# US 9,517,833 B2 · Apparatuses and methods for manufacturing a structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,833 B2 - Document ID: US9517833B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/698,566 - Filed: 2015-04-28 - Published: 2016-11-03 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-28 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Steven R. Kent - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517833B2 ## CPC - B64C 3/185: {Spars} - B64C 3/18: Spars; Ribs; Stringers - B64C 3/182: {Stringers, longerons} - B64C 3/26: Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS ## Abstract A structure (100) comprises a first panel (102); first stringers (106), coupled to the first panel (102) and comprising stringer pairs A; a second panel (104) opposite the first panel (102); and second stringers (108), coupled to the second panel (104) and opposite the first stringers (106). The second stringers (108) comprise stringer pairs B. The structure (100) also comprises braces (200). Each of the braces (200) is geometrically interlocked with one of the stringer pairs A of the first stringers (106) and one of the stringer pairs B of the second stringers (108) in all directions along a plane (112) perpendicular to the first stringers (106) and the second stringers (108). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A structure (100) comprising: a first panel (102); first stringers (106), coupled to the first panel (102) and comprising stringer pairs A; a second panel (104) opposite the first panel (102); second stringers (108), coupled to the second panel (104) and opposite the first stringers (106), wherein the second stringers (108) comprise stringer pairs B; a first end (114) and a second end (116), opposed to the first end (114); a first side (118) and a second side (120), opposed to the first side (118), wherein the first stringers (106) and the second stringers (108) extend in a longitudinal direction (122) between the first end (114) and the second end (116); and braces (200), wherein each of the braces (200) is geometrically interlocked with one of the stringer pairs A of the first stringers (106) and one of the stringer pairs B of the second stringers (108) in all directions along a plane (112) perpendicular to the first stringers (106) and the second stringers (108), and wherein: the braces (200) comprise rows (208) of the braces (200), and each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) extends in a lateral direction (124) between the first side (118) and the second side (120). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The structure (100) of claim 1, wherein each of the braces (200) comprises: a chassis (202) comprising first interlocks (204) and second interlocks (206) opposite the first interlocks (204), wherein the first interlocks (204) are geometrically engaged with one of the stringer pairs A of the first stringers (106) and the second interlocks (206) are geometrically engaged with one of the stringer pairs B of the second stringers (108). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The structure (100) of claim 2, wherein: each of the braces (200) further comprises: a first end (214) and a second end (216) opposite the first end (214); a first side (218) extending between the first end (214) and the second end (214) and a second side (220) extending between the first end (214) and the second end (214) opposite the first side (218); two first corners (222) adjacent the first end (214); and two second corners (224) adjacent the second end (216); a first one of the first interlocks (204) is located at one of the two first corners (222) of each of the braces (200) and a second one of the first interlocks (204) is located at another one of the two first corners (222) of each of the braces (200); and a first one of the second interlocks (206) is located at one of the two second corners (224) of each of the braces (200) and the second one of the second interlocks (206) is located at another one of the two second corners (224) of each of the braces (200). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The structure (100) of claim 3, wherein each of the braces (200) further comprises: a first brace flange (226) along the first side (218) of each of the braces (200); and a second brace flange (228) along the second side (220) of each of the braces (200), wherein the first brace flange (226) of one of the braces (200) is joined to the second brace flange (228) of another one of the braces (200). ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The structure (100) of claim 2, wherein: one of the first interlocks (204) comprises a first interlock surface (232) at least partially defining a first interlock geometric shape and one of the second interlocks (206) comprises a second interlock surface (234) at least partially defining a second interlock geometric shape, one of the first stringers (106) comprises a first stringer surface (136) at least partially defining a first stringer geometric shape complementary to the first interlock geometric shape and one of the second stringers (108) comprises a second stringer surface (138) at least partially defining a second stringer geometric shape complementary to the second interlock geometric shape, the first interlock surface (232) of the one of the first interlocks (204) contacts the first stringer surface (136) of the one of the first stringers (106), and the second interlock surface (234) of the one of the second interlocks (206) contacts the second stringer surface (138) of the one of the second stringers (108). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The structure (100) of claim 5, wherein: at least a portion of the first interlock surface (232) of the one of the first interlocks (204) is adhesively bonded to at least a portion of the first stringer surface (136) of the one of the first stringers (106), and at least a portion of the second interlock surface (234) of the one of the second interlocks (206) is adhesively bonded to at least a portion of the second stringer surface (138) of the one of the second stringers (108). ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The structure (100) of claim 5, wherein: the one of the first stringers (106) comprises: a first foot (140) defining a first portion I of the first stringer surface (136); a first web (142) projecting from the first foot (140) and defining a second portion I of the first stringer surface (136); and a first crown (144) located at an end of the first web (142) and defining a third portion I of the first stringer surface (136); and the one of the second stringers (108) comprises: a second foot (146) defining a first portion II of the second stringer surface (138); a second web (148) projecting from the second foot (146) and defining a second portion II of the second stringer surface (138); and a second crown (150) located at an end of the second web (148) and defining a third portion II of the second stringer surface (138). ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The structure (100) of claim 2, wherein at least one of the braces (200) is adhesively bonded to at least one of the stringer pairs A of the first stringers (106) and the stringer pairs B of the second stringers (108). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The structure (100) of claim 1, the rows (208) are arranged in an array (212) extending in the longitudinal direction (122) between the first end (114) and the second end (116), and each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) comprises at least one of the braces (200). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The structure (100) of claim 1, wherein one of the braces (200) of each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) is coupled to another one of the braces (200) laterally adjacent to the at least one of the braces (200). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The structure (100) of claim 1, further comprising: a first spar (126) coupled to the first panel (102) and the second panel (104) along the first side (118) of the structure (100); and a second spar (128) coupled to the first panel (102) and the second panel (104) along the second side (120) of the structure (100), wherein each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) is coupled to the first spar (126) and the second spar (128). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The structure (100) of claim 11 further comprising two end braces (210), wherein: one of the two end braces (210) is coupled to one of the braces (200) of one of the rows (208) of the braces (200) and another one of the two end braces (210) is coupled to another one of the braces (200) of the one of the rows (208), and a first one of the two end braces (210) is coupled to the first spar (126) and a second one of the two end braces (210) is coupled to the second spar (128). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The structure (100) of claim 12, wherein: the first spar (126) comprises first spar flanges (130) and the second spar (128) comprises second spar flanges (132), and the first one of the two end braces (210) is joined to one of the first spar flanges (130) of the first spar (126) and the second one of the two end braces (210) is joined to one of the second spar flanges (132) of the second spar (128). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The structure (100) of claim 1, wherein each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) comprises at least two of the braces (200). ### Claim 15 A method (500) for manufacturing a structure (100) comprising a first panel (102) and a second panel (104), the method (500) comprising: interconnecting the first panel (102) and the second panel (104) by geometrically interlocking stringer pairs A of first stringers (106), coupled to the first panel (102), with stringer pairs B of second stringers (108), coupled to the second panel (104), in all directions along a plane (112) perpendicular to the first stringers (106) and the second stringers (108); and geometrically interlocking each one of braces (200) with one of the stringer pairs A of the first stringers (106) and one of the stringer pairs B of the second stringers (108) to form rows (208) of the braces (200). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method (500) of claim 15, further comprising arranging the rows (208) of the braces (200) in an array (212), extending in a longitudinal direction (122) between a first end (114) and a second end (116) of the structure (100). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method (500) of claim 15, further comprising geometrically engaging first interlocks (204) of each of the braces (200) with one of the stringer pairs A of the first stringers (106) and geometrically engaging second interlocks (206) of each of the braces (200) with one of the stringer pairs B of the second stringers (108). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method (500) of claim 15, wherein each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) comprises at least two of the braces (200). ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method (500) of claim 15, further comprising coupling one of the braces (200) of one of the rows (208) of the braces (200) to another one of the braces (200) of the one of the rows (208) of the braces (200). ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method (500) of claim 15, further comprising: coupling a first spar (126) to the first panel (102) and to the second panel (104) along a first side (118) of the structure (100); coupling a second spar (128) to the first panel (102) and to the second panel (104) along a second side (120) of the structure (100); and coupling each of the rows (208) of the braces (200) to the first spar (126) and the second spar (128).