Composite tube structure
First Claim
1. A composite tube assembly comprising:
- a hollow tube of cured composite material having at least one flared end, said tube having an external flared surface and an internal flared surface, said flared end of said tube having a tapered wall thickness which tapers to a thinner wall at the end of the flared end of the tube;
a cylindrical internal end member slideably inserted in the flared end of said tube and having an externally flared surface at one end of approximately the same geometry and dimension as the internal surface of the flared end of said tube;
a hollow cylindrical external end member assembled over the flared end of said tube and the internal end member and having an internal tapered surface at one end of approximately the same geometry and dimension as the external surface of the flared end of said tube;
means for drawing said external end member and said internal end member axially together along the internal and external surfaces of the flared end of said tube for securing the flared end of said tube therebetween under a predetermined pressure; and
means for fastening said internal end member to said external end member and said tube when their axial relationship establishes a predetermined stress on the flared end of said tube.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A composite tube structure is disclosed in which the end of the composite tube is either flared out at the end or is tapered in at the end and the flared or tapered portion is accurately formed to its final dimension so as to require no machining to size. An end assembly is applied to the end of the tube which has inner and outer portions fitting precisely into the inner and outer surfaces of the end of the tube. The inner and outer end pieces are drawn axially together to secure the tube in the end assembly between the inner and outer portions under a predetermined radial stress. The tube is secured to the end assembly without the use of pins or other fasteners which require severing the fiber strands of the tube.
74 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A composite tube assembly comprising:
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a hollow tube of cured composite material having at least one flared end, said tube having an external flared surface and an internal flared surface, said flared end of said tube having a tapered wall thickness which tapers to a thinner wall at the end of the flared end of the tube; a cylindrical internal end member slideably inserted in the flared end of said tube and having an externally flared surface at one end of approximately the same geometry and dimension as the internal surface of the flared end of said tube; a hollow cylindrical external end member assembled over the flared end of said tube and the internal end member and having an internal tapered surface at one end of approximately the same geometry and dimension as the external surface of the flared end of said tube; means for drawing said external end member and said internal end member axially together along the internal and external surfaces of the flared end of said tube for securing the flared end of said tube therebetween under a predetermined pressure; and means for fastening said internal end member to said external end member and said tube when their axial relationship establishes a predetermined stress on the flared end of said tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A composite tube assembly comprising:
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a hollow tube of cured composite material having at least one tapered end, said tube having an external tapered surface and an internal tapered surface, said tapered end of said tube having a tapered wall thickness which tapers to a thinner wall at the end of the tapered end of the tube; a cylindrical internal end member slideably inserted in the tapered end of said tube and having an externally tapered surface at one end of approximately the same geometry and dimension as the internal surface of the tapered end of said tube; a hollow cylindrical external end member assembled over the tapered end of said tube and the internal end member and having an internal flared surface at one end of approximately the same geometry and dimension as the external surface of the tapered end of said tube; means for drawing said external end member and said internal end member axially together along the internal and external surfaces of the tapered end of said tube for securing the tapered end of said tube therebetween under a predetermined pressure;
an dmeans for fastening said internal end member to said external end member and said tube when their axial relationship establishes a predetermined stress on the tapered end of said tube. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification