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US 5,829,716 AGranted
Welded aerospace structure using a hybrid metal webbed composite beam
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBrad L. Kirkwood, Michael M. Stepan, Paul J. Patt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid metal webbed composite beam includes a metal I or T web section and a composite cap formed over and adhered to the I or T web. The beam incorporates the advantages of metals and composites in modern aerospace construction allowing thermoplastic welding of the beam to skins while having the strength of metal.
Claims17
A welded structure, comprising:
- (a) at least one prefabricated, organic matrix composite having a fiber-reinforced organic matrix resin;
- (b) a hybrid metal webbed, composite capped beam assembled with the composite to define at least one bondline between the composite and the beam cap, the beam cap being a fiber-reinforced organic matrix resin;
- and
- (c) a weld of organic matrix resin joining the composite and beam cap along the bondline.
1 more element
A welded aerospace structure using a hybrid metal webbed composite beam obtainable by:
- (a) assembling a preform to define a bondline, the preform having a prefabricated organic matrix resin composite adjacent a hybrid metal webbed composite capped beam, the beam having a beam web and at least one beam cap, the beam web including a flange for capturing the beam cap and being aligned with the bondline;
- and
- (b) inducing a current in the flange to heat the bondline sufficiently to join the composite to the beam cap through a resin weld.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.