Foam Stiffened Hollow Composite Stringer

• US 20110111183A1
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: VanWest, Barry P., Rotter, Daniel M., McCarville, Douglas A., Guzman, Juan C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/188
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/583 for making articles with cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/086 and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0003 Producing profiled members, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2715/003 Cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/064 Stringers; Longerons
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24744 Longitudinal or transverse tubular cavity or cell

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a composite stringer. A method is used for manufacturing a hollow composite stringer. Foam is formed with a mandrel installed into the foam. A composite material and the foam is laid up onto a tool in a form of a stringer. The composite material and the foam in the form of the stringer is cured to form a cured stringer. The mandrel from the foam is removed to form the hollow composite stringer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a composite part having a first channel; and

foam located in the first channel, wherein the foam has a set of channels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a set of removable mandrels located in the set of channels in the foam.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the composite part is a composite stringer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

an aircraft, wherein the composite stringer is located in the aircraft.