Splice joints for composite aircraft fuselages and other structures
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a shell structure, the method comprising:
- positioning a first composite skin in edgewise alignment with a second composite skin;
attaching a first end of a fitting to the first composite skin and a first stiffener on the first composite skin, wherein the first stiffener has a first flange portion attached to the first composite skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the first composite skin; and
attaching a second end of the fitting to the second composite skin and a second stiffener on the second composite skin to join the first composite skin to the second composite skin, wherein the second stiffener has a second flange portion attached to the second composite skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the second composite skin, wherein attaching the first end portion of the fitting to the first stiffener includes attaching the first end portion to the first flange portion,and wherein attaching the second end portion of the fitting to the second stiffener includes attaching the second end portion to the second flange portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Structures and methods for joining composite fuselage sections and other panel assemblies together are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a shell structure configured in accordance with the present invention includes a first panel portion positioned adjacent to a second panel portion. The first panel portion can include a first stiffener attached to a first composite skin, and the second panel portion can include a second stiffener attached to a second composite skin. The shell structure can further include a fitting extending across a first edge region of the first panel portion and a second edge region of the second panel portion. A first end portion of the fitting can be attached to the first stiffener and the first composite skin, and a second end portion of the fitting can be attached to a second stiffener and a second composite skin, to join the first panel portion to the second panel portion.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a shell structure, the method comprising:
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positioning a first composite skin in edgewise alignment with a second composite skin; attaching a first end of a fitting to the first composite skin and a first stiffener on the first composite skin, wherein the first stiffener has a first flange portion attached to the first composite skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the first composite skin; and attaching a second end of the fitting to the second composite skin and a second stiffener on the second composite skin to join the first composite skin to the second composite skin, wherein the second stiffener has a second flange portion attached to the second composite skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the second composite skin, wherein attaching the first end portion of the fitting to the first stiffener includes attaching the first end portion to the first flange portion, and wherein attaching the second end portion of the fitting to the second stiffener includes attaching the second end portion to the second flange portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for manufacturing an aircraft fuselage, the method comprising:
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attaching at least a first stiffener to a first composite skin, wherein the first stiffener has a first flange portion attached to the first composite skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the first composite skin, the first composite skin extending 360 degrees around a first axis; attaching at least a second stiffener to a second composite skin, wherein the second stiffener has a second flange portion attached to the second composite skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the second composite skin, the second composite skin extending 360 degrees around a second axis; positioning the first composite skin adjacent to the second composite skin so that the first and second axes are at least approximately aligned; and attaching a first end portion of a fitting to the first stiffener and the first composite skin and a second end portion of the fitting to the second stiffener and the second composite skin to join the first composite skin to the second composite skin, wherein attaching the first end portion of the fitting to the first stiffener includes attaching the first end portion to the first flange portion, and wherein attaching the second end portion of the fitting to the second stiffener includes attaching the second end portion to the second flange portion. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification