Joint for composite tubular rods

1 . A joint assembly in combination with a tubular composite rod, the joint assembly comprising:

a first wedge ring, wherein at least one end of the tubular composite rod has a wedge-shaped radially outward geometry to form a wedge-shaped end portion, wherein the first wedge ring is arranged on an internal surface of the tubular composite rod at the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod, wherein the first wedge ring is conical and asymmetric in an axial cross-section with the wedge-shaped end portion, wherein the first wedge ring includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first wedge ring has a first diameter and the second end of the first wedge ring has a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, wherein a slope of the first wedge ring is complementary to a rod slope of the tubular composite rod;

a second wedge ring, wherein the second wedge ring is arranged radially outward of an external surface of the tubular composite rod at the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod; and

a third wedge ring, wherein the third wedge ring is arranged between the second wedge ring and the external surface of the tubular composite rod at the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod, wherein the third wedge ring is formed of two or more segments placed in a hoop direction,

wherein the second wedge ring includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second wedge ring and the first end of the first wedge ring are directly connected outside of the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connection is implemented by at least one of:

a thread, one or more fasteners, an adhesion, or a combination thereof.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the tubular composite rod is at least one of:

circular, quadratic, rectangular, or polygonal.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third wedge ring is formed of two segments.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third wedge ring is formed of three segments.

6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first wedge ring has a slope α in an axial cross-section at the external surface of the first wedge ring and the third wedge ring has a slope β in an axial cross-section at the external surface of the third wedge ring.

7 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slope α is greater than the slope β.

8 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slope α is smaller than the slope β.

9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein one of the first wedge ring, the second wedge ring or the third wedge ring are formed of at least one of:

a metal or a metal alloy.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tubular composite rod is formed as fiber-reinforced composite embedded in a matrix.

11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein a fiber of the fiber-reinforced composite includes at least one of carbon, glass, organic, or boron fibers, wherein the matrix includes at least one of a thermoset polymer or a thermoplastic polymer.

12 . An aircraft seat, the aircraft seat comprising:

a seatback;

a seat pan; and

a base assembly couplable to a floor of an aircraft cabin via one or more floor fittings, the base assembly comprising:

one or more tubular composite rods, wherein at least one end of the tubular composite rod has a wedge-shaped radially outward geometry to form a wedge-shaped end portion, wherein each tubular composite rod of the one or more tubular composite rods comprise:

one or more joint assemblies, each joint assembly comprising:

a first wedge ring, wherein the first wedge ring is arranged on an internal surface of the tubular composite rod at the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod, wherein the first wedge ring is conical and asymmetric in an axial cross-section with the wedge-shaped end portion, wherein the first wedge ring includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first wedge ring has a first diameter and the second end of the first wedge ring has a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, wherein a slope of the first wedge ring is complementary to a rod slope of the tubular composite rod;

a second wedge ring, wherein the second wedge ring is arranged radially outward of an external surface of the tubular composite rod at the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod; and

a third wedge ring, wherein the third wedge ring is arranged between the second wedge ring and the external surface of the tubular composite rod at the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod, wherein the third wedge ring is formed of two or more segments placed in a hoop direction,

wherein the second wedge ring includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second wedge ring and the first end of the first wedge ring are directly connected outside of the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod.

13 . The aircraft seat of claim 12 , wherein the third wedge ring is formed of two segments.

14 . The aircraft seat of claim 12 , wherein the third wedge ring is formed of three segments.

15 . The aircraft seat of claim 12 , wherein the first wedge ring has a slope α in an axial cross-section at the external surface of the first wedge ring and the third wedge ring has a slope β in an axial cross-section at the external surface of the third wedge ring.

16 . The aircraft seat of claim 12 , wherein one of the first wedge ring, the second wedge ring or the third wedge ring are formed of at least one of:

a metal or a metal alloy.

17 . The aircraft seat of claim 12 , wherein the one or more tubular composite rods are formed as a fiber-reinforced composite embedded in a matrix, wherein a fiber of the fiber-reinforced composite includes at least one of carbon, glass, organic, or boron fibers, wherein the matrix includes at least one of a thermoset polymer or a thermoplastic polymer.

18 . A method of manufacturing a joint assembly for a tubular composite rod comprising:

positioning a second wedge ring axially toward a middle region of the tubular composite rod, wherein at least one end of the tubular composite rod has a wedge-shaped radially outward geometry to form a wedge-shaped end portion;

positioning two or more segments of a third wedge ring radially to form a ring assembly in the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod;

translating the second wedge ring axially toward the two or more segments of the third wedge ring in the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod;

positioning a first wedge ring axially toward an internal surface of the tubular composite rod in the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod, wherein the first wedge ring is conical and asymmetric in an axial cross-section with the wedge-shaped end portion, wherein a slope of the first wedge ring is complementary to a rod slope of the tubular composite rod, wherein the first wedge ring includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first wedge ring has a first diameter and the second end of the first wedge ring has a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and

assembling the joint assembly by directly connecting the first end of the first wedge ring and the first end of the second wedge ring outside of the wedge-shaped end portion of the tubular composite rod.