Connection system, connection arrangement and method

Abstract

A connection system has a first adhesion segment, on which a first connection region is formed, a second adhesion segment, on which a second connection region is formed, and a solidifiable liquid connection substance for connecting the two adhesion segments in a material fit, wherein at least one of the two connection regions is formed flexibly, such that, when the liquid connection substance is introduced between the two connection regions which are opposite one another in an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, a material connection is formed between the two connection regions automatically as a result of the elastocapillary effect via the liquid connection substance.

Claims

1. A connection system, comprising: a first adhesion segment, on which a first connection region is formed; a second adhesion segment, on which a second connection region is formed; and a solidifiable liquid connection substance for connecting the two adhesion segments in a material fit, wherein at least one of the two connection regions is formed flexibly, such that, when the liquid connection substance is introduced between the two connection regions which are opposite one another in an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, the at least one flexible connection region deforms and the two connection regions automatically connect as a result of an elastocapillary effect of the liquid connection substance, and wherein a material connection is formed between the two connection regions upon curing of the liquid connection substance.

2. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the material connection forms a positive fit between the two connection regions.

3. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first connection region is formed with a multiplicity of first meshing elements and the second connection region is formed with a multiplicity of second meshing elements, wherein the second meshing elements are configured to engage in the first meshing elements to form a material meshing between the two connection regions, and wherein at least one of the two connection regions is accordingly formed flexibly such that, when the liquid connection substance is introduced between the two connection regions which are opposite one another in an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, the material meshing is formed between the two connection regions automatically as a result of the elastocapillary effect of the liquid connection substance.

4. The connection system of claim 3, wherein the second meshing elements are formed for positive meshing with the first meshing elements.

5. The connection system of claim 1, wherein both connection regions are formed flexibly.

6. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the liquid connection substance is a glue.

7. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the liquid connection substance is a synthetic resin.

8. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second meshing elements are formed as teeth.

9. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second meshing elements are formed as journals.

10. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second meshing elements are formed as ribs.

11. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second meshing elements are formed as webs.

12. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second meshing elements are formed as pins.

13. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the adhesion segments substantially consist of plastics material.

14. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the adhesion segments substantially consist of a fiber-reinforced plastics material.

15. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the first and second adhesion segments are formed together in a single additive manufacturing process.

16. A connection arrangement, comprising: a first adhesion segment, on which a first connection region is formed; and a second adhesion segment, on which a second connection region is formed; wherein at least one of the two connection regions is formed flexibly, such that, when a liquid connection substance is introduced between the two connection regions which are opposite one another in an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, the at least one flexible connection region deforms and the two connection regions connect automatically as a result of an elastocapillary effect of the liquid connection substance, wherein a material connection is formed between the two connection regions upon curing of the liquid connection substance, and wherein the two connection regions are interconnected in a material fit via the connection substance introduced between the two connection regions.

17. The connection arrangement of claim 16, wherein the first connection region is formed with a multiplicity of first meshing elements and the second connection region is formed with a multiplicity of second meshing elements, wherein the second meshing elements are configured to engage in the first meshing elements to form a material meshing between the two connection regions, wherein at least one of the two connection regions is formed flexibly, such that, when the liquid connection substance is introduced between the two connection regions which are opposite one another in an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, the material meshing is formed between the two connection regions automatically as a result of the elastocapillary effect of the liquid connection substance, and wherein the two connection regions are meshed together in a material fit via the connection substance introduced between the two connection regions.

18. An aircraft or spacecraft comprising a connection arrangement comprising: a first adhesion segment, on which a first connection region is formed; and a second adhesion segment, on which a second connection region is formed; wherein at least one of the two connection regions is formed flexibly, such that, when a liquid connection substance is introduced between the two connection regions which are opposite one another in an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, the at least one flexible connection region deforms and the two connection regions automatically connect as a result of an elastocapillary effect of the liquid connection substance, and wherein a material connection is formed between the two connection regions upon curing of the liquid connection substance, and wherein the two connection regions are interconnected in a material fit via the connection substance introduced between the two connection regions.

