Panel systems and methods of assembling panel systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810251-B2
Application number	US-201514635508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2015
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A panel system includes a tab panel having at least one tab extending therefrom. The tab panel has a core and a facesheet adjacent the core. The panel system includes a slot panel having at least one slot receiving the corresponding tab of the tab panel therein. The slot panel has a core and a facesheet adjacent the core. The slot is formed in the facesheet and at least a portion of the core. The panel system includes a clip positioned between the tab panel and the slot panel. The clip is at least partially received in the slot. The clip has a tab panel securing member being secured to the tab panel and the clip has a slot panel securing member being secured to the slot panel. The clip securely joins the tab panel to the slot panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A panel system comprising:
a tab panel having at least one tab extending therefrom, the tab panel having a core and a facesheet adjacent the core, the tab of the tab panel having a channel in the facesheet and the core:
a slot panel having at least one slot for receiving the corresponding tab of the tab panel therein, the slot panel having a core and a facesheet adjacent the core, the slot formed in the facesheet and at least a portion of the core;
a clip configured to be positioned between the tab panel and the slot panel, the clip being secured in the channel of the tab prior to loading the tab into the slot, the clip being at least partially received in the slot, the clip having a tab panel securing member being secured to the tab panel, the clip having a slot panel securing member being secured to an interior surface of the slot panel,
wherein the facesheet of the slot panel has an edge around a perimeter of the slot, the slot panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, the slot panel securing member is secured against the interior surface adjacent the edge;
the clip securely joining the tab panel to the slot panel.

2. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the slot panel securing member snapably engages the slot panel to securely join the clip to the slot panel.

3. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the slot panel securing member is positioned between the facesheet and the core of the slot panel.

4. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the slot panel securing member comprises a flange extending into the slot behind the facesheet, the facesheet capturing the flange of the clip in the slot.

5. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip comprises a base portion, the channel in the tab of the tab panel being a preformed channel in the tab, the tab panel securing member comprising a protrusion extending from the base portion and received in the preformed channel, the slot panel securing member comprising a deflectable tab extending from the base portion deflectable between an unlatched position and a latched position, the deflectable tab being deflected to the unlatched position as the clip is loaded into the slot, the deflectable tab being deflected to the latched position after the deflectable tab clears the facesheet of the slot panel, the deflectable tab engaging an interior surface of the facesheet of the slot panel in the latched position.

6. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip is secured to the core of the slot panel using adhesive.

7. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the channel is positioned a distance away from an end edge of the tab.

8. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the clip is contained behind an exterior surface of the facesheet of the slot panel.

9. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the core of the tab panel is a honeycomb core having a honeycomb structure and wherein the core of the slot panel is a honeycomb core having a honeycomb structure.

10. The panel system of claim 1 , wherein the core of the tab panel is a foam material and wherein the core of the slot panel is a foam material.

11. A panel system comprising:
a tab panel having at least one tab extending therefrom, the tab panel having a core and a facesheet adjacent the core;
a slot panel having at least one slot for receiving the corresponding tab of the tab panel therein, the slot panel having a core and a facesheet adjacent the core, the slot formed in the facesheet and at least a portion of the core; and
a clip configured to be positioned between the tab panel and the slot panel, the clip being at least partially received in the slot, the clip having a tab panel securing member being secured to the tab panel, the clip having a slot panel securing member being secured to an interior surface of the slot panel, the clip securely joining the tab panel to the slot panel;
wherein the tab panel includes at least one slot and the slot panel includes at least one tab with a corresponding clip therebetween.

12. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the slot panel securing member snapably engages the slot panel to securely join the clip to the slot panel.

13. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the slot panel securing member is positioned between the facesheet and the core of the slot panel.

14. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the slot panel securing member comprises a flange extending into the slot behind the facesheet, the facesheet capturing the flange of the clip in the slot.

15. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the clip comprises a base portion, the tab of the tab panel comprising a channel, the tab panel securing member comprising a protrusion extending from the base portion and received in the channel, the slot panel securing member comprising a deflectable tab extending from the base portion deflectable between an unlatched position and a latched position, the deflectable tab being deflected to the unlatched position as the clip is loaded into the slot, the deflectable tab being deflected to the latched position after the deflectable tab clears the facesheet of the slot panel, the deflectable tab engaging an interior surface of the facesheet of the slot panel in the latched position.

16. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the tab of the tab panel includes a channel, the clip being secured in the channel of the tab prior to loading the tab into the slot.

17. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the facesheet of the slot panel has an edge around a perimeter of the slot, the slot panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, the slot panel securing member is secured against the interior surface adjacent the edge.

18. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the core of the tab panel is a honeycomb core having a honeycomb structure and wherein the core of the slot panel is a honeycomb core having a honeycomb structure.

19. The panel system of claim 11 , wherein the core of the tab panel is a foam material and wherein the core of the slot panel is a foam material.

20. A panel system kit comprising:
a plurality of panels each having a core between opposite facesheets, each of the panels configured to have at least one of a slot or a tab; and
a plurality of clips configured to be positioned between corresponding panels to join the panels, each clip having a slot panel securing member configured to securely engage an interior surface of a corresponding facesheet of the panel having the slot, each clip having a tab panel securing member configured to securely engage a corresponding facesheet of the panel having the tab, wherein the clips are received in channels in corresponding tabs and loaded into corresponding slots with the corresponding tabs;
wherein the clip is configured to be received in the corresponding slot formed in the corresponding panel such that the slot panel securing member extends into the slot behind the facesheet and the facesheet captures the slot panel securing member in the slot.

21. The panel system kit of claim 20 , wherein each of the clips have a base portion configured to be received in a corresponding slot in one of the panels.

22. The panel system kit of claim 20 , wherein the tab panel securing member is configured to snapably engage the corresponding panel and the slot panel securing member is configured to snapably engage the corresponding panel.

23. The panel system kit of claim 20 , wherein the slot panel securing member is configured to be positione

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lewis Michael Steven
• Bradley James S
• Reeves Brad Jeremy

Classifications

• F16B5/0614 Primary

  in angled relationship · CPC title

• F16B5/01

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

• F16B5/0635

  fastened over the edges of the sheets or plates · CPC title

• Y10T24/44026

  for cooperating with aperture in supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured · CPC title

• F16B21/075

  the socket having resilient parts on its inside and outside · CPC title