Spirit Aerosystems, Inc.

George M Osborne

Bradley J Blonigen

Jack Hearnen

A plugged stringer on a surface of a part, and a method and assembly for production of the plugged stringer. The plug has opposite first and second axial end faces. The plug also has a radially outer margin defined by a radially outer bottom face, radially outer first and second opposite side faces, and a radially outer top face. The plugged stringer also includes a covering overlaying the radially outer top face and the first and second opposite side faces of the plug and extending away from the plug along an axis to form a stringer having first and second segments delineated by the plug. The radially outer margin of the plug is at least partly covered by an adhesive. The radially outer bottom face is adhered to the surface of the part, and the covering is adhered to the radially outer first and second opposite side faces and the radially outer top face. The first and second segments of the stringer respectively define first and second fluid passages separated by the plug. The first fluid passage is fluidly isolated from the second fluid passage by the plug.

Stringer plug

Methods of fabricating a multi-region U-shaped composite structure, the methods comprising the steps of laying up a first composite material on a first tool piece to form a first sidewall, laying up the second composite material on a second tool piece tool to form a second sidewall, re-orienting the first tool piece and the second tool piece to a consolidation orientation, laying up the third composite material to form a nose wall, and overlapping at least a portion of the third composite material with at least a portion of the first composite material and at least a portion of the second composite material.

Methods of fabricating multi-region U-shaped composite structures

A part assembly including a curing shield and a method for secondarily bonding two parts of the part assembly utilizing the curing shield. The method for secondary bonding includes fixing a base of a clip of a curing shield to a first surface of a first part. The curing shield includes a pad fixed to the clip. The clip has the base and a spine fixed to and extending away from the base and terminating at a distal end. The pad extends along at least a portion of a length of the spine between the base and the distal end. The method also includes applying adhesive along a faying surface of one of the first part and a second part. The second part is assembled to the first part along the faying surface so that the distal end of the clip extends toward the second surface and the curing shield defines a pocket adjacent the faying surface at least partly enclosed by the pad.

Growing community of inventors

Wichita, KS, United States of America

George M Osborne