Shaped composite stringers and methods of making
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJuan C. Guzman, Douglas A. McCarville, Daniel M. Rotter, Brian G. Robins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stiffened skin panel of an aircraft that includes an aircraft skin panel of composite material and a composite stringer consolidated with the aircraft skin panel. The stringer has a pair of stringer sides, each extending from a stringer top to a stringer leg. The stringer sides may each extend through a wide radius, smooth continuous curve to a stringer leg. The wide radius, smooth continuous curve may be proximate the base of the stringer side in a region where the stringer side transitions to the stringer leg.
Claims20
A stiffened skin panel of an aircraft comprising:
- a composite aircraft skin panel;
- and
- a composite stringer consolidated with the aircraft skin panel, the stringer comprising a pair of stringer sides each extending from a stringer top to a stringer leg, the stringer sides each extending through a wide radius, smooth continuous curve to a stringer leg.
A stiffened panel comprising:
- a panel comprising composite material;
- a stringer consolidated with the panel, the stringer comprising composite material, the stringer comprising a pair of stringer sides, each stringer side extending from a stringer top to a stringer leg;
- and
- an attachment zone comprising a portion of the stringer and a portion of the panel comprising a stringer point of attachment to the panel, the attachment zone substantially free of broken plies of the composite material of the stringer.
A method of stiffening a composite panel with a stringer, the method comprising:
- determining location and spacing of stringers on a composite panel to be stiffened;
- positioning the composite panel on a mold tool;
- laying down on the composite panel, at determined locations and spacing, forms conforming to a shape of the stringers to be formed;
- preparing lay ups of composite material for forming into stringers;
- laying a prepared lay up of composite material over each of the forms;
- enclosing at least the composite panel and lay up-covered forms with a vacuum bag;
- consolidating the stringers to the composite panel under heat and pressure;
- and
- producing a stiffened composite panel wherein the stringers each comprise a pair of stringer sides each extending from a stringer top to a stringer leg, and each stringer side extending in a continuous smooth curve to a stringer leg.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.