Airplane wing and method of forming same
OwnerWilliam B. Harveyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of forming an airplane wing and a resulting article of manufacture where a wing structural member is provided which is composed of a plastic foam layer sandwiched between opposing paper sheets. A substantial portion of one of the paper sheets is removed from the plastic foam through application of water to pulpify one of the paper sheets and then stripping such from the plastic foam layer. The resulting structural member is then formed into a predetermined contour after compression of the foam layer in the leading edge region of the wing. Rib elements may be secured to an internal surface of the wing and the trailing edges are tapered prior to securement of the trailing wing edges throughout the wing extended length.
Claims21
A method of forming an airplane wing including the steps of:
- a. providing a planar structural member composed of plastic foam between opposing paper sheets;
- b. removing a substantial portion of one of said paper sheets from said plastic foam to form an inner surface of said airplane wing composed of said plastic foam and said paper sheet;
- c. establishing a leading edge region of said wing extending a predetermined transverse distance with respect to a longitudinal extension of said structural member;
- d. compressing said leading edge region throughout said longitudinal extension of said planar structural member;
- e. shaping said structural member into a predetermined contour;
- and,
- f. securing opposing ends of said structural member each to the other to form said airplane wing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.