Assembly apparatus for forming an interfay joint during manufacture of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11001364-B2
Application number	US-201816033710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

An assembly apparatus for forming an interfay joint during manufacture of an aircraft (10). The assembly apparatus includes an assembly jig (40) to hold a first joint component (26), and an applicator (43) configured to apply an uncured layer of shim to the first joint component. The assembly jig locates, subsequent to the uncured layer of shim being applied, a second joint component (23) in an assembled joint position spaced from the first joint component. As such the uncured layer of shim is compressed between the first and second joint components. A method of forming an interfay joint during manufacture of an aircraft, an interfay joint for an aircraft, an aircraft aerodynamic surface, an aircraft, and a shim layer applicator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly apparatus for forming an interfay joint during manufacture of an aircraft comprising:
an assembly jig configured to hold a first joint component;
a shim layer applicator configured to apply an uncured layer of shim to the first joint component, while the uncured layer of shim is sandwiched between the first joint component and the shim layer applicator; and
the assembly jig is configured to locate, subsequent to the uncured layer of shim being applied, a second joint component in an assembled joint position spaced from the first joint component such that the uncured layer of shim is compressed between the first and second joint components.

2. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first joint component comprises a plurality of joint surfaces, wherein each of the joint surfaces is spaced from the second joint component, and
wherein the shim layer applicator is configured to apply the uncured layer of shim to each of the joint surfaces substantially simultaneously.

3. The assembly apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the shim layer applicator comprises an uncured shim retaining bath.

4. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly jig is configured to hold a sub-assembly comprising the first joint component.

5. The assembly apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the sub-assembly comprises a plurality of first joint components.

6. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first joint component is spaced from the second joint component by a gap of at least 0.3 mm, and
the shim layer applicator is configured to apply the uncured layer of shim to have a thickness of at least 0.3 mm.

7. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a curing system configured to cure the layer of shim compressed between the first and second joint components to form a cured layer of shim on the first joint component.

8. The assembly apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the assembly jig is configured to, subsequent to the layer of shim being cured, move the second joint component away from the cured layer of shim on the first joint component.

9. The assembly apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a fixing configured to fix, in the assembled joint position, the second joint component against the cured layer of shim on the first joint component when the fixing acts on the first and second joint components.

10. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shim layer applicator is configured to apply the uncured layer of shim to the first joint component such that the uncured layer of shim has a thickness of at least 0.3 mm.

11. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly jig is configured to hold an aircraft sub-assembly including a rib, the rib forming the first joint component, comprising a plurality of rib feet for fixing to a lower cover,
wherein the shim layer applicator is configured to apply an uncured layer of shim to each of the plurality of rib feet,
the assembly jig being configured to locate, after the uncured layer of shim is applied, the lower cover, forming the second joint component, in an assembled position spaced from the plurality of rib feet so that the layer of shim is compressed between each of the plurality of rib feet and the lower cover.

12. The assembly apparatus according to claim 11 , in which the aircraft sub-assembly is an aircraft wing box.

13. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shim layer applicator includes a bath configured to receive the uncured layer of shim, and the bath is configured to be aligned with and cover at least one surface of the first joint component to receive the uncured layer of shim.

14. The assembly apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the bath includes a plurality of troughs and each trough is configured to align with a respective surface of the first joint component to receive the uncured layer of shim.

15. An assembly apparatus for forming an interfay joint during manufacture of an aircraft comprising:
an assembly jig configured to hold a first joint component, and
a shim layer applicator configured to apply an uncured layer of shim to the first joint component,
a curing system configured to cure the uncured layer of shim compressed between the first and second joint components to form a cured layer of shim on the first joint component, and
a sealant applicator configured to apply a layer of sealant to the cured layer of shim on the first joint component;
wherein the assembly jig configured to locate, subsequent to the uncured layer of shim being applied, a second joint component in an assembled joint position spaced from the first joint component such that the uncured layer of shim is compressed between the first and second joint components, and
wherein the assembly jig is configured to, subsequent to the layer of shim being cured, move the second joint component away from the cured layer of shim on the first joint component.

16. The assembly apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the assembly jig is configured to locate, subsequent to the layer of sealant being applied, the second joint component in the assembled joint position with the cured layer of shim on the first joint component.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Edwards Paul
• Salisbury Ross
• Peacock Antony

Classifications

• B64C3/18

  Spars; Ribs; Stringers · CPC title

• B29L2031/3085

  Wings · CPC title

• B64C1/12

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• B64C3/26 Primary

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