Integral spar for wings

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integral spar for a wing. The spar for a wing comprises an integral structure and a strut. The integral structure comprises an upper chord, a lower chord, and a web located between the upper chord and the lower chord. The strut, which is distinct and separate from the integral structure, is coupled to the integral structure between the upper chord and the lower chord and extends across the web.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an integral spar, such as for use in a wing, particularly an aircraft. Background Art

[0002] Over the years, advances in aerospace engineering have resulted in a continuing trend toward improved aircraft manufacturing, reliability, and performance. In the field of aircraft manufacturing, improved manufacturing techniques, such as computer-aided manufacturing and the use of composite materials, have reduced the amount of time to manufacture and assemble an aircraft. Additionally, in terms of aircraft reliability, engineers are also working to achieve redundancy in components. Although many advances and improvements have been made in aircraft design, there is still room for further improvement in many parameters that quantify aircraft manufacturing, reliability, and performance. Therefore, what may be needed are aircraft and aircraft components that result in improved aircraft manufacturing, reliability, and / or performance. Summary of the invention

[0003] The systems, methods, devices, and apparatus of the present disclosure each have several aspects, no one of which is solely responsible for its attributes. Without limiting the scope of the present disclosure as expressed by the appended claims, some features will now be briefly discussed. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled "Detailed Description of the Invention," those skilled in the art will understand how the features of the present disclosure provide advantages including a spar for a wing.

[0004] In one embodiment, a wing for an aircraft is disclosed. The wing includes a spar, and the spar includes an integral structure and a strut. The integral structure includes an upper chord, a lower chord, and a web located between the upper chord and the lower chord. A strut that is distinct and separate from the integral structure is coupled to the integral structure between the upper chord and the lower chord and extends across the web.

[0005] In another embodiment, a spar for an aircraft wing is disclosed. The spar includes a unitary structure including an upper chord and a lower chord, and a strut coupled to the unitary structure between the upper chord and the lower chord.

[0006] In yet another embodiment, a method of supporting a wing spar including an integral structure is disclosed. The method includes: receiving stress from the wing with the integral structure positioned within the wing and supporting the wing spar; and distributing the stress between an upper chord and a lower chord of the integral structure using struts coupled to the integral structure.

[0007] Embodiments generally include methods, apparatus and systems substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.Numerical other aspects are provided.

[0008] To achieve the foregoing and related ends, one or more aspects include the features fully described below and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain exemplary features of one or more aspects. However, these features are indicative of only some of the various ways in which the principles of the various aspects may be employed, and this description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Thus, the manner in which the above-described features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail, a more particular description briefly summarized above may be obtained by reference to some aspects, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of the present disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope, as the description may admit to other equally effective aspects.

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 is a perspective interior and partially exploded view of a wing according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a wing according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a wing spar according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a wing spar according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a wing spar according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements described in one aspect may be beneficially utilized on other aspects without specific recitation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide apparatus, systems, and methods for an integral spar for a wing.

[0018] In the following, reference is made to the embodiments presented in the present disclosure. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the specifically described embodiments. On the contrary, it is expected that any combination of the following features and elements, whether or not related to different aspects, can realize and practice the expected aspects. In addition, although the embodiments disclosed herein can achieve advantages that are superior to other possible solutions or superior to the prior art, whether a specific advantage is achieved by a given aspect is not a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following embodiments, features and advantages are merely illustrative and are not considered to be elements or limitations of the appended claims unless explicitly stated in the claims. Similarly, references to "the present invention" or "the present disclosure" should not be interpreted as a summary of any inventive subject matter disclosed herein, and should not be regarded as elements or limitations of the appended claims unless explicitly stated in the claims.

[0019] As shown and described herein, various features of the present disclosure will be presented. Various embodiments may have the same or similar features, whereby the same or similar features may be indicated by the same reference numerals, but preceded by different first digits of the figures indicated by the features. Thus, for example, the element "a" shown in Figure X may be labeled "Xa" and similar features in Figure Z may be labeled "Za". Although similar reference numerals may be used in a general sense, various embodiments will be described and various features may include changes, alterations, modifications, etc. as will be understood by those skilled in the art, whether explicitly described or otherwise made to be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0020] A wing is a component of an aircraft that provides lift. The present disclosure relates to a wing and a spar used in the wing to facilitate the manufacture and assembly of the wing and to increase the reliability provided by the wing. The spar for the wing includes an integral structure, wherein the integral structure includes an upper chord and a lower chord. The integral structure may also include a web, a reinforcement, and / or a rib column located between the upper chord and the lower chord. For example, the web, the reinforcement, and / or the rib column may be integrally formed with the upper chord and the lower chord and coupled to the upper chord and the lower chord.

