Composite fabric with rigid member structure

• US 8,042,767 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Velicki, Alexander, Thrash, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green; Richard R
• Application Number:
  US11/849,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 244/117.R, 244/119, 244/123.1, 244/131, 244/132
• US Class Current: 244/117.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/443 and impregnating by vacuum or injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/064 Stringers; Longerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/12 Construction or attachment of skin panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/103 Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/231 Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24033 including stitching and discrete fastener[s], coating or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2419 Fold at edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24636 Embodying mechanically interengaged strand[s], strand-portion[s] or strand-like strip[s] [e.g., weave, knit, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component

Abstract

A composite structure is provided including a first fabric and a second fabric. A substantially elongate and substantially rigid first member is spaced apart from and coupled with the first fabric via the second fabric. A resin substantially is infused into the first fabric and the second fabric, and substantially encapsulates the first member to form a unitary structure.

Claims

1. A composite structure comprising:

a first fabric;

a second fabric; and

a substantially elongate and substantially rigid first member spaced apart from and coupled with the first fabric via the second fabric, wherein the first member is substantially rigid prior to coupling the first member to the first fabric via the second fabric—

, and a portion of the second fabric conforms to the shape of the first member—

.

2. The composite structure of claim 1 further comprising a resin substantially infused into the first fabric and the second fabric.

3. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein the resin encapsulate the first member to form a unitary structure.

4. The composite structure of claim 2 further comprising a second member disposed transverse to the first member and coupled with the first fabric via a third fabric, the resin also infused into the third fabric.

5. The composite structure of claim 4 wherein the resin encapsulates the second member, the second member and the third fabric forming part of the unitary structure.

6. The composite structure of claim 5 wherein the unitary structure forms at least part of an aircraft fuselage, and the first member is oriented substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and the first fabric with the infused resin is adapted to form a skin of the aircraft fuselage, and the second member forms at least part of a cross-sectional frame member of the aircraft fuselage.

7. The composite structure of claim 4 wherein at least part of the second member is made from foam core.

8. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the second fabric is stitched to the first fabric along at least one seam.

9. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the second fabric is stitched to the first fabric along two seams each seam being substantially parallel with the first member and such that a portion of the second fabric between the two seams is disposed to form a loop over the first member to couple the first member with the first fabric.

10. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the first member is a pultruded rod.

11. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the second fabric is a warp-knit fabric and the warp of the fabric is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate first member.

12. A composite structure comprising:

a first fabric;

a second fabric;

a substantially elongate and substantially rigid first member spaced apart from and coupled with the first fabric via the second fabric;

a tightening stitch disposed through two locations on the second fabric adjacent the first member; and

a wrapping portion defined on the second fabric between the two locations, wherein the tightening stitch tightens the wrapping portion over the first member—

, and the wrapping portion conforms to the shape of the first member—

.

13. The composite structure of claim 12 wherein the tightening stitch tightens the wrapping portion over the first member to conform the wrapping portion to the first member.

14. A composite structure comprising:

a first fabric;

a second fabric;

a substantially elongate and substantially rigid first member spaced apart from and coupled with the first fabric via the second fabric—

, wherein a portion of the second fabric conforms to the shape of the first member—

;

a second member disposed transverse to the first member and coupled with the first fabric via a third fabric, wherein the first member passes through a slot in the second member; and

a resin substantially infused into the first, second, and third fabrics.

15. An aircraft fuselage comprising:

a fuselage skin including a first fabric; and

two or more stringer members oriented longitudinally within the fuselage each including an elongate rigid first member disposed a distance from the skin and coupled with the skin via a second fabric, wherein the first members are rigid prior to coupling the first members to the first fabric via the second fabric—

, and a portion of each second fabric conforms to the shape of each of the first members—

.

16. The aircraft fuselage of claim 15 further comprising:

two or more frame members of sufficient rigidity to support the first members at the distance from the skin and coupled with the skin via a third fabric.

17. The aircraft fuselage of claim 16 further comprising:

a resin infused into the first, second and third fabrics and which substantially encapsulates the first and second members.

18. The aircraft fuselage of claim 16 wherein at least part of the two or more frame members are made from foam core.

19. The aircraft fuselage of claim 15 wherein the second fabric is looped over the first member and is long enough to form at least one tab-like portions that contacts the first fabric, the at least one tab-like portion being stitched to the first fabric.

20. The aircraft fuselage of claim 15 wherein the first members are pultruded rods.

21. The aircraft fuselage of claim 15 wherein the second fabric is a warp-knit fabric and the warp of the fabric is oriented substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the elongate rigid first members.