Composite torque tube end fitting attachment method

Abstract

A low-cost method of manufacturing a composite tube assembly having a composite fiber tube connected to metallic end fittings includes placing at least one end fitting on a mandrel, the end fitting including a grip region having a plurality of external surfaces, wrapping a fiber tow around the grip region of each end fitting and the mandrel to form a fiber-wrapped assembly, curing the fiber tow, and removing the mandrel to yield a completed tube assembly. The method may include positioning a plurality of compression inserts around the grip region after some of the fiber tow has been wrapped around the grip region, and wrapping additional fiber tow around the compression inserts and the grip region. The compression inserts may have a rounded outer surface such that an end portion of the tube wound around the compression inserts has a round outer cross-sectional shape.

Claims

1. A composite tube assembly comprising: a tube formed of a wound fiber-reinforced composite material; a metallic end fitting including a stem and a transmission coupling at a distal end of the stem; the stem including a grip region having a plurality of external surfaces; a plurality of individual compression inserts; wherein each of the plurality of external surfaces is associated with only one of the plurality of compression inserts, and each of the plurality of compression inserts is associated with only one of the plurality of external surfaces; wherein an end portion of the tube is wound around the grip region of the stem and the compression inserts; wherein the plurality of external surfaces are flat surfaces; and wherein each of the plurality of compression inserts has a circular segment shape including a planar base facing a respective one of the plurality of flat external surfaces and a rounded surface intersecting with the planar base, and the end portion of the tube wound around the compression inserts has a round outer cross-sectional shape.

2. The composite tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein the compression inserts are located between a radially inner winding of the fiber-reinforced composite material and a radially outer winding of the fiber-reinforced composite material.

3. The composite tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of external surfaces are flat surfaces.

4. The composite tube assembly according to claim 3, wherein the compression inserts have a circular segment shape including a planar base facing a respective one of the plurality of flat external surfaces and a rounded surface extending from the planar base, and the end portion of the tube wound around the compression inserts has a round outer cross-sectional shape.

5. The composite tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein the stem further includes a neck region between the grip region and the transmission coupling, wherein the neck region has a circular outer cross-sectional shape.

6. The composite tube assembly according to claim 5, wherein the neck region is recessed relative to the plurality of external surfaces.

7. The composite tube assembly according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of external surfaces are recessed relative to the neck region.

8. The composite tube assembly according to claim 5, wherein the end portion of the tube is wound around the grip region and the neck region of the stem.

9. The composite tube assembly according to claim 8, wherein the end portion of the tube abuts with the transmission coupling.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing one end portion of a composite torque tube assembly formed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the torque tube assembly is shown on a forming mandrel;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an end fitting of the composite torque tube assembly shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is another transverse cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, illustrating an alternative configuration of a grip portion of the end fitting having convex external surfaces;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative configuration of the end fitting wherein external surfaces of a grip portion of the end fitting are recessed relative to a neck region of the end fitting;

(8) FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a composite torque tube assembly formed in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention and incorporating the alternative end fitting shown in FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, however showing a composite torque tube assembly formed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention characterized by compression inserts;

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a compression insert of the composite torque tube assembly shown in FIG. 8;

(11) FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8, illustrating an alternative configuration of a grip portion of the end fitting having concave external surfaces;

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a compression insert of the composite torque tube assembly shown in FIG. 10;

(13) FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of making a composite torque tube assembly of the first embodiment; and

(14) FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating alternative method steps usable to modify the method illustrated in FIG. 10 for making a composite torque tube assembly of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(15) FIG. 1 illustrates an end portion of a composite torque tube assembly 10 formed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Composite torque tube assembly 10 generally comprises a tube 12 formed of a wound fiber-reinforced composite material, and at least one metallic end fitting 14 held by the wound composite material. As will be understood by those skilled in the art of torque tubes, another end fitting (not shown) may be provided at an opposite end of composite torque tube assembly 10. In the view of FIG. 1, a forming mandrel M and a longitudinal axis A of torque tube assembly 10 are also shown.

