Aircraft comprising a window panel
View Patent ↗An aircraft having a fuselage of composite type and more particularly to that of aircraft fuselage panels bearing cabin windows. The invention thus concerns a fuselage panel bearing a window comprising a composite structure cast in one piece, the structure comprising a main portion and at least one opening to accommodate a window, the structure having, on a zone surrounding the opening, a thickness more or less constant and greater than the thickness of the main portion of the structure. The invention also concerns an aircraft comprising a composite fuselage, the latter comprising such a panel or a similar panel made of metal material.
1. A window-bearing fuselage panel, comprising:
a plurality of horizontal stringers;
a composite structure cast in one piece, the composite structure comprising a main portion having a thickness and the composite structure comprising at least one opening to accommodate a window,
wherein two horizontal stringers of the plurality of horizontal stringers are arranged on two opposite sides of the opening, the two horizontal stringers located immediately above and immediately below the opening, and have a cross-sectional thickness greater than that of other horizontal stringers of the plurality of horizontal stringers on the fuselage panel, and
a zone of the composite structure surrounding the opening between the two horizontal stringers has a thickness substantially constant and greater than the thickness of the main portion of the composite structure.
2. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the two horizontal stringers are integrated into the structure cast in one piece, and the surrounding zone situated between the two horizontal stringers as well as the two horizontal stringers having an increased thickness through integration of at least one ply in the composite structure.
3. The panel according to claim 2 , wherein the surrounding zone and the two horizontal stringers have at least one common thickening ply.
4. The panel according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one window made up of a plurality of plies, the window being held supported against the structure at the surrounding zone.
5. The panel according to claim 4 , wherein the window is held supported with the aid of a plurality of flanges fastened to the two horizontal stringers.
6. The panel according to claim 5 , further comprising:
flanges for fastening of the window provided on an inner side of an outer skin of the fuselage and distributed around the window.
7. The panel according to claim 6 , wherein the flanges are fastened on small inverted T-shaped columns fastened on the inner side of the outer skin of the fuselage.
8. The panel according to claim 4 , wherein the window comprises an elastomer joint reinforced with fiber and squeezed directly against the structure.
9. The panel according to claim 8 , wherein an outer ply of the plurality of plies includes a base shaped so as to conform to the opening.
10. The panel according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one window having, on its perimeter, a water-tight joint arranged so as to be positioned and supported on the surrounding zone, interposition of the water-tight joint between the window and the structure, at the joint, being implemented by a frame piece made of thin sheet metal.
11. An aircraft comprising a panel according to claim 1 .