Ventilated aero-structures, aircraft, and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10183736-B2
Application number	US-201615072088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2016
Priority date	May 11, 2012
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

Ventilated aero-structures include a micro-lattice structure operatively coupled to a honeycomb core. The interface between the honeycomb core and the micro-lattice structure is configured to permit air flow to and from the honeycomb core via the micro-lattice structure. Aircraft include a ventilated aero-structure and a ventilation system configured to circulate air through the ventilated aero-structure. Some methods include coupling a micro-lattice structure to a honeycomb core. Some methods include utilizing a ventilated aero-structure to assemble an aircraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ventilated airfoil, comprising:
a micro-lattice structure having a first side and a second side, wherein the micro-lattice structure includes a plurality of truss elements, and wherein the plurality of truss elements defines a plurality of nodes at intersections of two or more truss elements;
an adherence structure formed on the first side of the micro-lattice structure, wherein the adherence structure defines an adherence surface;
a honeycomb core operatively coupled to the first side of the micro-lattice structure and adhered to the adherence surface of the adherence structure, wherein the honeycomb core includes a plurality of walls that defines a plurality of elongate cells; and
a skin operatively coupled to the second side of the micro-lattice structure, wherein the skin defines an outer surface of the ventilated airfoil;
wherein an interface between the honeycomb core and the micro-lattice structure is configured to permit air flow to and from the honeycomb core via the micro-lattice structure.

2. The ventilated airfoil of claim 1 ,
wherein a subset of the plurality of nodes coincides with the first side of the micro-lattice structure and defines a plurality of first-side nodes; and
wherein the adherence structure interconnects at least a subset of the plurality of first-side nodes.

3. The ventilated airfoil of claim 2 ,
wherein the adherence surface defines a grid.

4. The ventilated airfoil of claim 2 ,
wherein the adherence surface defines a plurality of spaced-apart elongate strips.

5. The ventilated airfoil of claim 2 ,
wherein the adherence surface is defined by a plurality of spaced-apart surfaces, wherein each of the plurality of spaced-apart surfaces interconnects the subset of the plurality of first-side nodes.

6. The ventilated airfoil of claim 1 ,
wherein the adherence structure is comprised of a polymer formed from a UV-curable monomer.

7. The ventilated airfoil of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending from the micro-lattice structure into at least a subset of the plurality of elongate cells of the honeycomb core.

8. The ventilated airfoil of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of spaced-apart projections includes subsets of three spaced-apart projections extending into respective elongate cells of the honeycomb core.

9. The ventilated airfoil of claim 7 ,
wherein a subset of the plurality of nodes coincides with the first side of the micro-lattice structure and defines a plurality of first-side nodes;
wherein the adherence structure interconnects at least a subset of the plurality of first-side nodes; and
wherein each spaced-apart projection of the plurality of spaced-apart projections extends from the adherence structure opposite a first-side node of the subset of the plurality of first-side nodes.

10. The ventilated airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the micro-lattice structure has a three-dimensional open-cellular structure configured to permit air flow transverse to the plurality of elongate cells of the honeycomb core.

11. The ventilated airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the micro-lattice structure and the adherence structure are formed integrally together.

12. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
the ventilated airfoil of claim 1 operatively coupled to the fuselage; and
a ventilation system configured to circulate air through the micro-lattice structure of the ventilated airfoil.

13. The aircraft of claim 12 ,
wherein a subset of the plurality of nodes coincides with the first side of the micro-lattice structure and defines a plurality of first-side nodes; and
wherein the adherence structure interconnects at least a subset of the plurality of first-side nodes.

14. The aircraft of claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending from the micro-lattice structure into at least a subset of the plurality of elongate cells of the honeycomb core.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of spaced-apart projections includes subsets of three spaced-apart projections extending into respective elongate cells of the honeycomb core.

16. The aircraft of claim 14 ,
wherein a subset of the plurality of nodes coincides with the first side of the micro-lattice structure and defines a plurality of first-side nodes;
wherein the adherence structure interconnects at least a subset of the plurality of first-side nodes; and
wherein each spaced-apart projection of the plurality of spaced-apart projections extends from the adherence structure opposite a first-side node of the subset of the plurality of first-side nodes.

17. A ventilated aero-structure, comprising:
a micro-lattice structure having a first side and a second side, wherein the micro-lattice structure includes a plurality of truss elements, and wherein the plurality of truss elements defines a plurality of nodes at intersections of two or more truss elements;
an adherence structure formed on the first side of the micro-lattice structure, wherein the adherence structure defines an adherence surface, and wherein the micro-lattice structure and the adherence structure are formed integrally together; and
a honeycomb core operatively coupled to the first side of the micro-lattice structure and adhered to the adherence surface of the adherence structure, wherein the honeycomb core includes a plurality of walls that defines a plurality of elongate cells;
wherein an interface between the honeycomb core and the micro-lattice structure is configured to permit air flow to and from the honeycomb core via the micro-lattice structure.

18. The ventilated aero-structure of claim 17 ,
wherein a subset of the plurality of nodes coincides with the first side of the micro-lattice structure and defines a plurality of first-side nodes; and
wherein the adherence structure interconnects at least a subset of the plurality of first-side nodes.

19. The ventilated aero-structure of claim 17 ,
wherein a subset of the plurality of nodes coincides with the first side of the micro-lattice structure and defines a plurality of first-side nodes;
wherein the adherence structure interconnects at least a subset of the plurality of first-side nodes; and
wherein the adherence structure includes a plurality of spaced-apart projections that each extend from the adherence structure opposite a first-side node of the subset of the first-side nodes.

20. The ventilated aero-structure of claim 17 , further comprising:
a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending from the micro-lattice structure into at least a subset of the plurality of elongate cells of the honeycomb core, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart projections includes subsets of three spaced-apart projections extending into respective elongate cells of the honeycomb core.

21. A ventilated aero-structure, comprising:
a micro-lattice structure having a first side and a second side, wherein the micro-lattice structure includes a plurality of truss elements, and wherein the plurality of truss elements defines a plurality of nodes at intersections of two or more truss elements;
a honeycomb core operatively coupled to the first side of the micro-lattice structure, wherein the honeycomb core includes a plurality of walls that defines a plurality of elongate cells; and
a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending from the micro-lattice structure into at least a subset of the plurality of elongate cells of the honeycomb core, wherein the plurality of spaced-

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Doty Robert E
• Burns Richard W
• Jacobsen Alan Jon
• Yang Sophia Shu

Classifications

• Y10T156/10

  Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor · CPC title

• B64C3/26

  Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels · CPC title

• B32B2307/724

  Permeability to gases, adsorption · CPC title

• B32B2305/024

  Honeycomb · CPC title

• B64C1/06

  Frames; Stringers; Longerons {; Fuselage sections} · CPC title