Determinant wing assembly
US6808143B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 13, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 19, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49904
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing wings includes a fixture that holds wing panels for drilling and edge trimming by accurate numerically controlled machine tools using original numerical part definition records, utilizing spatial relationships between key features of detail parts or subassemblies as represented by coordination features machined into the parts and subassemblies, thereby making the parts and subassemblies intrinsically determinant of the dimensions and contour of the wing. Spars are attached to the wing panel using the coordination holes to locate the spars accurately on the panel in accordance with the original engineering design, and in-spar ribs are attached to rib posts on the spar using accurately drilled coordination holes in the ends of the rib and in the rib post. The wing contour is determined by the configuration of the spars and ribs rather than by any conventional hard tooling which determines the wing contour in conventional processes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.