Composite Wing Box Assembly With Bonded Overlapping Spars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft wing assembly methods are time-consuming, heavy, and require numerous fasteners, which increase weight and assembly complexity, especially in hard-to-reach internal locations.
Innovation Solution
The use of unitary shell structures made from composite materials, bonded together with adhesive sections, forming overlapping spars and flanges to create a lightweight, durable wing structure, allowing for integrated equipment spaces and simplified assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional drilling and riveting methods are used to join wing components, then structural strength is achieved, but the wing weight increases due to numerous fasteners and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical fastening system (drilling holes and installing rivets) with a bonding system using adhesive. This substitution eliminates the need for numerous fasteners and their associated holes, thereby reducing wing weight while maintaining structural strength through the bonding action of the adhesive between shell structures and spars
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the shell structures and spars, which inherently provides high strength-to-weight ratio. The combination of composite materials with adhesive bonding creates a lightweight yet structurally sound wing assembly, resolving the contradiction between achieving structural strength and minimizing wing weight
2Ease of operation
If manual joining methods are used for internal locations, then accessibility constraints are overcome, but assembly time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual drilling and riveting operations with adhesive bonding, which can be applied more efficiently and requires less manual intervention in hard-to-reach areas. The bonding process can be performed with simpler equipment and less stringent accessibility requirements, thereby reducing assembly time while maintaining ease of operation for internal locations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the wing into modular shell structures that are assembled together through bonding. This segmentation allows for pre-assembly of components in accessible locations and simplifies the final assembly process, reducing the time required for manual joining operations in internal locations
3Reliability
If multiple discrete components are assembled with many fasteners, then structural integrity is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the multi-step mechanical fastening process (drilling, countersinking, installing rivets, tightening) with a single bonding operation using adhesive. This substitution maintains structural integrity through the bonding interface while dramatically reducing the number of assembly steps and production time required to manufacture the wing
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 results in a lightweight, strong, and easily assembled wing structure with reduced fastener use, enabling quicker production and integration of aircraft systems, while maintaining structural integrity and aerodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
The shell structures are bonded together via a plurality of discrete adhesive sections
Implementation Method 2
each shell structure comprising a partial front spar, a partial rear spar, a further partial spar and a wing skin... each further partial spar of each shell structure are arranged to overlap to form at least one further spar
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An aircraft wing structure comprises first and second unitary shell structures 7, 8, preferably formed from a fibre-reinforced composite material. Each shell structure 7, 8 comprises a partial front spar, a partial rear spar and a wing skin. The partial front spars of each shell structure and the partial rear spars of each shell structure are arranged to overlap to form front and rear spars respectively. A wing box structure 6 constructed according to the invention is lightweight, strong and durable, with a lower overall part count than has been conventionally achievable. Aircraft systems equipment may be attached to the shell structures 7, 8 prior to, or after, assembly into a wing box.