Fluted core sandwich shell edge joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173406-B2
Application number	US-201715432024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2017
Priority date	Feb 14, 2017
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A composite wall assembly edge joint including a first composite buildup pad having a first tapered section is secured to and extends along a first composite face sheet. A second composite buildup pad having a second tapered section is secured to and extends along a second composite face sheet, wherein the first and second composite buildup pads are positioned between spaced apart first and second composite face sheets. A composite flute core member includes a tapered first portion positioned between and secured to the first tapered section and to the second tapered section. A second portion of the composite flute core member extends in a direction away from the tapered first portion of the composite flute core member and is positioned between, extends along and is secured to the first and second composite face sheets.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A composite wall assembly edge joint, comprising:
a first composite buildup pad having a first tapered section is secured to and extends along a first composite face sheet;
a second composite buildup pad having a second tapered section is secured to and extends along a second composite face sheet, wherein the first and second composite buildup pads are positioned between spaced apart first and second composite face sheets; and
a composite flute core member comprising:
a tapered first portion positioned between and secured to the first tapered section and to the second tapered section; and
a second portion of the composite flute core member extends in a direction away from the tapered first portion of the composite flute core member and is positioned between, extends along and is secured to the first and second composite face sheets.

2. A composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 1 , wherein:
the first composite buildup pad extends in a direction away from a first end of the first composite sheet face;
the first tapered section of the first composite buildup pad has a first inclined surface with a thickness of the first tapered section reducing in dimension as the first composite buildup pad extends in the direction away from the first end;
the second composite buildup pad extends in a direction away from a second end of the second composite sheet face; and
the second tapered section of the second composite buildup pad has a second inclined surface with a thickness of the second tapered section reducing in dimension as the second composite buildup pad extends in the direction away from the second end.

3. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 2 , further including a bridge composite structure positioned between the first composite buildup pad and the second composite buildup pad, wherein:
the bridge composite structure is secured to both the first and second build up pads; and
the bridge composite structure extends along the first composite build up pad in a direction away from the first end of the first composite face sheet and extends along the second composite buildup pad in a direction away from the second end of second composite face sheet.

4. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 3 , edge joint further including the bridge composite structure is post bonded to the first composite build up pad and is post bonded to the second composite build up pad.

5. The composite assembly edge joint of claim 4 , further including a first hole extending in a first direction through the first composite sheet face, the first composite build up pad, the bridge composite structure, the second composite buildup pad and the second composite face sheet.

6. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 5 , further including a first portion of a second hole extending through the bridge composite structure in a second direction transverse to the first direction of the first hole such that the first portion of the second hole is in communication with the first hole and a second portion of the second hole extends within the bridge composite structure in the second direction spaced apart across the first hole and aligned with the first portion of the second hole.

7. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 6 , further including a barrel nut having a hole which extends through the barrel nut with the barrel nut positioned within the first hole of the bridge composite structure, wherein:
the barrel nut having a threaded surface defined by an inner wall surface of the hole; and
the hole of the barrel nut is positioned aligned with the first and second portions of the second hole of the bridge composite structure.

8. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 7 , further including a bolt comprising threads compatible to the threaded surface defined by the inner wall surface of the hole of the barrel nut, wherein:
the bolt is positioned within the first portion of the second hole of the bridge composite structure; and
the threads of the bolt engage the threaded surface defined by the inner wall surface of the hole of the barrel nut.

9. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 2 , further including:
the tapered first portion of the flute core member having a first inclined surface relative to the first face sheet and extends along the first inclined surface of the first composite build up pad such that the first inclined surface of the first portion of the composite flute core member is positioned further from the first composite face sheet as the first portion of the composite flute core member extends in a direction toward the first end of the first composite face sheet; and
the first portion of the composite flute core member having a second inclined surface relative to the second face sheet and extends along a second inclined surface of the second build up pad such that the second inclined surface of the first portion of the composite flute core member is positioned further from second face sheet as the first portion extends in a direction toward the second end of the second composite face sheet.

10. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 9 , further including:
the first portion of the composite flute core member comprising a first wall member with the first inclined surface of the first portion of the composite flute core member positioned on the first wall member and the first portion of the composite flute core member comprising a second wall member with the second inclined surface of the first portion of the composite flute core member positioned on the second wall member; and
the first wall member and the second wall member are spaced apart and converge as the first wall member extends in the direction of the first end of the first composite face sheet and the second wall member extends in a direction of the second end of the second composite face sheet.

11. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 9 , further including:
the first inclined surface of the tapered first portion of the composite flute core member is co-cured to the first inclined surface of the first composite build up pad;
the second inclined surface of the first portion of the composite flute core member is co-bonded to the second inclined surface of the second composite build up pad; and
the second portion of the composite flute core member is co-bonded to the first composite face sheet and to the second composite face sheet.

12. The composite wall assembly edge joint of claim 1 , further including the first composite build up pad is co-bonded to the first composite face sheet and the second composite build up pad is co-cured to the second composite face sheet.

13. A method for assembling a composite wall assembly edge joint, comprising the steps of:
laying up a first composite buildup pad having a first tapered section onto a cured first composite face sheet with an adhesive layer positioned between the first composite buildup pad and the first composite face sheet;
positioning a composite flute core member, comprising a tapered first portion comprising a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface wherein:
the first inclined surface of the composite flute core member is positioned onto the first tapered section of the first composite buildup pad; and
a second portion of the composite flute core member extends from the first portion along first composite face sheet with an adhesive film positioned between the second portion and the first composite face sheet;

heating at least the first composite buildup pad and the composite flute core member, co-curing the first composite buildup and the compo

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Guzman Juan Carlos
• Hand Michael Leslie
• Mccarville Douglas

Classifications

• B32B3/02

  characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions {(non-uniform thickness B32B3/263)} · CPC title

• B32B2250/05

  5 or more layers · CPC title

• B32B3/266

  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 title

• B32B2605/18

  Aircraft · CPC title

• B32B37/12

  characterised by using adhesives · CPC title