Blended wing body aircraft airframe and method of manufacture
AssigneeJetZero, Inc.
InventorBlaine Rawdon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An airframe of a blended wing body aircraft with a non-cylindrical pressure vessel and methods of manufacture. The airframe includes a plurality of longitudinal stiffeners running substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the airframe and extending from a top side of the airframe to a bottom side of the airframe. The airframe includes at least a laterally outermost bulkhead configured to resist a cabin pressure. The airframe includes a skin comprising an outer mold line of the airframe that is configured to attach to the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners at the top side of the airframe and the bottom side of the airframe. In some embodiments, the airframe may include an aft pressure bulkhead.
Claims16
An airframe of a blended wing body aircraft, the airframe comprising:
- a multi-chamber airframe comprising:
- carbon fiber-based composite;
- and
- at least two non-cylindrical cabin chambers attached together;
- a plurality of longitudinal stiffeners running substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the airframe and directly connected to a top side of the airframe and through a planar base of the airframe, wherein the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners are configured to compartmentalize the airframe into the at least two non-cylindrical cabin chambers;
- at least a laterally outermost bulkhead configured to resist a cabin pressure;
- a skin comprising an outer mold line of the airframe and configured to attach to the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners at the top side of the airframe and a bottom side of the airframe;
- at least an aft pressure bulkhead running substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, extending from the top side of the airframe to the bottom side of the airframe configured to resist the cabin pressure, wherein the aft pressure bulkhead is a rear pressure containing component configured to resist pressure loading between an atmosphere and a cabin at an aft of the aircraft;
- and
- a plurality of support elements situated orthogonal to the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners, wherein a support element of the plurality of support elements comprises at least one arc-shaped support element attached to at least one longitudinal stiffener.
A method of manufacturing an airframe of a blended wing body aircraft, the method comprising:
- installing a multi-chamber airframe comprising:
- carbon-fiber based composite;
- and
- at least two non-cylindrical cabin chambers attached together;
- installing a plurality of longitudinal stiffeners substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the airframe, directly connected to a top side of the airframe and through a planar base, wherein the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners are configured to compartmentalize the airframe into the at least two non-cylindrical cabin chambers and wherein the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners comprise:
- at least a laterally outermost bulkhead configured to resist a cabin pressure;
- attaching a skin, comprising an outer mold line of the airframe, to the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners at the top side of the airframe and a bottom side of the airframe;
- installing at least an aft pressure bulkhead substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, extending from the top side of the airframe to the bottom side of the airframe configured to resist the cabin pressure wherein the aft pressure bulkhead is a rear pressure containing component;
- and
- installing a plurality of support elements situated orthogonal to the plurality of longitudinal stiffeners, wherein a support element of the plurality of support elements comprises at least one arc-shaped support element attached to at least one longitudinal stiffener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.