Stabilizer torque box assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808996-B2
Application number	US-201414469575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2011
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a method of fabricating a thermoplastic torque box assembly. The method includes providing a plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, connecting one or more connector elements to one or more of the braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, and laying up an inner thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the one or more braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps. The method further includes attaching a plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to the inner thermoplastic facesheet to define four torque box side portions, laying up and attaching an outer thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of skin panel stabilization elements, and heating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating a thermoplastic torque box assembly, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps;
connecting one or more connector elements to one or more of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps;
placing at least one of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps in each corner of an internal torque box tooling apparatus to define a torque box inner portion;
laying up an inner thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps to define a torque box structure around the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps and to define at least a torque box inner surface;
attaching a plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to the inner thermoplastic facesheet to define four torque box side portions;
laying up and attaching an outer thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to define a torque box circumference and to form a thermoplastic torque box assembly; and,
heating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising before heating the thermoplastic torque box assembly, placing the thermoplastic torque box assembly in a torque box match mold tooling apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising after heating the thermoplastic torque box assembly, removing the thermoplastic torque box assembly from the torque box match mold tooling apparatus, and attaching leading and trailing edge interface elements to the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising after heating the thermoplastic torque box assembly, removing the thermoplastic torque box assembly from the torque box match mold tooling apparatus, and attaching one or more braided thermoplastic tubular truss ribs to one or more of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, via one or more connection assemblies.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap is fabricated by a process comprising:
using a braiding apparatus to braid thermoplastic material over a removable mandrel and a removable sleeve to form an inner braided thermoplastic tube;
wrapping a separation ply layer comprising a non-carbon material around an outer surface of the inner braided thermoplastic tube;
using the braiding apparatus to braid additional thermoplastic material over an outer surface of the separation ply layer to form an outer braided thermoplastic tube and to form the braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap; and,
heating and co-consolidating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laying up of the inner thermoplastic facesheet and the laying up of the outer thermoplastic facesheet are conducted with an apparatus selected from a group comprising one of, a braiding apparatus and an automated fiber placement (AFP) apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising after heating the thermoplastic torque box assembly, cooling the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each braided thermoplastic tubular truss rib is fabricated by a process comprising:
using a braiding apparatus to braid thermoplastic material over a removable mandrel and a removable sleeve to form an inner braided thermoplastic tube;
wrapping a separation ply layer comprising a non-carbon material around an outer surface of the inner braided thermoplastic tube;
using the braiding apparatus to braid additional thermoplastic material over an outer surface of the separation ply layer to form an outer braided thermoplastic tube and to form the braided thermoplastic tubular truss rib; and,
heating and co-consolidating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the braided thermoplastic tubular truss rib.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating further comprises joining the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, the inner and outer thermoplastic facesheets, and the skin panel stabilization elements together via a process selected from a group comprising one of, co-consolidation and welding.

10. A method of fabricating a thermoplastic torque box assembly, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, each braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap comprising:
an outer braided thermoplastic tube;
an inner braided thermoplastic tube disposed within the outer braided thermoplastic tube; and,
a separation ply layer co-consolidated between the outer braided thermoplastic tube and the inner braided thermoplastic tube and around an entire circumference of the inner braided thermoplastic tube, the separation ply layer comprising a metal foil and the separation ply layer providing reinforcement and impact damage resistance to the inner braided thermoplastic tube in order to avoid a loss in structural loading capability; and,

placing at least one of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps in each corner of an internal torque box tooling apparatus to define a torque box inner portion;
laying up an inner thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps to define a torque box structure around the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps and to define at least a torque box inner surface;
attaching a plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to the inner thermoplastic facesheet to define four torque box side portions;
laying up and attaching an outer thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to define a torque box circumference and to form a thermoplastic torque box assembly;
placing the thermoplastic torque box assembly in a torque box match mold tooling apparatus;
heating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the thermoplastic torque box assembly;
removing the thermoplastic torque box assembly from the torque box match mold tooling apparatus; and,
attaching one or more braided thermoplastic tubular truss ribs to one or more of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, via one or more connection assemblies.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising after removing the thermoplastic torque box assembly from the torque box match mold tooling apparatus, attaching leading and trailing edge interface elements to the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising after heating the thermoplastic torque box assembly, cooling the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the cooling of the thermoplastic torque box assembly is via one of, a forced cooling device and an ambient temperature cooling.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein each braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap is fabricated by a process comprising:
using a braiding apparatus to braid thermoplastic material over a removable mandrel and a removable sleeve to form an inner braided thermoplastic tube;
wrapping a separation ply layer comprising a non-carbon material around an outer surface of the inner braided thermoplastic tube;
using the braiding apparatus to braid additional thermoplastic material over an outer surface of the separation ply layer to form an outer braided thermoplastic tube and to form the braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap; and,
heating and co-consolidating at an effective temperature and

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Marcoe Jeffery L

Classifications

• B32B5/02

  characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)} · CPC title

• B32B2311/18

  Titanium · CPC title

• B32B2311/30

  Iron, e.g. steel · CPC title

• B32B27/12

  next to a fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• B32B37/02

  characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations · CPC title