# US 9,038,953 B2 · Aircraft thermal insulation

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- Number: US 9,038,953 B2
- Document ID: US9038953B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/702,647
- Filed: 2011-07-19
- Published: 2013-04-04
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-07-23
- Assignees: BAE SYSTEMS plc
- Applicants: Matthew Lang; Ruben James Joseph Fernandes
- Inventors: Matthew Lang; Ruben James Joseph Fernandes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038953B2

## CPC

- B64C 1/40: Sound or heat insulation {, e.g. using insulation blankets}
- B05D 5/06: to obtain multicolour or other optical effects (B05D5/02 takes precedence)
- B29C 65/562: {using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined (using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601)}
- B29C 65/565: {involving interference fits, e.g. force-fits or press-fits (B29C65/66 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/474: {said single elements being substantially non-flat}
- B29C 66/7212: {characterised by the composition of the fibres}
- B29C 66/723: {being multi-layered (B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/727: {being porous, e.g. foam}
- B32B 5/18: characterised by features of a layer {of} foamed material
- B32B 5/20: foamed in situ
- B32B 5/245: {another layer next to it being a foam layer}
- B32B 7/12: using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
- B64C 1/12: Construction or attachment of skin panels
- B29C 66/43441: {with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces, H-shaped pieces}
- B32B 2262/106: Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
- B32B 2307/304: Insulating
- B32B 2605/08: Cars
- B32B 2605/12: Ships
- B32B 2605/18: Aircraft
- B64C 2001/0072: {from composite materials}
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- Y10T 29/49622: Vehicular structural member making
- Y10T 428/24008: including fastener for attaching to external surface
- Y10T 428/24999: Inorganic
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The invention provides an arrangement and methods for thermally insulating aircraft, particularly but not exclusively for when the aircraft is operating in extremely hot or cold conditions, and describes an aircraft skin construction including a foam-stiffened CFC sandwich panel forming part of the aircraft outer skin mounted to an underlying load bearing aircraft structure, wherein the panel at the mounting to the structure includes two outer layers of CFC material with an inner layer of foam material sandwiched therebetween.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft skin construction comprising:
a foam-stiffened CFC sandwich panel, the panel comprising:
an inner CFC layer comprising a landing, wherein the landing has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the inner CFC layer;
an outer CFC layer; and
a foam material layer sandwiched between the inner CFC layer and the outer CFC layer, the foam material layer extending continuously across the panel
an underlying load bearing aircraft structure comprising a flange;
wherein the flange is connected to the landing of the inner CFC layer; and
one or more fasteners, wherein each of the one or more fasteners comprises a main body, a first flat end and a second flat end;
wherein the first flat end abuts said flange, the second flat end abuts the landing, and the main body extends transversely through said landing of said inner CFC layer, and through said flange; and said one or more fasteners extend transversely only through said flange and said landing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An aircraft skin construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sandwich panel comprises two sandwich panels mounted to the underlying structure so that the two panels abut.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An aircraft skin construction as claimed in claim 2, wherein one or more of an adhesive, a sealant and a joining compound is applied between the two panels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An aircraft comprising the aircraft skin construction as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 5

A method of constructing an aircraft comprising:
forming a foam-filled CFC sandwich panel comprising:
an inner CFC layer comprising a landing, wherein the landing has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the inner CFC layer;
an outer CFC layer; and
a foam material layer sandwiched between the inner CFC layer and the outer CFC layer, the foam material layer extending continuously across said panel;
forming a hole in the panel through the outer CFC layer and the foam material layer;
arranging one or more fasteners to extend through the landing of the inner CFC layer, and through an underlying load bearing aircraft structure, thereby mounting the panel to the underlying aircraft structure to form part of an aircraft outer skin;
wherein the one or more fasteners do not extend through the foam material layer, and said one or more fasteners only extend through the flange and the landing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A method according to claim 5, comprising filling the hole in the panel with a foam material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A method according to claim 6, comprising capping the hole above the foam material with a filler so as to produce a smooth surface finish on an outer surface of the sandwich panel forming the aircraft outer skin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

A method according to claim 5, wherein said mounting of said sandwich panel comprises mounting said sandwich panel comprising two abutting panels to the underlying load bearing aircraft structure so that edges of the panels abut in a line overlying the structure, and applying a material into the line between the panel edges so as to join the edges of the abutting panels, to seal a gap between the abutting panels and to provide a smooth outer aircraft surface.