[0021] A strut that is distinct and separate from the overall structure or any component thereof is coupled to the overall structure, for example, by extending across the web. For example, the overall structure may also include an upper pad positioned adjacent to the upper chord and a lower pad positioned adjacent to the lower chord, wherein the strut may be coupled to the upper pad and the lower pad. In addition, the spar includes an inboard end and an outboard end. The strut is coupled to the overall structure such that the strut is positioned at an angle directed toward the outboard side of the spar such that an upper end of the strut is positioned closer to the outboard end than a lower end of the strut. In particular, an upper end of a strut located adjacent to or near the upper chord is positioned closest to the outboard end of the spar, for example relative to a lower end of the strut.

[0022] Figure 11 is a perspective view of an aircraft 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The aircraft 10 can generally be used to transport people and / or cargo. As shown, the aircraft 10 includes a fuselage 20 and a pair of wings 100 coupled to the fuselage 20. The wings 100 are coupled to opposite sides of the fuselage 20 relative to each other. In addition, as shown, the wings 100 may include one or more flaps 102 for directional control of the wings 100 and thereby control of the aircraft 10.

[0023] Figure 2 2 is a perspective interior and partially disassembled view of wing 200. Wing 200 includes an inboard end 204 and an outboard end 206, wherein the inboard end 204 of wing 200 is used to connect to the fuselage of the aircraft. One or more spars are included in wing 200, wherein the spars can extend substantially the entire length of wing 200 and serve as the main components for structural support of wing 200. For example, wing 200 includes a front spar 210 and a rear spar 212 to define a wing box 214 for wing 200. Figure 2 An example of a front spar 210 removed from the wing 200 is also provided for reference. The front spar 210 and the rear spar 212 can extend the length of the wing 200. In addition, if desired, a center spar 216 can be positioned between the front spar 210 and the rear spar 212, such as along a portion of the length of the wing 200. The center spar 216 can provide additional structural support at the inboard end 204 of the wing 200, such as in the vertical direction.

[0024] One or more ribs 218 are included within the wing 200, such as coupled to the wing spars 210, 212, and / or 216, to provide additional structural support to the wing 200. For example, the ribs 218 are shown distributed along the length of the wing 200, with each rib 218 coupled to and extending between the front spar 210 and the rear spar 212. Ribs 218 closer to the inboard end 204 of the wing 200 may also be coupled to the center spar 216, if present. An exemplary rib 218 removed from the wing 200 is provided for reference.

[0025] In addition to the ribs 218, one or more stringers 220 may also be included in the wing 200 to provide additional support. The wing 200 includes a top skin 222 located above and extending between the front and rear spars 210, 212. Figure 2The underside of the top skin 222 is shown for reference. One or more stringers 220 may be coupled or positioned between the top skin 222 and the ribs 218 to abut and provide support for the top skin 222. One or more additional components may also be included in the wing 200, depending on the needs and use of the wing 200. For example, components internal to the wing 200 (e.g., fuel tanks and various electronic equipment) may be included in the wing 200 before the top skin 222 (and / or bottom skin) is coupled to the wing 200. Components external to the wing 200 (e.g., wing flaps, ailerons, and / or other wing control surfaces) may be coupled to the wing 200 after the top skin 222 is coupled to the wing 200.

[0026] Figure 3 2 is a cross-sectional view of the wing 200, more specifically the wing box 214. The wing 200 includes a front spar 210 and a rear spar 212. The front spar 210 includes an upper chord 224, a lower chord 226, and a web bar 228 extending between and coupled to the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226. Similarly, the rear spar 212 includes an upper chord 230, a lower chord 232, and a web bar 234 extending between and coupled to the upper chord 230 and the lower chord 232. The upper chord 224 of the front spar 210 and the upper chord 230 of the rear spar 212 are both coupled to the top skin 222. In addition, the lower chord 226 of the front spar 210 and the lower chord 232 of the rear spar 212 are both coupled to the bottom skin 236. Also shown is a stringer 220 included within the wing box 214 , wherein the stringer 220 is separately coupled to the top skin 222 and the bottom skin 236 to provide support to the top skin 222 and the bottom skin 236 , respectively.

