AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WITH COMPOSITE PRE-FORM

• US 20190308715A1
• Filed: 04/06/2018
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Church, Clint, Chambers, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 11,332,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/068 Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/069 Joining arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/12 Construction or attachment of skin panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0036 arranged side by side at the same level
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0045 Fuselages characterised by special shapes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A wide-body aircraft is disclosed with a fuselage section that includes a set of side-by-side fuselage lobes having a fuselage skin. A first woven composite preform positioned at a first intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes located at a first cusp of the side-by-side fuselage lobes. A second woven composite preform positioned at a second intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes located at a second cusp of the side-by-side fuselage lobes. Each of the first and second woven composite preforms are configured to receive a structural component, such that each of the first and second woven composite preforms accommodates vertical load imparted through the structural component.

Claims

1. A fuselage comprising:

a wide-body fuselage section comprising a set of side-by-side fuselage lobes having a fuselage skin;

a first woven composite preform positioned at a first intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes and located at a first cusp of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes; and

a second woven composite preform positioned at a second intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes and located at a second cusp of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes,

wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms are configured to receive a structural component, such that each of the first and second woven composite preforms accommodates a vertical load imparted through the structural component.

2. The fuselage of claim 1, wherein the first and second woven composite preforms are co-cured with the fuselage skin of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes to maintain a desired shape.

3. The fuselage of claim 2, wherein a joint at each of the first and second cusps between the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes is substantially Y-shaped.

4. The fuselage of claim 3, wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms are impregnated with a resin to be co-cured with the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes at a joint.

5. The fuselage of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms comprises a non-planar base with one or more legs extending from the base, the base configured to conform to an arced contour of the wide-body fuselage and the legs securing the structural component.

6. The fuselage of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms comprises a plurality of strands that are woven together to form a structural distribution member for the set of fuselage lobes and the structural component.

7. The fuselage of claim 6, wherein the plurality of strands comprises at least one of carbon fiber, steel, or aluminum.

8. The fuselage of claim 6, wherein the plurality of strands is arranged to define a plurality of strand bundles.

9. The fuselage of claim 8, wherein the plurality of strands is twisted or braided to define the plurality of strand bundles.

10. The fuselage of claim 1, wherein the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes are arranged to define a non-circular cross-section along a lateral length of the wide-body fuselage section.

11. The fuselage of claim 1, further comprising a vertical tension member secured between the structural component received by each of the first and second woven composite preforms, the first and second woven composite preforms configured to distribute tensile or compressive loads from the vertical tension member.

12. The fuselage of claim 2, wherein the first and second woven composite preforms become rigid once co-cured.

13. The fuselage of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms is configured to transfers at least a portion of a pressure load between the fuselage skin and one or both of the first and second woven composite preforms.

14. A woven composite preform configured to manage tension in a wide-body fuselage, comprising:

a non-planar base with one or more legs extending from the base, the base configured to conform to an arced contour of the wide-body fuselage and the legs configured to secure a structural component; and

a plurality of strands that are woven together to form a woven composite preform for the wide-body fuselage and the structural component, wherein the woven composite preform is configured to distribute loads imparted via the structural component.

15. The woven composite preform of claim 14 further configured to secure a vertical tension member to the wide-body fuselage section, wherein the vertical tension member is secured between a structural component located at a top cusp of the wide-body fuselage and another structural component located at a bottom cusp of the wide-body fuselage, the woven composite preform configured to distribute forces from the vertical tension member under a compression load.

16. The woven composite preform of claim 14, wherein the woven composite preform and one or more lobes of the wide-body fuselage are impregnated with a resin to co-cure the lobes and the woven composite preform together in substantially a Y-shape.

17. The woven composite preform of claim 16, wherein the plurality of strands of the woven composite preform comprises at least one of carbon fiber, steel, or aluminum.

18. A method for managing loads imparted within a wide-body fuselage, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the wide-body fuselage comprising a set of side-by-side fuselage lobes;

joining the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes together, forming intersections at a top and a bottom of the resulting wide-body fuselage;

placing a woven composite preform at each of the intersections;

bonding the woven composite preform to the wide-body fuselage at the intersections;

inserting a keel within the woven composite preform; and

forming a skin over the wide-body fuselage.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of forming a bond between a cusp of the fuselage skin and the woven composite preform by applying a resin or adhesive at the intersections.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of fastening the woven composite preform to a keel of the wide-body fuselage.