Stiffening element and reinforced structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840041-B2
Application number	US-201315105705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A stiffening element including at least a first stiffening profile and at least a second stiffening profile. The first stiffening profile includes a profile member. At least one structural flange is connected to the profile member. A through-passage extends through the profile member. At least one support flange is connected to the profile member. The second stiffening profile includes a bottom portion and at least one support side portion connected to the bottom portion. A method for manufacturing a stiffening element. A method for manufacturing a reinforced structure, where the reinforced structure includes at least one structural element and at least one stiffening element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stiffening element, comprising:
at least a first stiffening profile and at least a second stiffening profile, said at least one first stiffening profile and said at least one second stiffening profile together forming a structural surface of said stiffening element,
wherein the at least one first stiffening profile comprises:
a profile member having a first surface and a second surface opposite to said first surface, a length extending in a first direction, a height extending in a second direction, and a width extending in a third direction, said length and said height defining a first plane,
at least one structural flange, wherein at least one edge and/or part of said first surface of said profile member and said at least one structural flange are connected, and said at least one structural flange is extending in a second plane arranged in an angle α to said first plane, and wherein the at least one structural flange is a part of the structural surface,
a through-passage extending through the profile member, along the third direction of said profile member, wherein the through-passage provides an opening in said profile member, and
at least one support flange having a first support surface and a second support surface, wherein at least one edge and/or surface of said support flange is connected to said profile member and/or said structural flange and wherein the support flange is extending in a third plane arranged in an angle β to said first plane and/or arranged in an angle γ to said second plane,

the at least one second stiffening profile comprises:
a bottom portion and at least one support side portion, wherein at least one edge and/or surface of said bottom portion and said at least one support side portion are connected and wherein said bottom portion is extending in a forth plane and said at least one support side portion is extending in a fifth plane arranged in an angle δ to said forth plane,

wherein the first support surface of the at least one support flange of the first stiffening profile is at least partly arranged adjacently and facing the at least one support side portion of the at least one second stiffening profile; and
wherein the at least one support flange is directly or indirectly attached at least partially to the at least one support side portion of the second stiffening profile;
said bottom portion is a part of the structural surface;
the structural surface of the stiffening element is assembled to an element surface of at least one structural element;
a second surface of the bottom portion is intended to constitute a part of the structural surface of the stiffening element.

2. The stiffening element according to claim 1 , wherein the second stiffening profile at least partially intersects the at least one first stiffening profile through the through-passage of the at least one first stiffening profile.

3. The stiffening element according to claim 1 , wherein at least the bottom portion extending in the fourth plane and/or the support side portion extending in the fifth plane of the second stiffening profile at least partially extends near or up to the through-passage of the at least one first stiffening profile.

4. The stiffening element according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the angles α, β, γ and δ is in the range of about 30° to 150°.

5. The stiffening element according to claim 1 , comprising at least two first stiffening profiles arranged such that the first surface of the profile member of each of said first stiffening profiles are facing each other.

6. The stiffening element according to claim 5 , wherein at least one adhesive element and/or layer is provided between the first surfaces of the profile members facing each other.

7. The stiffening element according to claim 5 , wherein at least one reinforcement element and/or layer is provided between the first surfaces of the profile members facing each other.

8. The stiffening element according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one first stiffening profile, the second stiffening profile and the at least one structural element comprises fibers for resin injection and/or resin preimpregnated fibers.

9. The stiffening element according to claim 8 , wherein the fibers are selected from the group consisting of organic fiber or silicon based fiber, carbon fiber, glass fiber and aramid fiber or combinations thereof.

10. The stiffening element according to claim 8 , wherein the resin is a thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin, bismaleimide resin, cyanate esters based resin, phenyl ethynyl-terminated imide (PETI) resin and phenol resin or combinations thereof; or a thermoplastic resin selected from the group consisting of polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), Polyfenylensulfid (PPS), Polyeterimid (PEI), nylon 6, nylon 66, polyethylene terepthalate (PET) or combinations thereof; or mixtures thereof.

11. A reinforced structure, comprising:
at least one structural element having at least one element surface; and
at least one stiffening element according to claim 1 , wherein the structural surface of at least one stiffening element is at least partially attached to said structural element.

12. The reinforced structure according to claim 11 , wherein at least the structural surface and/or the element surface of the structural element is curved and/or adapted to be curved in at least one direction.

Assignees

• Saab Ab

Inventors

• Hallander Per
• Lundberg Anders
• Nyman Tonny
• Petersson Mikael

Classifications

• B29C70/386

  Automated tape laying [ATL] · CPC title

• B29C65/02

  by heating, with or without pressure · CPC title

• Y02T50/433

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B64C1/061

  Frames · CPC title