[0027] The components of wing 200 may be coupled to each other using various methods including permanent and non-permanent joints or methods for coupling. Permanent coupling methods may include welding, and non-permanent coupling methods may include using fasteners 238, such as Figure 3 As shown. Fasteners 238 may include, but are not limited to, rivets, bolts, nuts, and / or screws. Thus, stringers 220 may be coupled to top skin 222 and bottom skin 236 using fasteners 238. Chords 224, 226, 230, and 232 may also be coupled to top skin 222 and bottom skin 236 using fasteners 238. In addition, web 228 of front spar 210 may be coupled to upper chord 224 and lower chord 226 using fasteners 238, and web 234 of rear spar 212 may be coupled to upper chord 230 and lower chord 232 using fasteners 238.

[0028] Figure 4provides a perspective cutaway view of a spar (e.g., front spar 210) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and Figure 5 A cross-sectional view taken from a front spar 210 is provided according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The front spar 210 includes an upper chord 224, a lower chord 226, and a web 228. The web 228 extends between the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226 and is coupled to the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226, for example, by fasteners 238.

[0029] The spar 210 may also include one or more reinforcements 240 and / or one or more ribs 242. The reinforcement 240 may be positioned between the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226, such as so that the ends of the reinforcement 240 abut against the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226. In addition, the reinforcement 240 may be coupled to the upper chord 224, the lower chord 226, and the web 228, such as using fasteners 238. Figure 5 The reinforcement 240 may have an L-shaped cross-section, but may have other cross-section shapes, such as an I-shape or a T-shape, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The reinforcement 240 may be used to provide additional support to the spar 210, for example, by facilitating force transfer between the upper chord 224, the lower chord 226, and even the web 228.

[0030] Similarly, the rib column 242 can be positioned between the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226, such as so that the ends of the rib column 242 abut against the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226. The rib column 242 can be coupled to the upper chord 224, the lower chord 226, and the web bar 228, such as using fasteners 238. The rib column 242 (such as Figure 5 218) may have a T-shaped cross section, but may also have other cross sections without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, such as an I-shape or an L-shape. Figure 2 In the front spar 210 and the rear spar 212 shown in FIG, rib posts 242 may be used to facilitate coupling of the ribs to the spar 210 .

[0031] In one embodiment, if the stiffeners 240 and the ribs 242 are included in the spar 210, both the stiffeners 240 and the ribs 242 may be used to provide additional support to the spar 210. In such an embodiment, the stiffeners 240 and the ribs 242 may alternate positions with each other along the length of the spar 210. However, the present disclosure is not limited in this regard, as in one embodiment, the stiffeners 240 may not be included in the spar 210, or at least along portions of the spar 210. In addition, the ribs 242 may be positioned between about 26 inches to about 32 inches (about 66 cm to about 81 cm) from each other along the length of the spar 210. If the stiffeners 240 are included in the spar 210, the stiffeners 240 may similarly be positioned between about 26 inches to about 32 inches (about 66 cm to about 81 cm) from each other along the length of the spar 210.

[0032] In one or more embodiments, the size or dimensions of the wing and / or its components may vary, for example when moving across the wing from end to end or front to back. Figure 2 The size of the wing 200 may vary or taper, for example, by decreasing in size and dimension when moving from the inboard end 204 to the outboard end 206 of the wing 200. For example, in one embodiment, the spar 210 may have a height (e.g., the distance between the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226) of about 4 feet to about 5 feet (about 1.2 meters to about 1.5 meters) at the inboard end 204, and may have a height of about 12 inches to about 14 inches (about 30.5 cm to about 35.6 cm) at the outboard end 206. Thus, the height of the spar 210 may decrease when moving from the inboard end 204 to the outboard end 206. Similarly, the thickness of the spar 210 and / or the thickness of one or more components thereof may decrease in proportion to the height. For example, the web 228 between the upper chord 224 and the lower chord 226 may decrease in thickness when moving from the inboard end 204 to the outboard end 206 , wherein the decrease in thickness of the web 228 may be proportional to the decrease in height of the spar 210 .

[0033] Figure 6 A perspective cutaway view of a spar 610 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The spar 610 may be included in a wing, for example as a front spar and / or a rear spar if more than one spar is included in the wing, with the spar 610 extending in an outboard direction as indicated by arrow O. Thus, an inboard end 604 of the spar 610 is located upstream of arrow O, and an outboard end 606 of the spar 610 is located downstream of arrow O.

