Composite Sandwich Panels with Over-Crushed Edge Regions
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJason Turner, Mitchell Zachary Kotlik, Christopher Robert Schwartz, Michael B. Black
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Abstract
A composite sandwich panel comprises a first composite skin, a second composite skin, a hollow cell core between the first composite skin and the second composite skin, and a first over-crush edge region with a first edge. The first edge has a first thickness at least 40% less than a nominal thickness of the composite sandwich panel. The first over-crush edge region has a length of at least 0.25 inches over which a thickness of the composite sandwich panel decreases.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- loading a first composite skin, a second composite skin, and a hollow cell core into a tool comprising opposing dies;
- and
- compressing the first composite skin, the second composite skin, and the hollow cell core using the opposing dies to form and consolidate a composite sandwich panel having a first over-crush edge region comprising a first thickness at least 40% less than a nominal thickness of the composite sandwich panel.
A composite sandwich panel comprising:
- a first composite skin;
- a second composite skin;
- a hollow cell core between the first composite skin and the second composite skin;
- and
- a first over-crush edge region with a first edge, the first edge having a first thickness at least 40% less than a nominal thickness of the composite sandwich panel, wherein the first over-crush edge region has a length of at least 0.25 inches over which a thickness of the composite sandwich panel decreases.
A compression molding tool comprising:
- opposing dies moveable relative to each other, the opposing dies comprising a first over-crush forming feature configured to form a first over-crush edge region of a composite sandwich panel;
- and
- an interior shape formed by the opposing dies, the interior shape comprising a nominal thickness, a first thickness in a region formed by the first over-crush forming feature, a transition region between the nominal thickness and the first thickness, and a periphery region surrounding the nominal thickness and the first thickness, wherein the first thickness is at least 40% less than the nominal thickness, wherein a length of the transition region is at least 0.25 inches, and wherein a thickness in the periphery region is greater than the nominal thickness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.