The Boeing Company

Kirk Ben Kajita

Douglas Allen Frisch

Marc Joel Piehl

Panagiotis Emanuel George

Barry P Van West

Gregory Alan Foltz

Paul S Gregg

Arthur C Day

Kieran Patrick Davis

Matthew Ryoichi Soja

Christopher David Offensend

A contoured composite laminate stiffener is fabricated by assembling a substantially flat composite laminate charge and forming the charge into a substantially straight stiffener having a desired cross sectional shape. A contour is formed in the stiffener which has an inside radius and an outside radius. Ply wrinkling is substantially eliminated by reducing compression strain on the inside radius as the stiffener as being contoured.

Method and device for producing contoured composite laminate stiffeners with reduced wrinkling

According to an embodiment a current return network assembly, for an aircraft having a predetermined potential lightning strike zone, is mounted within the predetermined potential lightning strike zone. The current return network assembly includes an electrically conductive honeycomb central core that conducts electrical current both through the assembly and through the predetermined potential lightning strike zone. The electrical current is caused by a lightning strike on the aircraft at the predetermined potential lightning strike zone. According to an embodiment, an aircraft has a predetermined potential lightning strike zone. A current return network assembly is within the zone. An electrically conductive honeycomb central core is provided for conducting electrical current through the assembly and through the zone wherein the electrical current has been caused by a lightning strike on the aircraft at the zone.

Method and apparatus for providing a current return network in an aircraft structure

Methods of manufacture include welding two or more elongate members together to define an elongate weldment, wherein the welding results in a weld region that is in tension and regions adjacent to the weld region that are in compression, and longitudinally stretching the elongate weldment. Tools and systems for manufacturing elongate weldments, as well as apparatuses, such as aircraft, that include elongate weldments, also are disclosed.

Systems for manufacturing elongate weldments

A laminated composite radius filler for a composite structure has a stacked ply assembly having a plurality of stacks of laminate radius filler plies cut to a desired width and having a desired ply orientation. The laminated composite radius filler further has a geometric shaped filler element positioned at a desired location on a first portion of the stacked ply assembly. The geometric shaped filler element deforms a second portion of the stacked ply assembly stacked over the geometric shaped filler element, such that the laminate radius filler plies of the second portion of the stacked ply assembly change direction and have a component of direction including a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The laminated composite radius filler having a shape substantially corresponding to a radius filler region of the composite structure.

Laminated composite radius filler with geometric shaped filler element and method of forming the same

Apparatus tests the performance of joints between an attachment and a beam having a pair of caps connected by a corrugated web. The apparatus includes first and second grips contoured to the shape of a portion of the corrugated web for gripping the web. A force applicator coupled with the attachment and the grips applies force to the beam through the joint.

Method and apparatus for testing attachment joints

Composite panels used in aircraft are formed by a sandwich including a lightweight honeycomb core reinforced by a solid plank in medial regions of the panel. The plank is bonded to the honeycomb and forms an integral part of the core where a strut is attached to the panel. The plank distributes point loads imposed on the panel by the strut.

Distribution of point loads in honeycomb panels

A method and apparatus comprises a first number of layers of a composite material for a wing, a second number of layers of the composite material for the wing, and a metal layer located between the first number of layers and the second number of layers in the wing. The metal layer has a first thickness at a first area configured to receive a number of fasteners and a second thickness at a second area.

Composite aircraft joint

An airplane fairing panel adjustable fitting assembly allows for installation and removal of a fairing panel from outside the fairing. Blind retention features are provided and a pivoting link structure is facilitated to accommodate flexing of an aircraft structure in use. Kits and methods of attaching fairing panels are also disclosed.

Airplane fairing panel adjustable fitting assembly, kit and method

A laminated composite (multi-ply) radius filler includes a plurality of woven fabric reinforced plies cut to fill a radius gap (including, if appropriate, intentional overfill) to increase absolute strength, to increase specific strength, or to reduce cost by reducing cracking and distortion in the radius of a composite assembly. The present invention also describes the method of manufacture and method of use for such laminated composite radius filler.

Growing community of inventors

Newcastle, WA, United States of America

Kirk Ben Kajita