A dual function composite system includes a first electronic subsystem, a second electronic subsystem, and a composite member between the first and second electronic subsystems. The composite member includes plies of fabric, and resin impregnating the plies of fabric. At least one ply of the fabric includes signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
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39. A composite system comprising:
pins through a composite forming signal transmission pathways in a first direction; and
at least one ply of the composite or another associated composite including signal transmission elements integrated therewith running in a second direction and connected to the signal transmission pathways formed by the pins.
84. A method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method comprising:
adding, in a composite member extending between a notional antenna subsystem and electronics for the notional antenna subsystem, in at least one ply of the composite member, wires integrated therewith to interconnect the notional antenna subsystem with the electronics.
48. A method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method comprising:
adding, in a composite member including multiple plies impregnated with resin, said composite member extending between first and second electronic subsystems, in at least one ply of the composite member, signal transmission elements integrated therewith to interconnect the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
87. A method of fabricating a composite system, the method comprising:
driving pins through a composite to form signal transmission pathways in a first direction;
including in at least one ply of the composite or another associated composite member, signal transmission elements integrated therewith and running in a second direction; and
connecting the signal transmission elements to the signal transmission pathways formed by the pins.
1. A dual function composite system comprising:
a first electronic subsystem;
a second electronic subsystem; and
a composite member between the first and second electronic subsystems and including:
plies of fabric,
resin impregnating the plies of fabric, and
at least one ply of the fabric including signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
90. A method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method comprising:
adding, in a structural member supporting an aircraft panel and extending between a notional antenna subsystem integrated with the aircraft panel and an electronic subsystem including electronics for the notional antenna subsystem, in at least one ply of the structural member, signal transmission elements integrated therewith to interconnect the notional antenna subsystem with the electronic subsystem.
88. A dual function composite system comprising:
a notional antenna subsystem integrated with an aircraft panel;
an electronic subsystem including electronics for the notional antenna subsystem; and
a structural member between the notional antenna and the electronic subsystem, said structural member supporting the aircraft panel and including:
plies of fabric,
resin impregnating the plies of fabric, and
at least one ply of the fabric including signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
85. A method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method comprising:
adding, in a composite member extending between first and second electronic subsystems, in at least one ply of the composite member, fabric signal transmission elements integrated therewith to interconnect the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem;
separating the first electronics subsystem from a ground plane by a dielectric core;
disposing a plurality of conductive pins to extend through the core; and
connecting one end of the pins to the first electronics subsystem and the other end of the pins to the second electronics subsystem.
37. A dual function composite system comprising:
a first electronic subsystem;
a second electronic subsystem;
the first electronics subsystem separated from a ground plane by a dielectric core and a plurality of conductive pins extending through the core each connected on one end to the first electronics subsystem and on the other end to the second electronics subsystem; and
a composite member between the first and second electronic subsystems and including:
plies of fabric,
resin impregnating the plies of fabric, and
at least one ply of the fabric including signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
38. A dual function composite system comprising:
a notional antenna subsystem integrated with an aircraft wing panel including:
an array of radiating elements separated from a ground plane by a dielectric core and a plurality of conductive pins extending through the core each connected on one end to a radiating element, and
a printed circuit board electrically connected to the other ends of the pins;
electronics for the notional antenna subsystem; and
a wing spar between the notional antenna subsystem and the electronics therefore and including:
plies of fabric,
resin impregnating the plies of fabric, and
at least one ply of the fabric including wires integrated therewith and interconnecting the printed circuit board with the electronics.
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91. The method of claimed 90 in which the aircraft panel is a wing and the structural member is a wing spar.
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This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/704,089, filed Jul. 29, 2005, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
This subject invention relates to a dual function composite system and electromechanical structures, and in one example, multilayer printed circuit boards which can replace conventional printed circuit boards.
Composite technology offers a wide variety of advantages including a high strength to weight ratio. Thus, composite systems are now used in mobile platforms such as aircraft and spacecraft for a variety of structural components.
Those skilled in the art are also studying higher and more complex levels of system integration. In but one example, it would be useful to integrate antennas into composite aircraft wing panels or other aircraft structures such as a panel of a fuselage or a portion of a door, or to apply or attach antennas to an aircraft. Current design challenges include how to provide sufficient dielectric separation between the radiating antenna elements and the ground plane of the antenna. Plated through hole printed circuit board technology cannot be used in connection with such advanced systems due to the inability to form via structures in lightweight dielectric materials (e.g. open cell foams), and/or the inability to form very high aspect ratio vias in dielectric materials. Also, it would be desirable to integrate the electrical bus extending between the antenna and this electronic subsystem into the aircraft structure. Otherwise, the weight savings provided by composite technology will suffer and the cost of using composite technology will be prohibitive.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide composite systems with integrated electrical subsystems.
It is a further object of this invention to provide, in one embodiment, a notional antenna fully integrated with a composite aircraft wing panel.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such an integrated notional antenna which also includes a bus integrated with composite aircraft structural members.
It is a further object of this invention to provide, in composite structures, signal transmission pathways through the thickness of the composite and running in the plane of the composite.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a functional replacement for a plated through hole in a printed circuit board when materials and/or geometries prevent a plated through hole from being formed.
