Granted Patent B2

US 12,350,892 · App. 17/708,404 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Inventors: Alain A. Adjorlolo (Shoreline, WA); Patrice K. Ackerman (Kent, WA); Jason A. Bolles (Kent, WA)

Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY

B29C70/06B29C70/28B64C1/00B29K2063/00B29K2309/08B29K2995/0018B29L2031/3082B64C2001/0072

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A co-curable composite material fuselage assembly consisting of:

a co-curable composite material assembly comprising:

a co-curable composite material substrate, said co-curable composite material substrate comprising a co-curable composite material substrate first side and a co-curable composite material substrate second side;

a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer comprising a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer first side and a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer second side, only said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer configured to be in immediate contact with at least one of the co-curable composite material substrate first side and the co-cured composite material substrate second side, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer consisting of a single ply layer co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer exclusively imparting 100% of a degree of UV/visible light protection imparted to the co-curable composite material substrate by the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer;

wherein the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer has a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% for UV/visible light wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm to about 800 nm when the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer comprises an average thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 6 mils;

wherein the co-curable composite material substrate in combination with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer is configured to form the co-curable composite material fuselage assembly;

wherein the co-curable composite material substrate is co-curable with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer at a temperature ranging from about 250° F. to about 370° F.;

wherein the co-curable composite material substrate second side is in direct contact with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer first side;

wherein the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer completely covers the co-curable composite material substrate second side; and

wherein the co-curable composite material substrate assembly does not contain an additional UV/visible light-resistant layer.

2. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material substrate comprises a fiber reinforced epoxy resin matrix.

3. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 2 , wherein the fiber reinforced epoxy resin matrix comprises at least one of carbon fibers, boron fibers, aramid fibers, fiberglass fibers, polyester fibers, and combinations thereof.

4. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material substrate comprises a carbon fiber reinforced polymer.

5. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material substrate comprises a plurality of carbon fiber reinforced polymer prepregs.

6. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material assembly comprises an outer mold line.

7. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material assembly comprises an inner mold line.

8. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material assembly comprises both an outer mold line and an inner mold line.

9. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material substrate comprises a fiber reinforced resin matrix, said fiber reinforced resin matrix comprising at least one of carbon fibers, boron fibers, aramid fibers, fiberglass fibers, polyester fibers, and combinations thereof.

10. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material fuselage assembly is configured to form a co-curable fuselage exterior.

11. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material fuselage assembly is configured to form a co-curable fuselage interior.

12. The co-curable composite material fuselage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable composite material substrate comprises at least one of an outer mold line and an inner mold line.

13. A method for making a co-curable composite material fuselage assembly, the method comprising:

providing a co-curable composite material substrate, said co-curable composite material substrate comprising a co-curable composite material substrate first side and a co-curable composite material substrate second side;

providing a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer comprising a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer first side and a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer second side, only said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer configured to be in immediate contact with at least one of the co-curable composite material substrate first side and the co-cured composite material substrate second side, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer consisting of a single ply layer co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer exclusively imparting 100% of a degree of UV/visible light protection imparted to the co-curable composite material substrate by the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer;

applying the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer onto and in intimate contact with at least one of said co-curable composite material substrate first side and the co-curable composite material substrate second side, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer having a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% for UV/visible light wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm to about 800 nm when the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer comprises an average thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 6 mils, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant co-curable fiberglass layer exclusively imparting 100% of a degree of UV/visible light protection imparted to the co-curable composite material substrate by the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer consisting of a single ply UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer;

co-curing the co-curable composite substrate material substrate with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass-containing fiberglass layer at a temperature ranging from about 250° F. to about 370° F. to form a co-cured composite material fuselage assembly for an aircraft;

wherein the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer alone is configured to be solely responsible for UV/visible light-resistance imparted to the co-curable composite material fuselage assembly;

wherein the co-curable composite material substrate second side is in direct contact with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer first side;

wherein the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer completely covers the co-curable composite material substrate second side; and

wherein the co-curable composite material substrate assembly does not contain an additional UV/visible light-resistant layer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said co-curable composite material fuselage assembly is configured to form a co-curable aircraft fuselage exterior.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said co-curable composite material fuselage assembly is configured to form a co-curable aircraft fuselage interior.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (46)