US 12,077,289 B2
Aircraft assembly having an integral spar-cover
Robert Charles Spreadbury, Bristol (GB); Richard Hipkiss, Bristol (GB); and Janusz Walega, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
Appl. No. 17/426,494
Filed by AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
PCT Filed May 28, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/064796
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/239888, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1907797 (GB), filed on May 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0097820 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 3/20 (2006.01); B64C 3/18 (2006.01); B64C 3/26 (2006.01); B64F 5/10 (2017.01)
CPC B64C 3/20 (2013.01) [B64C 3/185 (2013.01); B64C 3/187 (2013.01); B64C 3/26 (2013.01); B64F 5/10 (2017.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft assembly comprising:
a longitudinal spar, and,
an aerofoil cover,
the spar and cover being integrally formed from a composite laminate material to form a spar-cover such that the composite material of the spar extends continuously into the cover through a fold region created between the spar and the cover,
the spar having a spar end region and the cover having a cover end region separated by a recess at a longitudinal end of the fold region that is a cutaway providing a discontinuity in a shear continuity between the spar and the cover,
wherein the composite material provides a shear continuity between the spar and the cover away from the spar end region and the cover end region,
wherein a reinforcement element extends between the spar end region and the cover end region to couple the spar end region with the cover end region, so as to provide a shear continuity between the spar end region and the cover end region,
a rib at an outboard end of the aerofoil body, the rib extending between the cover end region of the upper cover and the lower cover, and
an attachment portion extending between the rib and the recess.