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US 11,987,353 B2Granted
Thermoplastic skin panels, torque box and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJeffery Lee Marcoe, Marc R. Matsen, Waeil M. Ashmawi, Sahrudine Apdalhaliem
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Stiffened skin panels comprise alternating truss core portions and solid laminate portions sandwiched between inner and outer facesheets, all formed from a fiber reinforced thermoplastic. The components of the panels are co-consolidated using induction heating. The panels are stiffened with spars fastened to the solid laminate portions.
Claims20
A stiffened skin panel assembly, comprising:
- a panel including inner and outer facesheets, and a panel core sandwiched between the inner and outer facesheets, the panel core including alternating sections of truss core portions and solid laminate portions arranged side-by-side and contact with each other edge-to-edge, wherein the truss core portions are tapered in thickness along the edge-to-edge contact;
- and
- spars respectively attached to the solid laminate portions.
A wing torque box, comprising:
- first and second skin panel assemblies;
- and
- at least two spaced apart spars extending between the first and second skin panel assemblies,
- each of the first and second skin panel assemblies including respective inner and outer facesheets and a respective core sandwiched between the respective inner and outer facesheets,
- each respective core including truss core portions and solid laminate portions, wherein each of the solid laminate portions forms a spar cap configured to be fastened to one of the spars.
2 more elements
A method of making a stiffened skin panel assembly, comprising:
- assembling a panel core by arranging alternating sections of thermoplastic truss core portions and thermoplastic laminate portions arranged side-by-side and contact with each other edge-to-edge, wherein the truss core portions are tapered in thickness along the edge-to-edge contact;
- placing the panel core between a thermoplastic inner facesheet and a thermoplastic outer facesheet;
- and
- co-consolidating the panel core, the thermoplastic inner facesheet and the thermoplastic outer facesheet.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.