Aircraft fuselage structural components and methods of making same

Abstract

Aircraft fuselage structures have reinforcement members in the vicinity of the stringer openings formed in frame members and are rigidly lap joined to a surface region of the frame members by a friction stir weld region. Such aircraft fuselage structural components may thus be provided with plural longitudinally spaced-apart frame members defining a transversal cross-section of an aircraft fuselage section, the frame members having a plurality of stringer holes therethrough, and plural longitudinally oriented stringers each being positioned within a respective one of the stringer holes of the frame member. The reinforcement members are lap joined to corresponding surfaces of frame members in the vicinity of the stringer holes such that the reinforcement members are joined rigidly to the corresponding surfaces of the frame members by a friction stir weld region.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.