COMPOSITE BEAM CHORD BETWEEN REINFORCEMENT PLATES

• US 20100219294A1
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kismarton, Max U.
• Granted Patent: US 8,201,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/119
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/56 using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/562 using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/564 hidden in the joint, e.g. dowels or Z-pins B29C65/603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/72 by combined operations or combined techniques, e.g. welding and stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/304 Joining through openings in an intermediate part of the article B29C66/3034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/742 to metals or their alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/202 arranged in parallel planes or structures of fibres crossing at substantial angles, e.g. cross-moulding compound [XMC] B29C70/207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/24 oriented in at least three directions forming a three dimensional structure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/545 Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/101 Oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2277/10 Aromatic polyamides [Polyaramides] or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2283/00 : Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only, in the main chain, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/00 : Use of elements other than metals as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/02 : Boron
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/04 : Carbides; Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/00 : Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3082 : Fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/14 : next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 : comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 : Fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/04 : Impregnation, embedding, or binder material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 : Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0269 : Aromatic polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/10 : Inorganic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 : Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 : Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/50 : having particular mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/718 : Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 : Aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 : characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 : characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/12 : characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/22 : characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/007 : comprising carbon, e.g. graphite, composite carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/047 : made of fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/29 : built-up from parts of different material, i.e. composite structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 : Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 : Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24058 : including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in respective layers or components in angular relation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24074 : Strand or strand-portions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249942 : Fibers are aligned substantially parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249945 : Carbon or carbonaceous fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249946 : Glass fiber

Abstract

A composite beam chord is between first and second reinforcement plates. The beam chord includes a first ply of reinforcing fibers with a fiber orientation of +α degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the beam chord and a second ply of reinforcing fibers with a fiber orientation of −α degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis. The angle α is between 2 and 12 degrees for suppression or delay of ply splitting.

Claims

1. An article comprising a composite beam chord between first and second

reinforcement plates, the beam chord including a first ply of reinforcing fibers with a fiber orientation of +α

degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the beam and a second ply of reinforcing fibers with a fiber orientation of −

α

degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis, where α

=2 to 12 degrees.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein α

=2 to 8 degrees.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein α

=3 to 5 degrees.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein α

=3 degrees.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the number of reinforcing fibers oriented at ±

α

degrees is at least 60% of the total number of reinforcing fibers in the composite beam chord.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the composite beam chord includes carbon fibers in a polymer matrix.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the beam further includes third and fourth plies of reinforcing fibers oriented at ±

β

degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis, where β

is between 15 and 85 degrees.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein β

is between 50 and 75 degrees.

9. The article of claim 7, wherein 0% to 40% of all fibers in the beam chord are oriented at ±

α

degrees.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the plies extend in an x-y plane, wherein holes are drilled through the beam in a z-direction;

and wherein fasteners extend through the holes to clamp the plates to the beam chord.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second reinforcement plates includes a plurality of z-pin members extending into a respective first side and second side of the beam chord.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the plates are metal plates.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is an aircraft keel beam.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein the beam chord consists of a matrix and reinforcing fibers oriented at ±

α

degrees.

15. The article of claim 1 further comprising at least one attachment plate positioned between the beam chord and at least one of the first and second reinforcement plates, the attachment plate including a plurality of apertures for attaching to external structures.

16. A beam assembly comprising a first article according to claim 1;

a second article according to claim 1;

a splicing plate for splicing the first and second articles together; and

a plurality of fasteners extending through the splicing plate and the articles.

17. An aerospace vehicle, comprising:

a fuselage;

wing assemblies and an empennage coupled to the fuselage; and

an article of claim 1 in at least one of the wing assemblies, the fuselage and the empennage.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the fuselage includes a keel beam, the keel beam including the article of claim 1.

19. An article comprising first and second metal reinforcement plates, a

composite beam chord between the first and second plates, and a plurality of fasteners extending through the beam chord for clamping the first and second plates to the beam chord, the beam chord including a first ply of reinforcing fibers with a fiber orientation of +α

degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the beam chord and a second ply of reinforcing fibers with a fiber orientation of −

α

degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis, where α

=2 to 12 degrees, the fasteners perpendicular to the plies.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein α

=3 to 5 degrees.

21. A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:

fabricating a composite beam chord, including laying up plies of reinforcing fibers on a tool, wherein the fibers in at least some of the plies have an orientation of ±

α

with respect to a uni-axial load bearing direction of the article, where α

=2 to 12 degrees;

forming through holes in the composite beam chord; and

using the through holes to fasten reinforcement plates to opposite sides of the beam chord.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein α

=3 to 5 degrees.