A wing segment connecting end rib and a method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The application provides a wing segment connecting end rib and a manufacturing method thereof, relates to the technical field of end ribs of aircrafts, and is used for connecting adjacent first and second wing segments, wherein the first and second wing segments each comprise at least one wing spar, and the end rib comprises: two sub-end ribs which are detachable and symmetrically structured, wherein the sub-end rib comprises an upper wing surface, a lower wing surface and a vertical surface, the two ends of the upper wing surface are connected with the two ends of the lower wing surface respectively, a cavity is formed between the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface, the vertical surface is arranged in the cavity and connected with one end surface of the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface, and a connecting hole for connecting with the wing spar is arranged on the vertical surface; and the material of the sub-end rib is a carbon fiber foam sandwich plate; and the problems of large weight and inconvenient assembly of traditional end ribs are solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of end ribs of aircrafts, and more particularly relates to a wing segment connecting end rib and a manufacturing method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] The end rib of the wing of the unmanned aerial vehicle is located at the end of the wing segment of the wing, is the collection place of the wing spanwise load, and thus needs to have strong mechanical properties and belongs to a special reinforced wing rib. In addition, the end rib is located at the connecting position between adjacent wing segments of the wing and needs to have good connecting properties.

[0003] The traditional end rib uses a wing box structure composed of an integral wall plate and upper and lower skins connected together, and has the disadvantages of heavy weight and complicated assembly process. In addition, due to the need to avoid the connecting structure of the spar in the wing segment, the end rib between the two adjacent wing segments needs to be connected through an additional fairing structure, which increases unnecessary weight. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims at the deficiencies in the prior art and provides a wing segment connecting end rib to solve the problems of heavy weight and inconvenient assembly of the traditional end rib.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides a wing segment connecting end rib for connecting adjacent first and second wing segments, wherein the first and second wing segments each include at least one spar, and the end rib comprises:

[0006] two sub-end ribs, the two sub-end ribs are detachable symmetrical structures, the sub-end rib includes an upper wing surface, a lower wing surface and a vertical surface, two ends of the upper wing surface are connected to two ends of the lower wing surface respectively, a cavity is formed between the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface, the vertical surface is arranged in the cavity and connected to one end surface of the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface, and a connecting hole for connecting with the spar is arranged on the vertical surface;

[0007] The material of the sub-end rib is a carbon fiber foam sandwich panel.

[0008] Optionally, the vertical surface is provided with a protruding part protruding towards the other end surface of the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface, and the connecting hole is arranged on the protruding part.

[0009] Optionally, at least one of the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface is provided with a notched part, the notched part is connected to one end surface of the protruding part, and when the two sub-end ribs are connected, the two notched parts are connected to form an operation opening.

[0010] Optionally, the spar includes a main spar and a rear spar arranged in sequence from front to rear, and two protruding parts are arranged in sequence from front to rear on each vertical surface.

[0011] Optionally, a plurality of through holes are provided on the facade, and the two sub-end ribs are fastened to the through holes via fasteners.

[0012] Optionally, weight-reducing holes are provided on the facade.

[0013] Optionally, the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel includes a first carbon fiber layer, a foam layer, and a second carbon fiber layer arranged in sequence.

[0014] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a wing segment connecting end rib, which is used to manufacture the above-mentioned wing segment connecting end rib, and the method comprises:

[0015] Determine the shape and size of each sub-end rib based on the aerodynamic shape, spar and load requirements of the wing section;

[0016] The sub-end ribs of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material are formed by a molding process.

[0017] Optionally, determining the shape and size of each sub-end rib according to the aerodynamic shape, spar, and load requirements of the wing section includes:

[0018] Determine the shapes of the upper and lower wing surfaces according to the aerodynamic shape of the wing section;

[0019] Determine the shape and size of the connection hole according to the shape and size of the spar;

[0020] The layup design of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel is determined according to the load requirements of the wing section.

[0021] Optionally, forming the sub-end ribs of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material by a molding process includes:

[0022] The foam layer of the one-piece carbon fiber foam sandwich panel;

[0023] Obtaining a mold, wherein the mold includes a bottom mold and a cover mold;

[0024] The first carbon fiber layer, the glue layer and the foam layer of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel are sequentially laid in the bottom mold, and the second carbon fiber layer and the glue layer are sequentially laid in the cover mold;

[0025] The mold is tightened and cured using a press.

