The Boeing Company

Ben Christopher Welte

Paul Elfes Nelson

Hyukbong Kwon

Bruce Alfin Dahl

Karl B Lee

Apparatus and methods provide for utilizing continuous curved composite stringers to control the loads and corresponding moments within curved regions of an aircraft or other vehicle without delamination or other interlamina failures. According to embodiments described herein, any number of tapered height curved composite stringers may be coupled to continuous skin components to create a curved continuous panel. The tapered height curved composite stringers may have webs that taper to a reduced height within curved regions and corresponding base flanges that widen during web tapering. Reinforcement fittings may be coupled to the base flanges in the curved regions for further strengthening and to provide for the attachment of supplemental panels to the stringers.

Tapered height curved composite stringers and corresponding panels

An apparatus comprises a fastening member, a complimentary fastening member, and a retainer member. The fastening member has a first end, a second end, a channel located at the first end, outer threads located on an outer surface of the fastening member, and inner threads located on an inner surface of the channel. The outer threads of the fastening member are closer to the first end than the second end. The complimentary fastening member has a channel and inner threads located within the channel. The inner threads of the complimentary fastening member are capable of engaging the outer threads of the fastening member. The retainer member has a threaded end. The retainer member is capable of entering the channel of the complimentary fastening member and the threaded end of the retainer member is capable of engaging the inner threads of the fastening member.

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Everette, WA, United States of America

Ben Christopher Welte