# US 2019/0168891 A1 · Method for producing a frame component for a door frame structure of an aircraft, frame component, and door frame structure

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0168891 A1
- Document ID: US20190168891A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/195,977
- Filed: 2018-11-20
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-11-24
- Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Applicants: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Inventors: Peter LINDE; Albrecht KLUGE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168891A1

## CPC

- B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
- B23K 13/02: Seam welding
- B23K 20/10: making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding
- B23K 26/24: Seam welding
- B29C 65/16: Laser beams
- B29C 65/44: Joining a heated non plastics element to a plastics element
- B29C 66/0246: {Cutting or perforating, e.g. burning away by using a laser or using hot air (simultaneously welding and severing using a fluid B29C65/7471; simultaneously welding and severing using radiation B29C65/7473; cutting-off or cutting-out a part of a strip-like or sheet-like material, transferring that part and fixing it to an article B29C69/005)}
- B29C 66/112: {Single lapped joints}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/12441: {being a single wall}
- B29C 66/131: {Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area}
- B29C 66/30322: {in the form of rugosity}
- B29C 66/52441: {with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces}
- B29C 66/721: {Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/7392: {characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic}
- B29C 66/742: {to metals or their alloys}
- B29C 66/863: {Robotised, e.g. mounted on a robot arm}
- B64C 1/1461: {Structures of doors or surrounding frames}
- B23K 2101/24: Frameworks
- B29C 65/08: using ultrasonic vibrations {(non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645)}
- B29C 65/46: heated by induction
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/7212: {characterised by the composition of the fibres}
- B29C 66/7422: {Aluminium or alloys of aluminium}
- B29C 66/7428: {Transition metals or their alloys}
- B29C 66/8652: {being pushed by hand or being self-propelling}
- B29C 2791/009: Using laser
- B29L 2031/3002: {Superstructures characterized by combining metal and plastics, i.e. hybrid parts}
- B29L 2031/3076: {Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08)}
- B29L 2031/724: {Doors}
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- 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)
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A method for producing a frame component for a door frame structure of an aircraft. A connecting zone is generated on a first and a second assembly surface of a connecting component in each case by generating a surface texture on the assembly surfaces, wherein the connecting component is formed from a metal material. The assembly surfaces of the connecting component are placed against a door frame member and against an attachment member, wherein the door frame member and the attachment member are each formed from a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material. Furthermore, the connecting component and the door frame member are welded, and the connecting component and the attachment member are welded. A frame component and a door frame structure are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a frame component for a door frame structure of an aircraft, the method comprising:
forming a first connecting zone on a first assembly surface of a connecting component by generating a surface texture of the first assembly surface, wherein the connecting component is formed from a metal material;
forming a second connecting zone on a second assembly surface of the connecting component by generating a surface texture of the second assembly surface, wherein the second assembly surface extends transversely with respect to the first assembly surface;
placing the first assembly surface of the connecting component against a door frame member which is formed from a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material;
welding the connecting component and the door frame member, wherein thermoplastics material of the door frame member ingresses into the first connecting zone of the connecting component;
placing an attachment member against the second assembly surface of the connecting component, wherein the attachment member is formed from a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material; and
welding the connecting component and the attachment member, wherein thermoplastics material of the attachment member ingresses into the second connecting zone of the connecting component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein formation of the first connecting zone and of the second connecting zone of the connecting component is performed in each case by melting of the metal material on the first and on the second assembly surface by a laser beam or by electrochemical roughening of the first and of the second assembly surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein welding of the connecting component to the door frame member and to the attachment member is performed in each case by laser welding, ultrasound welding or induction welding.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second connecting zone of the connecting component are each formed with a surface topography which has level differences of between 1 μm and 8 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming a third connecting zone on a third assembly surface of the connecting component by generating a surface texture of the third assembly surface, wherein the third assembly surface is arranged opposite the second assembly surface and is oriented so as to face the latter, such that the second and the third assembly surface form a receiving space;
at the same time as the attachment member is placed against the second assembly surface of the connecting component, placing the attachment member against the third assembly surface of the connecting component by sliding the attachment member into the receiving space; and
welding the connecting component and the attachment member both at the second and at the third assembly surface of the connecting component, wherein thermoplastics material of the attachment member ingresses into the second and the third connecting zone of the connecting component.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first assembly surface of the connecting component is placed against an abutment region of a surface of the door frame member and the second assembly surface of the connecting component is placed against an abutment region of a surface of the attachment member, wherein the door frame member and the attachment member, in the respective abutment region, comprise thermoplastics material in a thickness range of between 1 μm and 8 μm from the surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the door frame member has a U-shaped or C-shaped cross section formed by a transverse web and two side webs, and wherein the first assembly surface of the connecting component is placed against an inner surface, which extends between the side webs, of a longitudinal web of the door frame member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the connecting component is placed with the first assembly surface against the inner surface of the longitudinal web of the door frame member such that the second assembly surface of the connecting component extends transversely with respect to the side webs of the door frame member.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material has polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene sulphide, polyethyleneimine as matrix material.

### Claim 10

A frame component for a door frame structure of an aircraft, comprising:
a door frame member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material;
a connecting component comprising a metal material, which is welded to an inner surface of the door frame member; and
an attachment member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material, which is welded to the connecting component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The frame component according to claim 10, wherein the connecting component is formed as an L-shaped or T-shaped angle piece, and wherein the connecting component is fastened by a first assembly surface to the door frame member and by a second assembly surface to the attachment member.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The frame component according to claim 10, wherein the door frame member has a U-shaped or C-shaped cross section formed by a transverse web and two side webs, and wherein the connecting component is fastened to an inner surface, which extends between the side webs, of the transverse web of the door frame member.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The frame component according to claim 10, wherein the frame component additionally has a structure member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material and a further connecting component comprising a metal material, which further connecting component is welded to an inner surface of the structure member and to an end section, situated opposite the door frame member, of the attachment member.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The frame component according to claim 10, wherein the frame component additionally has a door stopper which is arranged on an outer surface situated opposite the inner surface of the door frame member and which has an abutment lug which projects from the outer surface.

### Claim 15

A door frame structure for an aircraft, comprising:
a first frame component for a door frame structure of an aircraft, comprising:
a door frame member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material;
a connecting component comprising a metal material, which is welded to an inner surface of the door frame member; and
an attachment member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material, which is welded to the connecting component;
a second frame component for a door frame structure of an aircraft, comprising:
a door frame member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material;
a connecting component comprising a metal material, which is welded to an inner surface of the door frame member; and
an attachment member comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastics material, which is welded to the connecting component;
a first transverse strut, which extends between the door frame member of the first frame component and the door frame member of the second frame component and which is fastened in each case to a first end section of the door frame member of the first frame component and to a first end section of the door frame member of the second frame component; and
a second transverse strut, which extends between the door frame member of the first frame component and the door frame member of the second frame component and which is fastened in each case to a second end section of the door frame member of the first frame component and to a second end section of the door frame member of the second frame component.