COMPOSITE FABRIC WITH RIGID MEMBER STRUCTURE

• US 20090057487A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Velicki, Alexander, Thrash, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/119
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/443 and impregnating by vacuum or injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/064 Stringers; Longerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/12 Construction or attachment of skin panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/103 Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/231 Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24033 including stitching and discrete fastener[s], coating or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2419 Fold at edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24636 Embodying mechanically interengaged strand[s], strand-portion[s] or strand-like strip[s] [e.g., weave, knit, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component

Abstract

A composite structure is provided including a first fabric and a second fabric. A substantially elongate and substantially rigid first member is spaced apart from and coupled with the first fabric via the second fabric. A resin substantially is infused into the first fabric and the second fabric, and substantially encapsulates the first member to form a unitary structure.

Claims

1. A composite structure comprising:

a first fabric;

a second fabric; and

a substantially elongate and substantially rigid first member spaced apart from and coupled with the first fabric via the second fabric.

2. The composite structure of claim 1 further comprising a resin substantially infused into the first fabric and the second fabric.

3. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein the resin encapsulate the first member to form a unitary structure.

4. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the second fabric is stitched to the first fabric along at least one seam.

5. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the second fabric is stitched to the first fabric along two seams each seam being substantially parallel with the first member and such that a portion of the first fabric between the two seams is disposed to form a loop over the first member to couple the first member with the first fabric.

6. The composite structure of claim 1 further comprising a tightening stitch disposed through two locations on the second fabric adjacent the first member, a wrapping portion defined on the second fabric between the two locations, the tightening stitch adapted to tighten the wrapping portion over the first member.

7. The composite structure of claim 2 further comprising a second member disposed transverse to the first member and coupled with the first fabric via a third fabric, the resin also infused into the second fabric.

8. The composite structure of claim 7 wherein the resin encapsulates the second member, the second member and the third fabric forming part of the unitary structure.

9. The composite structure of claim 8 wherein the unitary structure forms at least part of an aircraft fuselage, and the first member is oriented substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and the first fabric with the infused resin is adapted to form a skin of the aircraft fuselage, and the second member forms at least part of a cross-sectional frame member of the aircraft fuselage.

10. The composite structure of claim 7 wherein the first member passes through the second member.

11. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the first member is a pultruded rod.

12. The composite structure of claim 4 wherein at least part of the second member is made from foam core.

13. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the second fabric is a warp-knit fabric and the warp of the fabric is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate first member.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the covering the first member with the second fabric includes positioning the second fabric in a slot of a fixture forming a valley with the second fabric and positioning the first member in the valley.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

positioning a second member over the first fabric and transverse to the first member;

coupling the second member to the first fabric using a third fabric; and

forming a unitary structure.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

covering the second member with a third fabric such that other tab-like portions of the third fabric contact the first fabric on opposite sides of the second member.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the coupling the second member to the first fabric includes securing the other tab-like portions of the third fabric to the first fabric.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the forming a unitary structure includes infusing the resin into the third fabric and encasing the second member within the resin.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the securing the second fabric and the securing the third fabric is by stitching.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the securing the second fabric and the securing the third fabric is by tacking.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising positioning an airtight film over the combination of the first member, the second member, the first fabric, the second fabric, and the third fabric;

sealing edges of the airtight film to the tool surface; and

forming a vacuum between the tool surface and the film, and wherein the infusing includes introducing the resin between the tool surface and the film.

26. The method of claim 12 further comprising curing the resin.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein the second member is foam core.

29. The method of claim 11 wherein the second fabric is a warp-knit fabric and further comprising orienting the warp of the warp-knit substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate first member.

36. The aircraft fuselage of claim 18 wherein the second fabric is a warp-knit fabric and the warp of the fabric is oriented substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the elongate rigid first members.

14. A method of manufacturing a composite structure comprising:

laying out a first fabric on a tool surface;

positioning an elongate and substantially rigid first member a distance from the first fabric;

coupling the first member to the first fabric using the second fabric; and

forming a unitary structure with the first fabric, and the second fabric.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

covering the first member with a second fabric such that tab-like portions of the second fabric contact the first fabric on opposite sides of the first member.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the coupling the first member to the first fabric includes securing the tab-like portions to the first fabric.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the forming a unitary structure includes infusing a resin into the first fabric and the second fabric and encasing the first member within the impregnated second fabric.

27. The method of claim 14 wherein the first member is a pultruded rod.

30. An aircraft fuselage comprising:

a fuselage skin including a first fabric; and

two or more stringer members oriented longitudinally within the fuselage each including an elongate rigid first member disposed a distance from the skin and coupled with the skin via a second fabric.

31. The aircraft fuselage of claim 30 further comprising:

two or more frame members of sufficient rigidity to support the first members at the distance from the skin and coupled with the skin via a third fabric.

32. The aircraft fuselage of claim 31 further comprising:

a resin infused into the first, second and third fabrics and which substantially encapsulates the first and second members.

33. The aircraft fuselage of claim 30 wherein the second fabric is looped over the first member and is long enough to form at least one tab-like portions that contacts the first fabric, the at least one tab-like portion being stitched to the first fabric.

34. The aircraft fuselage of claim 30 wherein the first members are pultruded rods.

35. The aircraft fuselage of claim 30 wherein at least part of the two or more frame members are made from foam core.

37. An assembly to form a composite assembly, comprising:

a first fabric laid on a surface;

a second member laid on the first fabric;

a third fabric draped over the second member;

an elongate first member passing through the second member and supported by the second member a distance from the first fabric; and

a second fabric draped over the first member.

38. The assembly of claim 37 wherein the third fabric has two flaps that extend beyond either side of the second member, the two flaps each being stitched to the first fabric.

39. The assembly of claim 38 wherein the second fabric has two other flaps that extend down from the first member, the two other flaps each being stitched to the first fabric.

40. The assembly of claim 37 further comprising an airtight film placed over the first and second members and the first, second and third fabrics, and adapted to form a vacuum seal between the film and the surface, and further adapted for a resin to be introduced between the film and the surface.

41. The assembly of claim 37 wherein the first and second members are included in at least a portion of the completed composite assembly.