Rupture fairings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11260957-B2
Application number	US-201916265443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2019
Priority date	Feb 1, 2019
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

Rupture fairings are disclosed. A disclosed example fairing for use with an aircraft includes a surface to at least partially define an exterior surface of the aircraft when the fairing is installed onto the aircraft, and a membrane to rupture during flight of the aircraft, where the membrane defines at least a portion of the exterior surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fairing for use with an aircraft, the fairing comprising:
a surface to at least partially define an exterior of the aircraft when the fairing is installed onto the aircraft; and
a membrane to rupture during flight of the aircraft, wherein the membrane defines at least a portion of the surface, the membrane including a base portion having a first thickness and grooves extending therethrough, the grooves defining a second thickness of the membrane that is less than the first thickness, the membrane to rupture along the grooves.

2. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , wherein the grooves define a fracture pattern on the membrane.

3. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , wherein the grooves extend radially along the membrane.

4. The fairing as defined in claim 3 , wherein a radial center of the first grooves is positioned at a geometric center of the membrane.

5. The fairing as defined in claim 3 , wherein the grooves are first grooves, the membrane to include second grooves arranged in concentric circles.

6. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , further including a flange portion surrounding the membrane.

7. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , further including a relief channel to increase a conformability of the fairing.

8. The fairing as defined in claim 7 , wherein the relief channel surrounds a periphery of the membrane.

9. The fairing as defined in claim 7 , wherein the fairing is at least partially composed of cyanate ester.

10. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , wherein rupturing of the membrane is to occur when a threshold pressure or a threshold temperature has been exceeded.

11. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , further including a device to rupture the fairing.

12. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fairing is ruptured upon firing of a weapon.

13. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fairing is ruptured upon ejection or launch of an object therethrough.

14. The fairing as defined in claim 1 , wherein the grooves are arranged in a rectangular grid.

15. The fairing as defined in claim 6 , wherein the flange portion fully surrounds an outer perimeter of the membrane.

16. The fairing as defined in claim 6 , wherein the flange portion includes a six-sided polygonal shape.

17. An aircraft fairing comprising:
a surface to at least partially define an exterior of an aircraft when the surface is placed onto an exterior opening of the aircraft; and
a thinned membrane extending through a portion of the surface, wherein the thinned membrane includes a base portion having a first thickness and grooves that define a second thickness of the thinned membrane that is less than the first thickness, the thinned membrane to rupture along the grooves when a projectile from an interior of the aircraft impacts the thinned membrane.

18. The aircraft fairing as defined in claim 17 , wherein the grooves define a fracture pattern on the thinned membrane.

19. The aircraft fairing as defined in claim 17 , wherein the grooves extend radially along the thinned membrane.

20. The aircraft fairing as defined in claim 19 , wherein a radial center from which the grooves extend radially is positioned at a geometric center of the thinned membrane.

21. The aircraft fairing as defined in claim 19 , wherein the grooves are first grooves, the thinned membrane to include second grooves arranged in concentric circles, the second grooves defining a third thickness of the base portion that is equal to or less than the second thickness.

22. The aircraft fairing as defined in claim 17 , further including a flange portion surrounding the thinned membrane.

23. The aircraft fairing as defined in claim 22 , wherein the flange portion fully surrounds an outer perimeter of the thinned membrane.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Waldrop Iii John Cleveland
• Urcia Jr Manny S
• Johnson Robert Ray
• Huhman Samuel Jerome
• Liu Xue
• Lamey Iii William A
• Roberts Anthony
• Woods Lucian

Classifications

• B64D7/04

  fixedly mounted · CPC title

• F41A35/04

  Muzzle covers · CPC title

• B64C7/00 Primary

  Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for · CPC title