[0026] The present invention provides a wing section connecting end rib and a manufacturing method thereof, which has the beneficial effects that: the wing section connecting end rib has two sub-end ribs with a symmetrical structure, which are detachably connected to facilitate the connection of the two wing sections, each sub-end rib includes an upper wing surface, a lower wing surface and a vertical surface that are connected in an integral manner, has a simple structure and good structural strength, and can avoid the wing spar and be connected to the wing spar by being sleeved on the wing spar through the connection holes on the vertical surface, and the sub-end rib is made of a carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material, which can achieve a good weight reduction effect while ensuring the strength of the material.

[0027] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals generally represent like components throughout the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall connection structure of a wing section connecting a rib according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the top view structure.

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a sub-end rib of a wing section connecting ribs according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic plan view of the structure of a sub-end rib of a wing section connecting ribs according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of a material for connecting a wing section to a rib according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0034] Figure 6 A flow chart of a method for manufacturing wing section connecting ribs according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] Description of reference numerals:

[0036] 1. Sub-end rib; 2. Main beam; 3. Rear beam; 4. Upper wing surface; 5. Lower wing surface; 6. Vertical surface; 7. Connection hole; 8. Raised part; 9. Notch part; 10. Operation port; 11. Through hole; 12. Weight reduction hole; 13. First carbon fiber layer; 14. Foam layer; 15. Second carbon fiber layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to make the present invention more thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0038] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a wing segment connecting end rib for connecting adjacent first and second wing segments, wherein the first and second wing segments each include at least one spar, and the end rib includes:

[0039] Two sub-end ribs 1, which are detachable and symmetrical structures. The sub-end ribs 1 include an upper wing surface 4, a lower wing surface 5, and a vertical surface 6. The two ends of the upper wing surface 4 are respectively connected to the two ends of the lower wing surface 5, forming a cavity between the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5. The vertical surface 6 is arranged in the cavity and connected to one end surface of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5. The vertical surface 6 is provided with a connection hole 7 for connecting to the spar;

[0040] The material of the sub-end rib 1 is a carbon fiber foam sandwich panel.

[0041] Specifically, in order to solve the problem that traditional end ribs are heavy and inconvenient to assemble, the wing segment connecting end rib provided by the present invention has two sub-end ribs 1 with a symmetrical structure, which are detachably connected to facilitate the connection between the two wing segments. Each sub-end rib 1 includes an upper wing surface 4, a lower wing surface 5 and a vertical surface 6 that are integrally connected. The structure is simple and the structural strength is good. The connection hole 7 on the vertical surface 6 is used to sleeve on the wing beam to achieve avoidance of the wing beam and connection with the wing beam. The sub-end rib 1 is made of carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material, which can achieve a good weight reduction effect while ensuring the strength of the material.

[0042] Furthermore, the shapes of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5 are determined by the aerodynamic shape of the wing section, and the outer sides of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5 are connected to the skin of the wing section.

[0043] Optionally, the vertical surface 6 is provided with a protrusion 8 protruding toward the other end surface of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5 , and the connecting hole 7 is opened on the protrusion 8 .

[0044] Specifically, the raised portion 8 on the vertical surface 6 of each sub-end rib 1 is raised from one end surface of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5 toward the other end surface of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5. In this way, when the two sub-end ribs 1 are connected to each other, the two vertical surfaces 6 are not in contact with each other at the position of the raised portion 8, and an operating space is formed between the two raised portions 8. The operating space can facilitate the connection of the wing beams in adjacent wing sections here. The operating space provided for the connection of the wing beams enables the end rib to eliminate the rectification structure in the traditional end rib and reduce the structural weight.

[0045] Optionally, at least one of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5 is provided with a notch portion 9 , which is connected to one end surface of the protrusion 8 . When the two sub-end ribs 1 are connected, the two notches 9 are connected to form an operating port 10 .

[0046] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, the notch portion 9 is in a shape that is recessed from one end surface of the upper wing surface 4 and / or the lower wing surface 5 to the other end surface thereof. One edge of the notch portion 9 is open, and the remaining edge is connected to the end surface of the raised portion 8. The operating port 10 formed by the connection of the two notches 9 forms an opening of the operating space.

