Method of configuring composite core in a core stiffened structure and a structure incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9550347-B2
Application number	US-201313955105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2013
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a core stiffened structure includes orienting the plurality of core wafers in a non-uniform pattern onto a first face sheet, the non-uniform pattern producing non-uniform spacing between adjacent core wafers; assembling a second face sheet onto the plurality of wafers; and curing an adhesive to create a bond between the plurality of wafers, the first face sheet, and the second face sheet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a core stiffened structure, the core stiffened structure having a first face sheet, a second face sheet, and a plurality of wafers of composite core, the method comprising:
orienting the plurality of wafers in a non-uniform pattern onto the first face sheet, the non-uniform pattern producing non-uniform spacing between adjacent wafers, each wafer having a plurality of hexagonal cell members, each hexagonal cell member having a cell wall that terminates at a first surface network and a second surface network, the plurality of hexagonal cell members assembled together such that a perimetrical shape of the wafer is hexagonal with the plurality of hexagonal cell members being oriented with adiacent cell walls in a pattern that results in the perimetrical shape of the wafer being hexagonal in that outerwardly exposed cell walls of the plurality of cell members create the perimetrical shape;
assembling a second face sheet onto the plurality of wafers; and
curing an adhesive to create a bond between the plurality of wafers, the first face sheet, and the second face sheet.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
reticulating the adhesive onto the first or second surface network of the plurality of wafers.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
filling voids between the non-uniform spaced wafers with an adhesive foam.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
placing a tapered core member at an edge portion of the first face sheet.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of curing the adhesive also includes curing the first face sheet and the second face sheet.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Kendrick Phillip A
• Oldroyd Paul K
• Carlson David G

Classifications

• B29C66/7212

  characterised by the composition of the fibres · CPC title

• B29C66/5227

  for forming multi-tubular articles by longitudinally joining elementary tubular articles wall-to-wall (e.g. joining the wall of a first tubular article to the wall of a second tubular article) or for forming multilayer tubular articles · CPC title

• B29K2071/00

  Use of polyethers {, e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• B29C66/72143

  Fibres of discontinuous lengths · CPC title

• B64C3/20

  Integral or sandwich constructions · CPC title