Stiffener reinforced assembly and method of manufacturing same

• US 5,827,383 A
• Filed: 06/05/1998
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Campbell, Thomas G., Rosenberg, Sara E., Fusco, Thomas M., Freitas, Glenn A., Harris, John J., Blaney, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SELLS, JAMES D
• Application Number:
  US09/092,525
• Time in Patent Office: 144 Days
• Field of Search: 156/73.1, 156/73.2, 156/91, 156/92, 156/303.1, 156/580.1, 156/580.2, 264/442, 264/443, 264/445, 264/277, 228/1.1, 228/110.1, 425/174.2
• US Class Current: 156/73.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/008 Using vibrations during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/564 hidden in the joint, e.g. dowels or Z-pins B29C65/603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/64 Joining a non-plastics element to a plastics element, e.g. by force B29C65/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43441 with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces, H-shaped pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/524 Joining profiled elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/24 oriented in at least three directions forming a three dimensional structure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/543 Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding for non-woven fabrics D04H3/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0005 Producing noodles, i.e. composite gap fillers, characterised by their construction
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2031/00 Use of polyvinylesters or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2049/00 Use of polyacetylene or cyanic ester resins, i.e. polymers having one or more carbon-to-carbon triple bonds or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2061/00 Use of condensation polymers of aldehydes or ketones or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2061/04 Phenoplasts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 : Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 : Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2079/08 : PI, i.e. polyimides or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/04 : Polysulfides, e.g. PPS, i.e. polyphenylene sulfide or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/08 : characterised by added members at particular parts layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 : Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 : including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249923 : Including interlaminar mechanical fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249986 : Void-containing component contains also a solid fiber or solid particle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24999 : Inorganic

Abstract

An improved stiffener reinforced assembly and method. There is a skin member and a stiffener member including a web portion, a flange portion, and a radius region interconnecting the web portion and the flange portion. The flange portion resides on the skin member. A plurality of reinforcing pins are disposed through the radius region of the stiffener member and into the skin member to secure the stiffener member to the skin member.

Claims

1. A method of securing a stiffener member including a web portion, flange portion, and a radius region to a skin member, the method comprising:

disposing the flange portion of the stiffener member on the skin member; and

inserting a plurality of reinforcing pins through the stiffener member at the radius region of the stiffener member and into the skin member.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the step of inserting includes:

placing a number of said pins in a compressible material,

placing said compressible material/pin combination about the radius region of the stiffener member,

imparting ultrasonic energy to the pins, and

simultaneously applying pressure to the compressible material to compress the same and insert the pins through the stiffener member and into the skin member.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the stiffener member is initially a prepreg composite material and the reinforcing pins are inserted through the prepeg material before the prepreg material is cured.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the skin material is also a prepreg composite material which is co-cured with the stiffener member after the reinforcing pins are inserted.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of inserting a plurality of reinforcing pins through the flange portion of the stiffener member and into the skin member.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of inserting a plurality of pins through the web portion of the stiffener member.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the stiffener member includes a noodle region, the method further includes the step of disposing a stiffener noodle within the noodle region.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the stiffener member includes a noodle region, the method further including the step of adding a softening layer within the noodle region about the radius region.

9. A method of securing a stiffener member including a web portion, flange portion, and a radius region to a skin member, the method comprising:

disposing the flange portion of the stiffener member on the skin member;

placing a number of pins in a compressible material;

placing said compressible material/pin combination about the radius region of the stiffener member;

imparting ultrasonic energy to the pins; and

simultaneously applying pressure to the compressible material to compress the same and insert the pins through the stiffener member and into the skin member.

10. A method of securing a stiffener member to a skin member, the method comprising:

forming a stiffener by;

assembling first and second composite members,

bending said first and second composite members into J-shapes defining opposing flange portions, a web portion, and radius region between the flange portions and the web portion, and

joining the web portions of each member to each other;

disposing the flange portions on a skin member; and

inserting a plurality of reinforcing pins into the formed stiffener through the radius region and into the skin member.

11. The method of claim 10 in which joining includes disposing a plurality of reinforcing pins through one member and into the other member at the web portion.

12. The method of claim 10 further including the step of disposing a plurality of reinforcing pins through the flange portions of the stiffener and into the skin member.

13. The method of claim 10 in which each composite member forming the stiffener is initially a prepreg material and the step of inserting the pins is accomplished before the prepreg material is cured.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the skin member is also initially a prepreg material and wherein the skin member is co-cured with the stiffener member.

15. The method of claim 10 in which the step of inserting a plurality of reinforcing pins comprises:

placing a number of the reinforcing pins in a compressible material;

placing the compressible material/pin combination about the radius region of the stiffener;

imparting ultrasonic energy to the pins; and

simultaneously applying pressure to the compressible material to compress the same and insert the pins through the radius region of the stiffener and into the skin member.

16. The method of claim 10 in which the stiffener member further includes a noodle region, the method further including the step of placing a stiffener noodle within the noodle region.

17. The method of claim 16 in which the pins are inserted through the stiffener noodle.

18. The method of claim 10 in which the stiffener member further includes a noodle region, the method further including the step of disposing a softening layer within the noodle region about the radius region.