US 7,244,487 B2Granted

Apparatus, system, and method of joining structural components with a tapered tension bond joint

AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation

InventorsJerry W. Brantley, Charles Mark Rodenberger

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system of composite and adhesive materials provides for a high strength, producible closeout joint in the form of tapered tension bond joint for high performance structures. The system includes one skin that is co-bonded to flat panel spars, with the joint being positioned at the opposite side of the spars. The spar includes a female receptacle that receives a male blade from the closeout skin assembly. The blade and receptacle are wedge-shaped woven preforms. The flat panel spars have imbedded nut elements that serve as “internal tooling” to provide a positive stop for locating and clamping the structural members together.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A structural assembly, comprising:

a first structural member having a surface and a joint surface located opposite the surface;
a joint component having a base and a protrusion extending from the base, the base being mounted to and integrated with the joint surface of the first structural member, the protrusion having a longitudinal profile, a lateral cross-sectional shape that is transverse to the longitudinal profile, and a series of features formed in the protrusion, the features being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal profile;
a plurality of internal fasteners, each of which is located in one of the features of the protrusion, each of the internal fasteners having a profile that is substantially complementary to a respective one of the features in the protrusion, and a cross-sectional shape that is substantially consistent with the lateral cross-sectional shape of the protrusion such that the internal fasteners are integrated into the protrusion;
a second structural member having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle being complementary in shape to the protrusion and the internal fasteners along the longitudinal profile for receiving the protrusion and the internal fasteners, and the receptacle being joined to the protrusion and the internal fasteners with an adhesive;
and
a plurality of external fasteners extending through the first structural member and connected to the internal fasteners such that the external fasteners are substantially flush with the surface of the first structural member.

3 more elements

A structural assembly, comprising in combination:

a closeout assembly having an external surface, a plurality of internal joint surfaces located opposite the external surface, and a plurality of protrusions, each of which extends from one of the internal joint surfaces, each of the protrusions having a longitudinal profile, a lateral cross-sectional shape that is transverse to the longitudinal profile, and a series of internal fasteners integrated into each of the protrusions such that the internal fasteners in each series of internal fasteners are spaced apart from each other along respective ones of the longitudinal profiles;
a base assembly having an external portion and a plurality of spar webs extending from the external portion, each of the spar webs having a spar receptacle, and each of the spar receptacles being complementary in shape to a respective one of the protrusions and said each series of internal fasteners along a respective one of the longitudinal profiles for receiving said respective one of the protrusions and said each series of internal fasteners, and each of the spar receptacles being joined to said respective one of the protrusions and said each series of internal fasteners with an adhesive;
and
a plurality of external fasteners extending through the closeout assembly and connected to the internal fasteners such that the external fasteners are substantially flush with the external surface of the closeout assembly.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/986,548Filed 11 Nov 2004 · continuation in part
Priority: 24 Apr 2003
Published: US 2005/0064134 A124 Mar 2005
Granted: 17 Jul 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

B29C 66/52441
For forming fork-shaped connections, e.g. for making window frames or Y-shaped pieces: with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces
B29C 65/48
Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor: using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining…
B29C 65/561
Using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits: using screw-threads being integral at least to one of the parts to be joined
B29C 65/562
Using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits: using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be…

Family

Application10/422,254Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 24 Apr 2003
US 2005/0064134 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Mar 2005
US 2004/0213953 A1Published application
US 7,244,487 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

Facts

Application

10/986,548Filed 11 Nov 2004 · continuation in part

Priority

24 Apr 2003

Published

US 2005/0064134 A124 Mar 2005

Granted

17 Jul 2007

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

B29C 66/52441
For forming fork-shaped connections, e.g. for making window frames or Y-shaped pieces: with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces
B29C 65/48
Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor: using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining…
B29C 65/561
Using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits: using screw-threads being integral at least to one of the parts to be joined
B29C 65/562
Using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits: using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be…