Tubular members integrated to form a structure

A method of making a composite contoured structure for carrying a load and wall of a shell including:

• selecting triangular cross-section hollow tubes, filament wound in a pattern;
• assembling said tubes together in co-extensive side by side relationship to form the defining predetermined curved cross-sectional exterior contour;
• bonding said tubes together;
• applying a skin to at least one surface of said shell;
• and bonding said skin to said shell.

A method of making an elongated composite to form a predetermined transverse contour structure and including:

• selecting elongated tubes filament wound in a pattern;
• assembling said tubes together in juxtaposed relationship to form a shell defining a predetermined transverse contour;
• bonding said tubes together;
• applying an exterior skin to the exterior surface of said shell;
• and
• bonding said skin to said tubes.

A method for producing a triangular tube to resist a predetermined load on the triangular tube, comprising the steps of:

• providing a mandrel having a substantially triangular cross-section;
• winding the mandrel with fibers in a controlled orientation substantially paralleling the direction of a predetermined load on triangular tube;
• bonding the fibers together;
• curing the fibers together;
• and
• removing the mandrel within the fibers.

An intermediate apparatus to couple a composite wing structure having a plurality of elongated thin-walled filament wound tapered triangular tubes placed co-extensively in a complementary side-by-side fashion to a composite fuselage comprising:

• a predetermined number of plugs having a root end and a tip end, wherein each of the predetermined number of plugs is tapered to associate with the corresponding tapered triangular tubes;
• each of the predetermined number of plugs having a flange, wherein each of the flanges are coupled to the root end of the plugs to align relative to other flanges when plugs are inserted into the corresponding tapered triangular tubes;
• and
• the aligned flanges adapted to associate with a composite fuselage adapted to receive the aligned flanges.

A method of making a structure for carrying a load, comprising the steps of:

• providing a chamber with gaseous reactant in the chamber;
• providing a substrate within the chamber;
• and
• tracing a laser at the substrate around a cross-section of a structure about a predetermined point along the longitudinal axis of the structure defining the structure, wherein a layer of localized deposition of fibers occur from the gas reacting due to the heat generated from the laser beam passing through the cross-sections of the structure along the longitudinal axis.

A system for coupling two composite structures, comprising:

• a tie, the tie having a plurality of locking inserts at a predetermined distance apart from each other;
• a first composite structure having a first mating outer surface, a first opening within the first composite structure and adjacent to the first mating outer surface of the first composite structure, wherein the first opening is adapted to receive the first tie;
• a second composite structure having a second mating outer surface, a second opening within the second composite structure and adjacent to the second mating outer surface of the second composite structure, wherein the first and second mating outer surfaces are adapted to be substantially flushed against each other;
• and
• a first fastener adapted to insert through the first and second mating outer surfaces of the first and second composite structure respectively and tighten against a corresponding locking insert on the tie, thereby coupling the first and second composite structures together.

A system for coupling two composite structures, comprising:

• a tie having a plurality of locking inserts at a predetermined distance apart from each other;
• a first composite structure having a first mating outer surface, a first opening within the first composite structure and adjacent to the first mating outer surface of the first composite structure, wherein the first opening is adapted to receive the tie;
• a second structure having a second mating outer surface, a second opening within the second structure and adjacent to the second mating outer surface of the second structure, wherein the first and second mating outer surfaces are adapted to be substantially flushed against each other;
• and
• at least one fastener adapted to insert through the first and second mating outer surfaces of the first and second structures respectively and tighten against a corresponding locking insert on the tie, thereby coupling the first and second structures together.

A method for coupling two tubular composite structures together, comprising:

• inserting a strip-tie within a first tubular composite structure and a second tubular composite structure, the strip-tie having a plurality of locking inserts predetermined distance apart from each other, wherein each of the locking inserts is adapted to receive a fastener;
• aligning at least one fastener to any one of the plurality of locking inserts in the first tubular composite structure;
• aligning at least one fastener to any one of the plurality of locking inserts in the second tubular composite structure;
• inserting the at least one fastener through each of the first and second tubular composite structures;
• and
• tightening the at least one fastener against each of locking inserts in the first and second tubular composite structures to couple the two tubular composite structures together.

A method for producing a strip-tie to couple two structures made of composite structures together, comprising:

• forming a tubular member made from filament wound fibers;
• placing the tubular member within a press, the press having an upper jaw and a lower jaw, wherein a cavity is formed between the upper and lower jaws when they are closed;
• compressing the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw, whereby the tubular member is substantially conforms to the shape of the cavity between the upper and lower jaws;
• and
• coupling a plurality of inserts to the conformed tubular member, wherein each of the inserts are a predetermined distances apart from each other.

A method for forming a window within a fuselage, comprising:

• cutting a window opening in a predetermined location on a fuselage formed from a plurality of elongated triangular filament wound tubes nested complementarily together in juxtaposition and arranged to cooperate together in substantially forming a hollow shell, wherein the window opening defines a predetermined number of cut out triangular filament wound tubes on a left side and a right side of the window opening, the window opening further defining a top side and a bottom side;
• coupling a left window frame to the left side of the window opening, wherein the left window frame has a corresponding predetermined number of plugs adapted to insert into the predetermined number of cut out triangular filament wound tubes on the left side of the window opening;
• coupling a right window frame to the right side of the window opening, wherein the right window frame has a corresponding predetermined number of plugs adapted to insert into the predetermined number of cut out triangular filament wound tubes on the right side of the window opening;
• coupling an upper window opening to the top side of the window opening;
• and
• coupling a lower window opening to the bottom side of the window opening.

A wing tie for coupling a left wing and a right wing together and inspecting therein, comprising:

• a base having a base opening;
• a left side adapted to couple to a mating surface of a left wing, wherein the left side has a left side opening;
• and
• a right side adapted to couple to a mating surface of a right wing, wherein the right side has a right side opening, whereby an operator can inspect the left and right wings through the base, left, and right openings.

A system for coupling a bulkhead to a fuselage, comprising:

• a bulkhead formed from a plurality of curved triangular filament wound tubes nested complementally together in juxtaposition and arranged to cooperate together in substantially forming a concave shell;
• a fuselage formed from a plurality of elongated triangular filament wound tubes nested complementally together in juxtaposition and arranged to cooperate together in substantially forming a cylindrical shell;
• and
• a predetermined number of plugs having a curved portion substantially adapted to insert into the curved triangular filament wound tubes in the bulkhead and a substantially a straight portion adapted to insert into the elongated triangular filament wound tubes in the fuselage, wherein the plug is adapted to couple to the triangular filament wound tubes in the bulkhead and the fuselage.