Composite barrel sections for aircraft fuselages and other structures, and methods and systems for manufacturing such barrel sections

A section of an aircraft fuselage, the section comprising:

• a skin having a plurality of fiber tows forming a continuous surface extending 360 degrees about an axis;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion bonded to an interior surface of the skin and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion bonded to the interior surface of the skin and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin, and
• a frame section having a base portion mated to the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener without being mated to the skin between the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the second raised portion of the second stiffener.

A section of an aircraft fuselage, the section comprising:

• a skin having a plurality of fiber tows forming a continuous surface extending 360 degrees about an axis;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion bonded to an interior surface of the skin and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin, wherein the first flange portion has a first outer edge;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion bonded to the interior surface of the skin and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin, wherein the second flange portion has a second outer edge facing the first outer edge of the first flange portion;
• and
• a frame section having a base portion, wherein at least one of the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener extends toward the other of the first flange portion and the second flange portion to form an at least approximately continuous support surface extending between the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the second raised portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the base portion of the frame section mates to the at least approximately continuous support surface.

A section of an aircraft fuselage, the section comprising:

• a sheet of composite fabric forming at least a first portion of a skin extending continuously for 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the section, the sheet of composite fabric having a preformed first width;
• a plurality of fiber tapes individually applied over the sheet of composite fabric, wherein each of the individual fiber tapes has a second width that is narrower than the first width, and wherein the plurality of fiber tapes forms at least a second portion of the skin extending continuously for 360 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the section;
• a first longitudinal stiffener having a first flange portion bonded to an interior surface of the sheet of composite fabric during a cocuring process, and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the sheet of composite fabric;
• at least a second longitudinal stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion bonded to the interior surface of the sheet of composite fabric during the cocuring process, and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the sheet of composite fabric;
• and
• a circumferential frame section extending across the first and second stiffeners, wherein the circumferential frame section is mechanically fastened to the skin and the first and second stiffeners after the cocuring process.

A section of an aircraft fuselage, the section comprising:

• a skin having a plurality of fiber tapes forming a continuous surface extending 360 degrees about an axis;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion bonded to an interior surface of the skin and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin, wherein the first flange portion has a first edge;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion bonded to the interior surface of the skin and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin, wherein the second flange portion has a second edge opposite the first edge of the first flange portion;
• and
• a frame section having a base portion, wherein at least one of the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener extends toward the other of the first flange portion and the second flange portion to form an at least approximately continuous support surface extending between the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the second raised portion of the second stiffener, and wherein the base portion of the frame section mates to the at least approximately continuous support surface.

A section of an aircraft fuselage, the section comprising:

• a skin having a plurality of unidirectional fibers forming a continuous surface extending 360 degrees about an axis;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion mated to an interior surface of the skin and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the skin, wherein the first flange portion has a first edge;
• and
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion mated to the interior surface of the skin and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the skin, wherein the second flange portion has a second edge positioned adjacent to the first edge, and wherein at least one of the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener extends toward the other of the first flange portion and the second flange portion to form an at least approximately continuous support surface extending between the first raised portion of the first stiffener and the second raised portion of the second stiffener.

A section of an aircraft fuselage, the section comprising:

• an inner fabric ply forming a continuous inner surface extending 360 degrees about an axis, the inner fabric ply having a preformed first width;
• a plurality of unidirectional fiber strands individually laminated to an outer portion of the inner fabric ply, wherein each of the individual unidirectional fiber strands have a second width that is narrower than the first width;
• an outer fabric ply laminated to an outer portion of the plurality of unidirectional fibers, the outer fabric ply forming a continuous outer surface extending 360 degrees about the axis;
• a first stiffener having a first flange portion bonded to the inner surface of the inner fabric ply and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the inner surface;
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener, the second stiffener having a second flange portion bonded to the inner surface of the inner fabric ply and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the inner surface;
• and
• a frame section attached at least proximate to the inner surface of the inner fabric ply, wherein the frame section includes at least first and second openings, and wherein the first raised portion of the first stiffener extends through the first opening and the second raised portion of the second stiffener extends through the second opening.

An aircraft structure comprising:

• a section of a passenger cabin, wherein the passenger cabin is configured to hold at least about 50 passenger seats, and wherein the section includes:
• a skin extending continuously for 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the section, wherein the skin includes:
• an inner fabric ply forming at least a portion of an inner surface of the skin, the inner fabric ply having a preformed first width;
• a plurality of unidirectional fiber strands individually laminated to an outer portion of the inner fabric ply, wherein each of the individual unidirectional fiber strands has a second width that is narrower than the first width;
• and
• an outer fabric ply laminated to an outer portion of the plurality of unidirectional fiber strands, the outer fabric ply forming at least a portion of an outer surface of the skin;
• a first longitudinal stiffener bonded to the inner surface of the inner fabric ply during a cocuring process in which the skin and at least the first stiffener are cocured;
• at least a second longitudinal stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener and bonded to the inner surface of the inner fabric ply during the cocuring process;
• and
• a circumferential frame section extending across the first and second stiffeners, wherein the circumferential frame section is mechanically fastened to the skin and the first and second stiffeners after the cocuring process.

An aircraft fuselage comprising:

• a fuselage barrel section having a skin extending continuously for 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the barrel section, wherein the skin includes:
• a plurality of composite fabric sheets extending continuously for 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the section, wherein each of the individual composite fabric sheets has a preformed first width;
• and
• a plurality of fiber tows individually applied over the plurality of composite fabric sheets and extending continuously for at least 360 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the barrel section, wherein each of the individual fiber tows has a second width that is narrower than the first width;
• a first longitudinal stiffener extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel section, wherein the first stiffener is bonded to an interior surface of the composite fabric sheets during a cocuring process in which the skin and at least the first stiffener are cocured;
• and
• at least a second longitudinal stiffener extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel section and spaced apart from the first stiffener, wherein the second stiffener is bonded to the interior surface of the composite fabric sheets during the cocuring process.

An aircraft fuselage comprising:

• a one-piece barrel section having a cross-sectional dimension of at least 12 feet, wherein the barrel section includes:
• a skin extending continuously for 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the barrel section, wherein the skin includes an inner fabric ply forming at least a portion of an inner surface of the skin, the inner fabric ply having a preformed first width, wherein the skin further includes a plurality of unidirectional fiber strands laminated to an outer portion of the inner fabric ply, the individual unidirectional fiber strands having a second width that is narrower than the first width, and wherein the skin additionally includes an outer fabric ply laminated to an outer portion of the plurality of unidirectional fiber strands, the outer fabric ply forming at least a portion of an outer surface of the skin;
• a first stiffener bonded to the inner surface of the skin during a cocuring process in which the skin and at least the first stiffener are cocured;
• and
• at least a second stiffener spaced apart from the first stiffener and bonded to the inner surface of the skin during the cocuring process.