HIGH EFFICIENCY LOAD TRANSFER IN COMPOSITE STRUCTURE

Abstract: Thin perforated sheets of titanium (20) are interleaved between adjacently situated graphite/epoxy plies (12, 14) - in the area where metal fittings are to be installed (16, 22, 18). Epoxy flows through these perforations (24) so as to achieve a gripping mechanism between the titanium (20) sheet and the graphite/epoxy plies (12, 14). The result is efficient transfer of load in the titanium to the composite fiber materials without suffering the cost penalty of extensive graphite/epoxy buildups (without interleaved titanium sheets). Epoxy plugs within the titanium sheet perforations (24) bond to confronting surfaces of the graphite/epoxy plies and provide a fail safe gripping mechanism between the titanium sheet and adjacent graphite/epoxy plies in the unlikely event that the shear bond between the faces of the titanium sheet (20) and the graphite/epoxy plies (12, 14) becomes completely disbonded.

Description: TITLE : HIGH EFFICIENCY LOAD TRANSFER IN COMPOSITE STRUCTURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the construction of advanced composite structures, such as graphite/epoxy, and more particularly to a laminated composite structure for facilitating load transfer from installed fittings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Advanced composite structures are becoming more widely used in the aircraft industry. Utilization of composites can result in substantial weight savings. However, it is often necessary to install metal fittings, such as hinges, into such structures to facilitate the introduction of loads. In areas where such fittings are installed, it is necessary to add additional material thickness in the composite structure in order to provide sufficient bearing area for the fasteners attaching the fitting to the laminates. For example, in a typical composite honeycomb structure using graphite epoxy material, the number of plies in the area of a hinge fitting may be 27 for an inner skin and 24 plies for an outer skin while the greater area of the panel away from the fitting consists of three inner skin plies and three outer skin plies. The creation of a lay up having this number of plies is quite time consuming which translates to increased costs. Further, the increased number of plies in the area of a metal fitting detracts from the purpose of utilizing composites — namely weight savings while adding cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention is intended to reduce the number of plies which must be present in the vicinity of an installed metal fitting yet provide sufficient bearing area for a fastener attaching the fitting to the inner and outer laminates of a bonded panel. This is achieved by interleafing thin titanium sheets between graphite/epoxy plies. The titanium sheet has holes fabricated therein to allow pass through of epoxy resin between adjacently situated graphite/epoxy plies, which are separated by the correspondingly positioned titanium sheet. In effect, the use of thin titanium sheets to replace the non-metallic fiber plies in the fitting areas of a composite lay up in structur saves cost and weight by reducing the number of graphite plies. Essentially, the holes allow the footprint of a thin titanium sheet to be present ov an area sufficient in size to allow for efficient transfer of the load in the titanium to t composite fiber material. Further, the resin plugs formed in the holes provide a "f safe" gripping mechanism between the titanium sheet and adjacent composite plies order to allow for load transfer between the titanium sheet and the composite matrix pli in the unlikely event that the shear bond between the faces of the titanium sheet and t adjacent composite matrix plies becomes completely disbonded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The above-mentioned objects and advantages of the present invention will be mo clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which: FIG. 1 is a disassembled view of a simplified structure in accordance with t present invention. FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG 1. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the structure shown in FIG 1 , taken alo section line 3-3 of FIG 2. FIG. 4 A is a cross sectional view of a hinge fitting to a graphite/epoxy laminat structure. FIG. 4B is a top plan view of a hinge fitting to a graphite/epoxy laminat structure. FIG. 5 A is a cross sectional view of an alternately constructed hinge fitti attached to a graphite/epoxy laminated structure. FIG. 5B is a top plan view of an alternately constructed hinge fitting attached a graphite/epoxy laminated structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates the basic concept of the present invention utilizing a laminat structure which will accommodate a metal fitting (not shown). However, it is to understood that the laminate would be repeated, in an actual utilization of the invention, so as to provide sufficient bearing strength for an installed fitting. Spaced graphite/epoxy plies 12 and 14 are of a conventional prepreg nature wherein the graphite fiber is impregnated with epoxy material. Interleaved between the plies 12 and 14 is a thin titanium sheet, typically having a thickness of .016 inches. The graphite/epoxy plies 12 and 14 have aligned holes 16, 18 for accommodating a typical fixture thereon. In order to allow fitting fasteners through all plies, holes 22 are formed in the titanium sheet 20 and are aligned with the holes 16, 18 in the adjacent graphite/epoxy plies. In order to achieve the benefits of the present invention, a series of perforations or holes 24 must be made on an opposite end of the titanium sheet 20. These holes allow the flow of epoxy material therethrough so as to contact confronting surfaces of the graphite/epoxy plies 12 and 14 — clearly illustrated in the cross sectional view of FIG. 3. In the cross sectional view of FIG. 3, the epoxy /plugs 26 fill the holes 24 and contact the confronting surfaces of the graphite/epoxy plies 12 and 14. Of course, the epoxy material flows between the remaining confronting graphite/epoxy surface areas, as indicated by reference numeral 28, so as to bond these graphite/epoxy plies together in areas away from the interleaved titanium sheet. This will occur in areas outside the immediate installation of a fitting. In essence, the epoxy filled holes in the titanium sheet produce gripping strength between the titanium and graphite/epoxy plies. This gripping mechanism solves two primary problems: (1) the holes in the titanium sheet allow the footprint of the thin titanium sheet to be over an area sufficient in size to allow for the efficient transfer of load in the titanium to the composite fiber material of the graphite/epoxy plies without causing a weight penalty, i.e., the holes in the titanium reduce the size necessary (effective density) of the titanium sheet. (2) the perforation size and quantity of the holes are selected to provide a "fail safe" gripping mechanism between the titanium sheet and the adjacent composite plies in order to allow for the load transfer between the titanium sheet and the composite matrix graphite/epoxy plies in the unlikely event that shear bond between the confronting faces of the titanium sheet and the composite matrix plies is completely disbonded. As will be appreciated from the above discussion of the invention, a reduction cost/weight is achieved when attaching metallic fittings to advanced composite structur As a by-product, the number of attachment fasteners, the patch between fasteners and size of the attachment fitting footprint with the laminate is reduced, saving cost weight. The following example will illustrate the reduction in the number of graphite/ep plies required when the present invention is utilized. In a standard method of attaching a hinge fitting to a graphite/epoxy lamina structure shown in Fig. 4, the number of plies in the area of the fitting may be 27 for inner skin and 24 for an outer skin. By utilizing the interleaved titanium sheets accordance with the present invention, this number may be drastically reduced. example, as shown in Fig. 5, the same bearing area for the fastener attaching a fitting the inner and outer laminates of a bonded panel will be achieved by includin interleaved titanium sheets between 6 plies of graphite — in an inner skin; and a sin titanium sheet interleaved between 11 graphite/epoxy plies — in an outer skin.

