Composite tube assemblies and methods of forming the same
AssigneeTyee Aircraft, Inc.
InventorsJames M. Mullen, Daniel M. Valleroy, Daniel L. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite tube assembly and a method of making the same are provided. The composite tube assembly includes a composite tube and a fitting penetrating the composite tube. The fitting includes a reduced diameter section surrounded by a reduced diameter tube portion of the tube. A bolstering structure surrounds this reduced diameter tube portion. The method includes inserting the fitting into the composite tube, heating the tube portion surrounding the fitting to soften the same, radially compressing the tube portion onto the fitting reduced diameter section, and providing a bolstering structure surrounding the compressed tube portion.
Claims25
A composite tube assembly comprising:
- a composite tube comprising an end;
- a fitting comprising a first end opposite a second end, said fitting second end comprising a first outer diameter, wherein said fitting comprises a tapered outer surface section and a reduced diameter outer surface section extending from the tapered outer surface section between said first and second ends, wherein said reduced diameter outer surface section has a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, wherein said fitting penetrates a portion of said tube through said tube end, wherein said second end and said tapered and reduced diameter outer surface sections are interior of the tube, wherein the tube comprises a portion not penetrated by said fitting having an inner surface having a third diameter, wherein said portion penetrated by said fitting comprises a section mated to the reduced diameter section of the fitting and has an inner surface having a fourth diameter smaller than the third diameter;
- and
- a bolstering structure surrounding and engaging said composite tube section.
A composite tube assembly comprising:
- a composite tube comprising an end;
- a fitting comprising a first end opposite a second end, said fitting second end comprising a first outer diameter, wherein said fitting comprises a tapered outer surface section between said first and second ends, said tapered outer surface section tapering radially inward in a direction toward the first end, wherein said fitting penetrates a portion of said tube through said tube end, wherein said second end and said tapered outer surface section are interior of the tube, wherein said tube portion penetrated by said fitting comprises a section mated to the tapered outer surface section of the fitting;
- and
- a bolstering structure surrounding and engaging said composite tube section.
A method for forming a composite tube assembly comprising:
- providing a composite tube comprising an end, wherein said composite tube is formed from fibers and a resin;
- providing a fitting comprising a first end opposite a second end, said fitting second end comprising a first outer diameter, wherein said fitting comprises a reduced diameter section between said first and second ends having a second outer surface diameter smaller than the first outer diameter;
- inserting the fitting second end and said reduced diameter section into the composite tube through the composite tube end, whereby an end portion of said tube surrounds said reduced diameter section;
- heating said tube end portion to soften the resin;
- radially compressing said tube end portion onto said reduced diameter section;
- and
- providing a bolstering structure surrounding said compressed tube end portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.