A tool presses a joining element against a first object into a first opening of the first object while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the first object and the joining element. Vibration energy and pressing force make the thermoplastic material of the distal portion of the joining element flowable and interpenetrates structures of the first object to yield, after re-solidification, an anchoring of the distal portion of the joining element in the first object. The second object is placed so that a proximal portion of the joining element is inserted into a second opening, and the first and second objects are pressed against each other while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into one of the first and second objects, until thermoplastic material of the joining element proximal portion is made flowable and interpenetrates structures of the second object to yield, after re-solidification, an anchoring in the second object.

The present invention provides a laminated plate capable of not only achieving a reduced weight and an increased rigidity but also improving a sound absorbing performance, and a method for manufacturing the same. A laminated plate (1) is supposed to include a core layer (2) including a plate-shaped paper honeycomb structure (4) and a pair of fiber reinforcement layers (3) sandwiching the paper honeycomb structure (4) from both sides in a thickness direction and integrated with the paper honeycomb structure 4. The through-holes (5) of the paper honeycomb structure (4) are filled with a foam resin (6), and the core layer (2) is made up of the paper honeycomb structure 4 and the foam resin (6) filled in the through-holes (5). When the foam resin (6) is filled in the through-holes (5) of the paper honeycomb structure (4), the foam resin plate (6A) is pushed into the through-holes (5) as a filling material by utilizing a compression force of a mold (11).

A method of making an aircraft acoustic structural panel (10) begins with preforming a core honeycomb laminate (12) having preformed foam (3) bonded inside cells (14) thereof by a distinct adhesive (2). The preformed honeycomb laminate (12) is then stacked between opposite top and bottom structural outer laminates (16,18). The stacked honeycomb laminate (12) and outer structural laminates (16,18) are then compressed together under heat and pressure into a unitary structural panel (10) having the core honeycomb laminate (12) integrally bonded between outer skins (20,22). The outer laminates (16,18) may include imperforate acoustic septums (4) bounding the core honeycomb laminate (12) followed by an outer honeycomb (5) and structural fiber layers (6,7,8) defining the outer skins (20,22).

A method of making an aircraft acoustic structural panel (10) begins with preforming a core honeycomb laminate (12) having preformed foam (3) bonded inside cells (14) thereof by a distinct adhesive (2). The preformed honeycomb laminate (12) is then stacked between opposite top and bottom structural outer laminates (16,18). The stacked honeycomb laminate (12) and outer structural laminates (16,18) are then compressed together under heat and pressure into a unitary structural panel (10) having the core honeycomb laminate (12) integrally bonded between outer skins (20,22). The outer laminates (16,18) may include imperforate acoustic septums (4) bounding the core honeycomb laminate (12) followed by an outer honeycomb (5) and structural fiber layers (6,7,8) defining the outer skins (20,22).

A method of anchoring a lightweight building element having a first building layer and an interlining layer distally of the first building layer, and possibly a second building layer distally of the interlining layer. For anchoring, the distal end of a connector element is inserted into a mounting hole in the lightweight building element, and also a sleeve including a thermoplastic material is inserted into the mounting hole, the sleeve enclosing the connector element. Then, a distally facing liquefaction face of the sleeve is caused to be in contact with a proximally facing support face of the connector element. Energy impinges to liquefy at least a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve, and the liquefaction face is pressed against the support face to cause at least a fraction of the flow portion to flow radially outward. After the flow portion has re-solidified, it anchors the connector element in the receiving object.

A system and a method for securing a first composite panel to a second composite panel include a latch assembly having one or more latches. The latch assembly is configured to be secured to one of the first composite panel or the second composite panel. One or more strikes are configured to retain at least a portion of the one or more latches. The one or more strikes are configured to be secured to the other of the first composite panel or the second composite panel.

The invention relates to a connection element, in particular a thermal adhesive bonding boss, to be introduced into at least one component, in particular a hollow chamber component, in particular a plate-shaped hollow chamber component which has hollow chambers, under the effect of pressure and rotation, comprising a main part which comprises a thermoplastic synthetic material. The connection element has a longitudinal axis and is designed to rotate about the longitudinal axis, and the connection element has an upper face with a tool placement point and a lower face which faces away from the upper face, wherein the connection element has an expanding portion made of a thermally activatable expandable material on the main part on a circumferential surface extending between the upper face and the lower face.

A system and a method for securing a first composite panel to a second composite panel include a latch assembly having one or more latches. The latch assembly is configured to be secured to one of the first composite panel or the second composite panel. One or more strikes are configured to retain at least a portion of the one or more latches. The one or more strikes are configured to be secured to the other of the first composite panel or the second composite panel.

A robotic terminal effector for automatic placement of an insert in a cavity formed in a composite panel of the sandwich type with a cellular core. The insert including an upper flange having a resin inlet orifice and a resin outlet orifice. The effector being intended to be mounted on a carrier, and having a contact body with a contact surface. The contact surface having a means for injecting resin into an empty space delimited by the insert and the cavity when the insert is positioned in the cavity, and a means for grasping hold of the insert by suction. The resin-injection and grasping means being configured in such a way as to leave the contact surface free to be pressed firmly against an upper face of the composite panel so as to generate a continuous sealed region around the cavity while the insert is being placed in the cavity.

A method for manufacturing a composite panel is described. The method includes producing a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall from composite materials including an oxide matrix and long oxide fibres; from the first and second walls, producing a cellular core including a plurality of cells, each cell including a first end and an opposing second end, covering the first and second ends of the cells of the cellular core with the third wall and the fourth wall, respectively, so as to close the ends of said cells.