Sandwich Lining Shell With Shear Core For Damage Tolerance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing structural components, particularly in aerodynamic bodies, face challenges in maintaining load-bearing capabilities while being damage-tolerant, as they often suffer from damage that compromises their structural integrity under external forces.

Innovation Solution

A planking shell designed as a sandwich structure with an inner skin section, an outer skin section, and a shear load-absorbing core layer, reinforced with strategically arranged reinforcement parts that protrude through the core layer to enhance tear resistance and distribute shear stresses, thereby limiting damage to specific areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If reinforcement parts protrude through the core layer to enhance tear resistance, then damage tolerance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage toleranceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by strategically positioning reinforcement parts only in specific regions where tear resistance is most needed. The reinforcement parts protrude through the core layer at defined locations rather than uniformly across the entire structure, providing enhanced damage tolerance precisely where required while avoiding unnecessary complexity in other areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sandwich structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: skin sections, core layer, and reinforcement parts. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the core layer provides shear load absorption while the protruding reinforcement parts provide localized tear resistance, resolving the contradiction by distributing complexity only where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If reinforcement parts are arranged in groups with specific orientations to distribute shear stresses, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite construction by combining different material properties in the sandwich structure. The core layer and skin sections use materials optimized for shear load absorption, while reinforcement parts provide additional structural integrity. This composite approach distributes stress through material diversity rather than relying solely on precise geometric alignment, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 effectively maintains the structural integrity of the planking shell by absorbing shear loads and distributing stress, allowing it to remain functional even after sustaining damage, ensuring the structural component's ability to transfer loads without exceeding permissible damage limits.

Implementation Method 1

a shear load-absorbing core layer (13) located between these and connecting the inner and outer skin sections to one another over a large area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectShear load absorption: Shear Stress

Implementation Method 2

The reinforcement devices have reinforcement parts which, according to one aspect of the invention, each protrude through at least 85% of the core layer that absorbs the shear load in its thickness direction in order to improve the tear resistance of the planking shell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTear resistance enhancement: Fracture Mechanics

Data Source

PatentEP2595876B1Lining shell carrying a main load and structural component having at least one lining shell carrying a main load
Publication Date: 2016.07.06 AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • EP2595876B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP2595876B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2595876B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

The invention relates to a structural component (1) of a flow body, comprising at least one lining shell (B) that carries a main load, said lining shell having a core layer (33) that absorbs shear load and that comprises a plurality of core-layer sections (33a) arranged next to each other in the longitudinal extension of the foam layer, wherein said core-layer sections are connected to each other at the sides lying against each other by a core-layer reinforcement area (37), which extends through the core layer perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of the core layer (33).