Panel structure and associated method
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorOliver Seack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A panel structure for a vehicle, and especially for an aircraft or spacecraft, includes an area member, especially a skin member, that defines an areal expanse with a first surface and an opposite second surface and having a thickness between the first and second surfaces; and a plurality of elongate stiffener members which are attached to the area member and extend over at least one of the first and second surfaces; wherein at least one of the stiffener members is bifurcated at a bifurcation point into two or more branch stiffener members.
Claims20
A panel structure for a vehicle, comprising:
- an area member that defines an areal expanse with a first surface and an opposite second surface and having a thickness between the first and second surfaces;
- and
- a plurality of elongate stiffener members which are attached to the area member and extend over at least one of the first and second surfaces;
- wherein at least one of the stiffener members is branched or bifurcated at a branch point into at least two branch stiffener members.
A method of producing a panel structure for a vehicle, comprising:
- providing an area member that defines an areal expanse comprising a first surface and an opposite second surface, the area member having a thickness defined between the first and second surfaces;
- and
- arranging a plurality of elongate stiffener members extending over at least one of the first and second surfaces of the area member for attachment to the area member;
- wherein the step of arranging the stiffener members comprises branching or bifurcating at least one of the stiffener members at a branch point into two or more branch stiffener members.
A vehicle including at least one panel structure, the panel structure comprising:
- an area member, especially a skin member, that defines an areal expanse with a first surface and an opposite second surface and having a thickness between the first and second surfaces;
- and
- a plurality of elongate stiffener members which are attached to the area member and extend over at least one of the first and second surfaces;
- wherein at least one of the stiffener members is branched or bifurcated at a branch point into at least two branch stiffener members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.