Method for manufacturing a load bearing structure and such a load bearing structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9896180-B2
Application number	US-201514699316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2015
Priority date	May 6, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a load bearing structure involves providing a panel; providing a first set of split stiffening elements on a surface of the panel, wherein the split stiffening elements of the first set have bottom surfaces and central portions with open top clearances, respectively, spaced apart from each other; providing a second set of stiffening elements having bottom surfaces and top surfaces and central portions, respectively; inserting the stiffening elements of the second set into respective open top clearances of the split stiffening elements of the first set and providing the second set of stiffening elements on the surface of the panel for forming a grate structure; and attaching top surfaces to the split stiffening elements of the first set for forming complete profiles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a load bearing structure, comprising:
providing a panel;
providing a first set of split stiffening elements on a surface of said panel, wherein the split stiffening elements of said first set have bottom surfaces and central portions with open top clearances, respectively, spaced apart from each other;
providing a second set of stiffening elements having bottom surfaces and top surfaces and central portions, respectively;
inserting the stiffening elements of said second set into corresponding open top clearances of said split stiffening elements of said first set such that the bottom surfaces of the stiffening elements of the second set rest upon the bottom surfaces of the split stiffening elements of the first set and providing said second set of stiffening elements on said surface of said panel for forming a grate structure; and
attaching top surfaces to said split stiffening elements of said first set for forming complete profiles.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements of the first set or the stiffening elements of the second set are formed with decreased portions in predetermined intersection areas for balancing height differences between the respective intersecting stiffening elements.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements of the first set or the stiffening elements of the second set are formed with increased portions in predetermined intersection areas for balancing height differences between the respective intersecting stiffening elements.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said top surfaces of said stiffening elements of the first set are attached to said split stiffening elements of said first set by bonding, welding or riveting or any combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said panel and/or said stiffening elements of said first set and/or said stiffening elements of said second set are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic or aluminum or any combination thereof.

6. A load bearing structure, comprising:
a panel;
a first set of split stiffening elements provided on a surface of said panel and having bottom surfaces and central portions with clearances spaced apart from each other in a first state; and
a second set of stiffening elements provided on said surface of said panel, having bottom surfaces and top surfaces and central portions and passing through said clearances of said first set of split stiffening elements for forming a grate structure, the bottom surfaces of the second set of stiffening elements resting upon the bottom surfaces of the first set of split stiffening elements in vicinity of said clearances, the clearances formed as open top clearances to facilitate an insertion of corresponding stiffening elements of the second set in the first state of the first set of split stiffening elements,
wherein, in a second state, the first set of split stiffening elements further comprises top surfaces attached thereto to form a complete profile, the top surfaces of the first set of split stiffening elements being attached to the central portions of the first set of the split stiffening elements.

7. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein the split stiffening elements of the first set or the stiffening elements of the second set comprise decreased portions in predetermined intersection areas for balancing height differences between the first and second set of stiffening elements in the predetermined intersection areas.

8. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein the split stiffening elements of the first set or the stiffening elements of the second set comprise increased portions in predetermined intersection areas for balancing height differences between the first and second set of stiffening elements in the predetermined intersection areas.

9. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein said panel is formed as a skin of a fuselage of an aircraft.

10. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein said split stiffening elements of said first set are formed as longitudinal stringer members and wherein said stiffening elements of said second set are formed as circumferential frame members in a fuselage of an aircraft.

11. The load bearing structure according to claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal stringer members are formed with substantially cross-sectional configuration.

12. The load bearing structure according to claim 10 , wherein the circumferential frame members are formed with substantially C or U cross-sectional configuration.

13. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein said split stiffening elements of said first set are formed as circumferential frame members and wherein the said stiffening elements of said second set are formed as longitudinal stringer members in a fuselage of an aircraft.

14. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein said top surfaces of said split stiffening elements of the first set are attached to said split stiffening elements of said first set by bonding, welding, riveting or any combination thereof.

15. The load bearing structure according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of said panel, and/or said split stiffening elements of said first set, and said stiffening elements of said second set is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, aluminum or any combination thereof.

16. A load bearing structure, comprising:
a panel;
a first set of split stiffening elements being provided on a surface of said panel and having bottom surfaces and central portions with clearances being spaced apart from each other in a first state; and
a second set of stiffening elements being provided on said surface of said panel, having bottom surfaces and top surfaces and central portions and passing through said clearances of said first set of split stiffening elements for forming a grate structure in the first state of the first set of split stiffening elements, the bottom surfaces of the second set of stiffening elements resting upon the bottom surfaces of the first set of split stiffening elements in vicinity of said clearances;
wherein the clearances are dimensioned in accordance with dimensions of the second set of stiffening elements to be inserted to facilitate insertion of corresponding stiffening elements of the second set, and
wherein, in a second state, the first set of split stiffening elements further comprises top surfaces attached thereto to form a complete profile, the top surfaces of the first set of split stiffening elements being attached to the central portions of the first set of the split stiffening elements.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Raeckers Bernd
• Werner Sven

Classifications

• B64C1/12 Primary

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B64C2001/0081

  from metallic materials · 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

• B64C1/061

  Frames · CPC title

• B64C1/064 Primary

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title