Method and apparatus for joining composite panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11242877-B2
Application number	US-201916240736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2019
Priority date	Jan 5, 2019
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A method of joining panels is disclosed, including adhesively bonding a case in a slot of a first panel, the case having a channel on an inner side, and adhesively bonding a plate to a tab portion of a second panel, the plate having an external pin member. The method further includes inserting the tab portion of the second panel into the case in the slot of the first panel and sliding the external pin member of the plate along the channel on the inner side of the case, to a locking position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of joining panels, comprising:
adhesively bonding a case in a slot of a first panel, the case having a channel on an inner side,
adhesively bonding a plate to a tab portion of a second panel, the plate having an external pin member, and
inserting the tab portion of the second panel into the case in the slot of the first panel, and sliding the external pin member of the plate along the channel on the inner side of the case to a locking position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel has a restricted neck portion configured to resist movement of the external pin member out of the locking position of the channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plate is bonded to the tab portion by a peel-and-stick pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tab portion has first and second sides, the plate being bonded to the first side of the tab portion, a second plate being bonded to the second side of the tab portion, the second plate having an external pin member, the case having a second channel, each of the external pin members being configured to engage one of the channels on the inside of the case.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting a bracket to the first and second panels, the bracket being configured to prevent sliding movement between the panels.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inserting an internal pin member of the plate into a hole in the tab portion.

7. A panel assembly, comprising:
a first panel including a core sandwiched between a front skin and a back skin, a slot through the front skin, and a case nested and adhesively bonded in the slot, the case having a first channel on an inner side, and
a second panel including a tab member along an edge portion configured for insertion into the case in the slot of the first panel, the tab member having two opposing parallel side surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces being adhesively bonded to a plate having an external pin member configured for engaging the first channel of the case.

8. The panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein the case has a second channel, the first and second channels being on opposite sides of the case, each of the side surfaces of the tab member being bonded to a plate having an external pin member configured for engaging one of the first and second channels of the case.

9. The panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein each plate has an internal pin member inserted into a hole in the adjoined side surface of the tab member.

10. The panel assembly of claim 9 , wherein the internal pin member is elongate.

11. The panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first channel has a first leg and a second leg, each of the first and second legs having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the second leg being parallel to the front and back skins of the first panel.

12. The panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second leg of the first channel has a restricted neck portion configured to resist sliding of the external pin member out of a locking end position of the second leg.

13. The panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein the external pin member is elongate.

14. The panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plate has plural pin members, and the case has plural coplanar channels on the inner side of the case, each pin member being configured to engage a different coplanar channel.

15. The panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first panel forms a right angle with the second panel.

16. A method of reversibly joining first and second panels, comprising:
bonding a plate to a tab portion on an edge of the first panel, the plate having an internal pin member extending into a hole in the tab portion, and having an external pin member,
inserting the tab portion of the first panel in a first direction into a case nested in a wall portion of the second panel, engaging the external pin member of the plate with a channel on an inner side of the case, wherein the wall portion has a front skin, and
sliding the first panel relative to the second panel in a second direction parallel to the front skin until the pin member reaches a locking end position of the channel.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
moving the pin member through a stepped transition of the channel between the inserting and sliding steps.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
connecting a bracket to the first and second panels configured to prevent sliding movement between the panels.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
sliding the pin member in a third direction opposite of the second direction, and in a fourth direction opposite of the first direction to disassemble the first panel from the second panel.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Cysewski Sean Richard
• Barney Christopher Blaine

Classifications

• F16B5/01 Primary

  by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels · CPC title

• F16B11/006 Primary

  by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48) · CPC title

• F16B21/04

  with bayonet catch · CPC title

• F16B21/09

  Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot · CPC title

• F16B5/0614

  in angled relationship · CPC title