are arranged to cooperate in forming a leading edge, round in transverse, also an acute angle trailing edge.

7. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are hollow to form longitudinal passages therein.

8. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are formed with respective equilateral cross sections.

9. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are wound with selected sections having one wall thickness and other sections having a different wall thickness.

10. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a strut device in said shell extending from one side to the other thereof.

11. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

said strut device includes elongated filament wound triangular tubes located side by side and nested together.

12. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said structure is a fuselage and wherein further:

said tubes are arranged to cooperate in forming said shell with a circularly shaped said exterior contour.

13. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said structure is a fluid foil; and

said tubes are arranged to form discrete leading edge and trailing edge sections; and

said skin is arranged to cover said sections.

14. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said leading and trailing edge sections are configured with conforming sides configured with respective abutting sections that abut together and inclined recess sections cooperating to, when said abutting sections are abutted together, form cavities of selected configurations; and

filament wound filler tubes configured for complemental receipt in said cavities.

15. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are configured with uniform cross sections along the irrespective length.

16. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said structure is formed to project longitudinally with said exterior contour tapering laterally inwardly in one direction along the length thereof and wherein further:

at least some of said tubes angle laterally inwardly toward one another in said one direction.

17. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to configure said wall to form leading and trailing wing sections.

18. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 17 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to configure said trailing section with top and bottom walls projecting forwardly from a trailing edge and diverging from one another;

said trailing section being configured at its forward extremity with a first coupling;

said leading section being configured with a rounded leading edge with respective top and bottom walls projecting rearwardly; and

said leading section being formed at its rear extremity with a second coupling for complementally coupling with said first section.

19. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 18 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to form said wall configured to define said first and second couplings.

20. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 18 wherein:

said first coupling includes lugs mounted on the respective top and bottom walls of said trailing section; and

said second coupling includes a keeper engageable behind said lugs.

21. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 18 wherein:

said first coupling includes dovetail grooves; and

said second coupling includes tongues complementally received in said grooves.

22. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are arranged in juxtaposition and in a circular pattern to form said wall as a fuselage section.

23. An elongated load carrying structure as set forth in claim 22 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to configure said wall in a circular pattern and include longitudinal and helical filaments.

24. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are trapezoidal in cross-section.

25. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to form a wing box.

26. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to form a hollow wing structure and includes a further plurality of triangular cross-section filament wound tubes juxtaposed in the interior of said wing structure and bonded together to cooperate in forming one or more gussets.

27. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to cooperate in forming the wall of a wing section; and

said structure further includes a further plurality of elongated co-extensive juxtaposed triangular in cross-section filament wound hollow tubes arranged together to define, in cross-section, a generally crescent shape defining a wing slat to be connected to the front of said wing section.

28. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said filament wound tubes are arranged to cooperate in forming the wall of a trailing wing section, and wherein;

said structure includes a plurality of elongated co-extensive triangular in cross-section filament wound hollow tubes arranged to form a slat section configured for attachment to said trailing wing section.

29. A structure as set forth in claim 27 wherein:

further tubes are arranged to form said flap in the form of split flaps.

30. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to cooperate in forming the entire wall of said shell.

31. A method of making a composite contoured structure for carrying a load and wall of a shell including:

selecting triangular cross-section hollow tubes, filament wound in a pattern;

assembling said tubes together in co-extensive side by side relationship to form the defining predetermined curved cross-sectional exterior contour;

bonding said tubes together;

applying a skin to at least one surface of said shell; and

bonding said skin to said shell.

32. The method of claim 31 that includes:

selecting said tubes configured with a transverse cross section of an isosceles triangle shape.

33. The method of claim 31 that includes:

placing said tubes in a configuration to form said shell in the shape of a fluid foil.

34. The method of claim 31 that includes:

placing tubes to form said shell in the configuration of the cross section of an airplane fuselage.

35. The method of claim 31 that includes:

winding said tubes with filament having first sections with a first wall thickness and second sections with a thicker wall thickness for carrying heavy loads.

36. The method of claim 31 that includes:

arranging said tubes to form said wall of said shell to taper inwardly longitudinally in one direction along the length thereof and wherein;

the step of placing said tubes includes placing at least some of said tubes to angle longitudinally in said one direction and angling inwardly toward the other tubes.

37. The method of claim 31 for forming said structure with said contour as a rounded exterior cross section and that includes:

forming at least selected ones of said tubes with one side wall thereof rounded and positioning said selected tubes so that said rounded sides thereof face exteriorly outwardly in said shell to cooperate in forming said rounded exterior cross section.

38. The method of claim 31 that includes making said structure with an anchor section and that includes:

making a filament wound plug to be complementally received in one of said tubes;

placing said plug in said one of said tubes;

bonding said plug in said tube to form said anchor section.

39. The method of claim 31 that includes:

making said tubes over mandrels having respective walls which taper inwardly from one end to the other.

