FIBER METAL LAMINATE REINFORCED WING SPAR FOR RETRACTABLE UNDERWING MOUNTED LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLIES

• US 20180029689A1
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Embraer S.A.
• Original Assignee: Embraer S.A.
• Inventors: MURTA, Yvan Bovolenta, MEDONA, Willy Roger de Paula, RODRIGUES, Marcelo Ricardo Bertoni, da SILVA, Danielle Ftima Nunes Rebello
• Granted Patent: US 10,227,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/04 Arrangement or disposition on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/10 retractable, foldable, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/185 Spars

Abstract

Reinforced wing spars for underwing mounted retractable landing gear assemblies include a unitary (one-piece) metal wing spar having a central web and an upper spar flange, a trunnion mounted in the web of the wing spar for pivotally receiving a transverse mounting tube of a retractable landing gear strut, and a reinforcement laminate adhered to and extending along the upper spar flange above the trunnion, wherein the reinforcement laminate is comprised of at least one fiber reinforced composite layer alternately interposed with at least one metal reinforcement layer.

Claims

1. A reinforced wing spar for retractable landing gear comprising:

a unitary metal wing spar having a central web and an upper spar flange;

a trunnion mounted in the web of the wing spar for pivotally receiving a transverse mounting tube of a retractable landing gear strut; and

a reinforcement laminate adhered to and extending along the upper spar flange above the trunnion, wherein the reinforcement laminate is comprised of at least one fiber reinforced composite layer alternately interposed with at least one metal reinforcement layer.

2. The reinforced wing spar as in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement laminate comprises a plurality of the fiber reinforced composite layers alternately interposed with a plurality of the metal reinforcement layers.

3. The reinforced wing spar as in claim 1, wherein the wing spar is a unitary structure machined from a unitary metal billet.

4. The reinforced wing spar as in claim 3, wherein the wing spar has an I-shaped, C-shaped or Z-shaped cross-sectional geometry.

5. The reinforced wing spar as in claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced composite layer is comprised of reinforcing fibers embedded in a resin matrix.

6. The reinforced wing spar as in claim 5, wherein the reinforcing fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, boron fibers and aram id fibers.

7. The reinforced wing spar as in claim 6, wherein the resin matrix is comprised of an epoxy adhesive.

8. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

wings extending from the fuselage, and

retractable landing gear assemblies mounted under the wings for pivotal deployment between retracted and extended positions, wherein

each of the wings includes a reinforced wing spar comprising;

a unitary metal wing spar having a central web and an upper spar flange;

(ii) a trunnion mounted in the web of the wing spar for pivotally receiving a transverse mounting tube of a retractable landing gear strut; and

(iii) a reinforcement laminate adhered to and extending along the upper spar flange above the trunnion, wherein the reinforcement laminate is comprised of at least one fiber reinforced composite layer alternately interposed with at least one metal reinforcement layer.

9. The aircraft as in claim 8, wherein the reinforcement laminate comprises a plurality of the fiber reinforced composite layers alternately interposed with the metal reinforcement layers.

10. The aircraft as in claim 8, wherein the wing spar is a unitary structure machined from a unitary metal billet.

11. The aircraft as in claim 10, wherein the wing spar has an I-shaped, C-shaped or Z-shaped cross-sectional geometry.

12. The aircraft as in claim 8, wherein the fiber-reinforced composite layer is comprised of reinforcing fibers embedded in a resin matrix.

13. The aircraft as in claim 12, wherein the reinforcing fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, boron fibers and aram id fibers.

14. The aircraft as in claim 13, wherein the resin matrix is comprised of an epoxy adhesive.