[0047] Further, such as Figure 3 As shown, the number of the protrusions 8 is the same as the number of the spars in the wing section, each spar passes through a connecting hole 7, and each connecting hole 7 is provided on a protrusion 8.

[0048] Optionally, the wing spar includes a main beam 2 and a rear beam 3 sequentially arranged from front to back, and two protrusions 8 are sequentially arranged on each facade 6 from front to back.

[0049] Specifically, the main beam 2 and the rear beam 3 respectively pass through a connection hole 7 on a raised portion 8 and can be connected to the facade 6 by bonding.

[0050] Optionally, a plurality of through holes 11 are provided on the facade 6 , and the two sub-end ribs 1 are fastened together via fasteners and the through holes 11 .

[0051] Specifically, multiple through holes 11 are opened on the vertical surface 6 of each sub-end rib 1. When two sub-end ribs 1 are connected, the two vertical surfaces 6 of the two symmetrical sub-end ribs 1 fit in contact with each other, and the fasteners pass through the through holes 11 to achieve a fastened connection between the two sub-end ribs 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, each facade 6 is provided with six through holes 11, and the fasteners include M8 bolts.

[0053] Optionally, weight-reducing holes 12 are provided on the facade 6 .

[0054] Specifically, the provision of the weight-reducing holes 12 can further reduce the weight of the end rib, thereby achieving lightweighting.

[0055] Optionally, the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel includes a first carbon fiber layer 13, a foam layer 14 and a second carbon fiber layer 15 which are arranged in sequence.

[0056] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first carbon fiber layer 13, the foam layer 14 and the second carbon fiber layer 15 are stacked in sequence to form a carbon fiber foam sandwich panel. The foam layer 14 is a 10 mm thick PMI foam, and the first carbon fiber layer 13 and the second carbon fiber layer 15 are 1 mm thick carbon fiber fabric materials, which are laid alternately at 0° / 45°.

[0057] In summary, when the wing segment connecting end rib provided by the present invention is used:

[0058] 1) When assembling two adjacent wing sections, the two sub-end ribs 1 of the end rib are respectively bonded to the corresponding main beam 2 and rear beam 3. Tooling is required to ensure the relative position of the sub-end rib 1, the main beam 2 and the rear beam 3, so as to ensure the continuity of the wing surface and the wing beam when the two adjacent wing sections are connected;

[0059] 2) When assembling two adjacent wing sections, the vertical surfaces 6 of the two sub-end ribs 1 are fitted together and connected and fastened using six fasteners.

[0060] 3) The joints between the main beam 2 and the rear beam 3 can be bonded and sealed with a film to prevent airflow from entering the interior of the drone during flight.

[0061] 4) When disassembling the wing section, remove the film bonding part and remove the six fasteners on the vertical surface 6 of the sub-end rib 1.

[0062] like Figure 6 As shown, the present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a wing segment connecting end rib, which is used to manufacture the above-mentioned wing segment connecting end rib, and the method includes:

[0063] Determine the shape and size of each sub-end rib 1 according to the aerodynamic shape, spar and load requirements of the wing section;

[0064] The sub-end ribs 1 of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material are formed by a molding process.

[0065] Optionally, according to the aerodynamic shape, spar and load requirements of the wing section, determining the shape and size of each sub-end rib 1 includes:

[0066] The shapes of the upper wing surface 4 and the lower wing surface 5 are determined according to the aerodynamic shape of the wing section;

[0067] Determine the shape and size of the connection hole 7 according to the shape and size of the spar;

[0068] The layup design of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel is determined according to the load requirements of the wing section.

[0069] Specifically, the structural form of the end rib upper and lower surfaces 4, 5 is determined based on the aerodynamic shape of the UAV's wing section. The structural dimensions of each protrusion 8 are determined based on the connection method and required space between the main beam 2 and the rear beam 3 between the wing sections. The structural dimensions of the connection holes 7 on the protrusion 8 of the end rib are determined based on the shape of the wing section main beam 2 and the rear beam 3. The size and distribution of the through holes 11 between the two sub-end ribs 1 are determined based on the end rib size and load requirements. The layup design of each sub-end rib 1 is determined based on the load requirements of the UAV's wing section. The sub-end rib 1 is made of carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material, and the typical layup structure is a first carbon fiber layer 13, a foam layer 14, and a second carbon fiber layer 15 arranged in sequence. The foam layer 14 is made of PMI foam, and the first carbon fiber layer 13 and the second carbon fiber layer 15 are made of carbon fiber fabric material, with a 0° / 45° alternating layup.