The subject invention results from the realization that, given a three dimensional composite system, electrical pathways in one direction can be established by inserting conductive pins to extend through the composite panel and an electrical pathway in the direction of the plane of the panel can be affected by integrating conductors into a ply of a composite component. The invention results from the further realization that when plated through holes or vias in a printed circuit board are not possible, conductive pins may replace them as electrical pathways.
The subject invention, however, in other embodiments, need not achieve all these objectives and the claims hereof should not be limited to structures or methods capable of achieving these objectives.
This invention features a dual function composite system including a first electronic subsystem, a second electronic subsystem, and a composite member between the first and second electronic subsystems. The composite member includes plies of fabric and resin impregnating the plies of fabric. At least one ply of the fabric includes signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem. In one embodiment, the first electronic subsystem is a notional antenna subsystem integrated with an aircraft panel, the second electronic subsystem including electronics for the notional antenna subsystem, and the composite member is a structural member supporting the aircraft panel. In one preferred configuration, the aircraft panel is a wing panel and the structural member is a wing spar. The notional antenna subsystem typically includes an array of radiating elements separated from a ground plane by a dielectric core, and a plurality of conductive pins extend through the core, each connected on one end to a radiating element. A printed circuit board is electrically connected to the other ends of the pins and electrically connected to the signal transmission elements in the wing spar. The dielectric core may be air, and in such a case the dielectric core will typically include a dielectric support mechanism for separating the radiating elements from the ground plane. The dielectric support mechanism may be, for example, a dielectric honeycomb structure, or a dielectric truss structure. In one configuration, the truss structure includes a network of dielectric pins forming the truss structure. The dielectric core also may be a low density material, preferably foam, or the dielectric core may be a polymer.
The system may further include a radome layer over the radiating elements, which may be made of astroquartz. The ground plane is typically a composite layer including plies of conductive fibers impregnated with a resin, and the fibers may be carbon fibers. A structural layer may be included between the ground plane and the printed circuit board, and the structural layer may include a foam sub-layer on a composite sub-layer. In one example, the composite sub-layer includes fibers impregnated with a resin, which may be carbon fibers. The ground plane typically includes holes therethrough for the conductive pins, the holes providing clearance between the conductive pins and the ground plane, and/or the conductive pins may be insulated.
The pins may be solid and made of a metal alloy which may include copper. In one variation, the pins include a composite core surrounded by metal coating. In another variation, the pins include a central conductor surrounded by dielectric material surrounded by a coaxial shield conductor. The pins may be tubular, and in one example some pins may be configured to provide sidewall metallization around a cavity of a radiating element. Radiating elements are printed on the dielectric core or the radiating elements may be printed on the dielectric core and the pins may be inserted through holes drilled in the dielectric core. Alternatively, the pins may first be inserted through the holes drilled in the dielectric core and the radiating elements are then printed over the pins. In one example, the signal transmission elements are wires woven into the at least one ply of the composite member, and the wires are insulated.
This invention also features a dual function composite system including first and second electronic subsystems. The first electronic subsystem is separated from a ground plane by a dielectric core and a plurality of conductive pins extend through the core, each connected on one end to the first electronic subsystem and on the other end to the second electronic subsystem. There is a composite member between the first and second electronic subsystems which includes plies of fabric and resin impregnating the plies of fabric. At least one ply of the fabric includes signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
This invention further features a dual function composite system including a notional antenna subsystem integrated with an aircraft wing panel including an array of radiating elements separated from a ground plane by a dielectric core. A plurality of conductive pins extends through the core, each connected on one end to a radiating element. A printed circuit board is electrically connected to the other ends of the pins. This system also includes electronics for the notional antenna subsystem. A wing spar between the notional antenna subsystem and its electronics includes plies of fabric, with resin impregnating the plies of fabric. At least one ply of the fabric includes wires integrated therewith and interconnecting the printed circuit board with the electronics.
This invention also features a composite system including pins through a composite forming signal transmission pathways in a first direction, and at least one ply of the composite or another associated composite including signal transmission elements integrated therewith running in a second direction and connected to the signal transmission pathways formed by the pins. The composite typically includes a dielectric layer and radiating elements on one surface thereof, each on a pin. In one preferred embodiment, the dielectric layer is foam, although the dielectric layer may be air. In the latter case, the dielectric layer typically includes a dielectric support mechanism for providing structural support, which may be a honeycomb structure, or a dielectric truss structure including a network of dielectric pins. In one preferred example, the signal transmission elements are wires integrated with the fabric of the ply.