[0034] The spar 610 includes an upper chord 624, a lower chord 626, and one or more webs 628. The upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 (eg, Figure 6624 and 626, but may have other cross-sections, such as an L-shaped cross-section, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The web bar 628 extends between and is coupled to the upper chord bar 624 and the lower chord bar 626 (e.g., formed with the upper chord bar 624 and the lower chord bar 626, which will be discussed in more detail below). The web bar 628 is shown as having a smaller thickness than the upper chord bar 624 and the lower chord bar 626.

[0035] One or more stiffeners 640 and / or one or more ribs 642 are included within the spar 610. The stiffener 640 is positioned between and coupled to the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 to abut against the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626. The stiffener 640 is also positioned adjacent to and between the web bars 628. Similarly, the ribs 642 are positioned between and coupled to the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 to abut against the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626. The ribs 642 are positioned adjacent to and between the web bars 628. Thus, the web bars 628 may be defined between the stiffener 640 (if present) and / or the ribs 642, wherein the web bars 628 are shown as having a smaller thickness than the stiffener 640 and the ribs 642.

[0036] Still reference Figure 6 In one or more embodiments, the spar 610 can be formed as or include a unitary structure 650, such as extending from an inboard end to an outboard end of the spar 610. Specifically, the components of the spar 610 can be integrally formed with one another to form the unitary structure 650. Thus, the upper chord 624, the lower chord 626, and the web 628 can be integrally formed with one another to form the unitary structure 650. Additionally, in embodiments where the stiffener 640 and / or the rib 642 are included within the spar 610, the stiffener 640 and the rib 642 can be integrally formed with one another to form the unitary structure 650.

[0037] By including the monolithic structure 650, the spar 610 can increase strength and structural rigidity, for example, as compared to forming the components of the spar separately and then using permanent joints (e.g., welding) or non-permanent joints (e.g., fasteners) to connect the components to each other. In addition, by using the monolithic structure 650, the time required to manufacture the spar 610 and / or a wing having the spar 610 can be reduced. For example, the monolithic structure 650 can be manufactured by using a three-dimensional (3D) printing process or a similar method. Additionally or alternatively, the monolithic structure 650 can be manufactured by grinding from a block material. The monolithic structure 650 is always formed of the same material, such as a metal (e.g., steel or aluminum), or always has the same or consistent material. As a result, the monolithic structure 650 can avoid the use of permanent and non-permanent joints or methods for connecting the components of the monolithic structure 650 to each other.

[0038] Since the spar 610 may be formed of or include the monolithic structure 650, one or more components may be formed separately from the monolithic structure 650 and coupled to the monolithic structure 650 to improve reliability. For example, in one embodiment, one or more components may be formed separately from the monolithic structure 650 and included in the monolithic structure 650 to strengthen the spar 610 and provide additional structural support and rigidity to the spar 610.

[0039] refer to Figure 6 , the spar 610 may include one or more struts 652 coupled to the integral structure 650 as a reliability enhancing component. The struts 652, shown as rods or bars, are distinct and separate from the integral structure 650, for example, distinct and separate from the web bar 628, the upper chord bar 624, and the lower chord bar 626. The struts 652 may be removably coupled to the integral structure 650, so that the struts 652 and the integral structure 650 may be coupled and separated from each other as needed for removal or replacement.

[0040] The support column 652 is coupled to the overall structure 650 between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 and extends across the web 628. For example, as shown, the overall structure 650 may include an upper pad 654 and a lower pad 656. The upper pad 654 is positioned or formed at a lower end of the upper chord 624 adjacent to the upper chord 624 and the web 628. The lower pad 656 is positioned or formed at an upper end of the lower chord 626 adjacent to the lower chord 626 and the web 628. The upper pad 654 and the lower pad 656 each have an increased cross-sectional thickness relative to the web 628. The support column 652 is coupled to the upper pad 654 and the lower pad 656 to extend across the web 628. Specifically, the upper end 658 of the support column 652 is coupled to the upper pad 654, and the lower end 660 of the support column 652 is coupled to the lower pad 656. The support post 652 may be coupled to the overall structure 650 using permanent or non-permanent joints, such as by using fasteners 638 as shown that may be used to couple the support post 652 to the upper pad 654 and the lower pad 656. The support post 652 may be formed of the same or similar material as the overall structure 650, such as metal. Alternatively, when the support post 652 is separate from the overall structure 650, the support post 652 may be formed of a different material (e.g., a composite material) and coupled to the overall structure 650.

