Composite Skin Plate Stiffeners Without Separate Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite elements used in structural applications, such as aircraft components, require time-consuming and defect-prone fastening processes for separate stiffening pieces, which can be improved for efficiency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The composite element integrates local stiffeners as protrusions on skin plates, with additional composite structures inside these protrusions, allowing for prefabricated assembly and enhanced rigidity, reducing the need for separate stiffening parts and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If separate stiffening pieces are fastened on outer surfaces of structural elements, then rigidity of the composite element is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes time-consuming and vulnerable to defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the stiffening function directly into the skin plate by forming protrusions that integrate the stiffener and skin plate as a single component. This eliminates the need for separate stiffening pieces and their associated fastening processes, thereby improving manufacturing speed while maintaining rigidity enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffening protrusions are formed during the lamination process itself, before the final assembly stage. By preliminarily forming the stiffening structures as part of the skin plate manufacturing, the patent avoids subsequent fastening operations and reduces the overall manufacturing cycle time.
2Strength
If separate stiffening pieces are fastened on outer surfaces, then rigidity is improved, but the fastening process becomes vulnerable to many defects
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the stiffener and skin plate into a single integrated component through protrusions formed during lamination, the patent eliminates fastening interfaces that are prone to defects such as adhesive bonding failures or mechanical fastener loosening. The integrated structure ensures reliable rigidity enhancement without fastening-related reliability issues.
3Strength
If multiple separate stiffening parts are used, then local rigidity is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (skin plate structure and stiffening elements) into a single integrated component with protrusions. This reduces the number of separate parts that need to be assembled and eliminates complex fastening procedures, thereby simplifying the assembly process while maintaining local rigidity improvements.
4Strength
If additional composite structures are added inside protrusions, then rigidity is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additional composite structures are placed inside the protrusions during the lamination process, before the protrusions are fully formed and cured. By performing this operation preliminarily during the main manufacturing process rather than as a separate post-processing step, the patent enhances rigidity while minimizing the increase in manufacturing complexity.
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
This approach simplifies the manufacturing process, enhances the rigidity and durability of composite elements by integrating stiffeners within the structure, and reduces weight, while protecting internal stiffeners from wear and moisture.
Implementation Method 1
the basic composite structure of the first skin plate and the first additional composite structure attached on an inner surface of the first skin plate are being bulged together for forming the several stiffened protrusions
Data Source
AI summary
A composite element and a method of manufacturing the same. The composite element comprises a first skin plate and second skin plate, which are manufactured as separate pieces and are assembled in a separate phase. At least the first skin plate comprises several protrusions on an outer surface of the plate. The protrusions serve as local stiffeners and are further stiffened by means of one or more additional composite structures arranged inside the protrusions.