US 11,787,523 B2
Aircraft keel beam assembly
Danilo Vukosav, Kirkland, WA (US); Daniel Justin Cox, Seattle, WA (US); Evgeniy Potupchik, Renton, WA (US); Ryan Matthew Slater, Seattle, WA (US); and Eric Gruner, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Sep. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/464,872.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/134,587, filed on Jan. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212773 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 1/06 (2006.01); B64C 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 1/068 (2013.01) [B64C 1/065 (2013.01); B64C 1/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A keel beam assembly of an aircraft, the keel beam assembly comprising:
a keel attach chord to connect to a wing center section of the aircraft, the keel attach chord extending in a longitudinal direction between a rear spar and front spar of the aircraft, wherein the keel attach chord is external to and underneath the wing center section, wherein the keel attach chord is attached to a lower skin panel of the wing center section;
a lower chord disposed underneath the keel attach chord and extending in the longitudinal direction between an aft wheel well bulkhead and a forward bulkhead of the aircraft; and
a forward web to couple the keel attach chord and the lower chord, the forward web including a front edge extending in a diagonal direction from the keel attach chord that is downward and aft toward the lower chord to create an open area forward from the front edge, wherein a corner at which the forward web joins the keel attach chord is disposed directly underneath the front spar.