[0041] The struts 652 may be used to provide additional support and structure to the overall structure 650. For example, the struts 652 may be used to carry or redistribute loads or forces between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626. In addition, the struts 652 may be coupled to the overall structure 650 such that the struts 652 are positioned at an angle (e.g., non-perpendicular) relative to the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 pointing toward the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. For example, as Figure 6 As shown, the spar 610 is shown as having a longitudinal axis L1 extending along the length of the spar 610 between the inboard end 604 and the outboard end 606. A virtual vertical line L2 is also shown extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L1 between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626. The strut 652 is positioned at an angle A relative to the vertical line L2. In such an embodiment, the angle A of the strut 652 causes the upper end 658 of the strut 652 (positioned near the upper chord 624) to be closer to or closer to the outboard end 606 than the lower end 660 of the strut 652 (positioned near the lower chord 626).

[0042] Non-integral spars consistently exhibit the following characteristics: the lower chord experiences the greatest amount of stress and load within the spar (e.g., the lower chord is in tension, and the upper chord is compressed within the wing by the lift forces across the spar when in use). Figure 6 606, such that an upper end 658 of the strut 652, which is located near the upper chord 624, is closer to or closer to the outer end 606 than a lower end 660 of the strut 652. In such an orientation, the strut 652 is in tension to carry or redistribute loads from the lower chord 626 to the upper chord 624 and strengthen the lower chord 626. In this embodiment, the strut 652 can more effectively withstand tensile loads rather than compressive loads. In addition, the strut 652 is used to strengthen and support the spar 610, such as, in particular, the web 628. For example, in an embodiment where stress fractures occur in the lower chord 626 due to overstress, the strut 652 can be used to prevent stress fractures in the lower chord 626. By preventing stress fractures, the strut 652 can prevent the stress fractures from propagating to the web 628 and / or other components of the spar 610. Thus, struts 652 may be used to provide additional support and increase reliability of components of spar 610 .

[0043] The spar 610 may include one or more webs 628 and one or more struts 652. For example, the spar 610 may include a plurality of webs 628 distributed along the length of the spar 610 between the inboard end 604 and the outboard end 606. Additionally, the spar 610 may include a plurality of struts 652 distributed along the length of the spar 610 between the inboard end 604 and the outboard end 606. In one or more embodiments, each strut 652 may correspond to one of the webs 628, such that each strut 652 extends across a corresponding web 628.

[0044] As described above, one or more dimensions of the spar 610 may be changed or varied, for example, in proportion to the stress predicted to be experienced by the spar 610 at a predetermined region. For example, the predicted stress experienced by the spar 610 at a predetermined region may generally decrease from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 because the inboard end 604 of the spar 610 is expected to experience a higher amount of stress than the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the lower chord 626 is expected to experience a higher amount of stress than the upper chord 624. Thus, for regions where the predicted stress is relatively high, one or more dimensions of the spar 610 may be relatively increased, and correspondingly, for regions where the predicted stress is relatively low, one or more dimensions of the spar 610 may be relatively decreased.

[0045] Thus, one or more dimensions of the spar 610 can decrease from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 and / or from the lower chord 626 to the upper chord 624. In one embodiment, the thickness of the web 628 (e.g., the cross-sectional thickness of the web 628) can gradually decrease when moving in a direction from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. Thus, the web 628A positioned closer to the inboard end 604 can have a greater thickness than the web 628B positioned closer to the outboard end 606. The thickness of the struts 652 corresponding to each web 628 can vary proportionally. For example, the thickness of the struts 652 can gradually decrease when moving in a direction from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. Thus, the struts 652 positioned closer to the inboard end 604 can have a greater thickness than the struts 652 positioned closer to the outboard end 606. In another embodiment, the thickness (e.g., cross-sectional thickness) of the upper pad 654 and the lower pad 656 may gradually decrease when moving in a direction from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. Thus, the upper pad 654 and the lower pad 656 located closer to the inboard end 604 of the spar 610 may have a greater thickness than the upper pad 654 and the lower pad 656 located closer to the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. In yet another embodiment, the lower pad 656 may have a relatively greater thickness than the upper pad 654 because the lower pad 656 may be expected to experience a greater amount of predicted stress than the upper pad 654. Thus, the dimensions of the spar 610, such as the thickness of various components, may be appropriately adjusted to transfer stresses and loads within the spar 610 from the struts 652 to the web 628 (or vice versa) and / or the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626.

