Composite fastener
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsGuy C. Murphy, Barrett J. Fuhrmann, Jackie D. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite fastener member, in one form, having integral head and shank portions is defined by a plurality of superimposed composite fiber reinforced sheets spirally wound about a longitudinal axis. A plurality of fastener members, oppositely disposed within an opening in an article, define a fastener especially useful in joining lightweight composite structures such as aircraft or aircraft engine components. In another form, the ends of a single spirally wound composite fastener member are splayed to fasten a plurality of sheets.
Claims31
A fiber reinforced composite fastener member comprising:
- an integral head portion and shank portion which together define a shape tapered from the head portion to the shank portion and oriented generally about a longitudinal axis;
- the fastener member being defined by a plurality of superimposed composite sheets having reinforcing fibers, the sheets being spirally wound about the axis.
A fiber reinforced composite fastener comprising:
- at least a pair of fastener members, each member having an integral head portion and shank portion which together define a shape tapered from the head portion to the shank portion and oriented generally about a longitudinal axis, and each member being defined by a plurality of superimposed composite sheets having reinforcing fibers, the sheets being spirally wound about the axis, the head and shank portions of one member being oppositely disposed to another member through an opening in an article;
- the fastener members being in intimate contact one with the other to define together the composite fastener with opposing head portions.
A composite article comprising a first member and a second member, each article member having an opening, and a fiber reinforced composite fastener having a pair of fastener members disposed through the openings to secure the first and second article members, each fastener member having an integral head portion and shank portion which together define a shape tapered from the head portion to the shank portion and oriented generally about a longitudinal axis, and each fastener member being further defined by a plurality of superimposed composite sheets having reinforcing fibers, the sheets being spirally wound about the axis, the head and shank portion of the first fastener member being oppositely disposed to the head and shank of the second fastener member through the openings in the article members, the fastener members further being in intimate contact one with the other within the openings to define together the composite fastener having opposing head portions.
A composite article comprising a first member and a second member, the article including an opening through both the first and second members, and a fastener disposed through the opening to secure the first and second members, wherein the fastener comprises:
- a single spirally wound composite fastener member having first and second ends,
- the first and second ends being splayed to secure the fastener in the opening and the first and second members together, at least one of the splayed first and second ends including a depression therein;
- and
- a plug bonded in the depression.
In a composite airfoil comprising a composite material and a material selected from the group consisting of a composite material and a metal, which composite airfoil has a hole penetrating therethrough bearing a fastener, the improvement which comprises a thermosetting resin, fiber reinforced composite fastener formed from composite sheet having the fiber oriented along a fiber axis, and of thicker dimension at one end, the sheet being spirally disposed about the fiber axis to form a tapered fiber composite fastener.
A method of making a fiber reinforced composite fastener member having an integral head portion and a shank portion comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of fiber reinforced composite sheets at least some of which are smaller along a length than others of the plurality;
- stacking the plurality of sheets one upon the other so that first edges of the sheets substantially are superimposed and aligned;
- and then,
- spirally winding the stacked sheets generally about a longitudinal axis along the length whereby the head portion on one end is formed integrally with the shank portion.
In a method of making a fiber reinforced composite fastener in place within an opening through an article, the opening having opposed first and second ends, the steps of:
- providing a pair of fastener members, each member having an integral head portion and shank portion which together define a shape tapered from the head portion to the shank portion and oriented generally about a longitudinal axis, and each member being defined by a plurality of superimposed composite sheets having reinforcing fibers, the sheets being spirally wound about the axis;
- disposing the shank portion of a first of the pair through the first end of the opening;
- disposing the shank portion of a second of the pair through the second end of the opening;
- and
- pressing the head portions of the pair of members one toward the other and toward the hole to press the pair of members into contact with one another.
A method for making a composite fastener for use in composite airfoil construction which comprises:
- overlaying a plurality of different size resin bonded, fiber reinforced composite sheets with the fibers of all sheets being parallel along a fiber axis and such that the resulting overlay is of a thicker dimension at one end than the other end;
- and,
- spirally winding said overlay about the fiber axis to form a tapered fiber composite fastener.
A method for making a fiber reinforced composite fastener in place within an opening through an article, the opening having opposed first and second opening ends, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one spirally wound composite sheet having first and second member ends,
- disposing the fastener member through the opening whereby the first and second member ends are accessible at the first and second opening ends;
- and then
- splaying the first and second member ends to secure the fastener on the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.