Wing with sectioned tubular members
View Patent ↗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.
1. An aircraft wing with a load bearing structure, wherein the load bearing structure comprises:
a plurality of longitudinal sections juxtaposed in a side-by-side relationship to establish a surface for the wing and to define a front edge and a back edge for the load bearing structure;
each longitudinal section comprises:
a plurality of kabobs aligned in an end-to-end relationship, wherein each kabob is made of a composite material and wherein each kabob is an elongated hollow tube having a substantially rectangular cross section, and having an open end and a closed end with a predetermined taper therebetween;
wherein juxtaposed sections establish spar webs for the structure and juxtaposed closed ends of respective kabobs establish transverse ribs for the structure; and
a layer of composite material positioned on the surface to create a portion of an airfoil for the wing.
2. A wing as recited in claim 1 wherein each kabob defines a lumen and the kabob comprises:
a layer of thermoplastic material surrounding the lumen; and
a layer of composite material covering the thermoplastic material opposite the lumen.
3. A wing as recited in claim 2 wherein the thermoplastic material is Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG) and the composite material is made of carbon fibers and epoxy resin.
4. A wing as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
an airfoil leading edge affixed to the front edge of the load bearing structure; and
an airfoil trailing edge affixed to the back edge of the load bearing structure.