19. A method for connecting a first adhesion segment to a second adhesion segment in a material fit, comprising: arranging an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments, wherein a first connection region of the first adhesion segment is arranged opposite a second connection region of the second adhesion segment, and wherein at least one of the two connection regions is configured flexibly; introducing a solidifiable liquid connection substance between the two connection regions; wetting the two connection regions with the liquid connection substance, such that the at least one flexible connection region deforms and the two connection regions connect automatically as a result of an elastocapillary effect; and solidifying the liquid connection substance to form a material connection.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first connection region of the first adhesion segment comprising a multiplicity of first meshing elements is arranged opposite the second meshing region of the second adhesion segment comprising a multiplicity of second meshing elements, wherein the second meshing elements are configured to engage in the first meshing elements to form a material meshing between the two connection regions, and wherein the liquid connection substance forms the material meshing between the two connection regions automatically as a result of the elastocapillary effect.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the present disclosure is described in greater detail by way of the embodiments shown in the schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1a gives schematic cross-sectional views of the assembly of a connection arrangement according to the disclosure herein comprising a connection system according to the disclosure herein in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure herein;

(3) FIG. 1b gives schematic cross-sectional views of the assembly of a connection arrangement according to the disclosure herein comprising a connection system according to the disclosure herein in accordance with a further embodiment of the disclosure herein;

(4) FIG. 1c gives schematic cross-sectional views of the assembly of a connection arrangement according to the disclosure herein comprising a connection system according to the disclosure herein in accordance with a further embodiment of the disclosure herein;

(5) FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an aircraft comprising the connection arrangement of FIG. 1a, 1b or 1c;

(6) FIG. 3 is a schematic flow chart of a method according to the disclosure herein for assembling the connection arrangement of FIG. 1a, 1b or 1c; and

(7) FIG. 4a-4c are schematic views of connection arrangements in accordance with further embodiments of the disclosure herein.

(8) The accompanying drawings are intended to convey further understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure herein. They illustrate embodiments and serve, in connection with the description, to explain principles and concepts of the disclosure herein. Other embodiments and many of the stated advantages may be derived from the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with one another.

(9) In the drawings, unless stated otherwise, like, functionally equivalent and equivalently acting elements, features and components are provided with like reference numerals in each case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1a through 1c give schematic cross-sectional views of the assembly of connection arrangements according to the disclosure herein comprising connection systems according to the disclosure herein in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure herein.

(11) Each connection system 1 is formed to fasten a first adhesion segment 2a and a second adhesion segment 2b to one another. An adhesion segment 2a, 2b of this type may for example be part of a component or of a structure of an aircraft or spacecraft 100, such as is shown in FIG. 2. A structure of this type may for example be a former, a former segment, a stringer or the like or a coupling element for connecting a plurality of these or similar components. For example, the described adhesion segment 2a may be used in connecting former segments if other fastening options such as holes or screw and rivet connections are not acceptable or desired. Alternatively, an adhesion segment 2a, 2b of this type may also be a separate component which is for example to be fastened within the aircraft or spacecraft 100, for example to a structure of the aircraft or spacecraft 100. The component may be a line, a cable, a pipe, a tube or the like. The structure may for example be a primary structure of an aircraft. In principle, all embodiments described in the following of the connection system 1 according to the disclosure herein may, with appropriate adaptations, be used for any other aircraft or spacecraft, other vehicles, for example motor vehicles, water vehicles etc., and further different fields of application.

