THERMOPLASTIC TRUSS STRUCTURE FOR USE IN WING AND ROTOR BLADE STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURE

• Main Authors: CAWTHORNE, Matthew Howard, WUMMER, Christopher Eliot, CRAIG, Danielle Raiko
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.10.2019
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AIRCRAFT; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; BUILDING; BUILDING MATERIALS; COSMONAUTICS; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FLYING SUITS; HELICOPTERS; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The present disclosure generally relates to thermoplastic truss structures and methods of forming the same. The truss structures are formed using thermoplastic materials, such as fiber reinforced thermoplastic resins, and facilitate directional load support based on the shape of the truss structure. In one example, multiple two-dimensional patterns of fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin are disposed on one another in a saw tooth pattern, sinusoidal pattern, or other repeating pattern, and adhered to one another in selective locations. The two dimensional patterns may then be expanded in a third dimension to form a three-dimensional, cross-linked truss structure. The three-dimensional, cross-linked truss structure may then be heated or otherwise treated to maintain the three-dimensional shape.