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US 5,847,375 AGranted
Fastenerless bonder wingbox
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMarc R. Matsen, Douglas A. McCarville, Michael M. Stepan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rib and spar webs are joined in a composite wingbox to eliminate fasteners by welding the webs along bond lines defined by overlapping sections of the webs. Heat to produce the weld is generally achieved resistively by connecting a multistrip susceptor positioned along the bond line to a current source, since the geometry makes it difficult to heat these web joints inductively. The wingbox is completed without fasteners by welding skins to the rib-spar wingbox.
Claims8
A method for making a bonded wingbox free from fasteners to connect detail parts, comprising the steps of:
- (a) assembling a plurality of composite spars and composite ribs to define upper and lower surfaces for the wingbox, the spars and ribs each including a web;
- (b) structurally bonding the spar web to the rib web without fasteners at each intersection between a spar and a rib while applying 100-200 psi pressure to the intersection;
- and
- (c) structurally welding a wingskin to the spars and ribs without fasteners at a bond line on at least one of the upper and lower surface.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.