Elongated structures and related assemblies

• US 9,527,572 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Griess, Kenneth H., MacKenzie, Karen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMOS, THEODORE V
• Application Number:
  US14/316,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 528/31, 528/36, 528/37, 528/38, 528/46, 244/119, 244/120, 244/118.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/064 Stringers; Longerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/18 Spars; Ribs; Stringers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/182 Stringers, longerons

Abstract

An elongated structure comprising a web extending along a length of the elongated structure and a flange comprising a first flange portion, the first flange portion extending away from an area of the web. The first flange portion comprises a variable width along at least a portion of the length of the elongated structure. The first flange portion of the elongated structure may comprise the variable width the length of the elongate structure. The first flange portion may comprise a constant width along at least a portion of the length of the elongated structure. The elongated structure may further comprise a second flange portion. The second flange portion may comprise a variable width along at least a portion of the length of the elongate structure. The first flange portion may comprise a first top flange portion.

Claims

1. A structural assembly for a vehicle fuselage, the structural assembly comprising:

a web extending along a length of an elongated I beam structure, wherein the elongated I beam structure is configured to withstand a structural load that varies over the length of the elongated I beam structure;

a bottom flange extending away from the web, the bottom flange abutting an upper surface of a skin assembly of the vehicle fuselage, and

a top flange comprising a first flange portion, the first flange portion extending away from an area of the web, wherein the first flange portion of the top flange comprises a variable width along at least a portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure, wherein the variable width along the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure varies as a function of the structural load over the at least the portion of the length,

wherein a portion of the top flange is coplanar with a portion of the length of the web so as to define a generally planar surface used as a mounting surface for mounting an elongated structure clip to the elongated I beam structure, the elongated I beam structure passing through an opening provided by a frame member so as to extend through the frame member,

wherein the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure extends from the frame member to an adjacent frame member,

wherein the width of the first flange portion increase along a first section from the frame member to a mid-bay location, and

wherein the width of the first flange portion decreases along a second section from the mid-bay location to the adjacent frame member.

2. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises the variable width along the length of the elongated I beam structure.

3. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a constant width along at least another portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure.

4. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated I beam structure further comprises a second top flange portion.

5. The structural assembly of claim 4, wherein the second top flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises the variable width along said at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure.

6. The structural assembly of claim 4, wherein the second top flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a constant width along the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure.

7. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a rounded portion.

8. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a sharp portion.

9. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a concave portion.

10. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a shape selected from any of the following shapes including convex, rectangular, or ramped shapes.

11. The structural assembly of claim 1 wherein the elongated I beam structure comprises a metallic elongated structure.

12. The structural assembly of claim 1 wherein the elongated I beam structure comprises a composite elongated I beam structure.

13. The structural assembly of claim 1 wherein a width of the web portion of the elongated I beam structure comprises a constant width.

14. The structural assembly of claim 1 wherein a depth of the web of the elongated I beam structure comprises a variable depth.

15. The structural assembly of claim 1 wherein the elongated I beam structure comprises a monolithic structure.

16. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first top flange portion of the elongated I beam structure is operatively coupled to an end of the web.

17. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated I beam structure is operatively coupled to the frame member, the frame member comprising a wall structure comprising a first flange and a second flange connected by a web.

18. The elongated I beam structure of claim 17,

wherein a mounting clip couples the at least one planar surface of the elongated I beam structure to a planar surface of the web of the frame member.

19. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flange portion comprises a first section, a second section, and a third section having different widths.

20. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the width of the first flange portion varies continuously over the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure.

21. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the structural load increases along the first section and the structural load decreases along the second section.

22. A structural assembly for a vehicle fuselage comprising:

a first elongated I beam structure comprising a web, wherein the first elongated I beam structure is configured to withstand a structural load that varies over the length of the elongated I beam structure;

a first flange extending along at least a portion of the web, the first flange comprising a variable width, wherein the variable width along the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure varies as a function of the structural load over the at least the portion of the length, wherein a portion of the first flange is coplanar with a portion of the length of the web of the I beam structure so as to define at least one generally planar surface;

a second flange extending away from the web, the second flange abutting an upper surface of a skin assembly of the vehicle fuselage,

a second elongated structure comprising approximately a perpendicular orientation to the first elongated I beam structure, the second elongated structure comprising a wall structure comprising a first flange and a second flange connected by a web, and the second elongated structure further comprising an opening that is complementary in shape to the first elongated I beam structure,

wherein the first elongated I beam structure passes through the second elongated structure via the opening,

wherein the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure extends from the second elongated structure to an adjacent third elongated structure,

wherein the width of the first flange increases along a first section from the second elongated structure to a mid-bay location, and

wherein the width of the first flange decreases along a second section from the mid-bay location to the adjacent third elongated structure.

23. The structural assembly of claim 22, wherein a mounting clip couples the at least one planar surface of the first flange and the portion of the length of the web to a planar surface of the web of the second elongated structure.

24. The structural assembly of claim 22, wherein the first elongated I beam structure further comprises a second top flange portion, and wherein the second top flange portion of the first elongated I beam structure comprises a constant width along the at least the portion of the length of the elongated I beam structure.