US 11,999,464 B2
Connector to connect a center wing box to a bulkhead of an aircraft
Jenny Young, Seattle, WA (US); Daniel Cox, Seattle, WA (US); Steven David Ingham, Everett, WA (US); Kyle Alexander Johnson, Everett, WA (US); Mark Ronald McLaughlin, Snohomish, WA (US); and Paul Hungwai Lai, Arcadia, CA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/577,863.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/142,173, filed on Jan. 27, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0234716 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 1/26 (2006.01); B64C 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 1/26 (2013.01) [B64C 1/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connector to connect a center wing box to a bulkhead of an aircraft, the connector comprising:
a panel comprising a first edge positioned at the center wing box, an opposing second edge positioned at the bulkhead, and a central section;
a first flexible seal that extends across the panel and that provides for relative movement between the first edge and the central section;
a second flexible seal that extends across the panel and that provides for relative movement between the second edge and the central section;
a first support mounted to the center wing box to support a first section of the panel;
a second support mounted to the bulkhead to support a second section of the panel; and
wherein the panel is positioned at a downward sloping angle between the first edge and the second edge with the first flexible seal positioned vertically above the second flexible seal.