[0070] Optionally, the sub-end rib 1 of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material is formed by a molding process, including:

[0071] A foam layer 14 of an integrally formed carbon fiber foam sandwich panel;

[0072] Obtaining a mold, the mold comprising a bottom mold and a cover mold;

[0073] The first carbon fiber layer 13, the glue layer and the foam layer 14 of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel are sequentially laid in the bottom mold, and the second carbon fiber layer 15 and the glue layer are sequentially laid in the cover mold;

[0074] The mold is tightened and cured using a press.

[0075] Specifically, each sub-end rib 1 adopts a molding process, and the foam layer 14 is integrally formed according to the shape and size design results of each sub-end rib 1, and then the mold is designed according to the shape and size design results of each sub-end rib 1 to obtain a mold including a bottom mold and a cover mold, and then the first carbon fiber layer 13, glue layer and foam layer 14 of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel are laid in sequence in the bottom mold, and the second carbon fiber layer 15 and glue layer are laid in sequence in the cover mold, and then the mold is closed and tightened, and then a press is used for curing. After demolding, a plurality of through holes 11 for fastening two sub-end ribs 1 can be formed on the sub-end rib 1 by machining.

[0076] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above description is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A wing segment connecting end rib, used for connecting a first wing segment and a second wing segment adjacent to each other, wherein the first wing segment and the second wing segment each include at least one wing spar, characterized in that: The end ribs include: Two sub-end ribs, each of which is a detachable symmetrical structure, and each of which includes an upper wing surface, a lower wing surface, and a vertical surface. The two ends of the upper wing surface are respectively connected to the two ends of the lower wing surface, forming a cavity between the upper and lower wing surfaces. The vertical surface is arranged in the cavity and connected to one end surface of the upper and lower wing surfaces. The vertical surface is provided with a connection hole for connecting to the spar; The material of the sub-end ribs is a carbon fiber foam sandwich panel.

2. The wing section connecting end rib according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vertical surface is provided with a protrusion protruding toward the other end surface of the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface, and the connecting hole is opened on the protrusion.

3. The wing segment connecting end rib according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least one of the upper wing surface and the lower wing surface is provided with a notch portion, and the notch portion is connected to one end surface of the protrusion portion. When the two sub-end ribs are connected, the two notches are connected to form an operation port.

4. The wing section connecting end rib according to claim 3, characterized in that: The wing spar includes a main beam and a rear beam arranged in sequence from front to back, and two protrusions are arranged in sequence from front to back on each of the vertical surfaces.

5. The wing section connecting end rib according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of through holes are provided on the facade, and the two sub-end ribs are fastened and connected to the through holes via fasteners.

6. The wing section connecting end rib according to claim 1, characterized in that: The facade is provided with weight-reducing holes.

7. The wing section connecting end rib according to claim 1, characterized in that: The carbon fiber foam sandwich panel comprises a first carbon fiber layer, a foam layer and a second carbon fiber layer which are arranged in sequence.

8. A method for manufacturing a wing segment connecting end rib, used for manufacturing the wing segment connecting end rib according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The method includes: Determine the shape and size of each sub-end rib based on the aerodynamic shape, spar and load requirements of the wing section; The sub-end ribs of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material are formed by a molding process.

9. The method for manufacturing a wing segment connecting end rib according to claim 8, characterized in that: The shape and size of each sub-end rib are determined based on the aerodynamic shape, spar and load requirements of the wing section, including: Determine the shapes of the upper and lower wing surfaces according to the aerodynamic shape of the wing section; Determine the shape and size of the connection hole according to the shape and size of the spar; The layup design of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel is determined according to the load requirements of the wing section.

10. The method for manufacturing a wing segment connecting end rib according to claim 8, characterized in that: The sub-end ribs of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel material formed by the molding process include: The foam layer of the one-piece carbon fiber foam sandwich panel; Obtaining a mold, wherein the mold includes a bottom mold and a cover mold; The first carbon fiber layer, the glue layer and the foam layer of the carbon fiber foam sandwich panel are sequentially laid in the bottom mold, and the second carbon fiber layer and the glue layer are sequentially laid in the cover mold; The mold is tightened and cured using a press.

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