Panel structure and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084565-B2
Application number	US-201815999714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2018
Priority date	Oct 16, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A panel structure for a vehicle, and especially for an aircraft or spacecraft, includes an area member, especially a skin member, that defines an areal expanse with a first surface and an opposite second surface and having a thickness between the first and second surfaces; and a plurality of elongate stiffener members which are attached to the area member and extend over at least one of the first and second surfaces; wherein at least one of the stiffener members is bifurcated at a bifurcation point into two or more branch stiffener members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spoiler for an aircraft, the spoiler comprising:
a unitary body comprising:
a skin with a first side that defines a portion of an outer surface of the aircraft and a second side opposite the first side; and
a plurality of intersecting stiffening members extending away from the second side of the skin and forming a plurality of bays, each bay surrounded by stiffening members, and wherein at least one stiffening member comprises a bifurcation point wherein the at least one stiffening member splits into at least two stiffening members.

2. The spoiler of claim 1 , wherein the unitary body is formed by an additive layer manufacturing method.

3. The spoiler of claim 1 further comprising:
a second skin, wherein the plurality of intersecting stiffening members are disposed between the skin and the second skin.

4. The spoiler of claim 1 wherein the body has a tapering thickness.

5. The spoiler of claim 1 wherein at least a first bay from the plurality of bays is formed as a quadrilateral bay.

6. The spoiler of claim 5 , wherein the quadrilateral bay is disposed along an edge of the spoiler.

7. The spoiler of claim 6 wherein the quadrilateral bay has a tapering thickness.

8. The spoiler of claim 5 wherein a second plurality of bays from the plurality of bays are each formed as a quadrilateral bay.

9. The spoiler of claim 8 wherein the quadrilateral bays are disposed along a trailing edge of the spoiler.

10. The spoiler of claim 1 wherein the plurality of intersecting stiffening members having a tapering height.

11. The spoiler of claim 1 wherein the spoiler is formed by milling.

12. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage and two wings, each wing comprising at least one flap and at least one spoiler, wherein the spoiler comprises a unitary body comprising:
a skin with a first side that defines a portion of an outer surface of the aircraft and a second side opposite the first side; and
a plurality of intersecting stiffening members extending away from the second side of the skin and forming a plurality of bays, each bay surrounded by stiffening members, and wherein at least one stiffening member comprises a bifurcation point wherein the at least one stiffening member splits into at least two stiffening members.

13. The aircraft of claim 12 , wherein the unitary body is formed by an additive layer manufacturing method.

14. The aircraft of claim 12 further comprising:
a second skin, wherein the plurality of intersecting stiffening members are disposed between the skin and the second skin.

15. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein a second plurality of bays from the plurality of bays are each formed as a quadrilateral bay.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 wherein the quadrilateral bays are disposed along a trailing edge of the spoiler.

17. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the plurality of intersecting stiffening members having a tapering height.

18. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the body comprises a stiffener extending along an edge of the body.

19. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the spoiler is formed by milling.

20. A method of constructing a spoiler for an aircraft wing, the method comprising:
forming a unitary body, wherein the unitary body has a skin with a first side that defines a portion of an outer surface of the aircraft, a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of intersecting stiffening members extending away from the second side of the skin and forming a plurality of bays, each bay surrounded by stiffening members, and wherein at least one stiffening member comprises a bifurcation point wherein the at least one stiffening member splits into at least two stiffening members, and,
wherein the unitary body is formed by milling.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Seack Oliver

Classifications

• B64C1/10 Primary

  Bulkheads · CPC title

• B64C1/064 Primary

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• B64C3/20

  Integral or sandwich constructions · CPC title

• B64G1/22

  Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title