公开(公告)号：US10589837B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15424588

申请日：2017-02-03

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： Douglas K. Wolfe ,  David G. Carlson ,  John R. McCullough ,  George R. Decker

IPC: B64C3/18 ,  F16B5/01 ,  F16B11/00 ,  B64F5/10 ,  B29C35/04 ,  B29C70/30 ,  B29C70/34 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B29K105/08 ,  B29L31/30

Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a spar member for an aircraft wing including a support beam having an interior surface, an exterior surface, and opposing ends configured for an aircraft wing, the interior surface and exterior surface disposed between the opposing ends; and a first spar flange extending generally laterally from the exterior surface, the first spar flange configured for attachment with a first wing skin. The first spar flange can be an upper or lower spar flange. In some embodiments, the first spar flange is at an acute angle relative to the exterior surface of the support beam. In certain embodiments, the first spar flange is at an angle of from about 50 degrees to about 85 degrees relative to the exterior surface of the support beam.

公开(公告)号：US20190224939A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-25

申请号：US15878301

申请日：2018-01-23

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： James Everett Kooiman ,  David M. Carlson ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  Jonathan Alexander Freeman

IPC: B32B3/26 ,  B32B3/12 ,  B32B27/06 ,  B32B37/10 ,  B64C3/26

Abstract: A method of fabricating a panel includes laying up a first laminate on a tooling surface, laying a first layer of thermoplastic on an inner surface of the first laminate, laying a large cell carbon core on the first layer of thermoplastic, laying a second layer of thermoplastic across the large cell carbon core, laying a second laminate on the second layer of thermoplastic, creating a sealed core pocket by bonding the edges of the first and second layers of the thermoplastic surrounding a perimeter of the core, increasing pressure within the core pocket, increasing pressure on the outer surface of the second laminate, heating the panel to a desired curing temperature, and maintaining the increased pressures and temperature for a desired curing duration.

公开(公告)号：US10814567B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-27

申请号：US16244295

申请日：2019-01-10

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  John R. McCullough ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  Andrew G. Baines ,  George R. Decker

IPC: B29C70/34 ,  B64C1/12 ,  B29C70/30 ,  B64F5/10 ,  B64C3/24 ,  B29C35/02 ,  B29C70/06 ,  B29C70/54 ,  B29D99/00 ,  B64C3/26 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B29C65/48 ,  B32B3/12 ,  B32B7/12 ,  B64C3/18 ,  B64F5/00 ,  B29L31/30

Abstract: In one aspect, there is a method of making a pre-cured laminate having a total number of plies in a mold, the mold having a cavity with a periphery defined by a forward edge, an aft edge, and outboard ends. The method includes selecting a first plurality of resin impregnated plies that continuously extend beyond the periphery of the cavity, the first plurality of resin impregnated plies includes at least 50 percent of the total number of plies; laying the plies in a mold; compacting the plies in a mold; and pre-curing the plies to form a pre-cured laminate, which can extend beyond the periphery of the cavity. In an embodiment, a pre-cured laminate includes a first plurality of resin impregnated plies that continuously extend beyond the periphery of the cavity.

公开(公告)号：US20190217942A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-18

申请号：US15870977

申请日：2018-01-14

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： James Everett Kooiman ,  David M. Carlson ,  George Ryan Decker ,  Jeffrey Matthew Williams ,  Douglas K. Wolfe

IPC: B64C3/18 ,  B64C3/26 ,  B64C29/00

CPC classification number: B64C3/187 ,  B64C3/26 ,  B64C29/0033

Abstract: A torque box rib includes an upper rib cap configured to be coupled to an upper skin of a wing, a lower rib cap configured to be coupled to a lower skin of the wing, a forward post configured to be coupled to a forward spar of the wing, an aft post configured to be coupled to an aft spar of the wing, and a rib web configured to be coupled to the upper rib cap, the lower rib cap, the forward post, and the aft post.

公开(公告)号：US20190143613A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-16

申请号：US16244295

申请日：2019-01-10

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  John R. McCullough ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  Andrew G. Baines ,  George R. Decker

IPC: B29C70/34 ,  B29C70/54 ,  B29C70/06 ,  B29D99/00 ,  B29C35/02

Abstract: In one aspect, there is a method of making a pre-cured laminate having a total number of plies in a mold, the mold having a cavity with a periphery defined by a forward edge, an aft edge, and outboard ends. The method includes selecting a first plurality of resin impregnated plies that continuously extend beyond the periphery of the cavity, the first plurality of resin impregnated plies includes at least 50 percent of the total number of plies; laying the plies in a mold; compacting the plies in a mold; and pre-curing the plies to form a pre-cured laminate, which can extend beyond the periphery of the cavity. In an embodiment, a pre-cured laminate includes a first plurality of resin impregnated plies that continuously extend beyond the periphery of the cavity.

