Thermoplastic Aircraft Floor Panel with Integrated Edge Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional floor panels for aircraft and spacecraft are expensive, time-consuming to produce, and require complex filling and fastening systems, while also lacking robustness against impact and shock loads.
Innovation Solution
A floor panel design featuring a panel-like portion with embedded endless fibers and an additional structure with discontinuous fibers, both made from thermoplastic materials, which are molded together to form a unified, cost-effective, and robust component with improved flexibility and stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional sandwich panels with honeycomb core are used, then floor panels achieve relatively high stiffness with thin cover layers, but production becomes expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the panel-like portion and additional structure into a single integrated component made from the same thermoplastic material, eliminating the need for separate sandwich construction processes and reducing production steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material state from thermoset (conventional) to thermoplastic, enabling different processing temperatures and molding methods that reduce production time while maintaining structural integrity
2Weight of moving object
If conventional sandwich panels are used, then floor panels achieve low weight, but require additional expensive and complex filling of cut edges with filler material
Solution Approach 1:
The additional structure is integrated directly with the panel-like portion, eliminating the need for separate filler materials and complex filling processes to terminate cut edges cleanly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the same thermoplastic material for both the panel and additional structure, eliminating the need for expensive specialized filler materials
3Weight of moving object
If conventional sandwich panels are used, then floor panels achieve low weight, but require inserts specifically for fastening floor panels
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening function is merged into the additional structure itself, which provides integral attachment points and surfaces for connecting floor panels, eliminating the need for separate inserts
Solution Approach 2:
The additional structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: structural reinforcement, edge termination, and fastening attachment, replacing multiple separate components
4Length of moving object
If conventional sandwich panels are used, then floor panels achieve relatively thin cover layers, but lack robustness against impact and shock loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite materials that provide high impact and shock resistance even with thinner cover layers, combining the benefits of thin design with robustness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from thermoset to thermoplastic materials, which provide better toughness and impact resistance, improving robustness against shock loads
Data Source
AI summary
A floor panel for an aircraft or spacecraft. The floor panel has a panel-like portion and an additional structure. A first side of the panel-like portion forms part of a floor surface in the aircraft or spacecraft. The additional structure is connected to the panel-like portion on a second side of the panel-like portion that is opposite the first side. The panel-like portion and the additional structure each comprise a matrix material formed by a thermoplastic material. Endless reinforcing fibers are embedded in the matrix material of the panel-like portion. Discontinuous reinforcing fibers are embedded in the matrix material of the additional structure. An aircraft or spacecraft may have a floor area which is formed by a planar arrangement of floor panels of this type. The method for producing a floor panel for an aircraft or spacecraft is provided.