Thermoplastic composite panel with corrugated peaks and troughs stiffening systems and methods
AssigneeRohr, Inc.
InventorsJennifer Davis, Nathaniel M. Gray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic control surface may comprise: stacking plies of thermoplastic composite sheets to a first desired thickness to form a first skin; stacking plies of thermoplastic composite sheets to a second desired thickness to form a second skin; forming the first skin in a first contour; forming the second skin in a second contour; forming a stiffening member including a thermoplastic resin, the stiffening member including a shape having a plurality of peaks and troughs; assembling the stiffening member between the first skin and the second skin; and joining the stiffening member to the first skin and the second skin.
Claims15
A method for forming a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic control surface, comprising:
- stacking plies of thermoplastic composite sheets to a first desired thickness to form a first skin;
- stacking plies of thermoplastic composite sheets to a second desired thickness to form a second skin;
- forming the first skin in a first contour;
- forming the second skin in a second contour;
- forming a stiffening member including a thermoplastic resin, the stiffening member including a cross-sectional shape having a plurality of peaks and troughs, the cross-sectional shape defining a sinusoidal wave with a varying amplitude;
- assembling the stiffening member between the first skin and the second skin;
- and
- joining the stiffening member to the first skin and the second skin.
A method for forming a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic control surface, comprising:
- forming a combined first skin and first stiffening member by joining a first skin to a plurality of peaks of the first stiffening member;
- forming a combined second skin and second stiffening member by joining a second skin to a plurality of troughs of the second stiffening member;
- bonding the combined first skin and the first stiffening member to the combined second skin and the second stiffening member;
- and
- in response to bonding the combined first skin and the first stiffening member to the combined second skin and the second stiffening member, forming a stiffening member of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic control surface, the stiffening member comprising a cross-secitonal shape defining a sinusoidal wave with a varying amplitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.