Stacked noodle for high capacity pull-off for a composite stringer
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMalmurugan Kamaraj, Donald Paul Matheson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising a composite elongate member, a channel, and a number of composite structures. The composite elongate member has a side configured for attachment to a surface of a structure. The channel is on the side and extends along a length of the composite elongate member. The number of composite structures is configured for placement in the channel and configured to attach a portion of the side of the composite elongate member to the structure. A composite structure in the number of composite structures comprises layers having different orientations selected to increase a capacity of the composite elongate member to withstand forces that pull the composite elongate member away from the structure.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a composite elongate member (302) having a side configured for attachment to a surface (337) of a structure (306);
- a channel (332) on the side extending along a length of the composite elongate member (302);
- and
- a number of composite structures (304) configured for placement in the channel (332) and configured to attach a portion of the side of the composite elongate member (302) to the structure (306), wherein a composite structure (306) in the number of composite structures (304) comprises layers (2204) having different orientations (2210) selected to increase a capacity (356) of the composite elongate member (302) to withstand forces (358) that pull the composite elongate member (302) away from the structure (306), the number of composite structures comprising a top segment configured to contact an apical portion of the channel.
A structural system (300) for an aircraft (301) comprising:
- a composite elongate member (302) having a base section and a vertical section in which the vertical section extends away from the base section in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base section to form a T-shape (317), wherein the vertical section meets the base section at a first location (321) of the vertical section and a second location (323) of the vertical section in which the first location (321) has a first curved shape (324) and the second location (323) has a second curved shape (328) in which the first curved shape (324) and the second curved shape (328) have a substantially same radius;
- wherein a channel (332) is formed between the first location (321) and the second location (323) and extends along a length of the composite elongate member (302);
- and wherein the composite elongate member (302) has a first Young's modulus;
- and
- a filler structure (336) comprising a number of composite structures (304) configured to substantially conform to a shape (316) of the channel (332) and wherein the number of composite structures (304) has a second Young's modulus that is within a desired range from the first Young's modulus and wherein a composite structure (306) in the number of composite structures (304) comprises layers (2204) having different orientations (2210) selected to increase a capacity (356) of the composite elongate member (302) to withstand forces (358) that pull the composite elongate member (302) away from the base section, the number of composite structures comprising a top segment configured to contact an apical portion of the channel.
A method for increasing a pull-off capacity (356) for a composite elongate member (302), the method comprising:
- operating an aircraft (301);
- and
- generating forces (358) configured to pull the composite elongate member (302) away from a structure (306) attached to a side of the composite elongate member (302) during operation of the aircraft (301), wherein a channel (332) extends along a length of the composite elongate member (302) on the side of the composite elongate member (302) attached to the structure (306) and a number of composite structures (304) in the channel (332) in which a composite structure (306) in the number of composite structures (304) comprises layers (2204) having different orientations (2210) selected such that a capacity (356) of the composite elongate member (302) to withstand the forces (358) that pull the composite elongate member (302) away from the structure (306) is increased, the number of composite structures comprising a top segment configured to contact an apical portion of the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.