# US 10,479,476 B1 · Aerofoil body with integral curved spar-cover > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,476 B1 - Document ID: US10479476B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/444,785 - Filed: 2019-06-18 - Published: 2019-10-31 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-19 - Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH - Applicants: Airbus Operations Limited - Inventors: Richard Geoffrey Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479476B1 ## CPC - B64C 3/185: {Spars} - B29C 70/302: {Details of the edges of fibre composites, e.g. edge finishing or means to avoid delamination} - B64C 1/065: {Spars} - B64C 1/26: Attaching the wing or tail units or stabilising surfaces - B64C 3/58: provided with fences or spoilers (adjustable for control purposes B64C9/00) - B29K 2105/0872: {Prepregs} - B29K 2307/04: Carbon - B29L 2031/3085: {Wings} - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An aerofoil shaped body includes a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover. The spars and the covers are made of composite laminate material. One of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover. The fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerofoil shaped body comprising a plurality of longitudinal spars, an upper aerofoil cover, and a lower aerofoil cover, the spars and the covers comprising composite laminate material, wherein at least one of the spars is integrally formed with one of the covers to form a spar-cover such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover, and wherein the fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the fold axis projected onto two orthogonal planes has curvature in both those planes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, wherein the two orthogonal planes comprise a horizontal x-y plane and a vertical y-z plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 2, wherein curvature of the fold axis in the horizontal plane is accompanied by planform curvature of the spar in the x-y plane, and wherein curvature of the fold axis in the vertical plane is accompanied by elevation curvature of the cover in the y-z plane, and the planform curvature of the spar substantially matches the elevation curvature of the cover. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of spars includes a front spar and a rear spar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 4, wherein the front spar is integrally formed with one of the upper cover and the lower cover to form a first spar-cover; and wherein the rear spar is integrally formed with the other of the upper cover and the lower cover to form a second spar-cover. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 5, wherein each of the first spar-cover and the second spar-cover are arranged such that the composite laminate material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover, and wherein the fold region has a fold axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction and the fold axis has curvature in two orthogonal planes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 5, wherein each of the first spar-cover and the second spar-cover are substantially L-shaped. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 5, wherein each of the first spar-cover and the second spar-cover are substantially Z-shaped, the Z-shaped components having a first limb corresponding to the cover, a second limb corresponding to the spar, and a third limb corresponding to an attachment flange for attachment to the other spar-cover. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, further comprising one or more attachment brackets for attachment of leading edge or trailing edge structures. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, wherein the fold region forms substantially a right angle between the cover and the spar. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, wherein the fold region forms an angle between the cover and spar that is between around 60 degrees and around 120 degrees. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, wherein the fold region between the cover and the spar forms a radiused corner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 12, wherein the radiused corner has a radius which varies along the fold axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the cover and/or the spar varies in the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An aircraft having a wing comprising the aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An aircraft according to claim 15, wherein the aircraft has a fuselage and the wing passes substantially over the fuselage and has downlets, wherein each of the upper cover and the lower cover of the wing including the downlets are of a single-piece construction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A winglet for attachment to the outboard end of an aircraft wing, the winglet comprising the aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing an aerofoil shaped body according to claim 1, comprising laying up a plurality of composite laminate plies to form a first spar-cover, laying up a plurality of composite laminate plies to form a second spar-cover, bringing the first spar-cover and the second spar-cover together to form a torsion box of the aerofoil shaped body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18, wherein the aerofoil shaped body is an aircraft wing or a winglet.