Claims: CLAIMS I claim: 1. A laminated structure comprising: first and second plies of woven material impregnated with a bonding material; a sheet of material different from the plies and interleaved therebetween; a first series of aligned holes passing through the plies and the sheet for mounting fasteners of a fitting therethrough; a second series of holes formed in the sheet only; the bonding material adhering the confronting surfaces of each ply and the sheet; each of the second series of holes receiving the bonding material to form plugs which grip the plies and the sheet, thereby facilitating load transfer therebetween. 2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second woven plies are of a graphite material. 3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the interleaved sheet is of titanium material. 4. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the bonding material is epoxy. 5. A composite laminated structure having interleaved thin metallic sheets, comprising: a plurality of spaced plies of non-metallic woven composite material impregnated with epoxy material; at least one sheet of thin metal interleaved between two adjacent plies; a first series of aligned holes passing through the plies of the sheet for mounting fasteners of a fitting therethrough; a second series of holes formed in the sheet only; the epoxy material adhering together confronting surfaces of each ply and the sheet; each of the second series of holes receiving the bonding material to form plu which grip the plies and the metal sheet thereby facilitating load transfer from the pli to the sheet, in the event of a total delamination between the plies and the adjacent me sheet. 6. The structure set forth in claim 5 wherein the plies are made of graphite materi 7. The structure set forth in claim 5 wherein the sheet is made of titanium.

Inventors: PADDEN VINCENT T, PADDEN, VINCENT, T.
Applicants: GRUMMAN AEROSPACE CORP, GRUMMAN AEROSPACE CORPORATION
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B32B3
IPC codes: B32B3, B32B15