Carbon fiber reinforced polymer cargo beam with integrated cargo stanchions and c-splices

• US 9,505,354 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Koncz, Tibor A
• Primary Examiner(s): Quast, Elizabeth A
• Application Number:
  US14/028,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20150076198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0003 inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/18 Floors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making

Abstract

A cargo beam assembly for an aircraft including a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) cargo beam and a plurality of CFRP stanchions and CFRP c-splice plates each connected to the CFRP cargo beam by overlapping CFRP plies. The flanges of the cargo beam assembly may all be facing a single direction. The components of the assembly may all be formed with CFRP plies configured in a traditional and non-traditional layup. The CFRP stanchions and CFRP c-splice plates are configured to connect the cargo beam assembly to a keel frame of an aircraft. The upper flange of the CFRP cargo beam may include a pad up above each CFRP stanchion connected to the CFRP cargo beam. The interface between each CFRP stanchion and the CFRP cargo beam may be a flange radius that includes a ramped pad up. Darting may provide load transfer between a CFRP stanchion and the CFRP cargo beam.

Claims

1. A cargo beam assembly for an aircraft, the assembly comprising:

a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) cargo beam;

a plurality of CFRP stanchions integrally coupled to the cargo beam;

a first CFRP c-splice plate integrally coupled to a first end of the cargo beam; and

a second CFRP c-splice plate integrally coupled to a second end of the cargo beam;

wherein the CFRP cargo beam, plurality of CFRP stanchions, first CFRP c-splice plate, and second CFRP c-splice plate each comprise two flanges;

wherein the two flanges of the CFRP cargo beam, plurality of CFRP stanchions, first CFRP c-splice plate, and second CFRP c-splice plate each are oriented in a first direction.

2. The assembly of claim 1, the plurality of CFRP stanchions being configured to attach to a keel frame.

3. The assembly of claim 2, the first and second CFRP c-splice plates being configured to attach to the keel frame.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the CFRP cargo beam and the plurality of CFRP stanchions comprise a plurality of CFRP plies configured in a non-traditional layup.

5. The assembly of claim 4, further comprising at least one pad up containing additional CFRP plies at an interface between the CFRP cargo beam and one CFRP stanchion.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the interface between the CFRP cargo beam and the one CFRP stanchion comprises a flange radius.

7. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising a ramp at each end of the interface between the CFRP cargo beam and the one CFRP stanchion.

8. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of alternating darts in the interface between the CFRP cargo beam and the one CFRP stanchion, wherein the plurality of alternating darts are configured to provide load transfer between the CFRP cargo beam and the one CFRP stanchion at the interface.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein an upper flange of the CFRP cargo beam comprises at least one pad up containing additional CFRP plies.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pad ups containing additional CFRP plies along an upper flange of the CFRP cargo beam, wherein each of the plurality of pads ups is positioned above a single CFRP stanchion.

19. The assembly of claim 1, wherein CFRP plies of the CFRP cargo beam are formed together with CFRP plies of each CFRP stanchion, wherein CFRP plies of the CFRP cargo beam are formed together with CFRP plies of the first CFRP c-splice plate, and wherein CFRP plies of the CFRP cargo beam are formed together with CFRP plies of the second CFRP c-splice plate.

11. A method to manufacture a one-piece cargo beam assembly for an aircraft, the method comprising:

forming a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) cargo beam from a first plurality of CFRP plies, the CFRP cargo beam having a first thickness, an upper flange, and a lower flange, the upper flange and the lower flange each being oriented in a first direction;

forming a plurality of CFRP stanchions that project from the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam from a second plurality of CFRP plies each of the plurality of CFRP stanchions having two flanges oriented in the first direction connected to the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam, the plurality of the CFRP stanchions having a second thickness, the second plurality of CFRP plies of the plurality of CFRP stanchions combining with the first plurality of CFRP plies of the CFRP cargo beam to form an interface having a third thickness greater than the first thickness of the CFRP cargo beam and greater than the second thickness of the plurality of CFRP stanchions; and

forming two CFRP c-splice plates from a third plurality of CFRP plies, the third plurality of CFRP plies of each CFRP c-splice plate combining with the first plurality of CFRP plies located at an end of the CFRP cargo beam;

wherein a one-piece assembly is formed comprised of the CFRP cargo beam, plurality of CFRP stanchions, and two CFRP c-splice plates.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a portion of the first and second plurality of CFRP plies in a non-traditional layup pattern to form a pad up at each intersection of the CFRP cargo beam and each of the plurality of CFRP stanchions.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting the two CFRP c-splice plates and the plurality of CFRP stanchions to a keel frame.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming pad ups along the upper flange of the CFRP cargo beam above each of the plurality of CFRP stanchions, wherein the pad ups are formed by a layup of additional CFRP plies.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the interface between each CFRP stanchion with the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam includes two arch structures.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising darting the two arch structures of the interface between the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam and each CFRP stanchions.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising alternating the darting for each interface, wherein the alternating of the darting provides load transfer between the CFRP cargo beam and each CFRP stanchion at the interface.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming a ramp on each end of the interface between the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam and each CFRP stanchion.

20. A cargo beam assembly for an aircraft, the assembly comprising:

a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) cargo beam having a first thickness, an upper flange, and a lower flange, the upper flange having a first thickness;

a plurality of CFRP stanchions integrally coupled to the cargo beam, each of the plurality of CFRP stanchions having two flanges that are integrally coupled with the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam and further comprising a ramp at an interface between the lower flange of the CFRP cargo beam and each of the flanges of the plurality of CFRP stanchions;

wherein the upper flange of the CFRP cargo beam has a second thickness in a region above each of the plurality of CFRP stanchions that is greater than the first thickness of the upper flange;

wherein the CFRP cargo beam has a second thickness greater than the first thickness where each of the plurality of CFRP stanchions is coupled to the CFRP cargo beam;

a first CFRP c-splice plate integrally coupled to a first end of the cargo beam, the first CFRP c-splice plate having a profile; and

a second CFRP c-splice plate integrally coupled to a second end of the cargo beam, the second CFRP c-splice plate having a profile;

wherein the CFRP cargo beam, plurality of CFRP stanchions, first CFRP c-splice plate, and second CFRP c-splice plate each have the same profile.