Shimming welded interface(s) between thermoplastic components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023286223-A1
Application number	US-202318118484-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2023
Priority date	Mar 7, 2022
Publication date	Sep 14, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is provided for joining thermoplastic components. During this method, a skin is provided that is configured from or otherwise includes a skin fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. A support member is provided that is configured from or otherwise includes a support member fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. A shim is arranged at an interface between the skin and the support member. The shim is configured from or otherwise includes a shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The support member is welded to the skin through the shim at the interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for joining thermoplastic components, comprising:
providing a skin comprising a skin fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite; providing a support member comprising a support member fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite; arranging a shim at an interface between the skin and the support member, the shim comprising a shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite; and welding the support member to the skin through the shim at the interface.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the support member is welded to the skin through the shim along a length of the interface.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the support member is welded directly to the skin along a first portion of the interface; and the support member is welded to the skin through the shim along a second portion of the interface.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the shim extends vertically between the skin and the support member; and the shim has a constant vertical thickness as the shim extends at least one of longitudinally or laterally along the interface.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the shim extends vertically between the skin and the support member; and the shim has a vertically thickness that changes as the shim extends at least one of longitudinally or laterally along the interface.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a plurality of shims; and selecting one of the plurality of shims based on a configuration of a gap between the support member and the skin at the interface without the shim, wherein the selected one of the plurality of shims comprises the shim that is to be arranged at the interface between the skin and the support member.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one of the plurality of shims is selected based on a size of the gap.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one of the plurality of shims is selected based on a geometry of the gap.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a parameter of a gap between the support member and the skin at the interface without the shim; and manufacturing the shim based on the parameter.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising welding the support member to the skin at a second interface that is discrete from the interface.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the support member is concurrently welded to the skin at the interface and the second interface.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the support member is directedly welded to the skin at the second interface.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
arranging a second shim at the second interface between the skin and the support member, the second shim comprising second shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite; and welding the support member to the skin through the second shim at the second interface.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite comprises carbon fibers within a thermoplastic matrix.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the welding comprising one of ultrasonic welding, vibration welding or induction welding the support member to the skin through the shim at the interface.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the support member comprises a support surface; the shim comprises a shim surface that is abutted against the support surface; and a surface area of the shim surface is equal to between ninety percent (90%) and one-hundred and ten percent (110%) of a surface area of the support surface.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming an aircraft component; the aircraft component comprising the skin, the support member and the shim, and the skin forms an exterior surface of the aircraft component.

18 . A method for joining thermoplastic components for an aircraft, comprising:
arranging a first component with a second component, the first component comprising a first fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite, the second component comprising a second fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite, and a gap between the first component and the second component at an interface between the first component and the second component; determining a parameter of the gap; selecting one of a plurality of shims based on the parameter to provide a selected shim, the selected shim comprising a shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite; arranging the selected shim between the first component and the second component at the interface; and welding the first component to the second component through the selected shim at the interface, the welding comprising vibration welding, ultrasonic welding or induction welding.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein
the selected shim has a first configuration; a second one of the plurality of shims has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration; and the plurality of shims are formed prior to the determining of the parameter of the gap.

20 . A method for joining thermoplastic component for an aircraft, comprising:
arranging a first component with a second component, the first component comprising a first fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite, the second component comprising a second fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite, and a gap between the first component and the second component at an interface between the first component and the second component; determining a parameter of the gap; forming a shim based on the parameter, the shim comprising a shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite; arranging the shim between the first component and the second component at the interface; and welding the first component to the second component through the shim at the interface, the welding comprising vibration welding, ultrasonic welding or induction welding.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Lohman Sarah
• Bahramshahi Noushin
• Van Tooren Michael

Classifications

• B29C65/02 Primary

  by heating, with or without pressure · CPC title

• B29C65/08

  using ultrasonic vibrations {(non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645)} · CPC title

• B29C65/36

  heated by induction · CPC title

• B29C65/4815

  Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives · CPC title

• B29C65/5057

  positioned between the surfaces to be joined (B29C65/5035 takes precedence) · CPC title