Composite Assembly with Integrally Formed Panels and Stiffeners

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237370-A1
Application number	US-202016781513-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 4, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A composite assembly that includes one or more panels and integral stiffeners. The composite assembly is formed from multiple composite plies that form the one or more panels and stiffeners. The construction process uses multiple tool segments that each replicate a section of the composite assembly. Composite plies are positioned on each tool segment and then the tool segments and their composite plies are placed together. Sections of the plies that extend along the faces of the tool segments form the panel. Sections of the composite plies that extend along lateral sides of the tool segments form the stiffeners. Additional composite plies are layed up over the tool segments and composite plies to complete the process. The composite plies are then cured to form the finished composite assembly.

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing a composite assembly comprising a panel and integral stiffeners, the method comprising:
for each of a plurality of tool segments:
individually laying up a first group of one or more composite plies on the tool segment;
conforming the one or more composite plies over a face and two or more sides of the tool segment and away from a bottom side that is opposite from the face;
aligning the plurality of the tool segments together and contacting the composite plies that extend along first ones of the sides of the tool segments and forming a plurality of first integral stiffeners that are aligned in a first direction; contacting the composite plies that extend along second ones of the sides of the aligned tool segments and forming a plurality of second integral stiffeners that are aligned in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction with the first and second integral stiffeners connected together; laying up a second group of one or more composite plies over the first group of composite plies that extend on the faces of the plurality of tool segments; and curing the composite plies while the first and second group of composite plies are positioned away from the bottom sides of the tool segments.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the first and second integral stiffeners perpendicular to each other.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning at least one of the composite plies of the first group away from at least one of the sides of at least one of the tool segments.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting a radius filler in a gap formed between the composite plies on adjacent ones of the plurality of tool segments and laying up the one or more of the composite plies of the second group over the radius filler.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising laying up first ones of the composite plies of the first group over the plurality of tool segments and forming an inner surface of the panel.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising laying up a last one of the composite plies of the second group and forming an outer surface of the composite assembly.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the composite assembly as a fairing for an aircraft.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the panel from a plurality of separate composite plies that are positioned on the faces of the plurality of tool segments.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the one or more of the composite plies of the first group with fibers aligned in a first direction and aligning the fibers in the one or more of the composite plies of the second group in a different second direction.

11 . A method of manufacturing a composite assembly comprising a panel and integral stiffeners, the method comprising:
individually laying up a first group of one or more composite plies on each face of a plurality of tool segments; for each tool segment, positioning edges of the one or more composite plies outward beyond the face of the tool segment; for each tool segment, positioning the edges of the composite plies that extend outward beyond the face along two or more of the sides of the tool segment; for each tool segment, positioning the composite plies away from a bottom side of the tool segment that is opposite from the face of the tool segment; positioning the plurality of tool segments together with the composite plies contacting together between adjacent ones of the tool segments; laying up a second group of one or more composite plies over the first group of composite plies that extend over the faces of the plurality of tool segments; and curing the composite plies of the first and second groups with first portions of the composite plies on the faces of the tool segments forming the panel and second portions of the composite plies along the edges forming the integral stiffeners with the integral stiffeners comprising a first group of stiffeners that extend in a first direction and a second group of stiffeners that extend in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first group.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising contacting an inner one or more of the composite plies of the first group against the faces of the plurality of tool segments and forming an inner surface of the panel.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising laying up an outer one or more of the composite plies of the second group and forming an outer surface of the panel.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising aligning fibers in each of the composite plies of the first group in a common direction along the plurality of tool segments.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising positioning the plurality of tool segments in an alignment fixture and positioning the plurality of tool segments together with the edges of the first composite plies contacting together between adjacent ones of the tool segments.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming a first one of the integral stiffeners with the composite plies of the first group that are positioned on a first side of a first one of the tools segments and forming a second one of the integral stiffeners with the composite plies of the first group that are positioned on a second side of the first one of the tool segments.

17 . A method of manufacturing a composite assembly comprising a panel and integral stiffeners, the method comprising:
for each of a plurality of tool segments;
laying up first sections of a first group of composite plies on a face of the tool segment;
extending one or more second sections of the composite plies outward beyond the face of the tool segment;
conforming the one or more second sections of the composite plies along two or more sides of the tool segment and away from a bottom of the tool segment;
positioning the plurality of tool segments together in a side-by-side arrangement; laying up one or more of a second group of composite plies over the faces of the plurality of tool segments; and curing the composite plies with the panel of the composite assembly formed by portions of the composite plies that extend over the faces of the tool segments and the integral stiffeners formed by the second sections with the integral stiffeners arranged with a first set of the integral stiffeners aligned in a first direction and a second set of the integral stiffeners aligned in a second direction that is transverse to first set.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising using an alignment fixture and positioning the plurality of tool segments in the side-by-side arrangement and applying compressive forces to the second sections of the composite plies of the first group.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising aligning fibers in one or more of the composite plies in different directions.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising positioning a radius filler in a gap formed on the composite plies of the first group of adjacent ones of the tool segments and laying up the one or more composite plies of the second group over the radius filler.

21 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising aligning at least one of the integral stiffeners at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the panel.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Robbins Kevin Larry
• Lauder Arnold John
• Ramrattan Mahendra

Classifications

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

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

• B29C70/342 Primary

  using isostatic pressure · CPC title

• B29C43/36

  Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles · CPC title

• B29C70/30 Primary

  Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core · CPC title