US 12,466,538 B1
Airfoil coupling systems and methods
Michael Chih-Huan Wang, Seattle, WA (US); Elizabeth Rose Benson, Lynnwood, WA (US); Patrick Alan Woodard, Bothell, WA (US); and Mark Melvin Bleazard, Pasco, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Jul. 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/768,096.
Int. Cl. B64C 3/26 (2006.01); B64C 3/18 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 3/26 (2013.01) [B64C 3/187 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An airfoil comprising an airfoil coupling system configured to secure a rib of the airfoil of an aircraft to panels of the airfoil, the airfoil coupling system comprising:
plural upper coupling structures, each of the upper coupling structures comprising a body including an upper horizontal flange and an upper vertical flange operably coupled with the upper horizontal flange, the upper horizontal flange of each of the upper coupling structures including an upper coupling interface configured to be operably coupled with at least one upper panel of the panels of the airfoil, the upper vertical flange of each of the upper coupling structures configured to be operably coupled with the rib of the airfoil; and
plural lower coupling structures, each of the lower coupling structures comprising a body including a lower horizontal flange and a lower vertical flange operably coupled with the lower horizontal flange, the lower horizontal flange of each of the lower coupling structures including a lower coupling interface configured to be operably coupled with at least one lower panel of the panels of the airfoil, the lower vertical flange of each of the lower coupling structures configured to be operably coupled with the rib of the airfoil, wherein the plural upper coupling structures are configured to be operably coupled with an upper portion of the rib at locations along a first length of the upper portion of the rib between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the rib, and
wherein the plural lower coupling structures are configured to be operably coupled with a lower portion of the rib at locations along a second length of the lower portion of the rib between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the rib.