40. The method of claim 31 for making a fluid foil for connecting to a body and that includes:

making a fitting configured with mounting plugs formed with a predetermined triangular cross section; and

the method of making said tubes includes making at least one end of selected ones of said tubes with an interior cross section constructed to be complementally fitted over respective ones of said plugs.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein:

the step of assembling said tubes includes selecting a mold and placing said tubes against the wall of said mold.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein:

said mold is selected as a male mandrel.

43. The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein:

the bonding of said tubes together includes applying a bond to the confronting walls of said tubes and concurrently curing said bond.

45. The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein:

said tubes are arranged to form first and second discrete sections of a fluid foil; and

a further plurality of said tubes are arranged to form first and second coupling devices connected to the adjacent sides of said first and second discrete parts.

46. The method of claim 31 wherein:

said step of assembling said tubes includes arranging said tubes to form respective first and second walls configured to form first and second discrete hollow sections of an airfoil with adjacent sections thereof being formed with multiple layers of tubes; and

removing selected ones of said tubes in said multiple layers to form respective mechanical interlocking coupling devices.

47. The method of claim 31 wherein:

said tubes are arranged with at least some of said tubes arranged in a plurality of layers.

44. The method as set forth in claim 44 wherein:

said bonding step of said shell is performed concurrent with the bonding of said tubes.

48. A method of making an elongated composite to form a predetermined transverse contour structure and including:

selecting elongated tubes filament wound in a pattern;

assembling said tubes together in juxtaposed relationship to form a shell defining a predetermined transverse contour;

bonding said tubes together;

applying an exterior skin to the exterior surface of said shell; and

bonding said skin to said tubes.

49. A method for producing a triangular tube to resist a predetermined load on the triangular tube, comprising the steps of:

providing a mandrel having a substantially triangular cross-section;

winding the mandrel with fibers in a controlled orientation substantially paralleling the direction of a predetermined load on triangular tube;

bonding the fibers together;

curing the fibers together; and

removing the mandrel within the fibers.

50. A method according to claim 49 wherein the mandrel tapers along the longitudinal axis, forming a tapered triangular fiber wound tube.

51. A method according to claim 49 wherein the mandrel curves along the longitudinal axis, forming a curved triangular fiber wound tape.

52. A method according to claim 49 wherein the fibers are wound in a variety of controlled orientation to resist tensile, compression, and shear stresses.

53. A method according to claim 49 wherein the fibers are bonded by a pre-impregnated matrix material.

54. A method according to claim 49 wherein the pre-impregnated matrix material is an organic material.

55. A method according to claim 49 wherein the pre-impregnated matrix material is a metallic material.

56. A method according to claim 49 wherein the fibers have a substantially triangular cross-section.

57. A method according to claim 49 wherein the mandrel is removed by withdrawing the mandrel.

58. A method according to claim 49 wherein the mandrel is removed by melting the mandrel.

59. A method according to claim 49 wherein the mandrel has a predetermined section with smaller triangular cross-section along the longitudinal axis of the mandrel, wherein fibers are thicker about the predetermined section having smaller triangular cross-section.

60. An intermediate apparatus to couple a composite wing structure having a plurality of elongated thin-walled filament wound tapered triangular tubes placed co-extensively in a complementary side-by-side fashion to a composite fuselage comprising:

a predetermined number of plugs having a root end and a tip end, wherein each of the predetermined number of plugs is tapered to associate with the corresponding tapered triangular tubes;

each of the predetermined number of plugs having a flange, wherein each of the flanges are coupled to the root end of the plugs to align relative to other flanges when plugs are inserted into the corresponding tapered triangular tubes; and

the aligned flanges adapted to associate with a composite fuselage adapted to receive the aligned flanges.

61. A method of making a structure for carrying a load, comprising the steps of:

providing a chamber with gaseous reactant in the chamber;

providing a substrate within the chamber; and

tracing a laser at the substrate around a cross-section of a structure about a predetermined point along the longitudinal axis of the structure defining the structure, wherein a layer of localized deposition of fibers occur from the gas reacting due to the heat generated from the laser beam passing through the cross-sections of the structure along the longitudinal axis.

62. A method according to claim 61, wherein the cross-section of the structure varies along the longitudinal axis.

63. A method according to claim 61, wherein the gaseous reactant is carbon.

64. A method according to claim 61, wherein the structure is an airplane wing structure.

65. A filament having a high content of fibers versus the matrix material, comprising:

a filament including a plurality of cross-section of fibers and a matrix material thereinbetween the plurality of cross-section of fibers; and

said plurality of cross-section of fibers comprise at least approximately 60% of a cross-sectional area of the filament.

66. A filament according to claim 65, wherein:

the plurality of cross-section of fibers are triangular, wherein the plurality of triangular fibers are placed together in alternating side by side relationship, wherein the distance between the adjacent triangular fibers is less than approximately one tenth (0.1) of the width of the triangle.

67. A filament according to claim 65, wherein said plurality of cross-section of fibers comprise at least approximately 90% of a cross-sectional area of the filament.

68. A filament according to claim 65, wherein:

the plurality of cross-section of fibers are square, wherein the plurality of square fibers are placed together in side by side relationship, wherein the distance between the adjacent square fibers is less than approximately one tenth (0.1) of the width of the square.