Method of joining panels for an airframe

US10118685B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Elze · Bremen, DE
• Marco Pacchione · Hamburg, DE
• Juergen Silvanus · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 15, 2014
• Grant date: Nov 6, 2018
• Expiry date: Mar 14, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T50/40
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method of joining two panels of an airframe or fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft, including: preparing an edge region of a first panel to form a first joining surface; preparing an edge region of a second panel to form a second joining surface; aligning the panels with one another such that the joining surfaces abut or interface one another forming a joint area; and joining the panels at the joining surfaces in the joint area. In an embodiment, the preparing steps include machining, and cutting, the edge regions of the first and second panels in a single operation to form the first and second joining surfaces substantially simultaneously. In another embodiment, the first and second joining surfaces are substantially planar and extend at an oblique angle with respect to a primary plane or surface of the respective first and second panels.