The Boeing Company
TRAILING EDGE FLAP HAVING A WAFFLE GRID INTERIOR STRUCTURE

Abstract:

An aircraft flap is constructed of nested layers of composite material in the aircraft flap that include an inner layer, a middle layer and an outer layer. The aircraft flap is constructed with the inner layer laid up around a central mandrel, the middle layer laid up around the middle layer and the outer layer laid up around the middle layer. The inner layer, the middle layer and the outer layer are co-cured on the mandrel, removed from the mandrel and then assembled together with the inner layer formed in a folded over configuration around a hollow interior volume of the aircraft flap, the middle layer formed in a folded over configuration over the inner layer, and the outer layer formed in a folded over configuration around the middle layer.