Mounting device for an aircraft

• US 7,810,757 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Evans, David W., Gregg, Paul S., Kirkwood, Brad L, Will, Jeff D., Miller, Gerald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/556,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 244/123.1, 244/119, 244/117.R, 244/120, 244/123.12, 244/123.13, 244/123.14, 244/123.2, 244/123.3, 244/123.4, 244/123.7, 244/123.8, 244/131, 244/132
• US Class Current: 244/123.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/28 Leading or trailing edges attached to primary structures, e.g. forming fixed slots
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53991 Work gripper, anvil, or element

Abstract

The invention relates to a mounting device in an aircraft. In one aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed for assembling a metal securement member of the mounting device. In another aspect of the invention, a mounting device is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed for installing and using a mounting device in an aircraft.

Claims

1. A method of installing a mounting device in a structural member of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

assembling a metal securement member by;

holding unassembled metal sheets together in a constrained position so that the unassembled metal sheets do not move relative to one another;

welding the unassembled metal sheets together with the metal sheets fixedly held in the constrained position so that the metal sheets do not move relative to one another during the welding; and

annealing the welded together metal sheets while fixedly maintaining the welded metal sheets in the constrained position so that the welded metal sheets to not move relative to one another during the annealing;

positioning a mounting device within a channel formed in the structural member, wherein the mounting device comprises the assembled metal securement member and a composite member attached to the metal securement member; and

attaching the composite member to the structural member within the channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembled metal securement member comprises one of a pi chord, T chord, J chord, I beam, sinewave beam, or F beam.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the assembled metal securement member has a pi chord shape.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the assembled metal securement member has a T chord shape.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the assembled metal securement member has a J chord shape.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the assembled metal securement member has an I beam shape.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the assembled metal securement member has a sinewave beam shape.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the assembled metal securement member has a F beam shape.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembled metal securement member comprises:

a cap member; and

two spaced apart arms connected to and extending from a first surface of the cap member;

wherein the composite member is attached to a second surface of the cap member, opposite the first surface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the composite member is attached along an entire length and along an entire width of the second surface of the cap member.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the composite member, the cap member, and the channel all have identical lengths and identical widths.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the composite member extends beyond a perimeter of the cap member.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising bonding a spar to and between the two spaced apart arms with an adhesive so that excess of the adhesive seeps out holes, disposed along lengths of the two spaced apart arms, from between the two spaced apart arms to outside of the two spaced apart arms.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the structural member comprises at least one of a wing, wing skin, fuselage, fuselage skin, fin, aileron, floor, or ceiling.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

positioning a second mounting device within a second channel formed in the structural member, wherein the second mounting device comprises a second assembled metal securement member and a second composite member attached to the assembled metal securement member; and

attaching the second composite member to the structural member within the second channel.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the structural member is an aircraft wing.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the mounting device within the channel is positioned opposing the second mounting device in the second channel.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising attaching a spar to the mounting device and the second mounting device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the spar attaches to the mounting device and the second mounting device over substantially an entire length of the wing.

20. An aircraft wing manufactured according the method of claim 1.

21. An aircraft manufactured according to the method of claim 1.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal securement member is made of a titanium alloy.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the composite member is made of a graphite fiber epoxy laminate.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the graphite fiber epoxy laminate comprises a lay-up of 70 to 80% zero degree fibers and 20 to 30% forty-five degree fibers.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching comprises abutting and adhering the composite member to a bottom surface of the channel and to two opposed side surfaces of the channel.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising vacuum bagging and curing the assembled metal securement member and the composite member in an oven at about atmospheric pressure or in an autoclave at greater than atmospheric pressure.

27. A method of installing a mounting device in a structural member of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

positioning a mounting device within a channel formed in the structural member, wherein the mounting device comprises a metal securement member, comprising a cap member and two spaced apart arms connected to and extending from a first surface of the cap member, and a composite member attached to a second surface of the cap member opposite the first surface;

attaching the composite member to the structural member within the channel; and

bonding a spar to and between the two spaced apart arms with an adhesive so that excess of the adhesive seeps out holes, disposed along lengths of the two spaced apart arms, from between the two spaced apart arms to outside of the two spaced apart arms.