(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (io) Pub. No.: US 2003/0146346 Al
Chapman Jr (43) Pub. Date: Aug. 7,2003
(54) TUBULAR MEMBERS INTEGRATED TO FORM A STRUCTURE
(76) Inventor: W. Cullen Chapman Jr, Hermosa
Beach, CA (US)
Correspondence Address:
Sung I Oh
Squire Sanders & Dempsey
14th Floor
801 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017-5554 (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 10/181,592
(22) PCT Filed: Jan. 22, 2001 (86) PCT No.: PCT/US01/02048
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) , which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/489,041, filed on Jan. 21, 2000.
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.7 B64C 1/00; B64C 3/00; B64C 5/00
Integrally stiffened and formed, load carrying structures comprising a plurality of elongated thin-walled tubes placed co-extensively in a complementary side-by-side fashion which together form a hollow structure having a desired external contour. Integral skins forming the external and internal surfaces of the structure cooperatively therewith. The structure can be formed with an underlying internal support member spanning the interior of the load carrying structure, thereby connecting opposite sides of the structure together. Also, each of the tubes are wound with fibers in controlled orientations generally paralleling the direction of the loads applied to the tubes to optimize the strength to weight ratio of the tubes. Still a number of embodiments are disclosed to couple two structures together. In addition, an apparatus and method is disclosed to form a window opening within the fuselage and to install a window covering that is both time saving and cost efficient.
