US 11,745,850 B2
Aircraft wing box
Antony Charles Peacock, Bristol (GB); Paul James Edwards, Bristol (GB); and Phillip Scott, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
Filed by AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/217,696.
Claims priority of application No. 2004721 (GB), filed on Mar. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0300521 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B64C 3/34 (2006.01); B64D 37/08 (2006.01); B64C 3/18 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 3/34 (2013.01) [B64C 3/18 (2013.01); B64D 37/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft wing box, comprising:
a first cover;
a second cover;
a partition extending between the first and second cover and configured to provide a fuel tight boundary between the first and second covers;
a first joint coupling the partition to the first cover; and
a second joint coupling the partition to the second cover,
wherein the first joint is a slip joint configured to inhibit fuel leakage across the slip joint whilst permitting relative movement between the partition and the first cover,
a fuel tank with a fuel-tight boundary, wherein the partition provides part of the fuel-tight boundary of the fuel tank;
wherein each cover is joined to the partition by a respective partition-cover joint; and one of the partition-cover joints is the first slip joint;
wherein the first slip joint includes an elastomeric seal configured to inhibit fuel leakage across the first slip joint;
wherein the first slip joint includes a pair of retainer plates supporting the elastomeric seal; and,
wherein the pair of retainer plates mates with opposing sides of the partition.