Patent Application
20100001130
The present invention is related to a wheel having metal and composite portions, and, more specifically, to an aircraft wheel having at least one metal structural member that is at least partially embedded in a body of composite material.
Aircraft weight affects fuel efficiency and limits the mass of cargo and passengers that can be carried. It is therefore generally desirable to reduce the weight of aircraft components to increase fuel efficiency and/or load capacity of an aircraft. One method of reducing aircraft weight is to form various components from lighter weight materials. One material useful for some weight reduction applications comprises a composite resin that may be reinforced with carbon or other fibers. However, various factors, including strength requirements, appearance, and the conditions to which the components are subjected, limit the materials that can be used for certain applications. In some cases, substituting a composite material for a metallic element will require a change to the size, shape or construction of the element being replaced. It is generally not possible to reduce aircraft weight merely by replacing every metallic element in the aircraft with an identical composite member.
Aircraft wheels are generally made from aluminum or metal alloys. Wheels are subjected to significant stresses, especially when an aircraft lands and when brakes are applied to rapidly decelerate the aircraft. In light of these stresses, aircraft wheels are examples of metallic parts that cannot easily be replaced with composite elements. It would therefore be desirable to provide an aircraft wheel that achieves weight reduction through the use of composite materials.
These problems and others are addressed by embodiments of the present invention, a first aspect of which is directed to an aircraft wheel comprising: a metal support structure having a first annular ring and a second annular ring connected via at least one connecting element; and a fiber-enforced, molded-composite body, wherein the metal support structure is at least partially embedded in the composite body to form a first aircraft wheel section having a rim flange for forming a seal with a tire. Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing an aircraft wheel comprising: providing a metal support structure having a first annular ring and a second annular ring connected via at least one connecting element; and embedding, at least partially, the metal support structure in a fiber-enforced, molded-composite body to form a first aircraft wheel section having a rim flange for forming a seal with a tire.
These aspects and features of the invention and others will be better understood after a reading of the following detailed description together with the attached drawings wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting same,
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the first wheel half 20 comprises a support structure 30 as illustrated in
As shown in
Second wheel half 22 is formed in a similar manner, using a support structure like that illustrated in
Various processes and arrangements can be used to improve strength and bonding between the material forming the annular composite body of the first and second wheel halves 20, 22 and the metal elements of the support structure 30 at least partially embedded therein. For example, reinforcing fibers 60, such as carbon fibers, may be wound around the support rods 37 as illustrated in
Techniques for improving a metal-to-composite bond may be used when forming first and second wheel halves 20, 22. One such method is disclosed in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 11/730,373, entitled “Bonding of Carbon Fibers to Metal Inserts for Use in Composites,” which application is assigned to the assignee of the present application and the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
To form first wheel half 20, the support structure 30 is manufactured by connecting (e.g., via welding) the tie bolt ring 32 to flange ring 31 and the inner support ring 39 by metal support rods 37. In one embodiment, the assembled structure is wrapped with fibers 60 as illustrated in
The wheel thus formed is lighter than a similarly sized aluminum wheel, yet has the strength required for many aircraft applications. For example, it is anticipated that a wheel 14 described above would be suitable for nose wheel and non-braked main wheel applications for many aircraft. Certain configurations may be suitable for use on a braked main wheel on some aircraft.
The present invention has been described herein in terms of certain preferred embodiments. However, modifications and additions to these embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the foregoing descriptions. It is intended that all such modifications and additions comprise a part of the present invention to the extent they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto.
