Patent ID: 9580164
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: B64C,Y10T

Claim:
1. An apparatus for joining a wing structure of an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage frame and a fuselage skin, the apparatus comprising: an inboard composite wing panel having a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposite the first upper surface, the first upper surface having a first end portion configured to be coupled to an upper inboard fitting and a lower inboard fitting; an outboard composite wing panel having a second upper surface and a second lower surface opposite the first upper surface, the second upper surface having a second end portion configured to be coupled to an upper outboard fitting and a lower outboard fitting, each of the upper inboard fitting, the lower inboard fitting, the upper outboard fitting, and the lower outboard fitting being composed of a metallic material; a plate composed of a metallic material, the plate extending from a side of body rib of a central wing box formed monolithic with the side of body rib, the plate having a unitary body extending below the first lower surface of the inboard composite wing panel and above the first upper surface of the inboard composite wing panel, the plate providing an interface between the inboard composite wing panel and the outboard composite wing panel, the plate extending between the upper outboard fitting, the lower outboard fitting, the upper inboard fitting and the lower inboard fitting such that the upper outboard fitting and the lower outboard fitting couple to a first side of the plate and the upper inboard fitting and the lower inboard fitting couple to a second side of the plate opposite the first side, the plate to couple to the fuselage skin positioned above the inboard composite wing panel; and a longeron, monolithic with a portion of the upper outboard fitting, the longeron to receive fasteners to couple the longeron to the plate, the fuselage skin, the fuselage frame and the upper inboard fitting.