Filament wound crew rest enclosure structure

• US 20060054742A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Hills, Karen L., Robinson, Susan L., Druckman, Ralph D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,261,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.500
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/584 having a non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/66 with axially movable winding feed member , e.g. lathe type winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/821 Mandrels especially adapted for winding and joining
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/10 Thermosetting resins
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0076 for crew members, e.g. for sleeping during flight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A mobile platform personnel berth unit and a method for creating the mobile platform personnel berth unit are provided. A male mandrel is created defining an inner mold line surface of the berth unit. The male mandrel is overlayed with one or more layers of filament strips. The filament layers are thermally cured to create an integrated structural member. The male mandrel is then removed from the structural member. The structural member is profile shaped to create a semi-finished berth unit having a top, a bottom and a pair of integral side panels. Additional entrance and back panels as well as access panels and connecting hardware are then added to complete the berth unit.

Claims

1. A mobile platform personnel berth unit, comprising:

a body having integrally joined perimeter walls defining a substantially hollow interior space; and

a wall thickness operably formed from at least one layer of wound filaments;

wherein a material of the body contains a substantially graphite material.

2. The berth unit of claim 1, wherein the substantially graphite material further comprises a polymeric portion.

3. The berth unit of claim 2, wherein the polymeric portion comprises a phenolic adhesive material preimpregnated on the graphite material.

4. The berth unit of claim 1, wherein the integrally joined perimeter walls further comprise a top, a bottom and an opposed pair of side walls.

5. The berth unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a first and a second end of the body;

a front panel connected to the first end of the body; and

a back panel connected to the second end of the body.

6. The berth unit of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of hardware bonded to the filaments of the berth unit and operable to support both a weight and a dynamic load of the berth unit.

7. The berth unit of claim 1, wherein the wall thickness further comprises a plurality of layers of the wound filaments.

8. The berth unit of claim 1, wherein the wall thickness further comprises:

an inner ply having at least one layer of the wound filaments;

a core ply overlying the inner ply; and

at least one outer ply having at least one layer of the wound filaments overlying the core ply.

9. The berth unit of claim 8, wherein the core ply comprises a honey-comb shaped structure.

10. A method for creating a mobile platform personnel berth unit, the berth unit having an inner mold line surface, the method comprising:

supplying a male mandrel defining the inner mold line surface of the berth unit;

applying at least one filament strip to the male mandrel to operably create at least one filament layer;

thermally curing the at least one filament layer to create an integrated structural member; and

removing the male mandrel from the structural member.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising profile shaping the structural member to adapt the structural member for installation of additional components.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting a back panel to the profile shaped structural member.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising applying a release agent to the male mandrel prior to the applying step.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising creating at least one access panel in the berth unit.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising installing connecting hardware to the berth unit by partially overlaying the hardware during the applying step.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising successively winding a plurality of filament strips to operably form at least two layers of the filament strips.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising programming an automated computer controlled filament application device to perform the winding step.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing the profile shaping step using a numerically controlled cutting machine.

19. A method for creating a mobile platform personnel berth unit, comprising:

creating a male mandrel defining an inner mold line surface of the berth unit;

applying a first filament ply over the male mandrel;

covering the first filament ply with a core ply;

overlaying the core ply with at least a second filament layer;

curing the first and second filament layers and the core ply to create an integrated structural member; and

removing the male mandrel from the structural member.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising profile shaping the structural member to create a semi-finished berth unit having a plurality of integrally formed panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising attaching an end panel to the semi-finished berth unit.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising creating at least one access panel in the berth unit.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising building up a predetermined thickness of the core ply prior to the covering step.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising installing hardware on the berth unit by overlapping a portion of the hardware during the overlaying step.