Upper joints between outboard wing boxes and wing center sections of aircraft wing assemblies

An upper joint for a wing assembly of an aircraft, the upper joint comprising:

• an outboard upper wing panel of an outboard wing box, wherein the outboard upper wing panel includes an outboard upper skin and a plurality of outboard upper stringers operatively coupled to the outboard upper skin;
• a center upper wing panel of a wing center section, wherein the center upper wing panel includes a center upper skin and a plurality of center upper stringers operatively coupled to the center upper skin;
• a rib that is located between the outboard wing box and the wing center section;
• and
• an upper joint assembly operatively interconnecting the outboard upper wing panel, the center upper wing panel, and the rib;
• wherein for a first substantial fore/aft span of the upper joint:
• the plurality of outboard upper stringers comprises hat-shaped stringers;
• a first subset of the plurality of center upper stringers is operatively coupled to the upper joint assembly, wherein the first subset of the plurality of center upper stringers comprises hat-shaped stringers;
• and
• a second subset of the plurality of center upper stringers terminates without being directly coupled to the upper joint assembly, wherein the center upper stringers of the second subset of the plurality of center upper stringers comprise blade stringers, Z-stringers, or I-stringers and are not directly opposed to corresponding outboard upper stringers of the plurality of outboard upper stringers at the upper joint assembly;
• and
• wherein for a second substantial fore/aft span of the upper joint:
• the plurality of outboard upper stringers comprises blade stringers, Z-stringers, or I-stringers;
• a third subset of the plurality of center upper stringers is operatively coupled to the upper joint assembly, wherein the third subset of the plurality of center upper stringers comprises blade stringers, Z-stringers, or I-stringers;
• and
• a fourth subset of the plurality of center upper stringers terminates without being directly coupled to the upper joint assembly, wherein the center upper stringers of the fourth subset of the plurality of center upper stringers comprise blade stringers, Z-stringers, or I-stringers and are not directly opposed to corresponding outboard upper stringers of the plurality of outboard upper stringers at the upper joint assembly.

An upper joint for a wing assembly of an aircraft, the upper joint comprising:

• an outboard upper wing panel of an outboard wing box, wherein the outboard upper wing panel includes an outboard upper skin and a plurality of outboard upper stringers operatively coupled to the outboard upper skin;
• a center upper wing panel of a wing center section, wherein the center upper wing panel includes a center upper skin and a plurality of center upper stringers operatively coupled to the center upper skin;
• a rib that is located between the outboard wing box and the wing center section;
• and
• an upper joint assembly operatively interconnecting the outboard upper wing panel, the center upper wing panel, and the rib;
• wherein for a first substantial fore/aft span of the upper joint:
• the plurality of outboard upper stringers comprises hat-shaped stringers;
• a first subset of the plurality of center upper stringers is operatively coupled to the upper joint assembly, wherein the first subset of the plurality of center upper stringers comprises hat-shaped stringers;
• and
• a second subset of the plurality of center upper stringers terminates without being directly coupled to the upper joint assembly, wherein the second subset of the plurality of center upper stringers are not hat-shaped stringers.