公开(公告)号：US20170225769A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-10

申请号：US15423888

申请日：2017-02-03

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  John R. McCullough ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  George R. Decker ,  Keith A. Stanney

IPC: B64C3/26 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64F5/00 ,  B64C3/18

CPC classification number: B29C70/34 ,  B29C35/02 ,  B29C65/48 ,  B29C70/06 ,  B29C70/30 ,  B29C70/545 ,  B29C2793/009 ,  B29D99/001 ,  B29D99/0089 ,  B29L2031/3076 ,  B29L2031/3085 ,  B32B3/12 ,  B32B7/12 ,  B32B2250/05 ,  B32B2305/024 ,  B32B2605/18 ,  B64C1/12 ,  B64C3/185 ,  B64C3/24 ,  B64C3/26 ,  B64C29/0033 ,  B64F5/00 ,  B64F5/10 ,  Y02T50/43

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tiltrotor wing structure including providing a spar mold having a plurality of bores extending from an exterior surface of the mold to an interior surface of the mold, the plurality of bores corresponding to a plurality of primary coordination holes in a spar member, the spar mold having a periphery defined by a top edge, a bottom edge and outboard ends; selecting a plurality of resin impregnated plies to ensure that the plies continuously extend beyond the periphery of the spar mold; laying the plies in the spar mold; curing the plies in the mold to form a cured spar member that extends beyond the periphery of the spar mold; and accurately drilling a plurality of primary coordination holes in the cured spar member in the spar mold using a tool positioned in the plurality of bores.

公开(公告)号：US10399285B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-03

申请号：US15423939

申请日：2017-02-03

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  John R. McCullough ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  Andrew G. Baines ,  George R. Decker

IPC: B29C70/34 ,  B29C35/02 ,  B29C70/54 ,  B29C70/06 ,  B29D99/00 ,  B64C1/12 ,  B64C3/26 ,  B29L31/30 ,  B64C29/00

Abstract: In one aspect, there is a method of making a pre-cured laminate having a total number of plies in a mold, the mold having a periphery defined by a forward edge, an aft edge, and outboard ends. The method includes selecting a first plurality of resin impregnated plies that continuously extend beyond the periphery of the mold, the first plurality of resin impregnated plies includes at least 50 percent of the total number of plies; laying the plies in a mold; compacting the plies in a mold; and pre-curing the plies to form a pre-cured laminate, which can extend beyond the periphery of the mold. In an embodiment, a pre-cured laminate includes a first plurality of resin impregnated plies that continuously extend beyond the periphery of the mold, the first plurality of resin impregnated plies includes at least 50 percent of the total number of plies.

公开(公告)号：US20190084207A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-21

申请号：US15710797

申请日：2017-09-20

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  James A. Cordell

IPC: B29C47/00 ,  B29C63/00 ,  B64C3/00 ,  B64C11/16 ,  B32B27/02

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may comprise heating a composite material into a viscous form, wherein the composite material comprises a thermoplastic and a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is randomly arranged within the thermoplastic. The method may further comprise extruding a plurality of strands of the composite material, wherein extruding the plurality of strands causes the plurality of reinforcement fibers within each strand to align. The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of strands of the composite material to form an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property, and wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property is based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture.

公开(公告)号：US20210308926A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-07

申请号：US17242014

申请日：2021-04-27

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  James A. Cordell

IPC: B29C48/05 ,  B29C63/00 ,  B64C11/16 ,  B32B27/02 ,  B64C3/00 ,  B29C70/52 ,  B29C64/118 ,  B29C33/38 ,  B64F5/10 ,  B29C65/78 ,  B29C65/00 ,  B25B11/02 ,  B29C70/54

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.

公开(公告)号：US11077596B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-03

申请号：US16814622

申请日：2020-03-10

Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Inventor： David G. Carlson ,  Douglas K. Wolfe ,  James A. Cordell

IPC: B29C65/00 ,  B29C48/05 ,  B29C63/00 ,  B64C11/16 ,  B32B27/02 ,  B64C3/00 ,  B29C70/52 ,  B29C64/118 ,  B29C33/38 ,  B64F5/10 ,  B29C65/78 ,  B25B11/02 ,  B29C70/54 ,  B29K105/10 ,  B29K105/14 ,  B29L31/00 ,  B29L31/08 ,  B29L31/30

Abstract: In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.