FLYAWAY KABOBS

• Main Authors: STARK DANNY L, ALLMAN MICHAEL G, ASHTON LARRY J, WHITE TROY L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.03.2009
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AIRCRAFT; AMUSEMENTS; APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING,CLIMBING, OR FENCING; AVIATION; BALL GAMES; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; COSMONAUTICS; GAMES; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HELICOPTERS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SPORTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRAINING EQUIPMENT; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

An aircraft wing made of a composite material, and its method of manufacture, require a plurality of kabobs (i.e. substantially rectangular shaped hollow tubes having an open end and a closed end). Of these kabobs, several are aligned end-to-end, to create a section. Several sections are then positioned side-by-side and covered by a layer of composite material to define an aerodynamic surface for the wing. The juxtaposed sections also establish spar webs for the wing, and the closed ends of the juxtaposed sections establish transverse ribs for the wing. Thus, the kabobs form the main load-bearing member of the wing. The sections of composite material are co-cured with the composite material of the aerodynamic surface.