Airfoil-Shaped Body Having Composite Base Skin with Integral Hat-Shaped Spar

• US 20180086429A1
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sheppard, Andrew, Pook, David Andrew, Raghdo, Adnan, Toh, Nigel Kai Hui, Osborne, Max Marley
• Application Number:
  US15/278,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20180086429A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2009/005 Ailerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/185 Spars
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/26 Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/58 provided with fences or spoilers adjustable for control purposes B64C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/00 Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10

Abstract

An airfoil-shaped body (such as a wing or a flight control surface) comprising a base assembly made of composite material, which base assembly in turn comprises a base skin and one or more hat-shaped spars integrally formed with the base skin. The airfoil-shaped body further comprise a close-out skin that is attached to the hat-shaped spars using fasteners. The method for manufacturing such an airfoil-shaped body uses a resin infusion process.

Claims

1. An airfoil-shaped body comprising:

a base skin made of composite material;

a first hat-shaped spar made of composite material and comprising a forward flange and an aft flange integrally formed with the base skin, a top, a forward web that connects the forward flange to the top, and an aft web that connects the aft flange to the top;

a close-out skin; and

a first plurality of fasteners by which the close-out skin is attached to the top of the first hat-shaped spar.

2. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, wherein a profile of the first hat-shaped spar varies in a spanwise direction.

3. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the forward web of the first hat-shaped spar varies in a spanwise direction.

4. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, wherein the top of the first hat-shaped spar is not parallel to the base skin.

5. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, wherein a first base angle between the forward web of the first hat-shaped spar and the base skin is different than of a second base angle between the aft web of the first hat-shaped spar and the base skin.

6. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a second hat-shaped spar made of composite material and comprising a forward flange and an aft flange integrally formed with the base skin, a top, a forward web that connects the forward flange to the top, and an aft web that connects the aft flange to the top; and

a second plurality of fasteners by which the close-out skin is attached to the top of the second hat-shaped spar.

7. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 6, further comprising a nose and a third plurality of fasteners by which the nose is attached to the base skin.

8. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 6, further comprising a hinge fitting, an internal fitting attached to the hinge fitting, a third plurality of fasteners by which the second hat-shaped spar is attached to the internal fitting, and a fourth plurality of fasteners by which the close-out skin is attached to the internal fitting.

9. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, wherein the close-out skin comprises a first laminate made of composite material.

10. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 9, wherein the close-out skin further comprises:

a first honeycomb panel made of composite material and integrated with the first laminate; and

a second laminate made of composite material and integrated with the first honeycomb panel,

wherein the first honeycomb panel overlies a first space between the first and second hat-shaped spars.

11. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 10, further comprising a third plurality of fasteners by which a trailing portion of the close-out skin is attached to a trailing portion of the base skin to form a trailing edge of the airfoil-shaped body, wherein the close-out skin further comprises:

a second honeycomb panel made of composite material and integrated with the first laminate; and

a third laminate made of composite material and integrated with the second honeycomb panel,

wherein the second honeycomb panel overlies a second space between the first hat-shaped spar and the trailing edge.

12. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a hinge fitting;

an internal fitting attached to the hinge fitting;

a forward spar made of composite material and comprising a forward flange and an aft flange integrally formed with the base skin; and

a second plurality of fasteners by which the forward spar is attached to the internal fitting.

13. An airfoil-shaped body comprising:

a base skin made of composite material;

a first hat-shaped spar made of composite material and comprising a forward flange and an aft flange integrally formed with the base skin, a top, a forward web that connects the forward flange to one side of the top, and an aft web that connects the aft flange to another side of the top;

a close-out skin;

a first plurality of fasteners by which the close-out skin is attached to the top of the first hat-shaped spar; and

a second plurality of fasteners by which a trailing portion of the close-out skin is attached to a trailing portion of the base skin to form a trailing edge of the airfoil-shaped body.

14. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 13, wherein a profile of the first hat-shaped spar varies in a spanwise direction.

15. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 13, wherein a thickness of the forward web of the first hat-shaped spar varies in a spanwise direction.

16. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 13, wherein the top of the first hat-shaped spar is not parallel to the base skin.

17. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 13, wherein a first base angle between the forward web of the first hat-shaped spar and the base skin is different than of a second base angle between the aft web of the first hat-shaped spar and the base skin.

18. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a second hat-shaped spar made of composite material and comprising a forward flange and an aft flange integrally formed with the base skin, a top, a forward web that connects the forward flange to one side of the top, and an aft web that connects the aft flange to another side of the top; and

a third plurality of fasteners by which the close-out skin is attached to the top of the second hat-shaped spar.

19. The airfoil-shaped body as recited in claim 13, further comprising a nose and a third plurality of fasteners by which the nose is attached to the base skin.

20. A method of manufacturing an airfoil-shaped body, comprising:

(a) forming a base assembly made of composite material using a resin infusion process, the base assembly comprising a base skin and a hat-shaped spar having a forward flange and an aft flange integrally formed with the base skin, a top, a forward web that connects the forward flange to the top, and an aft web that connects the aft flange to the top;

(b) forming a close-out skin;

(c) fastening the close-out skin to the top of the hat-shaped spar; and

(d) fastening a trailing portion of the base skin to a trailing portion of the close-out skin.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein step (a) comprises:

placing a first plurality of plies of fabric on a surface of a base tool having a concavity configured to shape the hat-shaped spar;

placing a mandrel in the concavity on top of the first plurality of plies of fabric;

placing two noodles and a second plurality of plies of fabric over the mandrel and adjacent portions of the first plurality of plies of fabric;

placing a caul plate over the second plurality of plies of fabric;

placing a vacuum bag over the caul plate;

evacuating a space between the vacuum bag and the base tool;

infusing resin into the first and second pluralities of plies of fabric; and

curing the infused resin.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein step (a) comprises:

placing a multiplicity of braids on a surface of a base tool having a concavity configured to form the hat-shaped spar;

placing a mandrel in the concavity on top of the multiplicity of braids in the concavity;

placing two noodles and a multiplicity of tapes over the mandrel and adjacent portions of the multiplicity of braids;

placing a caul plate over the multiplicity of tapes;

placing a vacuum bag over the caul plate;

evacuating a space between the vacuum bag and the base tool;

infusing resin into the multiplicity of braids and multiplicity of tapes; and

curing the infused resin.