This invention further features a method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method including adding, in a composite member extending between first and second electronic subsystems, in at least one ply of the composite member, signal transmission elements integrated therewith to interconnect the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem. In one embodiment, the first electronic subsystem is a notional antenna subsystem integrated with an aircraft panel, the second electronic subsystem includes electronics for the notional antenna subsystem, and the composite member is a structural member supporting the aircraft panel. In one example, the aircraft panel is a wing panel and the structural member is a wing spar. The notional antenna subsystem typically will include an array of radiating elements separated from a ground plane by a dielectric core and a plurality of conductive pins extending through the core each connected on one end to a radiating element. The method may further include electronically connecting a printed circuit board to the other ends of the pins, and electrically connecting the printed circuit board to the signal transmission elements in the wing spar, the printed circuit board electrically connected to the signal transmission elements in the wing spar. The dielectric core may be air, and in such an example the dielectric core will typically include a dielectric support mechanism for separating the radiating elements from the ground plane. The dielectric support mechanism may be a dielectric honeycomb structure or a dielectric truss structure which may include a network of dielectric pins forming the truss structure. The dielectric core may be a low density material, preferably foam, or the dielectric core may be a polymer.
The method may further include adding a radome layer over the radiating elements, which may be made of astroquartz. The ground plane is typically a composite layer including plies of conductive fibers impregnated with a resin, which may be carbon fibers. There may be a structural layer between the ground plane and the printed circuit board, and the structural layer may include a foam sub-layer on a composite sub-layer. In one example, the composite sub-layer includes fibers impregnated with a resin, which may be carbon fibers. The ground plane typically includes holes therethrough for the conductive pins, and/or the conductive pins may be insulated. There may be holes providing clearance between the conductive pins and the ground plane.
In one example, the pins are solid and made of a metal alloy which may include copper. In one variation, the pins include a composite core surrounded by metal coating. In another variation, the pins include a central conductor surrounded by dielectric material surrounded by a coaxial shield conductor. In another variation, the pins are tubular, and in one configuration some pins may be configured to provide side wall metallization around a cavity of a radiating element. The radiating elements may be printed on the dielectric core and the pins may be inserted through holes drilled in the dielectric core. Alternatively, the pins may first be inserted through the holes drilled in the dielectric core and the radiating elements are then printed over the pins. In one example, the signal transmission elements are wires woven into the at least one ply of the composite member, and the wires are insulated.
This invention also features a method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method including adding, in a composite member extending between a notional antenna subsystem and electronics for the notional antenna subsystem, in at least one ply of the composite member, wires integrated therewith to interconnect the notional antenna subsystem with the electronics.
This invention further features a method of manufacturing a dual function composite system, the method including adding, in a composite member extending between first and second electronic subsystems, in at least one ply of the composite member, fabric signal transmission elements integrated therewith to interconnect the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem. The method further includes separating the first electronics subsystem from a ground plane by a dielectric core, disposing a plurality of conductive pins to extend through the core, and connecting one end of the pins to the first electronics subsystem and the other end of the pins to the second electronics subsystem.
This invention also features a method of fabricating a composite system, the method including driving pins through a composite to form signal transmission pathways in a first direction, and including in at least one ply of the composite or another associated composite member, signal transmission elements integrated therewith and running in a second direction. The method further includes connecting the signal transmission elements to the signal transmission pathways formed by the pins.
Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:
Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer.
One goal of the subject invention is to route signals from electronic subsystem A through composite system 10 to electronic subsystem B. Conductive pin 24 is shown extending through the thickness of composite member 12 to provide signal routing in one direction through the thickness of the composite member and wire 26 is shown integrated with the fabric of one ply of composite member 14 to provide signal routing in another direction mainly in the plane of composite member 14. By using multiple pins in composite member 12 and multiple wires integrated with one or more plies of the composite member 14, multiple electrical pathways and/or a bus can be established between subsystems A and B.
In accordance with the present invention, aircraft 32,
Wing portion 30 is shown in more detail in
Integrated wires 26 may be included in any suitable structural member such as an aircraft fuselage, door, or portion of a wing. In one preferred configuration, composite spar 38 includes integrated wires 26 for connecting the antenna subsystem to its associated electronics package and for providing support for the aircraft wing panel. As shown more clearly in
In one preferred embodiment, the radiating elements 36,
In one example, pin 24,
In another embodiment, pin 24′,
In the embodiment of
In another embodiment, multilayer printed circuit board 44,
In a further embodiment, ground plane 40′,
Accordingly, the subject invention provides composite systems with integrated electrical subsystems, in one example notional antennas, and in various embodiments, further provides an improved alternative to plated through holes where material types or other parameters such as high aspect ratio prohibit the use of conventional boards.
In one embodiment, fabrication begins by inserting feed pins 24 in foam panel 42,
Next, the multilayer printed circuit board is fabricated as shown in
Thus, this flex circuit is bonded to the foam panel as shown in
In another embodiment, fabrication begins by pre-drilling pilot holes 71,
A further embodiment is shown in
Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments. Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.
In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution of the patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of any claim element presented in the application as filed: those skilled in the art cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim that would literally encompass all possible equivalents, many equivalents will be unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and are beyond a fair interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if anything), the rationale underlying the amendment may bear no more than a tangential relation to many equivalents, and/or there are many other reasons the applicant can not be expected to describe certain insubstantial substitutes for any claim element amended.
Farrell, Brian, Gannon, Jr., John J., Campbell, Thomas G., Coppola, Pat Anthony, O'Reilly, Sean Gerald, Burke, Joseph F.
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