[0046] In addition, the angle A of the struts 652 can vary, such as by increasing the angle A of the struts 652 from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 of the spar 610. For example, a strut 652 positioned closer to the inboard end 604 can have a smaller (non-perpendicular) angle A than a strut 652 positioned closer to the outboard end 606. Thus, the angle A of the struts 652 increases in a direction from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606 of the spar 610 relative to an imaginary vertical line L2 extending between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626. The height between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 of the spar 610 decreases from the inboard end 604 to the outboard end 606. As the height decreases, the struts 652 located between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 are positioned at a larger non-perpendicular angle relative to the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626 to accommodate the reduced height between the upper chord 624 and the lower chord 626.

[0047] A wing spar including an integral structure according to the present disclosure may be included in a wing. For example, the wing spar may be used as Figure 2 200 shown in the figure. Thus, a wing spar according to the present disclosure may be included in a wing coupled to an aircraft fuselage. A wing including a wing spar may include one or more ribs coupled to the wing spar for internal support, and may include a top skin and a bottom skin to define an airfoil for the wing. In addition, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wing spar according to the present disclosure may not be limited to the use of an integral structure as shown and discussed above. For example, the present disclosure may be used with a non-integral structure wing spar. Thus, a wing spar according to the present disclosure may include an integral structure and a non-integral structure. In one or more embodiments, a wing spar according to the present disclosure may have an increased structural stiffness. In addition, the present disclosure may provide a wing spar that increases reliability and / or reduces the manufacturing time required to manufacture a wing spar, a wing, or an aircraft.

[0048] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail in conjunction with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to these described embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure may be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not previously described but commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it should be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments.

[0049] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when used in this specification, the terms "comprise" and / or "include" specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element parts and / or their groups.

[0050] Directional terms such as above, below, up, down, upward, downward, top, bottom, left, right, etc. are used in connection with the illustrative embodiments shown in the figures, with the upward direction being toward the top of the respective figure and the downward direction being toward the bottom of the respective figure. However, these terms are not intended to be limiting but are merely used for descriptive purposes with reference to the figures, as the figures and embodiments described herein may be reoriented without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0051] The terms "about" and "substantially" are intended to include the error or uncertainty associated with the measurement of a particular quantity based on the equipment available at the time the application was filed. For example, "about" and "substantially" may include a range of ±8% or 5% or 2% of a given value.

[0052] Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment described as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

[0053] The present disclosure also includes the illustrative, non-exhaustive examples set forth in the following clauses, which may or may not be claimed:

[0054] Item A1: A wing for an aircraft, the wing comprising a wing spar, the wing spar comprising: an integral structure, the integral structure comprising an upper chord, a lower chord and a web located between the upper chord and the lower chord; and a strut different and separate from the integral structure, the strut being connected to the integral structure between the upper chord and the lower chord and extending across the web.

[0055] Clause A2: The wing of clause A1, wherein the spar comprises an inboard end and an outboard end.

[0056] Clause A3: A wing according to clause A2, wherein: the web comprises a plurality of webs distributed along the length of the spar between the inner end and the outer end; and the thickness of the web decreases in a direction from the inner end to the outer end of the spar, so that the inner web positioned closer to the inner end comprises a greater thickness than the outer web positioned closer to the outer end.

[0057] Clause A4: A wing according to clause A3, wherein: the strut includes a plurality of struts, each strut corresponding to one of the plurality of webs; and the thickness of the strut varies in proportion to the thickness of the corresponding web.

[0058] Clause A5: A wing according to clause A2, wherein: the strut includes an upper end positioned adjacent the upper chord and a lower end positioned adjacent the lower chord; and the strut is positioned at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the upper chord and the lower chord and is oriented toward the outboard end of the wing spar such that the upper end of the strut positioned adjacent the upper chord is positioned closer to the outboard end than the lower end of the strut positioned adjacent the lower chord.

