Panel systems and methods of assembling panel systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258462-A1
Application number	US-201514635508-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2015
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A panel system includes a tab panel having at least one tab extending therefrom. The tab panel has a core and a facesheet adjacent the core. The panel system includes a slot panel having at least one slot receiving the corresponding tab of the tab panel therein. The slot panel has a core and a facesheet adjacent the core. The slot is formed in the facesheet and at least a portion of the core. The panel system includes a clip positioned between the tab panel and the slot panel. The clip is at least partially received in the slot. The clip has a tab panel securing member being secured to the tab panel and the clip has a slot panel securing member being secured to the slot panel. The clip securely joins the tab panel to the slot panel.

First claim

1 . A panel system comprising:
a tab panel having at least one tab extending therefrom, the tab panel having a core and a facesheet adjacent the core; a slot panel having at least one slot for receiving the corresponding tab of the tab panel therein, the slot panel having a core and a facesheet adjacent the core, the slot formed in the facesheet and at least a portion of the core; and a clip configured to be positioned between the tab panel and the slot panel, the clip being at least partially received in the slot, the clip having a tab panel securing member being secured to the tab panel, the clip having a slot panel securing member being secured to the slot panel, the clip securely joining the tab panel to the slot panel.

2 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the tab panel securing member snapably engages at least one of the tab panel and the slot panel to securely join the clip to the corresponding tab panel or slot panel.

3 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the slot panel securing member is positioned between the facesheet and the core of the slot panel.

4 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the slot panel securing member comprises a flange extending into the slot behind the facesheet, the facesheet capturing the flange of the clip in the slot.

5 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip comprises a base portion received in the slot, the base portion defining a pocket receiving the tab, the slot panel securing member extending outward from the base portion to engage the facesheet of the slot panel.

6 . The panel system of claim 5 , wherein the tab panel securing member extends from the base portion to engage the facesheet of the tab panel.

7 . The panel system of claim 5 , wherein the tab panel securing member extends inward into the pocket and engages the tab of the tab panel to secure the tab in the pocket.

8 . The panel system of claim 5 , wherein the clip includes a leg extending from the base portion along a main body of the tab panel, the tab panel securing member extending from the leg through a channel in the facesheet of the tab panel to secure the clip to the tab panel.

9 . The panel system of claim 5 , wherein the facesheet of the tab panel is a first facesheet and the tab panel includes a second facesheet adjacent the core opposite the first facesheet, the clip includes a first leg extending from the base portion along the first facesheet and a second leg extending from the base portion along the second facesheet, a space being defined between the first and second legs, the core of the tab panel being positioned in the space, the tab panel securing member comprising a first flange extending from the first leg into the space and engaging the tab panel, the tab panel securing member comprising a second flange extending from the second leg into the space and engaging the tab panel.

10 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip comprises a base portion, the tab of the tab panel comprising a channel, the tab panel securing member comprising a protrusion extending from the base portion and received in the channel, the slot panel securing member comprising a deflectable tab extending from the base portion deflectable between an unlatched position and a latched position, the deflectable tab being deflected to the unlatched position as the clip is loaded into the slot, the deflectable tab being deflected to the latched position after the deflectable tab clears the facesheet of the slot panel, the deflectable tab engaging an interior surface of the facesheet of the slot panel in the latched position.

11 . The panel system of claim 10 , wherein the clip is secured in the channel of the tab prior to loading the tab into the slot.

12 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the facesheet of the slot panel has an edge around a perimeter of the slot, the slot panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, the slot panel securing member is secured against the interior surface adjacent the edge.

13 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip is secured to the core of the slot panel using adhesive.

14 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the tab panel includes a channel through the facesheet of the tab panel a distance away from an end edge of the tab, the tab panel securing member being received in the channel.

15 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip is contained behind an exterior surface of the facesheet of the slot panel.

16 . The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the tab panel includes at least one slot and the slot panel includes at least one tab with a corresponding clip therebetween.

17 . A panel system kit comprising:
a plurality of panels each having a core between opposite facesheets, each of the panels configured to have at least one of a slot or a tab; and a plurality of clips configured to be positioned between corresponding panels to join the panels, each clip having a slot panel securing member configured to securely engage a corresponding facesheet of the panel having the slot, each clip having a tab panel securing member configured to securely engage a corresponding facesheet of the panel having the tab.

18 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein each of the clips have a base portion configured to be received in a corresponding slot in one of the panels.

19 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein the tab panel securing member is configured to snapably engage the corresponding panel and the slot panel securing member is configured to snapably engage the corresponding panel.

20 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein the slot panel securing member is configured to be positioned between the facesheet and the core of the corresponding panel.

21 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein the clip is configured to be received in the corresponding slot formed in the corresponding panel such that the slot panel securing member extends into the slot behind the facesheet and the facesheet captures the slot panel securing member in the slot.

22 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein each of the clips has a base portion defining a pocket configured to receive the corresponding tab of the corresponding panel.

23 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein each of the clips have a base portion and a leg extending from the base portion, the tab panel securing member extending from the leg and configured to engage the corresponding panel having the tab.

24 . The panel system kit of claim 17 , wherein each of the clips have a base portion, the tab panel securing member comprises a protrusion extending from the base portion and received in a channel in the corresponding panel having the tab, the slot panel securing member comprising a deflectable tab extending from the base portion deflectable between an unlatched position and a latched position, the deflectable tab being deflectable to the unlatched position as the clip is loaded into the slot, the deflectable tab being deflectable to the latched position after the deflectable tab clears the facesheet of the corresponding panel having the slot, the deflectable tab engaging an interior surface of the facesheet of the corresponding panel having the slot in the latched position.

25 . A method of assembling a panel system, the panel system including a tab panel having at least one tab extending therefrom and a slot panel having at least one slot receiving the correspondi

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lewis Michael Steven
• Bradley James S
• Reeves Brad Jeremy

Classifications

• F16B5/0614 Primary

  in angled relationship · CPC title

• F16B5/01

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

• F16B5/0635

  fastened over the edges of the sheets or plates · CPC title

• Y10T24/44

  Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof · CPC title

• B32B3/30

  characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)} · CPC title