Determinant assembly features for vehicle structures

Abstract

A determinant assembly feature for a joint assembly is provided. The joint assembly includes a structure, a web connected to the structure. The structure includes a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and one or more location control receiving element in either axially elongated leg. The web includes one or more location control element, wherein the location control element of the web is correspondingly matched to the location control receiving element of the structure, whereby an assembly location control is achieved. A method of assembling a joint assembly of the present invention is also provided.

1 . A joint assembly comprising: 
 a structure comprising a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and one or more location control receiving element in either axially elongated leg; and    a web coupled to said structure, said web comprising one or more location control element,    wherein the location control element of said web is correspondingly matched to the location control receiving element of said structure, whereby a assembly location control is achieved.    
   
   
       2 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the location control receiving element is a slot.  
   
   
       3 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more location control receiving element is one or more pair of location control receiving elements in the pair of axially elongated legs, and the location control element is correspondingly matched to the pair of location control receiving elements.  
   
   
       4 . The joint assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the pair of location control receiving elements is a slot concentrically located in the pair of axially elongated legs.  
   
   
       5 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly location control comprises a linear position control or a vertical depth position control.  
   
   
       6 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly location control element of said web is a locating pin or a boss.  
   
   
       7 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly location control element of said web is a raised resin boss.  
   
   
       8 . The joint assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the assembly location control element of said web is a cross pin or a concentric pair of boss.  
   
   
       9 . The joint assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the cross pin is hollow, whereby the hollow cross pin may act as a conduit to pass wires, hydraulic lines, fluid between sealed bays, or fuel transport from bay to bay.  
   
   
       10 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said web is a panel, a nonporous panel, or a flat panel.  
   
   
       11 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure has a pi-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       12 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure has an angled pi-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       13 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive fixedly bonding said web to said structure.  
   
   
       14 . The joint assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the adhesive is an epoxy adhesive.  
   
   
       15 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said web further comprises a bondline thickness control element, whereby spacing between said web and said structure is controlled.  
   
   
       16 . The joint assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the bondline thickness control element is a spacer, a wire or a rail.  
   
   
       17 . The joint assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the bondline thickness control element provides a minimum distance of at least 0.02 inches between said web and said structure.  
   
   
       18 . The joint assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said web is a metallic material or a composite material, and said structure is a metallic material or a composite material.  
   
   
       19 . The joint assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the composite material is a high-modulus carbon fiber fabric infused with toughened epoxy resin.  
   
   
       20 . The joint assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said web includes a leading side, a trailing side, a top side and a lower side, said structure is coupled to the lower side of said web, and further comprising a second pi structure coupled to the upper side of said web.  
   
   
       21 . The joint assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the linear position control is in the general direction of the leading side and the trailing side, and the vertical depth position control is in the general direction of the top side and the lower side.  
   
   
       22 . A joint assembly for a vehicle comprising: 
 a structure having a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and at least one first determinant assembly feature in either axially elongated leg; and    a web determinately coupled to the structure, the web having at least one second determinant assembly feature,    wherein a linear position control or a vertical depth position control is attained between said structure and said web.    
   
   
       23 . The joint assembly for a vehicle according to  claim 22 , wherein the first determinant assembly feature of said structure is a slot, and the second determinant assembly feature of said web is a pin, a boss, a nub, or a raised resin boss.  
   
   
       24 . The joint assembly for a vehicle according to  claim 22 , wherein said web is a panel and said structure has a pi-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       25 . The joint assembly for a vehicle according to  claim 22 , further comprising an adhesive fixedly bonding said web to said structure.  
   
   
       26 . The joint assembly for a vehicle according to  claim 22 , wherein said web further comprises a thickness control element, wherein a spacing position control is attained between said structure and said web.  
   
   
       27 . The joint assembly for a vehicle according to  claim 26 , wherein the thickness control element is a spacer, a wire or a rail, providing the spacing position control of at least 0.02 inches between said web and said structure.  
   
   
       28 . A joint assembly for an aircraft comprising: 
 a panel having at least one hole;    at least one determinant assembly element coupled to the hole of said panel; and    a structure having a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and at least one determinant assembly feature in either axially elongated leg,    wherein said panel with said determinant assembly element is determinately coupled to the structure.    
   
   
       29 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 28 , further comprising a thickness control element coupled between said structure and said panel.  
   
   
       30 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 29 , wherein the determinant assembly feature of said structure is a slot, said determinant assembly element is a pin, a cross pin or a boss, and said thickness control element is a spacer, a wire or a rail, wherein a linear position control, a vertical depth position control or a spacing position control is attained between said panel and said structure.  
   
   
       31 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 28 , further comprising an adhesive fixedly bonding said panel to said structure.  
   
   
       32 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 28 , wherein said panel is a non-porous flat panel or said structure has a pi-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       33 . A joint assembly for an aircraft comprising: 
 a web;    at least one determinant assembly element coupled to the web;    at least one bondline thickness control element coupled to the web; and    a structure having a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and at least one determinant assembly feature in either axially elongated leg,    wherein said web with said determinant assembly element is determinately coupled to said structure, and said bondline thickness control element determinately spacing said web between the pair of axially elongated legs of said structure.    
   
   
       34 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 33 , wherein the determinant assembly feature of said structure is a slot, said determinant assembly element is a pin, a boss, a nub or a raised resin boss, and said bondline thickness control element is a spacer, a wire or a rail.  
   
   
       35 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 33 , further comprising an epoxy adhesive fixedly bonding said web to said structure.  
   
   
       36 . The joint assembly for an aircraft according to  claim 28 , wherein said web is a porous panel or a flat panel and said structure has an angled cross-section or a pi-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       37 . A method of assembling a joint assembly comprising: 
 providing a structure comprising a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and one or more location control receiving element in either axially elongated leg;    providing a web comprising one or more location control elements; and    inserting said web into said structure, wherein the location control element of said web is correspondingly matched to the location control receiving element of said structure, whereby a determinant assembly is achieved.    
   
   
       38 . The method of assembling a joint assembly according to  claim 37 , further comprising filling an adhesive between said web and said structure.  
   
   
       39 . A method of assembling a joint assembly comprising: 
 providing a web;    providing at least one determinant assembly element;    providing at least one thickness control element;    providing a structure having a base, a pair of axially elongated legs extending from the base to define a channel therebetween, and at least one determinant assembly feature in either axially elongated leg;    coupling said determinant assembly element to said web;    coupling said thickness control element to said web or said determinant assembly element; and    inserting said web, said determinant assembly and said thickness control element into said structure, wherein said web with said determinant assembly element is determinately coupled to said structure, and said thickness control element determinately spacing said web between the pair of axially elongated leg of said structure.    
   
   
       40 . The method of assembling a joint assembly according to  claim 39 , further comprising filling an adhesive between said web and said structure, and waiting for a cure time.  
   
   
       41 . The method of assembling a joint assembly according to  claim 40 , further comprising removing said determinant assembly element or said thickness control element after said cure time thereby forming a void, and filling an adhesive into said void.