[0059] Clause A6: A wing according to clause A5, wherein: the spar includes a longitudinal axis extending between the inboard end and the outboard end along the length of the spar; the struts include a plurality of struts distributed along the length of the spar between the inboard end and the outboard end of the spar; and the angles of the struts relative to the upper chord and the lower chord increase in a direction from the inboard end to the outboard end of the spar, such that struts positioned closer to the inboard end of the spar are oriented at a smaller angle than struts positioned closer to the outboard end of the spar, the angle being measured relative to a virtual vertical line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spar.

[0060] Clause A7: A wing according to clause A1, wherein: the integral structure further comprises an upper pad positioned adjacent to the upper chord and the web, and a lower pad positioned adjacent to the lower chord and the web; and the strut is connected to the upper pad and the lower pad.

[0061] Clause A8: The wing of clause A7, further comprising fasteners for coupling the strut to the upper pad and the lower pad.

[0062] Clause A9: The wing of clause A1, wherein the unitary structure further comprises a reinforcement member positioned between the upper chord and the lower chord and adjacent to the web.

[0063] Clause A10: The wing of clause A1, wherein the integral structure further comprises a rib located between the upper chord and the lower chord and adjacent to the web.

[0064] Clause A11: The wing of clause A10, wherein the spar includes a front spar and a rear spar, the wing further comprising a rib coupled to the rib column of the front spar and the rib column of the rear spar.

[0065] Clause A12: The wing of clause A1, wherein the upper chord and the lower chord each comprise a T-shaped or L-shaped cross-section.

[0066] Clause A13: A spar for an aircraft wing, the spar comprising: a unitary structure including an upper chord and a lower chord; and a strut coupled to the unitary structure between the upper chord and the lower chord.

[0067] Clause A14: A wing beam according to clause A13, wherein: the integral structure further comprises: a web member located between the upper chord and the lower chord; and an upper pad positioned adjacent to the upper chord and the web member and a lower pad positioned adjacent to the lower chord and the web member; and the strut is connected to the upper pad and the lower pad.

[0068] Clause A15: A wing beam according to clause A14, wherein: the wing beam includes an inner end and an outer end; the web includes a plurality of webs, and the plurality of webs are distributed along the length of the wing beam between the inner end and the outer end; the strut includes a plurality of struts, each strut corresponding to one of the plurality of webs; the thickness of the web decreases in a direction from the inner end of the wing beam to the outer end, so that the inner web positioned closer to the inner end includes a greater thickness than the outer web positioned closer to the outer end; and the thickness of the strut varies proportionally with the thickness of the corresponding web.

[0069] Clause A16: A wing according to clause A13, wherein: the wing spar includes an inner end and an outer end; the strut includes an upper end positioned adjacent to the upper chord and a lower end positioned adjacent to the lower chord; and the strut is positioned at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the upper chord and the lower chord and is oriented toward the outer end of the wing spar such that the upper end of the strut positioned adjacent to the upper chord is positioned closer to the outer end than the lower end of the strut positioned adjacent to the lower chord.

[0070] Clause A17: A wing according to clause A16, wherein: the spar includes a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the spar between the inboard end and the outboard end; the struts include a plurality of struts distributed along the length of the spar between the inboard end and the outboard end of the spar; and the angles of the struts relative to the upper chord and the lower chord increase in a direction from the inboard end to the outboard end of the spar, such that struts positioned closer to the inboard end of the spar are oriented at a smaller angle than struts positioned closer to the outboard end of the spar, the angle being measured relative to a virtual vertical line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spar.

[0071] Item A18: A method of supporting a wing spar including an integral structure, the method comprising: receiving stress from the wing with the integral structure positioned within the wing and supporting the wing; and distributing the stress between an upper chord and a lower chord of the integral structure by struts connected to the integral structure.

[0072] Clause A19: A method according to clause A18, wherein: the step of receiving stress includes receiving tension in the lower chord of the integral structure and receiving compression in the upper chord of the integral structure; and the step of distributing stress includes receiving tension in the support.

[0073] Clause A20: The method of clause A19, further comprising: receiving a stress fracture in the lower chord due to receiving tension in the lower chord; and receiving additional tension in the strut to prevent the stress fracture in the lower chord of the monolithic structure.

