Aircraft Composite Panel Assembly with Interlocking Recess and Projection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional composite panel assemblies in aircraft suffer from issues such as seal breakage, noise, and maintenance difficulties due to the use of traditional seals and glued solutions, which also increase weight and complicate the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A composite panel assembly design featuring a first panel with a recess and a second panel with an outward projection, combined with a forward stack of composite material plies bonded to the upper face of the first panel, creating a continuous face and reducing the number of plies towards the middle section for enhanced structural and aerodynamic performance, allowing for independent panel installation and maintenance without additional weight or sealant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional seals are used at panel interfaces, then panel assembly is achieved, but seal breakage and noise occur due to panel batting during flight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional seal component entirely from the panel assembly. Instead of using seals that attach to panel extremities, the invention uses composite plies that overlap the panel edges and are bonded to the panel surfaces, eliminating the seal and its associated batting problems while maintaining structural integrity at the panel interface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material plies (such as carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced polymers) to replace traditional seals. These composite plies are bonded to the panel surfaces using adhesive and extend beyond the panel edges to provide structural reinforcement and prevent panel batting, offering both durability and noise reduction
2Ease of manufacture
If glued seals are used between panels, then panel assembly is achieved, but maintenance becomes difficult requiring glue grazing and cleaning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the panel assembly into distinct modular components: the panels themselves, the composite plies that reinforce the edges, and the adhesive bonding layer. This segmentation allows the composite plies to be pre-installed on panels before final assembly, and enables selective removal of individual panels for maintenance without requiring destructive glue grazing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The composite plies are applied to the panel edges in advance during panel manufacturing or pre-assembly operations, before the panels are installed in the final assembly. This preliminary application of reinforcement plies simplifies the final panel installation process and facilitates future maintenance by establishing a clean, structured interface between panels
3Ease of manufacture
If glued seals are used between panels, then panel assembly is achieved, but installation time increases due to manual glue application and sealing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The composite plies are manufactured and pre-bonded to the panel edges in advance, allowing the adhesive to cure under controlled conditions before panel installation. This eliminates the need for operators to perform time-consuming manual glue application and seal filling operations during final panel assembly, significantly reducing installation time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of applying glue and filling seal volumes with an automated composite layup process. The composite plies are positioned and bonded using automated equipment during manufacturing, eliminating the need for manual intervention during final assembly and thereby increasing production productivity
4Ease of manufacture
If glued seals are used between panels, then panel assembly is achieved, but weight increases by approximately 14 kg
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heavy glue material that was previously required to fill the entire volume between seal lips. By eliminating the seal cavity and using thin composite plies bonded to the panel surfaces, the invention reduces the amount of adhesive material needed, thereby reducing the overall weight of the panel assembly by approximately 14 kg
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin composite ply layers (flexible reinforcement films) instead of bulky seal structures filled with heavy adhesive. These thin composite plies provide the necessary structural reinforcement and edge protection while minimizing material volume and weight, achieving both structural integrity and weight reduction
5Reliability
If external plate parts are installed to stabilize problematic panels, then panel batting is prevented, but aerodynamic and maintainability penalties occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of panel reinforcement, edge protection, and aerodynamic fairing into a single integrated composite ply structure. The composite plies overlap the panel edges and are bonded to the panel surfaces, combining multiple functions that would otherwise require separate components, thereby eliminating aerodynamic penalties and simplifying maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The composite plies serve multiple functions simultaneously: they reinforce the panel edges to prevent batting, provide aerodynamic smoothing at the panel interfaces, and create a maintainable structure that allows panel removal without additional components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate aerodynamic fairings and maintenance accessories
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a durable and noise-free assembly that simplifies installation and maintenance, reduces aerodynamic turbulences, and eliminates the need for additional weight-increasing components, while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a forward stack of plies of composite material bonded to an upper face of the first panel
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft composite panel assembly includes a first panel having upper and lower faces, the lower face having a recess on a first side of the panel, a second panel having upper and lower faces, the lower face having an outward projection at a first side of the panel, the outward projection received on the recess forming a lower continuous face; and a forward stack of plies of composite material bonded to the upper face of the first panel, the forward stack of plies having an edge overlapping the first side of the first panel, and the number of plies of the forward stack of plies decreasing toward the opposite side of the first side of the first panel.