(16) Additional reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3. End fitting 14 includes an axially elongated stem 16, a transmission coupling 18 at a distal end of stem 16, and an internal passage 20 extending axially through stem 16 and transmission coupling 18. Stem 16 includes a grip region 22 having a polygonal outer cross-sectional shape defining a plurality of flat external surfaces 24 each bounded by a pair of corner edges 26. An end portion of composite tube 12 is wound around grip region 22 of stem 16. As will be understood, transmission coupling 18 may take a form dictated by the configuration of a mating element in the applicable drive system. For example, coupling 18 may be a flange with a bolt hole array, a universal joint trunnion, an internal or external spline, or some other coupling element.

(17) In the drawing figures, the outer cross-sectional shape of grip region 22 is depicted, for example, as a regular hexagon. However alternative polygonal shapes may be used. The polygonal shape of grip region 22 may be an irregular polygon, and/or a polygon other than a hexagon.

(18) Stem 16 may also include a neck region 28 between grip region 22 and transmission coupling 18. Neck region 28 may have a circular outer cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the end portion of tube 12 may be wound around both the grip region 22 and the neck region 28 of stem 16, and the end portion of tube 12 may abut with transmission coupling 18.

(19) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, tube 12 transitions into a cylindrical tube of composite material as it extends axially away from end fitting 14. As may be understood, in the region shown in FIG. 4, tube 12 may have an inner diameter 13 determined by the outer diameter of mandrel M.

(20) External surfaces 24 of grip region 22 may be other than flat surfaces. For example, in a variation of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, external surfaces of grip region 22 may be convex curved surfaces 24. Such a variation may be used to reduce stress on the composite fiber winding at corner edges 26 as compared to a grip region having flat external surfaces 24.

(21) In FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the neck region 28 of end fitting 14 is recessed relative to the external surfaces 24 of the end fitting. Accordingly, the diameter of neck region 28 is less than a transverse dimension of grip region measured from one of the corner edges 26 through axis A to an opposite corner edge 26 or surface 24 of the grip region, as the case may be. However, as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7, a modified end fitting 14 may be used wherein the external surfaces 24 are recessed relative to neck region 28. In this modification, stem 16 may be formed by milling external surfaces 24 into an outer surface of an elongated cylindrical portion of end fitting 14 that extends from transmission coupling 18.

(22) A method of manufacturing torque tube assembly 10 of the first embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG. 12. The first step 100 is to place a pair of end fittings 14 on opposite ends of cylindrical mandrel M. Mandrel M may be a mold release mandrel that is prepared with a release agent to allow the fiber-reinforced composite material of tube 12 to be separated from the mandrel after a later curing step (described below). The internal passage 20 of each end fitting 14 may be sized for sliding fit with the outer surface of mandrel M as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. A fiber filler mixture, such as flocked cotton fiber, milled fiber, or chopped fiber mixed with resin, may be applied to end fitting 14 to smooth the fiber transition from mandrel M to end fitting 14.

(23) Once the end fittings 14 are in place at opposite ends of mandrel M, the next step 110 is wrapping fiber tow around the stem 16 of each end fitting 14 and around mandrel M to form a fiber-wrapped assembly. The fiber tow may be a prepreg fiber tow, which is a thermosetting resin matrix pre-impregnated with fibers and partially cured to a B stage of curing to provide a composite fiber tow material that is thickened and somewhat tacky in comparison to uncured wet layup material. The fibers may include, for example, carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, and/or ceramic fibers. The thermosetting resin cures fully at an elevated temperature by undergoing an irreversible chemical reaction in which cross-linking of the resin molecules converts the resin to a stable solid (the C stage), whereby curing transforms the wrapped fiber tow into a solid structural composite material.

(24) Wrapping of the fiber tow may be performed using a conventional machine tool operated to rotate mandrel M and end fittings 14 about their common longitudinal axis A in the manner of a lathe while a fiber tow feeder is reciprocated back and forth in the axial direction to feed fiber tow to the rotating assembly to achieve a predetermined winding pattern as the fiber tow is taken up by the rotating assembly. When the fiber tow wrapping step 110 is completed, a fiber-wrapped assembly is formed that includes the mandrel M, the end fittings 14, and the wrapped fiber tow material. If prepreg fiber tow is used, the wrapped fiber tow material is in a partially cured (B stage) condition.

