Connection arrangement for connecting two profiled elements in an aerodynamically smooth manner, method for producing said connection arrangement, and device for carrying out the method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623619-B2
Application number	US-201214129494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2012
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection arrangement for connecting two profiled elements in a seamless and aerodynamically smooth manner in order to form a profiled surface around which a laminar flow is possible. A first profiled element has a first fixing strip that extends towards the second profiled element, and the surface of the first fixing strip is lower than the surfaces of the profiled elements in the outward direction. Furthermore, the second profiled element has a second fixing strip which is molded on the inside and which is arranged below the first fixing strip, and the two profiled elements are rigidly connected to each other by means of the second fixing strip. A filler region that can be found below the connecting surface between the profiled surfaces and above the fixing strip surface is tilled with at least two layers of cured filling material. A method for filling the filling region with filling material and a device for carrying out the method are also claimed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of forming a connection arrangement that connects two profiled elements in a seamless and aerodynamically smooth manner, the connection arrangement forming a profiled surface around which laminar flow is possible, the method comprising:
providing a first profiled element that has a first fixing strip with first bore holes with fixing bolts, the first fixing strip defining a surface;
providing a second profiled element that has a second fixing strip arranged beneath the first fixing strip, the second fixing strip has second bore holes aligned with the first bore holes that receive the fixing bolts to rigidly connect the first profiled element to the second profiled element, the surface of the first fixing strip disposed lower than surfaces of the first profiled element and the second profiled element to define a filler region above the surface of the first fixing strip surface;
partially filling the filler region with a first filling material layer, smoothing a surface of the first filling material in a longitudinal direction of the connection arrangement, and curing the first filling material layer; and
completely filling the filler region with a second filling material layer, smoothing a surface of the second filling material layer in a shaping manner, and curing the second filling material layer to form the profiled surface that connects the surfaces of the first profiled element and the second profiled element.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the profiled elements is made of plastic and another of the profiled elements is made of metal.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plastic is a carbon or glass reinforced plastic.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the metal is a titanium alloy.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a connecting surface between the profiled elements using the second filling material, the connecting surface defining a step that has a height of one paint layer to be applied onto the connecting surface.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising applying the paint layer onto the connecting surface to form the profiled surface that connects the surfaces of the first profiled element and the second profiled element.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming an undercut in a region where the first profiled element transitions to the first fixing strip or the second profiled element transitions to the second fixing strip.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising laser cleaning the surface of the first fixing strip before partially filling the filler region with the first filling material.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising laser cleaning the first filling material layer before completely filling the filler region with the second filling material.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the smoothing of the second filling material layer uses a removal scraper moved in the longitudinal direction of the connection arrangement.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the smoothing of the second filling material layer uses a separating film applied temporarily onto the second filling material layer, and at least one pressure roller rolled over the separating film in the longitudinal direction of the connection arrangement.

Assignees

• Havar Tamas
• Geistbeck Matthias
• Meyer Meinhard
• Rohr Oliver
• Meer Thomas
• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Havar Tamas
• Geistbeck Matthias
• Meyer Meinhard
• Rohr Oliver
• Meer Thomas

Classifications

• B64C1/12 Primary

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B29D99/001 Primary

  Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings (articles with hollow walls B29D24/00) · CPC title