Splice joints for composite aircraft fuselages and other structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738371-B2
Application number	US-201414525218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2004
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Structures and methods for joining composite fuselage sections and other panel assemblies together are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a shell structure configured in accordance with the present invention includes a first panel portion positioned adjacent to a second panel portion. The first panel portion can include a first stiffener attached to a first composite skin, and the second panel portion can include a second stiffener attached to a second composite skin. The shell structure can further include a fitting extending across a first edge region of the first panel portion and a second edge region of the second panel portion. A first end portion of the fitting can be attached to the first stiffener and the first composite skin, and a second end portion of the fitting can be attached to a second stiffener and a second composite skin, to join the first panel portion to the second panel portion.

First claim

We claim:

1. An aircraft structure comprising:
a first panel portion, the first panel portion including:
a first skin;
a first stiffener having a first flange portion attached to the first skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the first skin; and
a second stiffener having a second flange portion attached to the first skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the first skin;
wherein at least one of the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener extends toward the other to form an at least approximately continuous surface extending between the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the second raised portion of the second stiffener;

a second panel portion positioned adjacent to the first panel portion, the second panel portion including:
a second skin;
a third stiffener having a third flange portion attached to the second skin and a third raised portion projecting away from the second skin; and
a fourth stiffener having a fourth flange portion attached to the second skin and a fourth raised portion projecting away from the second skin; and

a fitting having a first end portion spaced apart from a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is attached to the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the second end portion is attached to the third flange portion of the third stiffener and the fourth flange portion of the fourth stiffener, and wherein the approximately continuous surface is sandwiched between the first end portion of the fitting and the first skin.

2. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the first end portion of the fitting overlays the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the second end portion of the fitting overlays the third flange portion of the third stiffener and the fourth flange portion of the fourth stiffener.

3. The aircraft structure of claim 1 , further comprising a strap attached to a first edge region of the first skin and a second edge region of the second skin to splice the first skin to the second skin, wherein at least a portion of the strap is sandwiched between the fitting and the first edge region of the first skin and the second edge region of the second skin.

4. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the first and second panel portions form an exterior portion of a fuselage, and wherein the aircraft structure further comprises:
the fuselage; and
means for generating lift positioned at least proximate to the fuselage.

5. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the fitting has a U-shaped cross-section.

6. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the fitting has a base portion and at least one upstanding edge region, and wherein the base portion is fastened to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, the third flange portion of the third stiffener, and the fourth flange portion of the fourth stiffener.

7. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the fitting has a base portion, a first upstanding edge portion positioned toward a first side of the base portion, and a second upstanding edge portion positioned toward a second side of the base portion, wherein the first upstanding edge portion is positioned proximate to the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the third raised portion of the third stiffener, and wherein the second upstanding edge portion is positioned proximate to the second raised portion of the second stiffener and the fourth raised portion of the fourth stiffener.

8. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the first and second skins include composite materials.

9. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the first and second skins and the fitting include composite materials.

10. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein at least the first and second stiffeners form enclosed passages with open ends.

11. The aircraft structure of claim 1 wherein the first skin includes a first portion of a window cutout and the second skin includes a second portion of the window cutout.

12. An aircraft structure comprising:
a first panel portion, the first panel portion including:
a first skin;
a first stiffener having a first flange portion attached to the first skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the first skin; and
a second stiffener having a second flange portion attached to the first skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the first skin;

a second panel portion positioned adjacent to the first panel portion, the second panel portion including:
a second skin;
a third stiffener having a third flange portion attached to the second skin and a third raised portion projecting away from the second skin; and
a fourth stiffener having a fourth flange portion attached to the second skin and a fourth raised portion projecting away from the second skin;

a strap attached to a first edge region of the first skin and a second edge region of the second skin to splice the first skin to the second skin, wherein at least a portion of the strap is sandwiched between the fitting and the first edge region of the first skin and the second edge region of the second skin; and
a fitting having a first end portion spaced apart from a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is attached to the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the second end portion is attached to the third flange portion of the third stiffener and the fourth flange portion of the fourth stiffener.

13. The aircraft structure of claim 12 wherein the first end portion of the fitting overlays the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the second end portion of the fitting overlays the third flange portion of the third stiffener and the fourth flange portion of the fourth stiffener.

14. The aircraft structure of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener extends toward the other to form an at least approximately continuous surface extending between the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the second raised portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the approximately continuous surface is sandwiched between the first end portion of the fitting and the first skin.

15. The aircraft structure of claim 12 wherein the first and second panel portions form an exterior portion of a fuselage, and wherein the aircraft structure further comprises:
the fuselage; and
means for generating lift positioned at least proximate to the fuselage.

16. The aircraft structure of claim 12 wherein the fitting has a U-shaped cross-section.

17. The aircraft structure of claim 12 wherein the fitting has a base portion and at least one upstanding edge region, and wherein the base portion is fastened to the first flange portion of the first stiffener, the second flange portion of the second stiffener, the third flange portion of the third stiffener, and the fourth flange portion of the fourth stiffener.

18. The aircraft structure of claim 12 wherein the fitting has a base portion, a first upstanding edge portion positioned toward a first side of the base portion, and a second upstanding edge portion positioned toward a second side of the base portion, wherein the first ups

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Stulc Jeffrey F
• Chan Wallace C
• Clapp Brian C
• Rolfes Neal G

Classifications

• Y10T428/24661

  Forming, or cooperating to form cells · CPC title

• B64C2001/0072

  from composite materials · CPC title

• Y10T29/49616

  Structural member making · CPC title

• B64C1/068

  Fuselage sections · CPC title

• B64C1/1492

  Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen · CPC title