(12) In the embodiments of the connection system 1 in FIG. 1a through 1c, the first adhesion segment 2a comprises a first connection region 3a and the second adhesion segment 2b comprises a second connection region 3b. Especially in the embodiments in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the first connection region 3a may for example be formed as a round or slot-shaped receiving opening (the receiving opening extending into or out of the plane of the drawing in the latter case), whilst the second connection region 3b may for example be a portion of a fiber-like (or rod-like) or planar, plate-shaped adhesion segment 2b. In the embodiment of FIG. 1b, the first adhesion segment 2a further comprises a first connection region 3a, which is formed with a multiplicity of first meshing elements 4a. Accordingly, in FIG. 1b the second adhesion segment 2b comprises a second connection region 3b comprising a multiplicity of second meshing elements 4b. In this case, the second meshing elements 4b are formed as pins, like the first meshing elements 4a, in such a way that they can engage in the first meshing elements 4a to form meshing between the two connection regions 3a, 3b. Likewise, in the embodiment of FIG. 1c the first adhesion segment 2a comprises a first connection region 3a, which is formed with a multiplicity of first meshing elements 4a. In this embodiment, the first meshing elements 4a are formed as teeth or ribs. For example, the first adhesion segment 2a may be formed cylindrical in FIG. 1a, for example with a circular cross section, the first meshing elements 4a being formed as peripheral ribs. The first connection region 3a forms a portion of the outer cylinder surface in this case. In another example, the first adhesion segment 2a may be formed as a rod having a rectangular profile, rectangular ribs being formed on one or more side faces of the first adhesion segment 2a as first meshing elements 4a. In this case, these side faces correspond to the first connection region 3a. In principle, however, the meshing elements 4a may generally be formed as teeth, journals, ribs, webs and/or pins or the like, and the first adhesion segment 2a or the first connection region 3a may have various geometries. In FIG. 1c, the second adhesion segment 2b comprises a second connection region 3b comprising a multiplicity of second meshing elements 4b. In this context, the second meshing elements 4b are configured to engage in the first meshing elements 4a to form a meshing between the two connection regions 3a, 3b. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1c, the second meshing elements 4b are pin-shaped elements which are attached to the second connection region 3b protruding laterally from the second adhesion segment 2b. If the first connection region 3a is for example formed as a cylinder outer surface, the second connection region 3b may have the basic shape of a frustum, in other words the second connection region 3b has a surface corresponding to the outer surface of a frustum or a surface corresponding to sub-portions of the outer surface of a frustum (cf. for example FIG. 4a). In another example, if the first connection region 3a is formed as one or more side faces of a rectangular rod, the second connection region 3b may comprise corresponding rectangular surface pieces to which the second meshing elements 4b are attached. Various other embodiments are provided as an alternative to the embodiment shown. For example, like the first meshing elements 4a, the second meshing elements 4b may also be formed as teeth or ribs, which are accordingly arranged and/or shaped in a complementary manner to the first meshing elements 4a (cf. FIG. 4b). A person skilled in the art will provide configurations of the connection regions 3a, 3b and meshing elements 4a, 4b according to the disclosure herein accordingly in accordance with the requirements of the relevant application.

(13) In the embodiments in FIG. 1a through 1c, the second connection region 3b is formed flexibly, in such a way that by bending the second connection region 3b towards the first connection region 3a a connection, in particular a positive connection, can be formed between the first connection region 3a and the second connection region 3b. In FIGS. 1b and 1c, in particular a meshing between the first meshing elements 4a and the second meshing elements 4b is formed in this context. For example, the adhesion segments 2a, 2b and in particular the first connection region 3a and the second connection region 3b may substantially consist of or comprise plastics material and/or a fiber-reinforced plastics material, for example a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics material. The adhesion segments 2a, 2b may for example consist completely of plastics material, and have been manufactured as a single component by an additive layer manufacturing process (3D printing). Three-dimensional printing processes of this type can be used very flexibly, including for manufacturing complex plastics material objects and/or metal components. In 3D-printing processes, various geometric configurations of the adhesion segments 2a, 2b can be implemented without high complexity (for example those shown in FIG. 4a-c).

(14) The connection system 1 further provides a solidifiable liquid connection substance 5 for connecting the adhesion segments 2a, 2b in a material fit, for example a glue or a synthetic resin or the like. The individual method steps of a corresponding method M for connecting the adhesion segments 2a, 2b in a material fit are shown schematically in FIG. 3, and are described in the following with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 1a through 1c. FIG. 1a through 1c each show at the bottom a connection arrangement 10 which has been formed by a method M of this type on the basis of the relevant connection system 1.

