A RESIN INFUSED TRANSPARENT SKIN PANEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

• Main Authors: ALBERS, ROBERT, G, NORDMAN, PAUL, S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 07.11.2012
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS; HELICOPTERS; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A single pane window for use in a jet aircraft. The single pane window includes a plurality of metal sheets. A fiber reinforced resin at least partially surrounds the plurality of metal sheets. The fiber reinforced resin is transparent. A cutout is formed within each of the plurality of metal sheets, with the cutout being filled by the transparent resin during the manufacturing process. The cutout forms an optically transparent window portion of the single pane window. The single pane window is lightweight and strong enough to form a load bearing portion of a fuselage of a commercial aircraft into which it is incorporated, and also does not require the bulky and heavy frame structure that has traditionally been required on window structures of jet aircraft. The single pane window also enables even larger windows to be incorporated on aircraft without increasing the weight or cost associated with such windows.