Patents by Inventor Pierre Zahlen

Pierre Zahlen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9682523
    Abstract: A system for producing a fiber-reinforced composite module, such as a panel module, having an integrated stiffening structure for an aircraft or spacecraft includes a form core assembly station for assembling a plurality of form cores covered with reinforcing fiber layers to constitute at least one stiffening element of the integrated stiffening structure, a form core placement station which receives assembled form cores from the assembly station for placing or depositing the assembled form cores in or on a molding tool, and a turning station for rotating or inverting the assembled form cores. The turning station is configured to convey or transport the assembled form cores from the assembly station to the placement station. The turning station defines a path which is configured to rotate or invert the assembled form cores as they are conveyed or moved to the placement station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Engels, Pierre Zahlen, Lars Meyer
  • Patent number: 9492974
    Abstract: A method for producing a fiber composite component, in particular for aerospace, includes the following method steps: introducing an elastic core sleeve into a prestressing mechanism; expanding the core sleeve that is introduced, for elastic prestressing of the same, by activating the prestressing mechanism; introducing a core body through an opening of the expanded core sleeve; releasing the core sleeve by deactivating the prestressing mechanism, for the snug enclosing of the core body by the core sleeve and thus for the forming of the molding core (14); and at least partly laying at least one semifinished fiber product on the molding core that is formed, for the shaping of the fiber composite component to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Pierre Zahlen, Torben Jacob
  • Patent number: 9494185
    Abstract: A support strut for use as a primary load-bearing structural component for the hinged coupling of at least one additional primary load-bearing structural component. The support strut includes: a rod-shaped base body extending in a longitudinal direction, a fiber composite with an annular cross section, central hole originating from the first end of the base body, and with annular holes spaced apart relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the annular cross section and originating from the first end of the base body as well as running along the longitudinal direction in the base body; roving bundles imbedded in a matrix material that fills up the respective annular hole; and a hinged connecting body with a bearing receptacle for holding a swivel joint; as well as a guiding system with such a support strut and a method for manufacturing such a support strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: M. Ichwan Zuardy, Claus Fastert, Holger Purol, Pierre Zahlen, York Caesar Roth
  • Patent number: 9371128
    Abstract: Structural component including at least one covering shell and a carrier structure, the covering shell designed in the form of a sandwich and formed by an inner skin section, an outer skin section and a shear-load absorbing core layer disposed between the two sections and connecting the inner and the outer skin sections to one another in a planar manner. The carrier structure is formed by at least one panel-shaped connecting part extending between and transversely to the inner and outer skin sections and connected along a reference longitudinal direction to the covering shell. The connecting part is located outside the carrier structure and fastened to the inner skin section resting thereon in a planar manner, wherein at least one profiled support extending along the reference longitudinal direction is provided in the covering shell in order to form a reinforcing section in the connecting region of the panel-shaped connecting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Ichwan Zuardy, Pierre Zahlen, Axel Siegfried Herrmann
  • Patent number: 9366618
    Abstract: An arrangement for monitoring the functionality of a structural adhesive layer to be fabricated between a first surface of a stiffening element and another component. A sensor block is bonded to a second surface of the stiffening component opposite to the first surface. The area of the structural adhesive layer incorporates a plurality of air openings and vacuum openings that vertically extend through the stiffening component and structural adhesive layer and the sensor block. The air openings are interconnected among each other by at least one air channel, and the vacuum openings by at least one vacuum channel. At least one of the channels is connected to an evaluator unit to detect a failure of the structural adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Heiner Stehmeier, Pierre Zahlen, Benjamin Teich, Helene Guinard
  • Patent number: 9327821
    Abstract: An aircraft structural assembly includes an area element which has a core and an outer layer. A first surface of the area element is convexly curved, at least in certain sections, relative to an imaginary central area of the area element extending through the core of the area element. By contrast, a second surface of the area element located opposite the first surface is oriented, at least in certain sections, parallel to the imaginary central area of the area element extending through the core of the area element. The area element is configured in the form of a floor panel of a floor system. The first or the second surface of the area element is designed to form a walkable floor surface of the floor system in the state of the aircraft structural assembly when mounted in an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Pierre Zahlen, Ichwan Zuardy, Markus Mueller, Axel Herrmann
  • Patent number: 9321219
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of assembling composite material parts (10, 12). The method makes provision for: mounting (S6) the parts for assembly under stress on a stand (14), which parts have been partially polymerized; heating (S7) these parts so as to polymerize them completely, thereby enabling the stresses in the parts to be relaxed and enabling them to match the shape of the sand; cooling (S8) the parts; and assembling (S9) in conventional manner the parts as cooled in this way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignees: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.), Airbus Operations, Airbus Operations S.L.
