Window panel for an airframe and method of producing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902483-B2
Application number	US-201414469146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Aug 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to a window panel for a body structure of a vehicle, especially an airframe of an aircraft or spacecraft, including a first skin which extends over a first side of the panel to form an outer skin of the vehicle body structure; a second skin which extends over a second side of the panel to form an inner skin of the vehicle body structure; and a core, especially a foam core, located between and covered by the first and second skins in a sandwich structure. The window panel includes at least one window aperture formed through the first layer, the core, and the second layer. The core may be confined to or extends over a limited extent, region or part of the panel. Thus, the first skin and/or the second skin may extend over or cover a greater area of the panel than the core.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A window panel for a body structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a first skin extending over a first side of the panel to form an outer skin of the vehicle body structure;
a second skin extending over a second side of the panel to form an inner skin of the vehicle body structure;
a core located between a first surface of the first skin and a second surface of the second skin and covered by the first and second skins in a sandwich structure, wherein the first surface and the second surface face towards each other;
at least one window aperture formed through the first skin, the core, and the second skin; and
a reinforcing insert at or around a periphery of the at least one window aperture;
wherein the first skin and the second skin both extend beyond opposite first and second ends of the core and are joined to one another to form monolithic first and second edge regions of the panel;
wherein the first skin and the second skin extend beyond an inner edge of the core limiting the at least one window aperture formed through the core;
wherein the first surface of the first skin and the second surface of the second skin are joined to one another to form a monolithic region at or around a periphery of the at least one window aperture;
wherein the reinforcing insert overlaps the core, extends beyond the inner edge of the core, and is included between the first skin and the second skin in the monolithic region at or around a periphery of the at least one window aperture;
wherein the monolithic region at or around a periphery of each window aperture forms an attachment region at which a window assembly is fixed in the panel by a retainer element formed as an oval-shaped or ring-shaped plate clamped over the window assembly.

2. The window panel according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one window aperture is substantially surrounded by the core in the sandwich structure.

3. The window panel according to claim 1 , wherein the first skin and/or the second skin extend over or cover the entire area of the panel.

4. The window panel according to claim 1 , wherein the core is elongate and confined to extend in a central region of the panel between the monolithic first edge region and the monolithic second edge region of the panel.

5. The window panel according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of window apertures formed through the first skin, the core, and the second skin, wherein the plurality of window apertures are arranged spaced at intervals laterally adjacent one another along the panel.

6. The window panel according to claim 1 , wherein the first skin comprises a fiber-reinforced composite, and/or wherein the second skin comprises a fiber-reinforced composite, and/or wherein the core comprises a solid foam having closed cells.

7. The window panel according to claim 1 , wherein the window assembly includes a seal and at least one pane to cover the at least one window aperture, and wherein the seal seals against the at least one pane and the attachment region at the periphery of the at least one window aperture.

8. A vehicle having a body structure that includes one or more window panel according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Zahlen Pierre C
• Born Johannes
• Meyer Lars
• Baumbach Gregor
• Hanske Claus
• Prowe Jens
• Oentoro Johan
• Zuardy M Ichwan
• Brok Wouter
• Metten Martin

Classifications

• B32B2260/00

  Layered product comprising an impregnated, embedded, or bonded layer wherein the layer comprises an impregnation, embedding, or binder material · CPC title

• Y10T428/26

  Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension · CPC title

• B32B3/263

  characterised by a layer having non-uniform thickness · CPC title

• B64C1/1492

  Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen · CPC title

• Y10T29/49163

  with sintering of base · CPC title