(25) The next step 120 is preparing the fiber wrapped assembly so that the fiber tow material may be cured in an oven or autoclave. Preparing step 120 may include shrink-wrapping the fiber-wrapped assembly with a shrink-wrap tape. Alternatively, the assembly may be vacuum bagged to remove volatiles and trapped air.

(26) Once the fiber-wrapped assembly is prepared as described above, the fiber tow material is cured at elevated temperature by placing the assembly in an oven or an autoclave, as is known in the art of composites. The curing protocol will depend upon the size and configuration of torque tube assembly 10 and the type of fiber tow being used. The curing step is indicated at block 130 in FIG. 12.

(27) After the fiber tow material is fully cured, the assembly is removed from the oven or autoclave, and the shrink wrapping or vacuum bag is removed in step 140.

(28) Finally, mandrel M is withdrawn in step 150 by sliding it axially out of the assembly. The remaining structure comprises torque tube assembly 10 in finished form.

(29) FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a composite torque tube assembly 50 formed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. Torque tube assembly 50 is the same as torque tube assembly 10 of the first embodiment, except that assembly 50 further includes a plurality of compression inserts 32 respectively associated with each of the plurality of external flats 24, wherein the end portion of tube 12 is wound around the compression inserts 32. Compression inserts 32 may be seated between a radially inner winding 12A of the fiber-reinforced composite material and a radially outer winding 12B of the fiber-reinforced composite material.

(30) As best seen in FIG. 9, compression inserts 32 may have a circular segment shape that includes a planar base 34 arranged to face toward a respective external flat 24 and a rounded surface 36 opposite planar base 34, whereby the end portion of the composite tube constituting outer winding 12B has a round (i.e. circular or oval) outer cross-sectional shape that avoids sharp edges. Compression inserts 32 may be formed of any material suitable to withstand compression loading, such as stainless steel, ceramic, or plastic. A primer coating may be applied to compression inserts 32 so that they will better adhere to the epoxy resin used in the fiber-reinforced composite material. Compression inserts 32 help the composite fiber material to grip metallic end fitting 14, thereby improving torque transfer between the composite tube 12 and end fitting 14.

(31) As in the first embodiment described above, external surfaces 24 of grip region 22 may be other than flat surfaces. For example, in a variation of the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, external surfaces of grip region 22 may be concave curved surfaces 24. In this case, a modified compression insert 32 may be used having a convex curved base 34 complementary to concave external surfaces 24. Such a variation may be used to facilitate proper location and seating of the compression inserts.

(32) A method of making torque tube assembly 50 of the second embodiment is the same as that described above for making torque tube assembly 10 of the first embodiment, except that fiber tow wrapping step 110 is replaced by a sequence of steps 110 as shown in FIG. 13 to allow compression inserts 32 to be added. In sequence 110, wrapping of fiber tow around the stem 16 of each end fitting 14 and around mandrel M is begun in step 112 and then paused in step 114. Next, in step 116, compression inserts 32 are placed around the grip region 22 of each end fitting 14. Sequence 110 proceeds to step 118, wherein the wrapping of fiber tow around end fitting stems 16 and mandrel M is finished. The method then follows steps 120 through 150 shown in FIG. 12 and described above to yield a completed torque tube assembly 50 of the second embodiment.

(33) The present invention provides a low cost method of attaching a metallic end fitting onto a composite fiber tube in which a single curing step in an autoclave or oven produces a finished product once the mandrel is removed. A torque tube assembly formed in accordance with the present invention meets all of the specified requirements applicable to current composite torque tubesincluding weight, strength, and size envelope requirementsbut is less expensive to manufacture than composite torque tubes made according to known methods.

(34) The present invention has utility beyond torque tubes, and is applicable for making compression and tension rod assemblies.

(35) While the invention has been described in connection with exemplary embodiments, the detailed description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth. The invention is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents of the described embodiment as may be included within the scope of the invention.