Composite failsafe torque tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017106970-A1
Application number	US-201514883672-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2015
Publication date	Apr 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An air vehicle control surface includes an upper skin, a lower skin, a plurality of composite spars extending between the upper skin and the lower skin, and a failsafe torque tube. The failsafe torque tube includes an outer composite tube and an inner tube disposed within the outer composite tube and extending coaxially with the outer composite tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An air vehicle control surface, comprising:
an upper skin, a lower skin, a plurality of composite spars extending between the upper skin and the lower skin; and a failsafe torque tube comprising:
an outer composite tube; and
an inner tube disposed within the outer composite tube and extending coaxially with the outer composite tube.

2 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 1 , wherein the inner tube comprises a metallic inner tube.

3 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 1 , wherein the inner tube comprises a composite material.

4 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe torque tube is disposed between at least two of the plurality of composite spars.

5 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 4 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of composite spars physically contact the outer composite tube.

6 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 1 , wherein at least the outer composite tube comprises a plurality of cured composite plies wrapped around at least a portion of the inner tube.

7 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of composite spars are co-cured with the composite plies of the outer composite tube.

8 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 1 , wherein the outer composite tube and at least one of the plurality of composite spars are cured together.

9 . The air vehicle control surface of claim 1 , wherein the outer composite tube is non-rotatably disposed in the air vehicle control surface.

10 . A method for forming a composite air vehicle control surface, comprising:
forming a composite failsafe torque tube between an upper skin and a lower skin of an uncured composite control surface structure in a outer mold line (OML) mold, wherein the composite failsafe torque tube comprises an uncured outer tube; and co-curing the uncured outer tube and the uncured composite control surface structure.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the composite failsafe torque tube comprises positioning an inner tube in the OML mold, and forming uncured composite layers around the inner torque tube to form the uncured outer tube, the inner tube comprising a mold for forming the uncured outer tube.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the OML mold comprises an upper mold and a lower mold, and wherein the method further comprises:
positioning a forward bag carrier on the lower mold; positioning a mid bag carrier on the lower mold; and positioning an aft bag carrier on the lower mold, wherein the composite failsafe torque tube is positioned between the forward bag carrier and the aft bag carrier.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the composite failsafe torque tube further comprises an inner tube disposed between inner sidewall portions of the outer tube and comprises a length that extends coaxially with a length of the outer tube, wherein forming the composite failsafe torque tube comprises at least partially wrapping plies of a composite around the inner tube to form the uncured outer tube.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the inner tube comprises a metallic inner tube.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising placing an inner mold line (IML) bag into a hollow inner volume portion of the failsafe torque tube.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the IML bag is further positioned over a bag carrier.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the uncured composite control surface structure further comprises a plurality of spars extending between the upper skin and the lower skin

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of spars and the outer tube are cured together to prevent the outer tube from moving.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein curing the outer tube joins the outer tube to the control surface structure.

20 . A method for using a composite air vehicle control surface, comprising:
forming a composite failsafe torque tube between an upper skin and a lower skin of an uncured composite control surface structure in a outer mold line (OML) mold, wherein the composite failsafe torque tube comprises:
an uncured outer tube,
an inner tube disposed between inner sidewall portions of the outer tube and having a length that extends coaxially with a length of the outer tube, wherein the outer tube extends a length of the inner tube, and
wherein forming the composite failsafe torque tube comprises at least partially wrapping plies of a composite around the inner tube to form the uncured outer tube;
co-curing the uncured outer tube and the uncured composite control surface structure; and connecting at least one end of the inner tube and at least one end of the outer tube to an actuator.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Stawski Stanley W

Classifications

• B32B3/06

  for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support {, or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking} · CPC title

• B32B1/08 Primary

  Tubular products · CPC title

• B64C9/00

  Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders (trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10) · CPC title

• B32B2260/023

  Two or more layers · CPC title

• B32B2260/046

  Synthetic resin · CPC title