System and method for testing a fillet bond
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPaul S. Gregg, Brian S. Kasperson, Jack J. Esposito
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A testing apparatus for characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond of a test specimen may include a lower fixture and an upper fixture. The test specimen may include a skin component bonded to a stiffener component. The lower fixture may maintain the stiffener component in a fixed position. The upper fixture may engage the skin component at a pair of discrete engagement locations on opposite sides of the fillet bond. The upper fixture may be mechanically coupled to a gimbal joint and may substantially isolate the filet bond from asymmetric bending during application of a tension test load to the fillet bond.
Claims20
A testing apparatus for characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond joining a stiffener component to a skin component of a test specimen, comprising:
- a lower fixture configured to maintain the stiffener component in a fixed position;
- an upper fixture configured to engage the skin component at a pair of engagement locations on opposite sides of the fillet bond;
- and
- a gimbal joint mechanically coupled to the upper fixture and being configured to substantially isolate the fillet bond from asymmetric bending during application of a tension test load to the fillet bond.
A testing apparatus for characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond joining a stiffener component and a skin component of a test specimen, comprising:
- a lower fixture configured to maintain the stiffener component in a fixed position;
- an upper fixture having a pair of load pins being oriented generally parallel to one another and configured to engage an inner surface of a skin component at a pair of discrete engagement locations on opposite sides of the fillet bond;
- a gimbal joint mechanically coupled to the upper fixture and being configured to substantially isolate the fillet bond from asymmetric bending during application of a tension test load to the fillet bond;
- and
- the engagement locations being positioned such that fillet edges of the fillet bond are subjected to a moment-shear ratio that is substantially equivalent to the moment-shear ratio at the fillet edges of a structural assembly subjected to a uniformly distributed tension pulloff load.
A method of characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond joining a stiffener component to a skin component of a test specimen, comprising the steps of:
- placing the test specimen in a testing apparatus;
- fixedly positioning a stiffener component of the test specimen;
- engaging the skin component at a pair of engagement locations on opposite sides of the fillet bond;
- applying a tension test load to the fillet bond at the engagement locations;
- and
- substantially isolating the fillet bond from asymmetric bending when applying the tension test load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.