Aircraft structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810601-B2
Application number	US-201214342362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2012
Priority date	Sep 1, 2011
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides an aircraft structure comprising a structural component and a set of reinforcing straps for reinforcing the structural component, wherein the set comprises a first reinforcing strap having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface is attached to a first surface of the structural component such that the first reinforcing strap extends longitudinally along the structural component and a second reinforcing strap having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface is attached to the outer surface of the first reinforcing strap such that the second reinforcing strap extends longitudinally along the first reinforcing strap. The invention also provides an aircraft, a method of reinforcing an aircraft structure and a method of inspecting an aircraft structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft structure comprising:
an aircraft structural component having a first outer surface, and
a set of reinforcing straps for reinforcing the aircraft structural component, wherein the set comprises:
a first reinforcing strap having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface is attached to the outer surface of the aircraft structural component such that the first reinforcing strap extends longitudinally along the aircraft structural component,
a second reinforcing strap having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface is attached to the outer surface of the first reinforcing strap and the inner surface does not contact the outer surface of the aircraft structural component such that the second reinforcing strap extends longitudinally along the first reinforcing strap,
wherein over at least a portion of the length of the reinforcing straps, the second reinforcing strap has an average thickness between the inner and outer surfaces of the second reinforcing strap that is larger than the average thickness of the first reinforcing strap between the inner and outer surfaces of the first reinforcing strap,
wherein the thickness of the first reinforcing strap varies along its height,
wherein the aircraft structural component is a stringer, and
wherein the aircraft structure further comprises a rib extending across the stringer and wherein the rib is provided with a hole for the stringer to pass through and wherein the reinforcing straps also pass through the hole.

2. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, over at least a portion of the length of the reinforcing straps, the first reinforcing strap has a height between a top and bottom of the first reinforcing strap that is larger than the height of the second reinforcing strap between a top and bottom of the second reinforcing strap.

3. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the height of the first reinforcing strap is approximately 115 to 125% of the height of the second reinforcing strap.

4. An aircraft structure, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a top portion or a bottom portion of the first reinforcing strap is thinner than a middle portion of the first reinforcing strap.

5. An aircraft structure, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the second reinforcing strap is constant along its height.

6. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the average thickness of the second reinforcing strap is approximately 115 to 125% of the average thickness of the first reinforcing strap.

7. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least a portion of the length of the reinforcing straps is the entire length of the reinforcing straps.

8. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the height and average thickness of the reinforcing straps are such that the cross-sectional areas of the first and second reinforcing straps are substantially the same.

9. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aircraft structural component has a second surface opposite its first surface and wherein a second set of reinforcing straps is attached to the second surface of the aircraft structural component in a similar way to the first set of reinforcing straps to the first surface of the aircraft structural component.

10. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aircraft structure further comprises a skin component to which the stringer is attached and wherein the first surface of the stringer is a surface extending inwardly from an inner surface of the skin component.

11. An aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aircraft structure is a wing box structure and wherein a wing tip device is fitted to the wing box structure and wherein the reinforcing straps are located towards an outboard end of the stringer to provide reinforcement of the stringer.

12. An aircraft comprising an aircraft structure as claimed in claim 1 .

13. An aircraft structure comprising:
an aircraft structural component having an outer surface, and
a set of relatively thin and substantially flat reinforcing straps for reinforcing the aircraft structural component, wherein the set comprises:
a first reinforcing strap having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface is attached to the outer surface of the aircraft structural component such that the first reinforcing strap extends longitudinally along the aircraft structural component,
a second reinforcing strap having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface is attached to the outer surface of the first reinforcing strap and the inner surface does not contact the outer surface of the aircraft structural component such that the second reinforcing strap extends longitudinally along the first reinforcing strap,
wherein over at least a portion of the length of the reinforcing straps, the second reinforcing strap has an average thickness between the inner and outer surfaces of the second reinforcing strap that is larger than the average thickness of the first reinforcing strap between the inner and outer surfaces of the first reinforcing strap,
wherein the thickness of the first reinforcing strap varies along its height,
wherein, over at least a portion of the length of the reinforcing straps, the first reinforcing strap has a height between a top and bottom of the first reinforcing strap that is larger than the height of the second reinforcing strap between a top and bottom of the second reinforcing strap,
wherein the aircraft structural component is a stringer, and
wherein the aircraft structure further comprises a rib extending across the stringer and wherein the rib is provided with a hole for the stringer to pass through and wherein the reinforcing straps also pass through the hole.

Assignees

• Tighe David
• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Tighe David

Classifications

• B64C1/064

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• B64C3/187

  Ribs · CPC title

• G01M5/0016 Primary

  of aircraft wings or blades · CPC title

• B64F5/00

  Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C3/182

  Stringers, longerons · CPC title