Composite material structure and method of manufacturing same

摘要

A method of manufacturing a composite material structure, such as a strut, includes providing a rigid, elongate, substantially tubular member and coupling a first end fitting to a first axial end of the substantially tubular member. The first end fitting has an undulated outer surface with one or more alternating, annular crests and grooves that extend longitudinally along the first end fitting. The method includes rolling a sheet of pre-impregnated composite fiber around the substantially tubular member one or more times such that the sheet covers the substantially tubular element and extends at least partially over the undulations of the first end fitting. The method includes curing the pre-impregnated composite fibers in the rolled sheet.

主权项

1. A method of manufacturing a composite material structure, the method comprising:
providing a rigid, elongate, non-fluidizable, substantially tubular member; coupling a first end fitting to a first axial end of the substantially tubular member, the first end fitting having an undulated outer surface with one or more crests and one or more grooves arranged in an alternating manner, the undulated outer surface extending longitudinally along the first end fitting; rolling a sheet of composite material comprising fibers that have been pre-impregnated with a resin material around the substantially tubular member one or more times such that the sheet extends at least partially over the undulated outer surface of the first end fitting; applying tape to one or more portions of the rolled sheet only at locations that correspond to the one or more grooves defined by the undulations of the first end fitting; removing the tape from the rolled sheet to reveal one or more depressions in an outer surface of the rolled sheet at locations in the rolled sheet that correspond to one or more of the grooves beneath the rolled sheet; applying one or more strips of composite material to at least partially cover the one or more depressions; applying a shrink tape over the one or more strips and over portions of the rolled sheet that are not covered by the one or more strips and curing the composite sheet material and the composite strips.