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US 10,472,473 B2Granted
Enhancing z-conductivity in carbon fiber reinforced plastic composite layups
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsQuynhgiao Le, Robert B. Greegor, Brent Arthur Whiting
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (“CFRP”) composite layups and processes for manufacturing CFRP composite layups that integrate z-conductivity features directly into CFRP composite layups during the manufacturing processes for lightning protection, more particularly, inherent edge glow protection from lightning direct effects, and electrical current flow path control. CFRP composite layups are configured during the manufacturing processes to provide inter-ply electrical connections between composite plies of the CFRP composite layups, therefore avoiding the need for add-on protection features that result in significant cost and weight penalties.
Claims18
A CFRP composite layup comprising:
- a plurality of composite plies, each having a conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material surrounded by a non-conductive matrix material and a cut edge where ends of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material are exposed,
- two or more of the composite plies having an out-of-plane distortion where the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in each of the two or more composite plies is closer together to form inter-ply electrical connections about 1 inch or less from the cut edge where a thickness of the non-conductive matrix material is reduced and at least a portion of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in each of the composite plies is electrically connected to at least a portion of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in an adjacent ply of the CFRP composite layup such that the carbon fiber reinforcement material in a lower ply at a lower surface of the CFRP composite layup is electrically connected to the carbon fiber reinforcement material in an upper ply at an upper surface of the CFRP composite layup through the carbon fiber reinforcement material in one or more inner plies between the upper ply and the lower ply.
A CFRP composite layup comprising:
- a plurality of composite plies, each having a conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material surrounded by a non-conductive matrix material and a cut edge where ends of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material are exposed;
- and
- a crimp through the plurality of composite plies that pushes the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in each of the composite plies together to form inter-ply electrical connections about 1 inch or less from the cut edge where a thickness of the non-conductive matrix material is reduced and at least a portion of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in each of the composite plies is electrically connected to at least a portion of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in an adjacent ply of the CFRP composite layup such that the carbon fiber reinforcement material in a lower ply at a lower surface of the CFRP composite layup is electrically connected to the carbon fiber reinforcement material in an upper ply at an upper surface of the CFRP composite layup through the carbon fiber reinforcement material in one or more inner plies between the upper ply and the lower ply.
A CFRP composite layup comprising:
- a plurality of composite plies, each having a conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material surrounded by a non-conductive matrix material and a cut edge where ends of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material are exposed, and
- two or more of the composite plies having two or more out-of-plane distortions where the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in each of the two or more composite plies is closer together to form inter-ply electrical connections positioned at a plurality of locations throughout a length of the CFRP composite layup where a thickness of the non-conductive matrix material is reduced and at least a portion of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in each of the composite plies is electrically connected to at least a portion of the conductive carbon fiber reinforcement material in an adjacent ply of the CFRP composite layup such that the carbon fiber reinforcement material in a lower ply at a lower surface of the CFRP composite layup is electrically connected to the carbon fiber reinforcement material in an upper ply at an upper surface of the CFRP composite layup through the carbon fiber reinforcement material in one or more inner plies between the upper ply and the lower ply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.