Lockheed Aircraft Corporation

Robert F Warkow

Leiv H Blad

An improved manufacture including a fiber-reinforced epoxy composite joint, and the method for producing same, in which the fibers of each of the composite adherends pass through and are intermeshed across the joint bondline. A scarfed mating surface is prepared on the end of each of the adherend elements-to-be-joined, after which a chemical etching of the mating ends to obtain exposed lengths of filaments or fibers is provided. A sheet of unsupported adhesive material is inserted between the scarfed and etched mating surfaces prior to their layup, after which heat and pressure are applied for bonding the joint. The exposed fibers of each element cross the bondline to intermesh with those of the other element during the melting of the unsupported adhesive. This process increases the joint efficiency to 83% of the efficiency of a non-joined element.

Growing community of inventors

Granada Hills, CA, United States of America

Robert F Warkow