Methods and apparatuses for providing corrosion protection to joined surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9964131-B1
Application number	US-201715581553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for joining assemblies, particularly joints and joining assemblies for co-joining composite components and metal components in a joining assembly, and inhibiting corrosion of metal components secured to composite component via a joining assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for joining a composite component to a metal component via a joining assembly comprising:
positioning a composite component in a first plane, said composite component comprising a composite component first end, and a composite component second end;
substantially covering said composite component first end with a composite edge seal;
positioning a metal component in said first plane or in a second plane, said metal component having a metal component first end and a metal component second end, wherein said second plane may be aligned with said first plane;
positioning said composite component first end proximate to and at a predetermined distance from the metal component first end;
positioning at least one joining assembly component proximate to the composite component first end and the metal component first end, said joining assembly dimensioned to join the composite component first end and the metal component first end, and said joining assembly component comprising a joining assembly component inner surface and a barrier extending from the joining assembly component inner surface, said barrier dimensioned to substantially separate the composite component first end from the metal component first end, said barrier comprising a barrier edge;
substantially covering said barrier edge with a barrier edge seal;
fastening the composite component first end to the joining assembly; and
fastening the metal component first end to the joining assembly at a predetermined distance from the composite component first end to join the composite component to the metal component via the joining assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after the step of fastening the composite component first end to the joining assembly component further comprising:
establishing a first chamber, said first chamber bounded by the barrier, the joining assembly component inner surface and a composite component edge seal, said barrier edge positioned proximate to the joining assembly component inner surface; and
establishing a second chamber, said second chamber bounded by the barrier, the joining assembly component inner surface and the metal component first end, said barrier edge positioned proximate to the joining assembly component inner surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the step of positioning at least one joining assembly component proximate to the composite component first end and the metal component first end, said joining assembly comprises a joining assembly first plate and a joining assembly second plate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein, in the step of positioning at least one joining assembly component proximate to the composite component first end and the metal component first end, the joining assembly first plate and the joining assembly second plate are joined together to retain the composite component first end and the metal component first end between the joining assembly first plate and joining assembly second plate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein, in the step of positioning at least one joining assembly component proximate to the composite component first end and the metal component first end, the joining assembly first plate and the joining assembly second plate comprise titanium or a titanium alloy.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the step positioning a composite component in a first plane, the composite component comprises a carbon fiber reinforced polymer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the step positioning a metal component in said second plane, the metal component comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

8. A method for joining a composite component to a metal component via a joining assembly comprising:
positioning a composite component in a first plane, said composite component comprising a composite component first end, and a composite component second end;
substantially covering said composite component first end with a composite edge seal;
positioning a metal component in said first plane or in a second plane, said metal component having a metal component first end and a metal component second end, wherein said second plane may be aligned with said first plane;
positioning said composite component first end proximate to and at a predetermined distance from the metal component first end;
positioning a joining assembly first plate and a joining assembly second plate proximate to the composite component first end and the metal component first end, said joining assembly first plate and said joining assembly second plate dimensioned to join the composite component first end and the metal component first end, and said joining assembly first plate comprising a joining assembly first plate inner surface, said joining assembly second plate comprising a joining assembly second plate inner surface, and a barrier extending from at least one of the joining assembly first plate inner surface and the joining assembly second plate inner surface, said barrier dimensioned to substantially separate the composite component first end from the metal component first end, said barrier comprising a barrier edge;
substantially covering said barrier edge with a barrier edge seal;
fastening the composite component first end to the joining assembly; and
fastening the metal component first end to the joining assembly at a predetermined distance from the composite component first end;
wherein moisture is inhibited from contacting the composite component first end.

9. A joining assembly for joining a composite component to a metal component comprising:
a composite component configured in a first plane, said composite component comprising:
a composite component first end, and a composite component second end; and
a composite edge seal configured to substantially cover the composite component first end;

a metal component configured in the first plane or in a second plane, said metal component comprising: a metal component first end and a metal component second end, wherein said second plane may be aligned with said first plane; said metal component first end positioned proximate to and at a predetermined distance from the composite component first end;
a joining assembly positioned proximate to the composite component first end and the metal component first end, said joining assembly dimensioned to join the composite component first end and the metal component first end, and said joining assembly comprising a barrier dimensioned to substantially separate the composite component first end from the metal component first end, said barrier comprising a barrier edge; and
a barrier edge seal configured to substantially cover the barrier edge.

10. The joining assembly of claim 9 , wherein the composite component comprises a fiber-reinforced polymer.

11. The joining assembly of claim 9 , wherein the metal component comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

12. The joining assembly of claim 9 , wherein the barrier comprises titanium or a titanium alloy.

13. The joining assembly of claim 9 , wherein the joining assembly comprises titanium or a titanium alloy.

14. The joining assembly of claim 9 , wherein the joining assembly is configured such that moisture is inhibited from contacting the composite component first end.

15. A joining assembly for an aircraft comprising the joining assembly of claim 9 .

16. A vehicle comprising the joining assembly of claim 9 , said vehicle selected from the group consisting of:
a manned aircraft, an unmanned aircraft, a manned spacecraft, an unmanned spacecraft, a manned rotorcraft, an unmanned rotorcraft, a satellite, a ro

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mohaghegh Mohssen

Classifications

• F16B2001/0085

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16B5/0004 Primary

  Joining sheets, plates or panels in abutting relationship (F16B5/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B5/02

  by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00) · CPC title

• B29L2031/3067

  Ships · CPC title

• B29C65/5085

  and comprising grooves, e.g. being E-shaped, H-shaped · CPC title