IMPACT RESISTANT AND DAMAGE TOLERANT AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE

• US 20130099057A1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE), Airbus Operations SL (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE), Airbus Operations SL (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Santolalla, Eduardo Vinue, Guillemaut, Julien, Abaurrea, Pablo Goya, Martino Gonzalez, Esteban, Guinaldo Fernandez, Enrique, Cortes, Diego Folch
• Granted Patent: US 8,678,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/121
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/062 specially adapted to absorb crash loads
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/0685 Tail cones
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2027/005 Aircraft with an unducted turbofan comprising contra-rotating rotors, e.g. contra-rotating open rotors [CROR]
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/14 within, or attached to, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

Aircraft fuselage section (32) subjected to impacts of external bodies, the aircraft fuselage having a curved shape with at least a vertical symmetry plane (A-A) and a central longitudinal axis and comprising a skin (35) and a plurality of frames (37) arranged perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis (33), the aircraft fuselage section also comprising at least an inner reticular structure (51, 53) mounted on a supporting structure (41, 43) comprising longitudinal beams (39) attached to the skin (35) and interconnected with said frames (37), said inner reticular structure (51, 53) being arranged for creating at least one closed cell (75) with the skin (35) for improving its resistance and its damage tolerance to said impacts. Said inner reticular structure (51, 53) can be formed by panels (61), rods (65, 65′), cables (67, 67′) or belts (69, 69′).

Claims

1. Aircraft fuselage section (32) subjected to impacts of external bodies, the aircraft fuselage having a curved shape with at least a vertical symmetry plane (A-A) and a central longitudinal axis and comprising a skin (35) and a plurality of frames (37) arranged perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis (33), characterized in that also comprises at least an inner reticular structure (51, 53) mounted on a supporting structure (41, 43) comprising longitudinal beams (39) attached to the skin (35) and interconnected with said frames (37), said inner reticular structure (51, 53) being arranged for creating at least one closed cell (75) with the skin (35) for improving its resistance and its damage tolerance to said impacts.

2. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to claim 1, also comprising additional longitudinal beams (39) to the beams belonging to said supporting structure (41, 43) attached to the skin (35) and interconnected with said frames (37).

3. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 1-2, wherein the supporting structure (41) is formed by a set of beams (39) and frames (37).

4. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to claim 3, wherein the inner reticular structure (51) is arranged substantially parallel to the skin (35).

5. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 1-2, wherein the supporting structure (43) is formed by two longitudinal beams (39) and a set of transversal elements (34) between them.

6. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to claim 5, wherein the supporting structure (43) is configured for providing a full planar supporting surface to the said inner reticular structure (53).

7. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to claim 5, wherein the supporting structure (43) also comprises longitudinal elements (36) interconnected with said transversal members (34) and is configured for providing a planar polygonal supporting surface to the inner reticular structure (53).

8. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to claim 5, wherein the supporting structure (43) also comprises longitudinal elements (36) interconnected with said transversal elements (34) and is configured for providing a curved supporting surface to the inner reticular structure (53).

9. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 3-8, wherein the inner reticular structure (51, 53) comprises panels (61) of a composite material, a metallic material or other high strength material including two resistant elements (63, 63′

) in two different directions to the directions of the traces of the members of the supporting structure (41, 43) that are attached to it by suitable attaching means.

10. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 3-8, wherein the inner reticular structure (51, 53) comprises discrete elements (65, 65′

;

67, 67′

;

69, 69′

) oriented in one or two different directions to the directions of the traces of the members of the supporting structure (41, 43) that are attached to it by suitable attaching means.

11. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to claim 10, wherein said discrete elements (65, 65′

;

67, 67′

;

69, 69′

) are attached to the intersection zones of the members of the supporting structure (41, 43).

12. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 10-11, wherein said discrete elements (65, 65′

) are rods of a composite material, a light metallic alloy or other high strength material.

13. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 10-11, wherein said discrete elements (67, 67′

) are cables of one of the following materials;

carbon, steel, nylon or other high strength material such as Kevlar®

or aramide.

14. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 10-11, wherein said discrete elements (69, 69′

) are belts of one of the following materials;

carbon, steel, nylon or other high strength material such as Kevlar®

or aramide.

15. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 1-14, wherein said skin (35), said frames (37) and said beams (39) are made of a composite material.

16. Aircraft fuselage section (32) according to any of claims 1-15, wherein said impact of an external body is one or more of the following:

an impact of a part detached from the aircraft propulsion system, an impact of an ice shedding, an impact of a debris detached from the aircraft, a bird strike, a severe in flight hail, a ballistic projectile.

17. Aircraft provided with a propulsion system (13) located in the rear end of an aircraft and an empennage (21, 23) behind the propulsion system (13) characterized by comprising a fuselage section (32) on its rear end affected by impacts of detached parts of said propulsion system according to any of claims 1-15.