CURVED COMPOSITE FRAMES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A curved composite aircraft frame, comprising:
- a multi-ply composite laminate wherein at least certain of the laminate plies include unidirectional reinforcing fibers that are substantially tangent at substantially all points along the curvature of the frame.
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Abstract
A curved composite aircraft frame comprises a multi-ply composite laminate having a generally Z-shaped cross section. At least certain of the laminate plies include unidirectional reinforcing fibers that are substantially tangent at substantially all points along the curvature of the frame.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A curved composite aircraft frame, comprising:
a multi-ply composite laminate wherein at least certain of the laminate plies include unidirectional reinforcing fibers that are substantially tangent at substantially all points along the curvature of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A curved, one-piece aircraft fuselage frame, comprising:
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a web having first and second ends; an inner chord on the first end of the web; and an outer chord on the second end of the web, the web, inner chord and outer chord being integrally formed of laminated plies of fiber reinforced resin and having a cross section generally in the shape of one of a Z and a J. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A curved composite fuselage frame having an integrated shear tie, comprising:
a one-piece, multi-ply laminate having a cross section defining a web, an inner chord and an outer chord adapted to be fastened to a skin on the fuselage, the inner and outer chords being respectively positioned on opposite ends of the web and extending outwardly from the web in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of fabricating a curved, one-piece composite frame for an aircraft fuselage, comprising:
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assembling a layup of fiber reinforced resin plies using a polar coordinate system defining the curvature of the frame, including orienting unidirectional reinforcing fibers in at least certain of the plies substantially tangent to the curvature of the frame; and forming the layup into a shape including a web, an inner chord and an outer chord. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of fabricating a curved composite fuselage frame, comprising:
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assembling a layup of composite plies each having unidirectional reinforcing fibers, including arranging at least certain of the plies such that their reinforcing fibers are substantially tangent at substantially all points along the curvature of the frame; and forming the layup on a curved tool into a cross sectional shape having a web, and oppositely extending chords respectively on opposite ends of the web. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of fabricating a curved one-piece frame for an aircraft having an integrated shear tie, comprising:
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defining the curvature of the frame using a polar coordinate reference system; assembling a composite layup, including— laying up multiple plies of composite material including resin reinforced with unidirectional fibers, each of the plies having an angular fiber orientation, and using the polar coordinate reference system to orient each of the plies relative to the curvature of the frame as the plies are being laid up, including using a computer controlled automatic fiber placement machine to laydown composite fibers on the tool such that the fibers are substantially tangent to the curvature of the frame at substantially all points along the curvature; placing the layup on a tool having first, second and third tool surfaces; vacuum bag forming the layup on the tool, including drawing the layup down onto the first tool surface to form a inner chord, drawing the layup down on the second surface to form an outer chord, and drawing the layup down on the third surface to form a web connecting the inner and outer chords; and curing the formed layup.
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25. A one-piece composite frame for an aircraft fuselage having an integrated shear tie connecting the frame to an outer skin on the fuselage, comprising:
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a multi-ply composite laminate having a substantially Z-shaped cross section defining a web, an inner chord and an outer chord, the outer chord being adapted to be fastened to the skin and extending laterally upward from one end of the web, the inner chord extending laterally outward from the other end of the web in a direction opposite of that of the outer chord, each of the web, the inner chord and the outer chord including plies having unidirectional reinforcing fibers oriented within a polar coordinate reference system defining the curvature of the frame, at least certain of the plies including reinforcing fibers oriented substantially tangent to the frame curvature substantially along the entire length of the curvature.
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Specification