Monolithic composite structures for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099765-B2
Application number	US-201213569683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2012
Priority date	Aug 8, 2012
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus comprising a monolithic composite structure, a first edge of the monolithic composite structure, and a second edge of the monolithic composite structure. The first edge of the monolithic composite structure has a first shape configured to be connected to a structure in a vehicle. The second edge of the monolithic composite structure has a second shape configured to be connected to a body of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a monolithic composite structure having a substantially planar shape, the monolithic composite structure comprising:
a first edge of the monolithic composite structure having a first shape, wherein the first shape is a T-shape; and
a second edge of the monolithic composite structure having a second shape, wherein the second edge includes a plurality of flanges integrally extending from the second edge, wherein the plurality of flanges is connected to a skin of a vehicle; and

a floor connected to the first edge, wherein the floor is supported within an interior of the vehicle by the T-shape of the first edge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic composite structure forms a frame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic composite structure is configured to carry a load during operation of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic composite structure is configured to dissipate energy from an impact to the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:
a number of deformable areas in the monolithic composite structure configured to deform when dissipating the energy from the impact to the vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the number of deformable areas is selected from at least one of a non-planar region and a planar region.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a number of load areas in the monolithic composite structure located between the first edge and the second edge of the monolithic composite structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the number of load areas is a number of non-planar regions.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a number of openings in the monolithic composite structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the skin of the vehicle is selected from one of a fuselage and a hull.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is selected from one of an aircraft, a rotorcraft, an airship, a hovercraft, a ship, a surface ship, a submarine, an amphibious vehicle, a spacecraft, a space shuttle, a bus, a train, military vehicles, and commercial vehicles.

12. A support system for an aircraft, the support system comprising:
a plurality of frames, wherein a frame in the plurality of frames comprises a monolithic composite structure comprising:
a first edge of the monolithic composite structure having a first shape, wherein the first shape is a T-shape; and
a second edge of the monolithic composite structure having a second shape configured to be connected to a fuselage of the aircraft, wherein the second edge includes a plurality of flanges integrally extending from the second edge, wherein the plurality of flanges is connected to a skin of the aircraft; and

a floor connected to the first edge, wherein the floor is supported within an interior of the aircraft by the T-shape of the first edge.

13. A method for operating a vehicle, the method comprising:
operating the vehicle having a number of structures, wherein the number of structures is a floor in an interior of the vehicle; and
supporting the number of structures in the vehicle with a support system having a number of frames, wherein a frame in the number of frames comprises a monolithic composite structure, the monolithic composite structure comprising:
a first edge of the monolithic composite structure having a first shape connected to the number of structures in the vehicle, wherein the first shape is a T-shape; and
a second edge of the monolithic composite structure having a second shape connected to a skin of the vehicle, wherein the second edge includes a plurality of flanges integrally extending from the second edge, wherein the plurality of flanges is connected to the skin of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
deforming a number of deformable areas in the monolithic composite structure in response to energy from an impact to the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the number of deformable areas is selected from at least one of a non-planar region and a planar region.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the monolithic composite structure has a number of openings.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the floor within the interior of the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a floor for a passenger compartment, a floor for a cargo area, a floor for a flight deck, and a floor for an avionics compartment.

18. The support system of claim 12 , wherein the floor within the interior of the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a floor for a passenger compartment, a floor for a cargo area, a floor for a flight deck, and a floor for an avionics compartment.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the floor within the interior of the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a floor for a passenger compartment, a floor for a cargo area, a floor for a flight deck, and a floor for an avionics compartment.

Assignees

• Paci Robert
• Flores Daniel
• Ayson Faustino A
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Paci Robert
• Flores Daniel
• Ayson Faustino A

Classifications

• Y10T428/24777

  Edge feature · CPC title

• B29C70/30

  Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core · CPC title

• B64C1/061 Primary

  Frames · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• Y02T50/43

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic