Structural Arrangement and Method of Fabricating a Composite Trailing Edge Control Surface

Abstract

A composite trailing edge control surface includes a contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin wrapped around a plurality of stiffening cores, a plurality of hinge fittings, and a plurality of substantially parallel ribs. The contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin provides a control surface on opposing sides of the trailing edge control surface and substantially distributes bending, shear and torsion loads of the trailing edge control surface to the plurality of hinge fittings and the plurality of substantially parallel ribs. A method of manufacturing the trailing edge control surface includes positioning a contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin on a substantially flat tool. A plurality of stiffener cores having a plurality of thin covering skins are positioned on the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin and are cured to create a laminate sandwich composite structure skin that is trimmed and has fastener apertures and hinge fitting access apertures provided there-through.

1 . A composite trailing edge control surface comprising:
 a contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin;   a plurality of stiffening cores bonded to the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin;   a plurality of hinge fittings fastened to the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin; and   a plurality of substantially parallel ribs fastened to the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin,   wherein the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin being enclosed around the plurality of stiffening cores, and wrapped around the plurality of hinge fittings and the plurality of substantially parallel ribs provides a control surface on opposing sides of the composite trailing edge control surface and substantially distributes bending, shear and torsion loads of the composite trailing edge control surface to the plurality of hinge fittings and the plurality of substantially parallel ribs.   
     
     
         2 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 1 , wherein the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin comprises a solid laminate of a plurality of plies of carbon fiber material. 
     
     
         3 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 1 , wherein the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin comprises a plurality of access apertures that provide access through the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin to the plurality of hinge fittings. 
     
     
         4 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 1 , wherein at least one hinge fitting of the plurality of hinge fittings may be connected to a first end of one of the plurality of ribs. 
     
     
         5 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stiffening cores comprises honeycomb stiffening cores laminated with a thin covering skin of carbon fiber material. 
     
     
         6 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stiffening cores may be disposed between each of the plurality of ribs on the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin. 
     
     
         7 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 1 , wherein the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin is curved at a first end and joined to itself at a second end. 
     
     
         8 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 7 , further comprising an axis of rotation of the composite trailing edge control surface being located at the first end and substantially through each of the plurality of hinge fittings. 
     
     
         9 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A composite trailing edge control surface comprising:
 a contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin;   a plurality of stiffening cores bonded to the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin;   a plurality of thin covering skins on each of the plurality of stiffening cores to create a laminate sandwich composite structure skin;   fastener apertures and hinge fitting access apertures extending through the laminate sandwich composite structure skin;   a plurality of hinge fittings attached to the laminate sandwich composite structure skin via the fastener apertures proximate the hinge fitting access apertures; and   a plurality of substantially parallel ribs attached to the laminate sandwich composite structure skin via the fastener apertures;   wherein a first end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin is fastened onto a second end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin so that the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin encloses the plurality of stiffening cores and is wrapped around the plurality of hinge fittings and the plurality of substantially parallel ribs, the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin providing a control surface on opposing sides of the composite trailing edge control surface and substantially distributes bending, shear and torsion loads of the composite trailing edge control surface to the plurality of hinge fittings and the plurality of substantially parallel ribs.   
     
     
         22 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 21 , in which at least one of the plurality of hinge fittings is fastened to a first end of at least one of the plurality of substantially parallel ribs. 
     
     
         23 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 21 , in which the first end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin is glued to the second end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin. 
     
     
         24 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 21 , in which the laminate sandwich composite structure skin comprises a curved portion at a first end of the composite trailing edge control surface and a joined portion at a second end of the composite trailing edge control surface, the joined portion having two oppositely disposed edges of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin joined to themselves. 
     
     
         25 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 21 , further comprising mechanical fasteners extending through the fastener apertures and the hinge fitting access apertures. 
     
     
         26 . A composite trailing edge control surface, comprising:
 a contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin;   a plurality of stiffener cores positioned on the contiguous one-piece composite control surface skin;   a corresponding plurality of thin covering skins positioned on each of the plurality of stiffener cores to create a laminate sandwich composite structure skin;   fastener apertures extending through the laminate sandwich composite structure skin;   a plurality of substantially parallel ribs attached to the laminate sandwich composite structure skin via the fastener apertures;   wherein a first end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin is wrapped onto and joined to a second end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin.   
     
     
         27 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 26 , further comprising hinge fitting access apertures extending through the laminate sandwich composite structure skin. 
     
     
         28 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of hinge fittings attached to the laminate sandwich composite structure skin proximate the hinge fitting access apertures. 
     
     
         29 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 28 , in which at least one of the plurality of hinge fittings is joined to a first end of at least one of the plurality of substantially parallel ribs. 
     
     
         30 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 29 , further comprising mechanical fasteners extending through the fastener apertures and the hinge fitting access apertures and joining the laminate sandwich composite structure skin to the plurality of substantially parallel ribs and the plurality of hinge fittings. 
     
     
         31 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 26 , in which the laminate sandwich composite structure skin comprises a curved portion at a first end of the composite trailing edge control surface and a joined portion at a second end of the composite trailing edge control surface, the joined portion having two oppositely disposed edges of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin joined to themselves. 
     
     
         32 . The composite trailing edge control surface of  claim 26 , in which the first end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin is glued to the second end of the laminate sandwich composite structure skin.