A method and apparatus for forming a winglet formed as a one-piece composite for an aircraft is presented. The winglet comprises a first blade, a second blade, and a root region. The first blade includes a first leading edge and a first trailing edge. The second blade includes a second leading edge
A method and apparatus for forming a winglet formed as a one-piece composite for an aircraft is presented. The winglet comprises a first blade, a second blade, and a root region. The first blade includes a first leading edge and a first trailing edge. The second blade includes a second leading edge and a second trailing edge. The second blade is positioned at an angle to the first blade. The root region is co-cured with the first blade and the second blade to form the winglet. The root region is configured to receive an attachment system for attaching the winglet to a wing of the aircraft.
대표청구항▼
1. A winglet for an aircraft, such that the winglet comprises one piece that comprises: a first blade that comprises: first plies that comprise a first composite material and form an outboard skin of the first blade;second plies that comprise: a second composite material and form an inboard skin of
1. A winglet for an aircraft, such that the winglet comprises one piece that comprises: a first blade that comprises: first plies that comprise a first composite material and form an outboard skin of the first blade;second plies that comprise: a second composite material and form an inboard skin of the first blade that extends upward, relative to a top surface of a wing of the aircraft; andthe first plies co-cured to the second plies along both a non-metallic leading edge and a trailing edge of the first blade, such that, at an end, farthest from the top surface of the wing, of the first blade, an opening separates the non-metallic leading edge of the first blade from the trailing edge of the first blade;a second blade that comprises: third plies that comprise a third composite material and form an outboard skin of the second blade; andfourth plies that comprise a fourth composite material and form an inboard skin of the second blade that extends downward relative to a bottom surface of the wing of the aircraft, the third plies co-cured to the fourth plies along both a non-metallic leading edge and a trailing edge of the second blade; anda root region that comprises a channel that comprises composite plies that comprise a non-metallic first support and a non-metallic second support, each aligned substantially orthogonal to a chord line for the root region, the channel configured to receive an attachment system that comprises an extension between the first non-metallic support and the second non-metallic support and planar surfaces, connected substantially orthogonal to the extension, configured to connect to at least one of the supports within the root region, the attachment system configured to attach, at least via the extension, the winglet to the wing of the aircraft such that the root region comprises: the second plies and the fourth plies bonded together such that the non-metallic leading edge of the first blade and the non-metallic leading edge of the second blade form a co-cured continuous curved non-metallic leading edge of the root region and a trailing edge of the first blade and a trailing edge of the second blade form a co-cured continuous tapered trailing edge of the root region; andadditional plies co-cured to the first plies and to the third plies to form an outboard portion of the root region such that the outboard skin of the first blade, the outboard portion of the root region, and the outboard skin of the second blade, comprise a single continuous surface. 2. The winglet of claim 1, wherein the first blade is an upper blade of the winglet and the second blade is a lower blade of the winglet, and the first composite material, the second composite material, the third composite material, and the fourth composite material each comprise an identical component. 3. The winglet of claim 1, further comprising: the root region configured to receive the attachment system in the channel such that in operation the root region secures to the attachment system using at least one of: an adhesive, a weld, a bond, and a number of fasteners andan interior of the first blade and an interior of the second blade each configured to preclude entry of the attachment system into an interior of at least one of: the first blade and the second blade. 4. The winglet of claim 1, wherein at least one: of the trailing edge of the first blade, and the trailing edge of the second blade, physically associate with a lightning strip. 5. The winglet of claim 4, further comprising the lightning strip co-cured into the winglet. 6. The winglet of claim 1, wherein the winglet comprises at least one of: a carbon fiber reinforced polymer, a fiberglass, an aramid fiber, and a nylon. 7. The winglet of claim 1, further comprising connections, between the root region and both the first blade and the second blade, that comprise continuous co-cured fastener-less bonds. 8. A manufacture that comprises a one-piece bifurcated winglet that comprises: an upper blade, that inclines above a tip of a wing, and comprises: first plies that comprise a first composite material and form an outboard skin of the upper blade; andsecond plies that comprise a second composite material and form an inboard skin of the upper blade, the second plies co-cured to the first plies at both a non-metallic leading edge and a trailing edge of the upper blade;a lower blade that declines below the tip of the wing, and comprises: third plies that comprise a third composite material and form an outboard skin of the lower blade; andfourth plies that comprise a fourth composite material and form an inboard skin of the lower blade, the third plies co-cured to the fourth plies at both a non-metallic leading edge and a trailing edge of the lower blade, such that, at an end, farthest from the tip of the wing, of the lower blade, an opening separates the non-metallic leading edge of the lower blade