United Technologies Corporation

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Darryl Mark Toni

Jeffrey George Sauer

Edward Joseph Fabian

Jonathan Bremmer

William E Hovan, Iii

Philip J Ramey

Paul H Denavit

Alexander C Dublinski

Robert A Lacko

Christian A Rogg

William V Forster

Kenneth M Nowak

Peter L Grant

Bruce H Barr

Andrew Varga

David M Lent

Allan R Macallister, Jr

Gary J Jacaruso

Anthony Zbigniew Stobiecki

Larry J Osiecki

Bruce Fredric Kay

Eliasz Poss

Kenneth M Furnes

Christos Kassapoglou

Alan Lee Dobyns

Craig F Johnson

Steven R Hayse

Joaquin Terceno

Bruce Henry Barr

Thomas Dziekonski

Matthew T Turner

Ronald J Cooper

Gregory A Davidson

Mary McCarthy

Darrel Duane Hornbaker

Alan J Norwid

Thomas Ranalli

Thomas Swift

Juan J Prieto, Jr

Christopher John Foti

Jeffrey G Sauer

A composite structure includes a first laminate, a second laminate, and at least one core component located between the first laminate and the second laminate. The at least one core component includes a honeycomb core and at least one locking ply extending from the honeycomb core between the first laminate and the second laminate. The at least one locking ply is configured such that a pressure applied during a cure cycle of the composite structure retains the at least one locking ply between the first laminate and the second laminate thereby preventing movement of core component.

Composite structure and core positioning ply

A composite panel includes a support layer including a first plurality of prepreg plies wrapped around at least one mandrel; a mid-plane impact layer including a second plurality of prepreg plies, the mid-plane impact layer adjacent to the support layer; a upper skin layer including a third plurality of prepreg plies, the upper skin layer adjacent to the mid-place impact layer; and a lower skin layer including a fourth plurality of prepreg plies, the lower skin layer adjacent to the support layer; whereby each of the first, second, third, and fourth plurality of prepreg plies are co-cured to form the composite panel.

Impact resistant composite panel and method of forming a composite panel

A composite structure includes a first laminate and a second laminate. At least one core assembly is located between the first laminate and the second laminate. The at least one core assembly includes a core component and a layer of filler material disposed at a first face of the core component. The layer of filler material at least partially fills selected cells of the core component to a fill depth such that the filler material rigidizes when cured to prevent movement and/or crushing of core component under a pressure applied during a cure cycle of the composite structure.

Composite structure core crush prevention

A laminate design is provided and includes a substrate formed to define through-holes, an initially uncured pre-preg laminate disposed proximate to the substrate and an initially uncured pre-preg staple. The staple includes a main member and legs extending from the main member and being disposable with the legs extending through the through-holes to pierce the laminate. The staple is co-curable with the laminate.

Composite staple

A caul system for a composite structure having one or more core elements includes a lattice grid hard caul selectively locatable at a portion of the composite structure without core elements. The caul system further includes a soft caul selectively locatable at a portion of the composite structure having a core element. A method of forming a composite structure with one or more core elements includes locating a first laminate in a tool and locating one or more core elements over the first laminate. A second laminate is located over the one or more core elements. A lattice grid hard caul is placed over the second laminate, avoiding locations having core elements of the one or more core elements disposed thereat. A soft caul is located over the one or more core elements, thereby preventing deformation of the one or more core elements.

Lattice grid caul for honeycomb composite structure

An external hook system for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a lower frame interface which accommodates longitudinal and lateral loads and an upper frame interface. A tension member is mountable between the lower frame interface and the upper frame interface to transfer tension loads between the lower frame interface and the upper frame interface.

External cargo hook system for rotary-wing aircraft

A composite sandwich panel a first facing and a second facing over a core layer, the first and second facings having at least one fiberglass layer between an inner and an outer graphite layer.

Fluid resistant composite sandwich panel

A main rotor support structure assembly includes a support housing which transmits loads developed by the main rotor assembly into the airframe. Integral main rotor servo attachment lugs extend from the cylindrical body member to provide lower attachment points for the rotor servo actuators which are operable to articulate a rotor swash plate or the like. The servo attachment lugs are integrally formed as part of the cylindrical body member and spaced thereabout. A substantially L-shaped metallic insert is sandwiched and bonded within each servo attachment lug to resist axial and transverse tension of the rather high forces exerted by the rotor servo actuators.

