Composite Aircraft Structures With Hat Stiffeners
First Claim
1. A composite panel structure for an aircraft, comprising:
- a plurality of annular frames disposed coaxially along a long axis of the aircraft in a spaced, parallel relationship, each frame having a hat shaped cross section;
an inner skin having an inner surface bonded to an outer surface of the hat frames;
a plurality of elongated stringers disposed in a longitudinal direction along an outer surface of the inner skin in a spaced, parallel relationship, each stringer having a hat shaped cross section;
an offset bonded to an outer surface of each of the stringers; and
,an outer skin having an inner surface bonded to an upper surface of each of the offsets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A composite panel structure for an aircraft includes a plurality of annular, hat-shaped frames disposed coaxially along a long axis of the aircraft in a spaced, parallel relationship, an inner skin having an inner surface bonded to an outer surface of the hat frames, a plurality of elongated, hat-shaped stringers disposed in a longitudinal direction along an outer surface of the inner skin in a spaced, parallel relationship, a solid or rigid foam offset bonded to an outer surface of each of the stringers, and an outer skin having an inner surface bonded to an upper surface of each of the offsets. The inner skin carries the loads of the structure and the outer skin defines an aerodynamic surface of the aircraft and provides impact and lighting protection. The frames, inner skin and stringers are formed on a single forming tool and cured and bonded with each other simultaneously.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A composite panel structure for an aircraft, comprising:
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a plurality of annular frames disposed coaxially along a long axis of the aircraft in a spaced, parallel relationship, each frame having a hat shaped cross section; an inner skin having an inner surface bonded to an outer surface of the hat frames; a plurality of elongated stringers disposed in a longitudinal direction along an outer surface of the inner skin in a spaced, parallel relationship, each stringer having a hat shaped cross section; an offset bonded to an outer surface of each of the stringers; and
,an outer skin having an inner surface bonded to an upper surface of each of the offsets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for making a composite panel structure for an aircraft, the method comprising:
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providing a segmented internal mold line (IML) tool containing a plurality of spaced, parallel circumferential grooves, each adapted to form a respective one of a plurality of annular hat frames therein; winding a plurality of layers of a prepreg tape in each groove of the tool to form an uncured hat frame therein; placing a mandrel in a cavity of each of the hat frames; winding a plurality of layers of a prepreg tape over the tool, hat frames and mandrels to form an uncured composite inner skin that is in contact with circumferential flanges of the hat frames at a co-cured bond line; locating a plurality spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending mandrels for forming hat stringers on an outer surface of the uncured inner skin; placing a plurality of layers of a prepreg tape over each of the hat stringer forming mandrels to form an uncured hat stringer thereon, each hat stringer having a pair of oppositely directed longitudinal flanges thereon, each of which is in contact with the outer surface of the inner skin at a co-cured bond line; and
,heating the tool and the assembly of uncured hat frames, inner skin and hat stringers to cure a resin in the respective prepreg tapes thereof and to bond the respective flanges of the hat frames and stiffeners to the inner skin. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification