US 12,466,574 B2
Co-cured UV-resistant fiberglass coated composite material for aircraft wing fuel tank assembly
Patrice K. Ackerman, Kent, WA (US); Melinda D. Miller, Snohomish, WA (US); and Jason A. Bolles, Kent, WA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/708,207.
Prior Publication US 2023/0312124 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64D 37/06 (2006.01); B29C 35/02 (2006.01); B29K 63/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01); B29K 309/08 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01); B64C 3/34 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 37/06 (2013.01) [B29C 35/02 (2013.01); B64C 3/34 (2013.01); B29K 2063/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0872 (2013.01); B29K 2309/08 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3076 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7172 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A co-curable composite material assembly for a co-curable vehicle fuel tank, the co-curable composite material assembly comprising:
a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant composite material substrate assembly consisting of:
a co-curable epoxy resin-based composite material substrate, said co-curable epoxy resin-based composite material substrate comprising a co-curable composite material substrate first side and a co-curable composite material substrate second side;
a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer comprising a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer first side and a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer second side, only said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer configured to be in immediate contact with at least one of the co-curable composite material substrate first side and the co-curable composite material substrate second side, said co-curable epoxy resin-based composite material substrate in combination with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer configured to form the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant composite material substrate assembly, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer exclusively imparting 100% of a degree of UV/visible light protection imparted to the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant composite material substrate assembly, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant composite material substrate assembly configured to form a co-cured vehicle fuel tank assembly in a co-cured state, said co-cured vehicle fuel tank assembly comprising:
a vehicle fuel tank inner surface;
a vehicle fuel tank cavity, said vehicle fuel tank cavity defined by the vehicle fuel tank inner surface;
wherein said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer has a UV/visible light transmittance value of 0% to about 20% for UV/visible light wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm to about 800 nm when the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer comprises an average thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 6 mils;
wherein said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer is configured to completely cover said co-curable epoxy resin-based composite material substrate;
wherein the co-cured UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer alone is solely responsible for imparting the selected degree of UV/visible light-resistance and UV/visible light protection to the underlying co-curable epoxy resin-based composite material substrate; and
wherein inclusion of the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant fiberglass layer in the co-cured state in the co-cured composite material vehicle fuel tank assembly obviates the need for the presence of at least one of a UV/visible light-absorbing detail primer layer and a UV/visible light-absorbing paint layer in the co-cured composite material vehicle fuel tank assembly.