System and method for testing a fillet bond
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPaul S. Gregg, Brian S. Kasperson, Jack J. Esposito
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A testing apparatus for characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond of a test specimen may include a lower fixture and an upper fixture. The test specimen may include a skin component bonded to a stiffener component. The lower fixture may maintain the stiffener component in a fixed position. The upper fixture may engage the skin component at a pair of discrete engagement locations on opposite sides of the fillet bond. The upper fixture may be mechanically coupled to a gimbal joint and may substantially isolate the filet bond from asymmetric bending during application of a tension test load to the fillet bond.
Claims20
A testing apparatus for characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond joining a stiffener component to a skin component of a test specimen, the fillet bond having a fillet face on each one of opposing sides of the fillet bond, comprising:
- a lower fixture configured to maintain the stiffener component in a fixed position;
- an upper fixture having a pair of engagement devices positionable on opposite sides of the fillet bond and configured to engage the skin component at substantially equal distances from the fillet faces such that substantially equivalent tension forces are applied to the skin component on each side of the fillet bond during application of a tension test load on the test specimen;
- and
- a gimbal joint mechanically coupled to the upper fixture and being configured to substantially isolate the fillet bond from asymmetric bending during application of the tension test load to the fillet bond.
A testing apparatus for characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond joining a stiffener component and a skin component of a test specimen, the fillet bond having a fillet face on each one of opposing sides of the fillet bond, comprising:
- a lower fixture configured to maintain the stiffener component in a fixed position;
- an upper fixture having a pair of load pins being oriented generally parallel to one another and configured to engage an inner surface of a skin component at substantially equal distances from the fillet faces such that substantially equivalent tension forces are applied to the skin component on each side of the fillet bond during application of a tension test load on the test specimen;
- a gimbal joint mechanically coupled to the upper fixture and being configured to substantially isolate the fillet bond from asymmetric bending during application of the tension test load to the fillet bond;
- and
- the load pins being positioned such that fillet edges of the fillet bond are subjected to a moment-shear ratio that is substantially equivalent to the moment-shear ratio at the fillet edges of a structural assembly subjected to a uniformly distributed tension pulloff load.
A method of characterizing a tension strength of a fillet bond joining a stiffener component to a skin component of a test specimen, the fillet bond having a fillet face on each one of opposing sides of the fillet bond, comprising the steps of:
- placing the test specimen in a testing apparatus;
- fixedly positioning a stiffener component in a lower fixture of the test specimen;
- engaging the skin component using a pair of engagement devices of an upper fixture of the testing apparatus, the engagement devices being positioned on opposite sides of the fillet bond at substantially equal distances from the fillet faces;
- applying a tension test load to the fillet bond using the pair of engagement devices;
- applying, using the engagement devices, substantially equivalent tension forces to the skin component on each side of the fillet bond during application of the tension test load;
- and
- substantially isolating the fillet bond from asymmetric bending when applying the tension test load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.