LOWER JOINTS BETWEEN OUTBOARD WING BOXES AND CENTER WING SECTIONS OF AIRCRAFT WING ASSEMBLIES

• US 20140361121A1
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: COMINSKY, KENNETH D., Charles, Jordan Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,227,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/131
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/26 Attaching the wing or tail units or stabilising surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Lower joints of aircraft wing assemblies are disclosed. In some embodiments, a lower joint includes an outboard lower wing panel, a center lower wing panel, a rib, and a lower joint assembly that includes two outboard flanges operatively coupled to the outboard lower wing panel, an inboard flange operatively coupled to the center lower wing panel, and an upper flange operatively coupled to the rib. In some embodiments, a lower joint assembly includes one or more splice plates, an upper T-fitting, and one or more intermediate plates. In some embodiments, the outboard lower wing panel, the center lower wing panel, and the lower joint assembly are constructed substantially of different materials.

Claims

1. A wing assembly for an aircraft, the wing assembly comprising:

a left wing box;

a right wing box;

a wing center section;

a left lower joint assembly that defines a left lower joint with the left wing box and the wing center section; and

a right lower joint assembly that defines a right lower joint between the right wing box and the wing center section;

wherein the left wing box and the right wing box are constructed substantially of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the wing center section is constructed substantially of a second material that is different from the first material and that has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the left lower joint assembly and the right lower joint assembly are constructed substantially of a third material that is different from the first material and the second material and that has a third coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion and less than the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

2. The wing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first material is more electronegative than the third material, and wherein the third material is more electronegative than the second material.

3. The wing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first material is a fiber reinforced composite material, wherein second material is an aluminum alloy.

4. The wing assembly of claim 3, wherein the third material is a titanium alloy.

5. The wing assembly of claim 1, wherein the left lower joint and the right lower joint each include:

an outboard lower wing panel of a respective one of the left wing box and the right wing box;

a center lower wing panel of the wing center section;

a rib that defines an interface between the center wing section and a respective one of the left wing box and the right wing box; and

a lower joint assembly operatively interconnecting the outboard lower wing panel, the center lower wing panel, and the rib, wherein the joint assembly includes;

two outboard flanges, wherein the outboard lower wing panel extends between the two outboard flanges in a double shear arrangement;

an inboard flange operatively coupled to the center lower wing panel; and

an upper flange operatively coupled to the rib.

6. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage; and

the wing assembly of claim 1.

7. A lower joint for a wing assembly of an aircraft, the lower joint comprising:

an outboard lower wing panel of an outboard wing box;

a center lower wing panel of a wing center section;

a rib that defines an interface between the outboard wing box and the center wing section; and

a lower joint assembly operatively interconnecting the outboard lower wing panel, the center lower wing panel, and the rib, wherein the joint assembly includes;

two outboard flanges, wherein the outboard lower wing panel extends between the two outboard flanges in a double shear arrangement;

an inboard flange operatively coupled to the center lower wing panel; and

an upper flange operatively coupled to the rib.

8. The lower joint of claim 7, wherein the center lower wing panel is a stiffened center lower wing panel and includes a plurality of paddle fittings operatively coupling the stiffened center lower wing panel to the inboard flange in a double shear arrangement.

9. The lower joint of claim 7, wherein the lower joint assembly includes:

one or more lower splice plates that defines a lower of the two outboard flanges;

an upper T-fitting that defines an upper of the two outboard flanges and the upper flange; and

one or more intermediate plates operatively coupled between the one or more lower splice plates and the upper T-fitting, wherein the one or more intermediate plates defines the inboard flange.

10. The lower joint of claim 9, wherein the one or more lower splice plates includes a plurality of lower splice plates positioned longitudinally along the lower joint.

11. The lower joint of claim 9, wherein the one or more intermediate plates includes a plurality of intermediate plates positioned longitudinally along the lower joint.

12. The lower joint of claim 9,

wherein the one or more lower splice plates includes a plurality of lower splice plates positioned longitudinally along the lower joint;

wherein the one or more intermediate plates includes a plurality of intermediate plates positioned longitudinally along the lower joint; and

wherein seams between adjacent intermediate plates of the plurality of intermediate plates are spaced apart from seams between adjacent lower splice plates of the plurality of lower splice plates.

13. The lower joint of claim 9,

wherein the outboard lower wing panel is constructed substantially of a first material;

wherein the center lower wing panel is constructed substantially of a second material that is different from the first material; and

wherein the lower joint assembly is constructed substantially of a third material that is different from the first material and the second material.

14. The lower joint of claim 13,

wherein the first material has a first coefficient of thermal expansion;

wherein the second material has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion; and

wherein the third material has a third coefficient of thermal coefficient that is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion and less than the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

15. The lower joint of claim 13, wherein the first material is more electronegative than the third material, and wherein the third material is more electronegative than the second material.

16. The lower joint of claim 13, wherein the first material is a fiber reinforced composite material, wherein the second material is an aluminum alloy, and wherein the third material is a titanium alloy.

17. The lower joint of claim 7, wherein the outboard lower wing panel is constructed substantially of a fiber reinforced composite material, wherein the center lower wing panel is constructed substantially of an aluminum alloy, and wherein the lower joint assembly is constructed substantially of a titanium alloy.

18. The lower joint of claim 7, wherein the lower joint assembly includes:

one or more lower splice plates that defines a lower of the two outboard flanges; and

an upper T-fitting that defines an upper of the two outboard flanges, the upper flange, and the inboard flange.

19. The lower joint of claim 7, wherein the lower joint assembly includes:

one or more lower plates that defines a lower of the two outboard flanges and the inboard flange; and

an upper T-fitting that defines an upper of the two outboard flanges and the upper flange.

20. A kit for forming a lower joint assembly operable to join an outboard lower wing panel of an outboard wing box, a center lower wing panel of a wing center section, and a rib of an aircraft wing assembly, the kit comprising:

one or more lower splice plates that defines a lower of two outboard flanges for operatively receiving the outboard lower wing panel between the two outboard flanges;

an upper T-fitting that defines an upper of the two outboard flanges and an upper flange for operatively being coupled to the rib; and

one or more intermediate plates for positioning between the one or more lower splice plates and the upper T-fitting, wherein the one or more intermediate plates defines an inboard flange for being coupled operatively to the center lower wing panel.

21. The kit of claim 20, wherein the one or more lower splice plates includes a plurality of lower splice plates, and wherein the one or more intermediate plates includes a plurality of intermediate plates, wherein each intermediate plate of the plurality of intermediate plates and each lower splice plate of the plurality of lower splice plates are sized so when the lower joint assembly is assembled, seams between adjacent intermediate plates are spaced apart from seams between adjacent lower splice plates.