Tab/slot joint and method

• US 7,963,038 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Schmitz, Chad D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taousakis; Alexander P
• Application Number:
  US11/727,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20070289246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 298/972, 525/902, 525/921, 527/821, 527/931, 403/428, 403/364, 403/381, 428/116, 428/121, 428/174, 428/192
• US Class Current: 29/897.2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/02 Mounting or supporting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/6179 with protrusions and recesses on each frontal surface
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/6195 the slabs being connected at an angle, e.g. forming a corner
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/725 Corner or angle connection details
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/292 composed of insulating material and sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/296 composed of insulating material and non-metallic or unspecified sheet-material E04C2/288 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2002/004 Panels with profiled edges, e.g. stepped, serrated
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/30 Dovetail-like connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7045 Interdigitated ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2419 Fold at edge

Abstract

To fabricate a joint in a panel, a groove is generated and the panel is bent along the groove. The panel includes a first skin, second skin, and core. The core is sandwiched between the first skin and the second skin. The groove passes through the first skin and at least a portion of the core. The groove includes a set of tabs and a corresponding set of slots. The set of tabs intermesh with the set of slots in response to bending the panel along the groove.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a joint in a panel, the method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a groove in the panel, the panel comprising a first skin, a second skin, and a core, the core being sandwiched between the first skin and the second skin, the groove passing through the first skin and at least a portion of the core and not passing through the second skin, the groove comprising a set of tabs and a corresponding set of slots;

bending the panel along the groove; and

intermeshing the set of tabs with the set of slots in response to bending the panel along the groove.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

calculating a groove width according to an equation;

A=π

(t)(180−

θ

)/180

A comprising the groove width;

θ

comprising an angle of the joint; and

t comprising a thickness of the panel.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

calculating a groove width according to an equation;

A=h*tan(180−

θ

)

A comprising the groove width;

h comprising a height of the core plus the first skin; and

θ

comprising an angle of the joint.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

fabricating a tab of the set of tabs, the tab having a tab length, tab height, and tab depth, the tab length corresponding to a distance along the axis of the groove, the tab height corresponding to a distance perpendicular to the axis of the groove and in the plane of the panel, the tab depth corresponding to a distance perpendicular to the axis of the groove and perpendicular to the plane of the panel.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the tab height is less than the tab depth.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the tab length is less than ½

a length of the groove.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the tab height is based on the angle at the joint.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

cutting the groove in the panel with a rotating bit.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

cutting the groove in the panel with a blade.

10. A method of fabricating an item for an aerospace vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a first joint in a panel including;

fabricating a groove in the panel, the panel comprising a first skin, second skin, and core, the core being sandwiched between the first skin and the second skin, the groove passing through the first skin and at least a portion of the core and not passing through the second skin, the groove comprising a set of tabs and a corresponding set of slots, and the groove delineating a first portion of the panel from a second portion of the panel;

bending the panel along the groove such that the first portion and the second portion intersect at an angle at the groove; and

intermeshing the set of tabs with the set of slots in response to bending the panel along the groove; and

fabricating a second joint such that the second joint substantially retains the angle of the first joint.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

fabricating a groove length corresponding to a distance of the groove along a plane of the panel; and

fabricating a groove width corresponding to a distance perpendicular to an axis of the groove and parallel to the plane of the panel.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the groove width is based on an angle at the joint.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

fabricating a tab of the set of tabs, the tab having a tab length, tab height, and tab depth, the tab length corresponding to a distance along the axis of the groove, the tab height corresponding to a distance perpendicular to the axis of the groove and in the plane of the panel, the tab depth corresponding to a distance perpendicular to the axis of the groove and perpendicular to the plane of the panel.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the tab height is less than the tab depth.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the tab height is based on the angle at the joint.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

cutting the groove in the panel with a rotating bit.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

cutting the groove in the panel with a blade.

18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

fabricating a third joint such that the first joint is disposed between the second joint and the third joint to substantially retain the angle of the first joint.

19. A method of fabricating a joint in a panel of an aerospace vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a groove in the panel, the panel comprising a first skin, a second skin, and a core, the core being sandwiched between the first skin and the second skin, the groove passing through the first skin and at least a portion of the core and not passing through the second skin, the groove comprising a set of tabs and a corresponding set of slots;

forming a spline in the groove;

bending the panel along the groove;

intermeshing the set of tabs with the set of slots in response to bending the panel along the groove; and

calculating a groove width according to at least one of the following equations;

A=π

(t)(180−

θ

)/180; and

A=h*tan(180−

θ

);

A comprising the groove width;

θ

comprising an angle of the joint;

t comprising a thickness of the panel; and

h comprising a height of the core plus the first skin.