# US 2013/0156979 A1 · Composite Columnar Structure Having Co-Bonded Reinforcement and Fabrication Method

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- Number: US 2013/0156979 A1
- Document ID: US20130156979A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/326,005
- Filed: 2011-12-14
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Samuel Ray Stewart
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156979A1

## CPC

- B29C 70/088: {and with one or more layers of non-plastics material or non-specified material, e.g. supports}
- B29C 70/542: {Placing or positioning the reinforcement in a covering or packaging element before or during moulding, e.g. drawing in a sleeve}
- B29C 70/543: {Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding (for non-woven fabrics D04H3/08)}
- B29C 70/86: Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, {e.g. by winding}
- B29C 70/865: {completely encapsulated}
- B32B 1/08: Tubular products
- B32B 9/005: {comprising one layer of ceramic material, e.g. porcelain, ceramic tile (layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00)}
- B32B 9/047: {made of fibres or filaments}
- B32B 15/14: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
- F16C 7/026: {made of fibre reinforced resin}
- B29K 2705/00: Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
- B29K 2709/02: Ceramics
- B29L 2031/06: Rods, e.g. connecting rods {, rails, stakes (shafts B29L2031/75; poles, masts, posts B29L2031/766)}
- B29L 2031/3076: {Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08)}
- B29L 2031/748: {Machines or parts thereof not otherwise provided for (conveyor belts B29L2031/7092; driving belts B29L2031/7094; bearings B29L2031/04)}
- B32B 2597/00: Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- Y10T 29/4998: Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
- Y10T 428/13: Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
- Y10T 428/1321: Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
- Y10T 428/1355: Elemental metal containing [e.g., substrate, foil, film, coating, etc.]
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A columnar structure comprises a generally hollow laminate core, an outer composite skin, and a sleeve-like reinforcement. The sleeve-like reinforcement surrounds the laminate core and is sandwiched between the laminate core and the outer composite skin for reacting compressive loads imposed on the columnar structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A columnar structure, comprising:
a generally hollow composite laminate core;
an outer composite skin; and
a reinforcement surrounding the composite laminate core and sandwiched between the composite laminate core and the outer composite skin for reacting at least compressive loads imposed on the columnar structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The columnar structure of claim 1, wherein:
the composite laminate core is substantially tubular, and
the reinforcement includes a sleeve-like layer of material extending substantially completely around the laminate core.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The columnar structure of claim 2, wherein:
the sleeve-like layer of material is one of a metal and a ceramic, and
the composite laminate core is a fiber reinforced resin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The columnar structure of claim 2, wherein:
the sleeve-like layer of material is titanium, and
the composite laminate core is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The columnar structure of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement is a metal having first and second halves seamed substantially along a longitudinal axis of the composite laminate core.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The columnar structure of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement includes a sleeve-like layer of material having corrugations in contact with the composite laminate core and extending in a longitudinal direction of the composite laminate core.

### Claim 7

A strut, comprising:
a generally tubular, fiber reinforced resin core; and
a sleeve-like reinforcement around the fiber reinforced resin core having a compressive strength greater than the compressive strength of the fiber reinforced resin core.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The strut of claim 7, wherein the sleeve-like reinforcement is a metal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The strut of claim 7, wherein the sleeve-like reinforcement is corrugated.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The strut of claim 8, wherein the sleeve-like reinforcement includes first and second halves assembled together along seams extending in a longitudinal direction of the fiber reinforced resin core.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The strut of claim 10, wherein the seams are located at positions around the fiber reinforced resin core that substantially optimize the buckling strength of the strut.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The strut of claim 10, further comprising:
a pair of spaced apart end fittings including a pair of attachment pins lying substantially in a first plane and adapted to attach the strut to a structure, and
wherein at least one of the seams lies substantially in a second plane generally perpendicular to the first plane.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The strut of claim 7, wherein the sleeve-like reinforcement is a ceramic.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The strut of claim 7, wherein:
the sleeve-like reinforcement is titanium and has an inside face with longitudinal raised strips thereon, and
the fiber reinforced resin core is carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The strut of claim 7, wherein the sleeve-like reinforcement includes first and second halves each having an inside face provided with ridges in contact with the fiber reinforced resin core.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The strut of claim 15, further comprising:
an outer skin covering the sleeve-like reinforcement,
wherein the sleeve-like reinforcement is co-bonded to the fiber reinforced resin core and to the outer skin.

### Claim 17

A method of making a strut, comprising:
fabricating a composite laminate core;
fabricating a sleeve-like reinforcement;
assembling the sleeve-like reinforcement over the composite laminate core; and
fabricating an outer skin over the sleeve-like reinforcement.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
co-bonding the sleeve-like reinforcement to the composite laminate core and to the outer skin.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein:
fabricating the sleeve-like reinforcement includes forming corrugations on an inside face of a member,
fabricating the composite laminate core includes laying up plies of a fiber reinforced resin, and
assembling the sleeve-like reinforcement over the composite laminate core includes placing the member on the composite laminate core with the corrugations against the plies of the composite laminate core.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
consolidating and curing the composite laminate core, and
using the corrugations on the member to control wrinkling of the plies during the consolidation.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the plies are laid up on a mandrel, and further comprising removing the composite laminate core after curing and consolidation are performed.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein fabricating the sleeve-like reinforcement includes fabricating first and second halves.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein assembling the sleeve-like reinforcement over the composite laminate core includes placing the first and second halves over the composite laminate core and arranging seams between the first and second halves in a longitudinal direction of the composite laminate core.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
using the sleeve-like reinforcement to control wrinkling of the composite laminate core during consolidation and curing of the composite laminate core.