from the trailing edge of the lower blade;a root region that comprises: a top surface that comprises the second plies;a bottom surface that comprises the fourth plies, the second plies bonded to the fourth plies, such that the non-metallic leading edge of the upper blade and the non-metallic leading edge of the lower blade form a co-cured continuous curved non-metallic leading edge of the root region and a trailing edge of the upper blade and a trailing edge of the lower blade form a co-cured continuous tapered trailing edge of the root region;an outboard skin of the root region co-cured to the outboard skin of the upper blade and the outboard skin of the lower blade; anda central channel that comprises a first support and a second support, each support comprised of non-metallic composite plies that align with an edge of a spar in the upper blade and an edge of a spar in the lower blade, such that the first support and the second support each stand substantially orthogonal to a chord line for the root region, configured to receive an attachment system, that comprises: an extension between the first support and the second support; andplanar surfaces, connected substantially orthogonal to the extension, configured to connect to at least one of the supports within the root region. 9. The manufacture of claim 8, wherein the first composite material, the second composite material, the third composite material, and the fourth composite material each comprise a same material. 10. The manufacture of claim 8, wherein the root region further comprises fifth plies that comprise a fifth composite material that comprises an outboard skin of the root region bonded to the first plies and to the third plies. 11. The manufacture of claim 10, wherein the first composite material, the second composite material, the third composite material, the fourth composite material, and the fifth composite material each comprise a same composition. 12. The manufacture of claim 11, further comprising the composition comprising at least one of: a carbon fiber reinforced polymer, fiberglass, aramid fiber, and nylon. 13. The manufacture of claim 8, further comprising the central channel configured to attach to the tip of the wing via at least the extension of the attachment system connected within the central channel, without a direct connection to at least one of: the upper blade and the lower blade. 14. The manufacture of claim 8, wherein the upper blade comprises a longer length than the lower blade. 15. The manufacture of claim 8, further comprising connections, between the root region and both the upper blade and the lower blade, that comprise continuous co-cured fastener-less bonds. 16. A manufacture configured to attach to a tip of a wing of an aircraft, such that the manufacture comprises a one-piece winglet that comprises co-cured: a first blade that comprises: an outboard skin of the first blade that comprises first-plies; andan inboard skin of the first blade that comprises second plies that extend upward relative to a top of the wing, such that a trailing edge of the first blade comprises a first lightning strip co-cured to the first plies and the second plies;a second blade that comprises: an outboard skin of the second blade that comprises third plies; andan inboard skin of the second blade that comprises fourth plies that extend downward relative to a bottom of the wing, such that a trailing edge of the second blade comprises a second lightning strip co-cured to the third plies and the fourth plies; anda length the second blade positioned at an angle to a length of the first blade; anda root region configured to receive an attachment system configured to attach the one-piece winglet to the wing of the aircraft, such that the root region comprises: the second plies and the fourth plies bonded together such that a non-metallic leading edge of the first blade and a non-metallic leading edge of the second blade form a co-cured continuous curved non-metallic leading edge of the root region and a trailing edge of the first blade and a trailing edge of the second blade form a co-cured continuous tapered trailing edge of the root region;a channel that comprises non-metallic supports that align with a first spar in the first blade and a second spar in the second blade, the channel configured: to secure the root region to the attachment system via at least one of: an adhesive, a weld, a bond, and a number of fasteners; andsuch that a first support and a second support, among the non-metallic supports, each stand substantially orthogonal to a chord of the root region and configured to receive an extension member of the attachment system between the first support and the second support such that the attachment system comprises the extension member between planar surfaces connected substantially orthogonal to the extension member, the planar surfaces configured to connect to at least one of: the first support and the second support without a direct connection into at least one of: an interior of the first blade and an interior of the second blade; andfifth plies that comprise an outboard skin of the root region, the outboard skin of the root region co-cured to the first plies and the third plies, such that all plies comprise at least one of: a carbon fiber reinforced polymer, a fiberglass, an aramid fiber, and a nylon. 17. The manufacture of claim 16, wherein the first blade comprises an upper blade and the second blade comprises a lower blade. 18. The manufacture of claim 16, wherein the first blade comprises a greater length than the second blade. 19. The manufacture of claim 16, further comprising a third lightning strip co-cured to the tapered trailing edge of the root region. 20. The manufacture of claim 16, further comprising connections, between the root region and both the first blade and the second blade, that comprise continuous co-cured fastener-less bonds.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Welles Stanley W. (3943 SW. Rose St. Seattle WA 98136), Airframe design.
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