Aircraft assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401025-B2
Application number	US-201916596045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Oct 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A wing leading edge assembly is disclosed including a leading edge panel and a cover panel located over the structural component. The cover panel has a thermoplastic layer with an inner surface. A thermoplastic fastening member extends through the structural component and is welded to the inner surface so that the structural component is fastened between the inner surface and the fastening member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft assembly comprising:
a structural component,
a cover panel located over the structural component and comprising a thermoplastic layer with an inner surface, and
a thermoplastic fastening member extending through the structural component and welded to the inner surface, with the structural component fastened between the inner surface and the fastening member.

2. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic fastening member is welded to the inner surface of the cover panel by mechanical welding.

3. The aircraft assembly of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic fastening member is welded to the inner surface of the cover panel by at least one of ultrasonic welding, spin welding, and vibration welding.

4. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover panel comprises an aerodynamic surface.

5. The aircraft assembly of claim 4 , wherein the cover panel comprises an outer layer and the thermoplastic layer, the outer layer defining the aerodynamic surface.

6. The aircraft assembly of claim 5 wherein the outer layer is adhered to the thermoplastic layer.

7. The aircraft assembly of claim 5 , wherein the outer layer is an erosion shield.

8. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover panel comprises a heating configuration.

9. The aircraft assembly of claim 8 , wherein the heating configuration is embedded in the thermoplastic layer.

10. The aircraft assembly of claim 8 , wherein the heating configuration comprises an electrically conductive mesh.

11. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic fastening member does not extend through the cover panel.

12. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic fastening member comprises a shaft and a shoulder, wherein the shaft extends through the structural component, and at least part of the structural component is between the cover panel and the shoulder.

13. The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic fastening member extends through a preformed hole in the structural member.

14. A wing leading edge assembly comprising the aircraft assembly of claim 1 .

15. The wing leading edge assembly of claim 14 , wherein the structural component is a leading edge panel.

16. The wing leading edge assembly of claim 14 , wherein the wing leading edge assembly is a natural laminar flow wing leading edge assembly.

17. An aircraft comprising the aircraft assembly of claim 1 .

18. An aircraft assembly comprising:
a structural component,
a cover panel comprising a thermoplastic layer,
a thermoplastic fastening member extending through the structural component, and
a coalesced juncture between the thermoplastic layer and the thermoplastic fastening member,
wherein the structural component is fastened between the thermoplastic layer and the fastening member.

19. A method of assembling an aircraft assembly comprising:
locating a cover panel over the structural component, the cover panel comprising a thermoplastic layer with an inner surface;
inserting a thermoplastic fastening member to extending through the structural component to locate against the inner surface; and
welding the thermoplastic fastening member to the inner surface of the cover panel to fasten the cover panel to the structural component.

20. A kit of parts which can be assembled to provide an aircraft assembly, the kit of parts comprising:
a structural component,
a cover panel configured to locate over the structural component and comprising a thermoplastic layer with an inner surface, and
a thermoplastic fastening member configured to extend through the structural component and be welded to the inner surface, so that the structural component is fastened between the inner surface and the fastening member.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Evans Rodney
• Phipps David Andrew

Classifications

• B29C66/723

  being multi-layered (B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/54

  Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29C66/61

  Joining from or joining on the inside (for making tubes by bending sheets and joining from the inside B29C53/387) · CPC title

• B64C3/26 Primary

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