One-piece composite bifurcated winglet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10836472-B2
Application number	US-201615344581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2016
Priority date	Dec 5, 2013
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A manufacture and process for a winglet formed as a unitary structure by laying up and co-curing three ply-sets in a bifurcated configuration, without metal and fasteners, comprising three continuous surfaces: a first ply-set comprising a first continuous surface forming: an outboard surface of an upper blade; an outboard portion of a root region; and an outboard surface of a lower blade; a second ply-set forming a second continuous surface forming an inboard surface of the upper blade and an upper skin of the root region; and a third ply-set forming a third continuous surface forming an inboard surface of the lower blade and a lower skin of the root region . . . continuous surface. The root region being integral in the bifurcated configuration, matching a shape of an airfoil of a tip of a wing, and comprising two supports that comprise an additional ply-set shaped to receive an attachment system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacture that comprises a winglet that comprises a unitary bifurcated structure that comprises three ply-sets co-cured to comprise a root region integral to the unitary bifurcated structure and configured for attachment onto a tip of a wing such that an outboard portion of: the root region, an upper blade of the winglet, and a lower blade of the winglet, each comprise a first ply-set of the three ply-sets such that the outboard portion of the root region and the lower blade of the winglet each comprises more ply layers than a number of ply layers in a portion of the first ply-set that forms the outboard portion of the upper blade of the winglet.

2. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising the winglet being devoid of fasteners.

3. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising the winglet being devoid of any attached fairing component.

4. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising the winglet being devoid of any attached splicing component.

5. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising the winglet being devoid of any metallic components.

6. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising an inboard portion of the upper blade of the winglet and an upper skin of the root region that each comprise a second ply-set of the three ply-sets.

7. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising an inboard portion of a lower upper blade of the winglet and a lower skin of the root region that each comprise a third ply-set of the three ply-sets.

8. The manufacture of claim 1 , further comprising a trailing edge of the root region of the winglet comprising at least one ply from a ply-set, of the three ply-sets, that forms the upper blade of the winglet and at least one ply from a ply-set, of the three ply-sets, that forms the lower blade of the winglet.

9. A process for making a winglet for a tip of a wing, the process comprising:
laying up a first ply-set onto a first part of a tool that molds an outboard portion of: a root region, an upper blade of the winglet, and a lower blade of the winglet, such that the outboard portion of the root region and the lower blade of the winglet each comprises more ply layers than a number of ply layers in a portion of the first ply-set that forms the outboard portion of the upper blade of the winglet;
laying up a second ply-set onto the first ply-set;
laying up a third ply-set onto the first ply-set;
attaching a second part of the tool onto the first part of the tool and over the second ply-set;
attaching a third part of the tool onto the first part of the tool and over the third ply-set; and
co-curing the first ply-set, the second ply-set, and the third ply-set, to form the winglet as a unitary structure comprising a bifurcated shape comprising a root region integral in the unitary structure.

10. The process of claim 9 , further comprising forming a trailing edge of the root region via co-curing at least one ply in the second ply-set to at least one ply in the third ply-set in a gap between a trailing edge of the second part and the third part of the tool.

11. The process of claim 9 , further comprising the unitary structure being devoid of fasteners, any attached fairing component, and any attached splicing component.

12. The process of claim 9 , further comprising the winglet being devoid of any metallic components.

13. The process of claim 9 , further comprising the first ply-set comprising more ply layers in a portion of the first ply-set that forms an outboard portion of the root region and the lower blade of the winglet, than a number of ply layers in a portion of the first ply-set that forms the upper blade of the winglet.

14. The process of claim 9 , further comprising the root region comprising a first support and a second support.

15. The process of claim 14 , further comprising shaping the first support and the second support for attaching the winglet to the tip of the wing via attaching an attachment system to the first support and the second support.

16. The process of claim 15 , further comprising shaping the first support and the second support via placing a first caul plate and a second caul plate adjacent to a fourth ply-sheet between the second ply-set and the third ply-set during a co-curing of all ply-sets.

17. A manufacture that comprises a winglet that comprises three ply-sets co-cured together in a bifurcated configuration that comprises:
a first continuous surface that comprises:
an outboard surface of an upper blade;
an outboard portion of a root region; and
an outboard surface of a lower blade, and comprises a first ply-set of the three ply-sets;

a second continuous surface that forms an inboard surface of the upper blade and an upper skin of the root region and comprises a second ply-set of the three ply-sets;
a third continuous surface that forms an inboard surface of the lower blade and a lower skin of the root region and comprises a third ply-set of the three ply-sets;
the root region, integral in the bifurcated configuration and configured:
to match a shape of an airfoil of a tip of a wing;
comprising two supports that comprise an additional ply-set shaped to receive an attachment system; and
comprising a trailing edge that comprises at least one ply from the second ply-set and at least one ply from the third ply-set co-cured together.

18. The manufacture of claim 17 , further comprising, a first spar co-cured within the upper blade and a second spar co-cured with the lower blade, such that the first spar and the second spar are co-cured to the additional ply-set.

19. The manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the outboard portion of the root region and the lower blade of the winglet each comprises more ply layers than a number of ply layers in a portion of the first ply-set that forms the outboard portion of the upper blade of the winglet.

20. The manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the outboard portion of the root region and the lower blade of the winglet each comprises at least two more ply layers than a number of ply layers in a portion of the first ply-set that forms the outboard portion of the upper blade of the winglet.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Witte Philipp
• Stawski Stanley Warren
• Kleshchev Fedor A
• Zarfos Joshua William
• Naidu Parth R

Classifications

• B32B5/02

  characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)} · CPC title

• B29C70/345

  using matched moulds · CPC title

• B64C5/08

  mounted on, or supported by, wings · CPC title

• B32B27/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B29C70/44

  using isostatic pressure, e.g. pressure difference-moulding, vacuum bag-moulding, autoclave-moulding or expanding rubber-moulding · CPC title