Composite structure for transmitting high shear loads
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsTravis A. Bogetti, Christopher P. R. Hoppel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber reinforced composite structure for transmitting high shear loads includes a laminate with an edge defining a buttress groove. The buttress groove includes a pressure flank oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the structure to transmit shear loads in one direction only. The laminate is formed of a plurality of plies having fibers disposed in a matrix material at angular orientations relative to the longitudinal axis of the structure. A first plurality of the plies have fibers oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis and a majority of the other plies have fibers oriented at an angle .theta. relative to the longitudinal axis corresponding to a direction of the largest tensile component of the shear load.
Claims11
A fiber reinforced composite structure for transmitting high shear loads comprising:
- a laminate including a plurality of plies having fibers disposed in a matrix material, said fibers of each ply having an angular orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of said laminate, wherein a first plurality of said plies have fibers oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis and a majority of the other plies have fibers oriented at an angle .theta. of between -30.degree. and -60.degree. relative to said longitudinal axis;
- and
- a plurality of spaced buttress grooves defining an edge of said laminate, each of said buttress grooves comprising:
- a pressure flank oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- a front flank tilted away from the pressure flank at an angle ranging from about 30.degree. to 60.degree.;
- a flat or bottom land extending across the bottom of each groove between the pressure flank and front flank;
- and
- a crest or top land of similar size to the flat and extending horizontally between adjacent grooves.
A method of forming a fiber reinforced composite structure comprising the steps of:
- arranging plies of a laminate such that a first plurality of plies have fibers oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the structure and a majority of the other plies have fibers oriented at an angle .theta. of between -30.degree. and -60.degree. relative to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- forming a plurality of spaced buttress grooves along an edge of said laminate, each of said buttress grooves comprising:
- a pressure flank oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- a front flank tilted away from the pressure flank at an angle ranging from about 30.degree. to 60.degree.;
- a flat or bottom land extending across the bottom of each groove between the pressure flank and front flank;
- and
- a crest or top land of similar size to the flat and extending horizontally between adjacent grooves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.