Claims

1. A wing (100) for an aircraft (10), the wing comprising a spar (610), the spar comprising: An integral structure (650), the integral structure comprising an upper chord (624), a lower chord (626), and a web member (628) located between the upper chord and the lower chord; and a strut (652) distinct and separate from the unitary structure, coupled to the unitary structure between the upper chord and the lower chord and extending across the web, in: The integral structure (650) further comprises an upper pad (654) and a lower pad (656), wherein the upper pad (654) is positioned or formed at a lower end of the upper chord (624) adjacent to the upper chord (624) and the web member (628), and the lower pad (656) is positioned or formed at an upper end of the lower chord (626) adjacent to the lower chord (626) and the web member (628), and the upper pad (654) and the lower pad (656) both have an increased cross-sectional thickness relative to the web member (628); and The support posts (652) are coupled to the upper pad and the lower pad.

2. The wing (100) of claim 1, wherein the spar (610) includes an inboard end (604) and an outboard end (606).

3. The wing (100) according to claim 2, wherein: The web bar (628) includes a plurality of web bars distributed along the length of the spar (610) between the inboard end (604) and the outboard end (606); and The thickness of the web decreases in a direction from the inboard end (604) to the outboard end (606) of the spar (610), such that an inboard web located closer to the inboard end comprises a greater thickness than an outboard web located closer to the outboard end.

4. The wing (100) of claim 3, wherein: The support (652) includes a plurality of support pillars, each support pillar (652) corresponds to one of the plurality of web bars (628); and The thickness of the struts (652) varies in proportion to the thickness of the corresponding web members (628).

5. The wing (100) of claim 2, wherein: The strut (652) includes an upper end (658) positioned adjacent to the upper chord (624) and a lower end (660) positioned adjacent to the lower chord (626); and The strut (652) is positioned at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the upper chord (624) and the lower chord (626) and is oriented toward the outboard end (606) of the spar (610) such that the upper end (658) of the strut (652) positioned adjacent the upper chord (624) is positioned closer to the outboard end (606) than the lower end (660) of the strut (652) positioned adjacent the lower chord (626).

6. The wing (100) of claim 5, wherein: The spar (610) includes a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the spar (610) between the inboard end (604) and the outboard end (606); The struts (652) include a plurality of struts distributed along the length of the spar (610) between the inboard end (604) and the outboard end (606) of the spar (610); and The angle of the struts relative to the upper chord (624) and the lower chord (626) increases in a direction from the inboard end (604) to the outboard end (606) of the spar (610) such that struts (652) positioned closer to the inboard end of the spar are oriented at a smaller angle than struts positioned closer to the outboard end of the spar, the angle being measured relative to a virtual vertical line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spar.

7. The wing (100) of claim 1, further comprising fasteners (638) for coupling the strut (652) to the upper pad (654) and the lower pad (656).

8. The wing (100) of claim 1, wherein the unitary structure (650) further comprises a reinforcement (640) positioned between the upper chord (624) and the lower chord (626) and adjacent the web (628).

9. The wing (100) of claim 1, wherein the integral structure (650) further comprises a rib column (642) located between the upper chord (624) and the lower chord (626) and adjacent to the web (628).

10. The wing (100) of claim 9, wherein the spar (610) includes a front spar and a rear spar, the wing (100) further comprising a rib coupled to a rib column (642) of the front spar and a rib column (642) of the rear spar.

11. The wing (100) of claim 1, wherein the upper chord (624) and the lower chord (626) each comprise a T-shaped or L-shaped cross-section.

12. A method of supporting a spar (610) comprising a monolithic structure (650), the method comprising: receiving stress from the wing (100) with the integral structure (650) of the spar (610) positioned within the wing (100) and supporting the wing (100); and distributing stress between an upper chord (624) and a lower chord (626) of the monolithic structure (650) using struts (652) coupled to the monolithic structure (650), in: The integral structure (650) further comprises an upper pad (654) and a lower pad (656), wherein the upper pad (654) is positioned or formed at a lower end of the upper chord (624) adjacent to the upper chord (624) and a web member (628) of the integral structure (650), and the lower pad (656) is positioned or formed at an upper end of the lower chord (626) adjacent to the lower chord (626) and the web member (628), and the upper pad (654) and the lower pad (656) both have an increased cross-sectional thickness relative to the web member (628); and The support posts (652) are coupled to the upper pad and the lower pad.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein: The step of receiving stress includes: receiving tension in the lower chord (626) of the monolithic structure (650) and receiving compression in the upper chord (624) of the monolithic structure (650); and The step of distributing stress includes receiving tension in said strut (652).

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving a stress fracture in the lower chord (626) due to receiving tension in the lower chord (626); and Additional tension is received in the struts (652) thereby preventing stress fractures within the lower chord (626) of the monolithic structure (650).

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