Transmission support structure for a rotary wing aircraft

A pressure tolerant composite panel has an inner fiber reinforced layer, an outer fiber reinforced layer and an core disposed therebetween. In one embodiment of the invention, the inner layer has weakening structures incorporated at the peripheral edges thereof, and has an outer layer of a different and lower modulus of elasticity than the inner layer to provide some degree of elongation. When high internal forces are encountered, the weakening structures allow the inner layer to separate, with the outer layers stretching to absorb the forces without failure. Optionally, strengthening straps are position about the panel such that it is compartmentalized into discrete sections to contain damage in localized areas. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the inner core is produced of a crushable material which has a yield strength sufficient to provide structural support under normal operating conditions. When a high pressure is encountered which exceeds the yield limit, the core is crushed to prevent force transmission to the outer layer. Such a composite panel assures survivability of the panel when subject to impact damage.

Pressure tolerant fuel tank panels

A duct cover for use with a duct within a vehicle, the duct cover operative for directing a fluid flow. The duct cover being further operative for minimizing the entrance of foreign object debris into the duct. The duct cover has a flow directing honeycomb portion for conducting the passing fluid flow in a preferred direction. The flow directing honeycomb comprises an array of continuous, polygon shaped open cells which are biased with respect to the initial fluid flow direction. The periphery of the flow directing honeycomb is rigidized to stiffen the same for minimizing the displacements thereof. The rigidity is provided by a framing member comprising upper and lower skin structures affixed to a core material. The framing member is preferably adhesively bonded to the flow directing honeycomb by means of a foaming adhesive and a barrier member. The barrier member is operative for minimizing the expansion of the foaming adhesive into the open cells of the honeycomb. In order to improve the low observability characteristics of the structure, the cells of the flow directing honeycomb are preferably coated with a radar absorbent material, such as carbon, which acts to minimize the amount of electromagnetic energy that is reflected therefrom.

Duct cover for directing a fluid therethrough

A composite sandwich structure which includes upper and lower skin structures, first and second honeycomb core structures, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second honeycomb core structures. The intermediate portion comprises a composite laminate, a barrier member and a foaming adhesive layer disposed between the composite laminate and the barrier member. The foaming adhesive layer is of a type designed to expand when exposed to an elevated temperature. The composite laminate and the barrier member operate to limit the expansion of the foaming adhesive layer into the open cells of the first and second honeycomb core structures. The foaming adhesive layer, upon expansion, applies pressure against the composite laminate. This pressure, acting concomitantly with the applied curing pressure and the elevated temperature, cures the laminate. Furthermore, the expansion of the foaming adhesive urges the composite laminate and the barrier member apart so as to fill any core discrepancies, i.e., mistrimmed or damaged core, that may exist in the honeycomb core structures.

Complex composite sandwich structure having a laminate and a foaming

A method of fabricating a structural member having a stiffener bead therein. Prepreg plies or layers of high tensile strength fabric are laid up on a conformable caul plate. A rubber-like plug is prefabricated to the shape of the stiffener bead and is urged into a stiffener bead cavity of the caul plate by a metal tool to sandwich the prepreg plies between the caul and the plug. The caul and the plug cooperate to cause the prepreg plies to conform to the desired shape of the stiffener bead.

Method of fabricating a structural member having a stiffener bead therein

The method of fabricating a complex part made of composite material and having a plurality of panels oriented in diverse angular relationship, and utilizing a plurality of conformable cauls upon which the composite material is individually laid up and which cauls cooperate to form one of the molds used in the co-curing of the individually laid-up composite materials.

Method of fabricating a complex part made of composite material

A structural member made up of a plurality of bonded plies of high tensile strength woven fabric and molded to include at least one stiffener bead having elliptically shaped ends, and a structural part so fabricated.

Structural member having a stiffener bead therein and comprising plies

A support truss for the main rotor assembly of a helicopter is configured to structurally support the main rotor assembly in integrated combination with the helicopter airframe and to transmit dynamic and static longitudinal, lateral, vertical, and torsional loads of the main rotor assembly into the helicopter airframe at two distinct, spaced-apart load transfer levels. The support truss is an integrally formed structure that includes a generally cylindrical body member configured to provide attachment points for the static rotor mast and the transmission of the main rotor assembly, a pair of forward facing primary support ribs configured to secure the support truss to a primary load transfer level of the helicopter airframe and to transmit dynamic and static longitudinal, lateral, vertical, and all torsional loads to the primary load transfer level, and a pair of aft facing support struts configured to secure the support truss to a secondary load transfer level and to transmit only axial loads to the secondary transfer level. The support truss also includes a forward facing secondary support rib that provides fail-safe redundancy in the event of a loss of one of the primary support ribs. The support truss may also include a cross stringer extending between and integrally interconnecting the primary and secondary support ribs. A plurality of servo lugs may be integrally formed with the body member to provide lower attachment points for rotor servo actuators of the main rotor assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, CT, United States of America

Darryl Mark Toni