    Inventors: Pierre Zahlen, Virginie Charbonnier, Philippe Blot, Melania Perez-Sanchez
  • Patent number: 9296463
    Abstract: According to the invention a main-load bearing skin shell for a structural component is provided, wherein the skin shell for being affixed to a support component comprises an outer edge section with an outer edge and comprises: a connection region that does not comprise a core layer, which connection region extends along the edge with the inner skin section and the outer skin section, wherein in an end region of the core layer along the outer edge section of the skin shell reinforcement devices are integrated that project through the shear-force-absorbing core layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Ichwan Zuardy, Pierre Zahlen, Axel Siegfried Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20160001869
    Abstract: An aircraft structural component having a skin element, including an inner surface, a multitude of transverse stiffening elements, which lie against the inner surface of the skin element, and a multitude of longitudinal stiffening elements, perpendicular to the transverse stiffening elements against the inner surface of the skin element, wherein between a first and a second transverse stiffening element and also between a first and a second longitudinal stiffening element, a first skin section is defined. An aircraft structural component is provided with the quantity of the longitudinal stiffening elements reduced. A first applied reinforcement includes a core layer having a contour line running along the circumference of the skin element, the first applied reinforcement including a face sheet surrounding the core layer on the side thereof which faces away from the skin element, which face sheet is connected to the skin element along the core layer contour line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Paul Jörn, Pierre Zahlen, Markus Müller, Ichwan Zuardy, Claus Hanske
  • Publication number: 20150118001
    Abstract: A system for producing a fibre-reinforced composite module, such as a panel module, having an integrated stiffening structure for an aircraft or spacecraft includes a form core assembly station for assembling a plurality of form cores covered with reinforcing fibre layers to constitute at least one stiffening element of the integrated stiffening structure, a form core placement station which receives assembled form cores from the assembly station for placing or depositing the assembled form cores in or on a moulding tool, and a turning station for rotating or inverting the assembled form cores. The turning station is configured to convey or transport the assembled form cores from the assembly station to the placement station. The turning station defines a path which is configured to rotate or invert the assembled form cores as they are conveyed or moved to the placement station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Engels, Pierre Zahlen, Lars Meyer
  • Patent number: 8859948
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a component includes a material storage tank for receiving a liquid material (M), a molding tool in which a filling region to be filled with material (M) from the material storage tank is formed, and a material supply line which connects the material storage tank to the filling region of the molding tool. In the region of the material supply line and/or the filling region of the molding tool an optical fiber has been arranged, into which at least one Fibre Bragg Grating sensor for detecting a parameter that is characteristic of the flow of material through the material supply line and/or the filling region of the molding tool is integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Ichwan Zuardy, Pierre Zahlen, Clemens Bockenheimer, Axel Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20140302236
    Abstract: Fibre fabric cutting system and method with a first and a second conveyor belt guided along a first and second curved path, respectively. A fibre fabric supply unit supplies a web of fibre fabric to a cutting section of the first curved path. A cutting unit cuts the web of fibre fabric into sheets. The first curved path and the second curved path cooperate to define for the sheets a first transport path including a plurality of vertically spaced levels extending transversally to the vertical direction and arranged one above the other. The cutting section defines the first level and each of the subsequent levels is defined by a section of one of the conveyor belts. Sheets transported along the first transport path move from one level to the next level and are alternately supported against the gravitational force by the first and the second conveyor belt on consecutive levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Philippe Blot, Pierre Zahlen, Tassilo Witte
  • Publication number: 20140216635
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of assembling composite material parts (10, 12). The method makes provision for: mounting (S6) the parts for assembly under stress on a stand (14), which parts have been partially polymerized; heating (S7) these parts so as to polymerize them completely, thereby enabling the stresses in the parts to be relaxed and enabling them to match the shape of the sand; cooling (S8) the parts; and assembling (S9) in conventional manner the parts as cooled in this way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicants: Airbus Operations (SAS), Airbus Operations S.L., Airbus Operations GMBH
    Inventors: Pierre ZAHLEN, Virginie CHARBONNIER, Philippe BLOT, Melania PEREZ-SANCHEZ
  • Patent number: 8771567
