Composite honeycomb structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738051-B2
Application number	US-201615013130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 18, 2006
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Adjoining edges of adjacent honeycomb core panel sections are mechanically interlocked. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a first edge along a first cellular core panel section. The first edge includes a first plurality of edge cell walls along the first edge. The method further includes forming a second edge along a second cellular core panel section, wherein the second edge includes a second plurality of edge cell walls along the second edge. The first edge is positioned proximate to the second edge. At least a portion of at least one of the first plurality of edge cell walls is mechanically interlocked with at least a portion of at least one of the second plurality of edge cell walls to form a joint therebetween. A composite structure may be at least partially produced by such a method.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite structure comprising:
a first honeycomb section having a first edge;
a second honeycomb section having a second edge; and
means for joining at least a portion of the first edge to at least a portion of the second edge without separate mechanical fasteners or adhesives,
wherein the means for joining comprises a plurality of first edge cell walls along the first edge mechanically interlocked with a plurality of second edge cell walls along the second edge;
the plurality of first edge cell walls each comprises a first hook portion;
the plurality of second edge cell walls each comprises a second hook portion; and
the first hook portions of the first edge cell walls are at least partially interlocked with the second hook portions of the second edge cell walls.

2. A composite structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first honeycomb section and the second honeycomb section belong to a single honeycomb panel.

3. A composite structure according to claim 1 , wherein the means for joining is disposed between a first cell having a first volume and a second cell having a second volume, and wherein the joint occupies substantially none of the first volume or the second volume.

4. A composite structure according to claim 1 , wherein portions of at least two of the first plurality of edge cell walls are mechanically interlocked with portions of at least two of the second plurality of edge cell walls.

5. A composite structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first hook portions and the second hook portions each comprise metal foil.

6. A composite structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one imperforate backing sheet on the first and second honeycomb sections; and
at least one air permeable face sheet on the first and second honeycomb sections.

7. A composite structure comprising:
a first honeycomb section having a first edge;
a second honeycomb section having a second edge; and
means for joining at least a portion of the first edge to at least a portion of the second edge without separate mechanical fasteners or adhesives,
wherein the means for joining comprises a plurality of first edge cell walls along the first edge mechanically interlocked with a plurality of second edge cell walls along the second edge;
the plurality of first edge cell walls each comprises a first double hook portion;
the plurality of second edge cell walls each comprises a second double hook portion; and
the first double hook portions of first edge cell walls are at least partially interlocked with the second double hook portions of the second edge cell walls.

8. A composite structure according to claim 7 , wherein the first double hook portions and the second double hook portions each comprise metal foil.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Douglas Alan Richard

Classifications

• Y10T29/49718

  Repairing · CPC title

• B64D2033/0206

  comprising noise reduction means, e.g. acoustic liners · CPC title

• F16B5/01

  by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels · CPC title

• G10K11/172

  using resonance effects · CPC title

• Y10T428/12493

  Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.] · CPC title