The Boeing Company
One-piece composite bifurcated winglet

Abstract:

A manufacture and process for a winglet formed as a unitary structure by laying up and co-curing three ply-sets in a bifurcated configuration, without metal and fasteners, comprising three continuous surfaces: a first ply-set comprising a first continuous surface forming: an outboard surface of an upper blade; an outboard portion of a root region; and an outboard surface of a lower blade; a second ply-set forming a second continuous surface forming an inboard surface of the upper blade and an upper skin of the root region; and a third ply-set forming a third continuous surface forming an inboard surface of the lower blade and a lower skin of the root region . . . continuous surface. The root region being integral in the bifurcated configuration, matching a shape of an airfoil of a tip of a wing, and comprising two supports that comprise an additional ply-set shaped to receive an attachment system.