Removable or hinged component for covering openings in the fuselage of an aircraft

• US 4,908,254 A
• Filed: 03/10/1988
• Issued: 03/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fischer Advanced Composite Components Gesellschaft M.B.H.
• Original Assignee: Fischer Gesellschaft m.b.H.
• Inventors: Fischer, Josef, Stephan, Walter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Ellis P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Loney, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US07/166,269
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 428/116, 428/119, 428/120, 428/178, 428/131, 428/179, 428/188, 428/174, 428/68, 428/74, 428/25, 428/26, 428/141, 428/148, 428/159, 428/166, 428/156, 428/172, 428/161, 428/164 , 428/192, 52/807, 52/793, 52/309.14, 52/309.13, 52/309.1, 52/806, 244/119, 244/123, 244/124, 244/125, 244/133, 244/120, 244/129.4, 244/129.5
• US Class Current: 428/119
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1461 Structures of doors or surrounding frames
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 29/044 Vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/302 Clad or other composite foil or thin metal making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23 Sheet including cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24182 Inward from edge of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24521 with component conforming to contour of nonplanar surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24545 Containing metal or metal compound
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 Forming, or cooperating to form cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24744 Longitudinal or transverse tubular cavity or cell
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

A component for cladding apertures in the fuselage of an aircraft is to be of lighter weight and more corrosion resistant as compared with known claddings. The component is manufactured of carbon fibre reinforced curable synthetic resin and comprises a base layer (2) onto which U-profiles (4, 4'"'"') and L-profiles (5, 5'"'"') are placed in spaced apart interrelationship, which during the manufacture are held in place by a grid (14) comprising angular bridge members. A vacuum foil (7) is applied over this assembly and is adhesively bonded along the edges of the base layer (2'"'"') to the supporting surface (1). The space between the vacuum foil (7) and the supporting surface (1) is evacuated and curing proceeds at an elevated temperature and pressure. After complete curing the vacuum foils (7) and the grid (14) are removed.

Claims

1. Component for cladding apertures in the fuselage of an aircraft comprising a panel-like base layer, a plurality of U-profiles and a plurality of L-profiles each having only two limbs at right angles to one another, said U-profiles each having a base portion and two limbs situated opposite each other and extending from opposite ends of the base portion, said U-profiles each being applied to said base layer with one of said limbs contacting the base layer and the U-profiles being parallel to each other, and wherein on one side of the base portion of each of said U-profiles, which one side is opposite to a side from which the limbs extend, one of said L-profiles is located, one limb of the L-profile being applied to the base layer and parallel to the U-profiles, and the other limb of the L-profile being applied to the base portion of the respective U-profile, the limbs of the U-profiles which are at respective ends of the base layer pointing towards one another.

2. Component according to claim 1, wherein the limbs of at least some successive U-profiles are directed to face the limbs of an end profile.

3. Component according to claim 1, wherein the limbs of adjoining U-profiles face each other.

4. Component according to claim 1, wherein a cover layer is applied onto the free standing limbs of the U-profiles, composed of fibre reinforced fully cured synthetic resin.

5. Component according to claim 1 wherein said base layer, said U-profiles, and said L-profiles are composed of fiber reinforced, fully cured synthetic resin and are bonded together solely by thermal treatment at elevated pressure.

6. Component according to claim 1 being removablely connected to the fuselage of the aircraft.

7. Component according to claim 5 being hingedly connected to the fuselage of the aircraft.