(15) At M1, the method M comprises the step of arranging an assembly arrangement of the two adhesion segments 2a, 2b. In this context, the first connection region 3a of the first adhesion segment 2a is arranged opposite the second connection region 3b of the second adhesion segment 2b (see FIG. 1a through 1c). In the embodiments of FIGS. 1a and 1b, the second adhesion segment 2b is introduced into the first adhesion segment 2a at the second connection region 3b for this purpose. At M2, the method further comprises the step of introducing the solidifiable liquid connection substance 5 between the two connection regions 3a, 3b (see FIGS. 1a to 1c). At M3, the wetting of the two connection regions 3a, 3b (at least in portions) with the liquid connection substance 5 is shown. The second connection region 3b is formed flexibly, in such a way that the liquid connection substance 5 automatically forms a material connection between the two connection regions 3a, 3b as a result of the elastocapillary effect (indicated by arrows). In the configurations in FIGS. 1b and 1c, in particular a material meshing is formed in this context. In this context, the flexibly formed second connection region 3b is bent towards the first connection region 3a as a result of the capillary forces between the connection substance 5 and the portions wetted therewith of the connection regions 3a, 3b, in such a way that a meshing of the two connection regions 3a, 3b is formed. If the connection substance 5 merely wets the connection regions 3a, 3b in portions, the connection substance 5 is further distributed between the two connection regions 3a, 3b as a result of the two connection regions 3a, 3b being pressed together, and this in turn reinforces the elastocapillary effect. Finally, at M4, the method M comprises the step of solidifying the liquid connection substance 5 to form a connection arrangement 10 in which the two connection regions 3a, 3b are interconnected or meshed together in a material fit via the connection substance 5 introduced between the two connection regions 3a, 3b.

(16) FIG. 1a through 1c and the other drawings are to be interpreted purely schematically. Thus, in particular, the deformations and arrangements of the resiliently twistable connection regions 3b are shown greatly exaggerated for illustrative purposes. Deformations due to the elastocapillary effect are typically very small, in many cases in the microscopic range. The shown formation of the resiliently deformable connection region or regions 3b is also to be understood within this meaning.

(17) The connection arrangement 10 closes automatically to some extent as a result of the elastocapillary effect, and is therefore particularly simple and advantageous, for example for applications in which large structures are to be interconnected in a positive fit and the connection points, lines or faces are not directly accessible or only accessible in a complicated manner by conventional methods. The connection arrangement 10 formed in this manner thus represents an advantageous combination of two connection concepts which supplement one another. Thus, a glue connection is combined with an automatically formed positive fit and depending on the configuration an additional meshing in a multiple load path approach. This has the advantage over conventional adhesive connections that in addition, to the underlying material connection, deformed connection regions 3a, 3b or meshing elements 4a, 4b of the connection regions 3a, 3b hook into one another and thus promote the connection. On the one hand, this has the advantage that a particularly lightweight connection of two components is provided, since screws, nuts, bolts etc. are not necessarily required. On the other hand, an adhesive connection is further provided which has a much higher load capacity at the same contact area than for example adhesive connections in which two planar, closed faces are glued to one another.

(18) FIG. 4a-c show example alternative embodiments of connection arrangements 10 according to the disclosure herein. The illustrated arrows in each case indicate in what direction the resiliently formed connection region moves as a result of the capillary forces of the elastocapillary effect, in other words in what direction the connection is automatically formed. FIG. 4a is a perspective view of a connection system 1 and a connection arrangement 10 comprising cylindrical adhesion segments 2a, 2b. FIG. 4b shows an example of a connection arrangement comprising meshing elements 4a, 4b which are formed as teeth arranged and shaped in a complementary manner, in such a way that a positive meshing is formed. Finally, FIG. 4c shows an example of a combination of two connection arrangements 10 according to the disclosure herein, in which each coupling element comprises two second adhesion segments 2b, which are each connected to a first adhesion segment 2a of a further component, in such a way that as a result coupling between these components is achieved.

(19) While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a, an or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.