Composite reinforcement component, structural element, aircraft or spacecraft and method for producing a composite reinforcement component

• US 9,623,955 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Trautmann, Christian, Seack, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Vonch, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US14/209,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12221 the two joint-segments being lapped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12821 comprising at least two overlap joint-segments
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12822 comprising at least three overlap joint-segments
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/304 In-plane lamination by juxtaposing or interleaving of plies, e.g. scarf joining
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/001 Profiled members, e.g. beams, sections
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/727 Fastening elements bolts B29L2001/002; nuts B29L2001/005; screws B29L2001/007; slide fasteners B29L2005/00; buttons for haberdashery B29L2019/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/10 characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/12 characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/02 Mounting or supporting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/195 Beveled, stepped, or skived in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/197 with noncoplanar reinforcement

Abstract

A composite reinforcement component for an aircraft or spacecraft, including a first element assembly aligned in a first extension plane, and a second element assembly aligned in a second, perpendicular, extension plane, the second element assembly intersecting the first element assembly at an intersection of the first and second extension planes. The first and second element assembly each have a pair of staggered comb components. Each comb component includes a base and a plurality of rectangular protrusions extending coplanar from the extension planes of the respective element assembly. The rectangular protrusions form comb teeth of one comb component which are overlapping with comb teeth of the other comb component of the pairs of comb components. The comb teeth of the first element assembly are offset along the intersection by a single comb tooth width with respect to the comb teeth of the second element assembly.

Claims

1. A composite reinforcement component for an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising:

a first element assembly being aligned in a first plane of extension; and

a second element assembly being aligned in a second plane of extension generally perpendicular to the first plane of extension, the second element assembly intersecting the first element assembly at a line of intersection of the first and second planes of extension,

wherein the first and second element assembly each comprise;

a least one pair of staggered comb components, each of the comb components including a base portion and a plurality of generally rectangular protrusions extending coplanar within the respective plane of extension of the element assembly,

wherein the rectangular protrusions form comb teeth portions, wherein the comb teeth portions of one comb component of the at least one pair of comb components overlap with the comb teeth portions of the other comb component of the at least one pair of comb components, and

wherein the comb teeth portions overlap with an offset in a direction along the respective plane of extension such that a rectangular opening is formed between the two base portions of the at least one pair of comb components,

wherein the comb teeth portions of a first element assembly are offset along the line of intersection by a single comb tooth width with respect to the comb teeth portions of the second element assembly, such that each of the first and second element assembly intersect through the rectangular opening of the other element assembly at the line of intersection.

2. The composite reinforcement component according to claim 1, wherein the comb components are preformed by a plurality of stacked plies.

3. The composite reinforcement component according to claim 2, wherein the stacked plies comprise semi-finished textiles, woven fabrics, unidirectional reinforced fabrics, non-crimp fabrics, carbon-fiber reinforced plastics or unidirectional reinforced tapes.

4. The composite reinforcement component according to claim 2, wherein the stacked plies are staggered in length in the region of the comb teeth portions so that the overlapping comb teeth portions of pairs of comb components form at least one of symmetric and asymmetric stepped-lap joints.

5. The composite reinforcement component according to claim 2, wherein the stacked plies are staggered in length in the region of the base portions, thereby forming at least one of symmetric and asymmetric stepped lap joint edge.

6. The composite reinforcement component according to claim 2, wherein the stacked plies are equal in length in the region of the base portions, thereby forming a butt joint edge.

7. A structural element, comprising:

a composite reinforcement component according to claim 1; and

a plurality of outer plies being formed on the outer surface of the composite reinforcement component, the outer plies being bent in the region of the line of intersection of the composite reinforcement component.

8. The structural element according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of outer plies comprise semi-finished textiles, woven fabrics, unidirectional reinforced fabrics, non-crimp fabrics, carbon-fiber reinforced plastics or unidirectional reinforced tapes.

9. The structural element according to claim 7, further comprising at least one gusset filler element being arranged in the space between the element assemblies and the curvature of the respective outer ply.

10. The structural element according to claim 7, wherein the structural element is a closed box structure.

11. The structural element according to claim 7, wherein the structural element is one of a flap, a spoiler, an aileron, a rudder and an elevator of an aircraft.

12. An aircraft or spacecraft comprising a structural element according to claim 7.

13. A method for producing a composite reinforcement component for an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising:

assembling at least two first staggered comb components, each of the first comb components including a base portion and a plurality of generally rectangular protrusions by stacking a plurality of plies, wherein the rectangular protrusions form first comb teeth portions of the first comb components;

assembling at least two second staggered comb components, each of the second comb components including a base portion and a plurality of generally rectangular protrusions by stacking a plurality of plies, wherein the rectangular protrusions form second comb teeth portions of the second comb components, and wherein the first comb teeth portions are offset by a single comb tooth width with respect to the second comb teeth portions;

performing the following in either order;

aligning the first comb teeth portions of a first one of the first comb components with the second comb teeth portions of a first one of the second comb components, so that the first comb component is aligned in a first plane of extension and the second comb component is aligned in a second plane of extension generally perpendicular to the first plane of extension; and

overlapping the first comb teeth portions of a second one of the first comb components with the first comb teeth portions of the first one of the first comb components, so that the second one of the first comb components extends coplanar with the first one of the first comb components, forming a first element assembly, wherein the first comb teeth portions of the first and second ones of the first comb components are offset in a direction along the first plane of extension such that a rectangular opening is formed between the two base portions of the at least two first comb components; and

overlapping the second comb teeth portions of a second one of the second comb components with the second comb teeth portions of the first one of the second comb components, so that the second one of the second comb components extends coplanar with the first one of the first comb components, forming a second element assembly, wherein the second comb teeth portions of the first and second ones of the second comb components are offset in a direction along the second plane of extension such that a rectangular opening is formed between the two base portions of the at least two first comb components;

wherein the second element assembly intersects the first element assembly at a line of intersection of the first and second planes of extension, such that each of the first and second element assembly intersect through the rectangular opening of the other element assembly at the line of intersection.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the stacked plies comprise semi-finished textiles, woven fabrics, unidirectional reinforced fabrics, non-crimp fabrics, carbon-fiber reinforced plastics or unidirectional reinforced tapes.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the stacked plies are staggered in length in the region of the first and second comb teeth portions so that the overlapping comb teeth portions of pairs of first and second comb components form stepped-lap joints.