    Abstract: A process for producing fiber preforms for composite material components makes it possible to directly produce complex geometries in a flexible and low-cost manner by applying a plurality of dry fiber rovings independently of one another even in spatially uneven contours. It is no longer necessary to use cut fabric strips since fiber preforms are produced straight from the dry fiber rovings. This obviates the need to carry out production, transport and order picking processes. It is not necessary to cut fiber strips to size, and therefore a saving may be made on material. In addition, it is possible to increase the mechanical characteristic values in the composite material because it is not necessary to sew fiber webs. The described process can also readily be scaled since the number of dry fiber rovings arranged next to one another make it possible to vary the area which can be covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Toho Tenax Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Piepenbrock, Carsten Barlag, Pierre Zahlen, Bernd Wohlmann, Markus Schneider
  • Patent number: 8702038
    Abstract: A pressure fuselage of an aircraft or a spacecraft includes at least two fuselage sections disposed longitudinally along the fuselage; at least one pressure calotte disposed in the fuselage so as to form a pressurized area; and an arcuate frame profile having a Y-shaped cross-section with a long profile leg connected to at least one of the at least two fuselage sections and a short profile leg extending at an acute angle from the long profile leg toward an inside of the at least two fuselage sections and attached to the at least one pressure calotte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Bauer, Pierre Zahlen
  • Publication number: 20140014771
    Abstract: A support strut for use as a primary load-bearing structural component for the hinged coupling of at least one additional primary load-bearing structural component. The support strut includes: a rod-shaped base body extending in a longitudinal direction, a fiber composite with an annular cross section, central hole originating from the first end of the base body, and with annular holes spaced apart relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the annular cross section and originating from the first end of the base body as well as running along the longitudinal direction in the base body; roving bundles imbedded in a matrix material that fills up the respective annular hole; and a hinged connecting body with a bearing receptacle for holding a swivel joint; as well as a guiding system with such a support strut and a method for manufacturing such a support strut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: M. Ichwan Zuardy, Claus Fastert, Holger Purol, Pierre Zahlen, York Caesar Roth
  • Publication number: 20140000381
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a planking panel (B) for a structural component (1) that is realized in the form of a sandwich component in its inner region (BI) that extends in a planar fashion and features a first skin section (11), a second skin section (12) and a core section (13) that is situated between these two skin sections, wherein the core section (13) connects the first and the second skin sections (11, 12) to one another in a planar fashion, with the invention being characterized in that a plurality of monitoring lines (14) is provided that extend over a planar section of the core section (13) to be monitored in order to detect damage in the core section (13) and respectively feature a first connection point (15) on a first end (14a) and a second connection point (16) on a second end (16a) in order to apply a monitoring signal (UK), wherein the monitoring lines (14) have a tear strength that lies in the range between 50% and 100% of the tear strength of the core section (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Ichwan Zuardy, Pierre Zahlen, Axel Siegfried Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20130266756
    Abstract: According to the invention a main-load bearing skin shell for a structural component is provided, wherein the skin shell for being affixed to a support component comprises an outer edge section with an outer edge and comprises: a connection region that does not comprise a core layer, which connection region extends along the edge with the inner skin section and the outer skin section, wherein in an end region of the core layer along the outer edge section of the skin shell reinforcement devices are integrated that project through the shear-force-absorbing core layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Ichwan Zuardy, Pierre Zahlen, Axel Siegfried Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20130087273
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stiffening component (2) for monitoring the functionality of a structural adhesive layer (6) to be fabricated between the latter and another component (4). According to the invention, the area of the structural adhesive layer (6) incorporates a plurality of air openings and vacuum openings that intersperse the stiffening component (2) and structural adhesive layer (6), as well as a sensor block (28), and the air openings are interconnected by at least one air channel (32), and the vacuum openings by at least one vacuum channel (34), wherein the channels (32, 34) run in the sensor block (28), and at least one of the channels (32, 34) can be connected to an evaluator unit (38) to detect a failure of the structural adhesive layer (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Heiner Stehmeier, Pierre Zahlen, Benjamin Teich, Helene Guinard
  • Patent number: 8413485
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting a defective sandwich component, particularly in aircraft construction, the method comprising the following steps: forming at least one measuring chamber in a core arrangement of a sandwich component, said at least one measuring chamber having an outwardly open end; subjecting the at least one measuring chamber to a predetermined pressure; and detecting and evaluating the pressure forming in the at least one measuring chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Bach, Axel Herrmann, Pierre Zahlen