A special device for assembling a radar dome and a connecting ring, and a synchronous positioning and clamping method thereof.

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of radar dome assembly technology, and relates to a special device and positioning and clamping method for assembling radar domes and connecting rings; the special device includes a clamping device fixing frame (1), a clamping screw (2), a rotating shaft (3), a rotating clamping frame (4), and a clamping block (5); the rotating clamping frame (4) is an "L"-shaped double-arm bracket, the clamping device fixing frame (1) is a "U"-shaped structure, the top has a through hole for installing the rotating shaft (3), the upper half has a groove, the outer arm of the rotating clamping frame (4) is in clearance fit with the groove, and the through hole is in clearance fit with the rotating shaft (3); the front end of the clamping screw (2) is a ball head, which fits against the spherical recess on the clamping block (5); the device of this invention can avoid the need for the operator to repeatedly adjust the clamping force of the clamping device during the assembly process in the prior art, and can achieve the purpose of accurately positioning and clamping the side and bottom surfaces of the connecting ring at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of radar dome assembly technology, and relates to a special device and positioning and clamping method for assembling a radar dome and a connecting ring. During the assembly process of the connecting ring and the composite material dome body, the device is used to position and clamp the radar dome connecting ring, achieving precise assembly of the radar dome and the connecting ring. Background Technology

[0002] Aircraft radomes typically consist of a composite material radome body and a base metal connecting ring. The composite material radome body maintains the aircraft's aerodynamic shape and allows electromagnetic wave transmission. The connecting ring is made of metal and is generally L-shaped. The side of the connecting ring aligns with the inner surface of the composite material radome body; during assembly, the two are pressed together and then secured with screws. The bottom surface of the connecting ring serves as the positioning surface for the radome assembly with the aircraft and requires high precision; this precision is ensured by the assembly fixture. When assembling the composite material radome body and the connecting ring, the composite material radome body is fixed to the fixture before the connecting ring is installed. The traditional method for positioning and clamping the connecting ring involves using a clamping device to apply clamping force to the side of the connecting ring, ensuring a tight fit between the outer surface of the connecting ring and the inner surface of the composite material. Then, a clamping device applies pressure to the bottom surface of the connecting ring, pressing it firmly onto the positioning surface of the assembly fixture.

[0003] The drawbacks of this method are as follows: When the side of the connecting ring is pressed against the inner surface of the composite material cover using the clamping device, the bottom surface of the connecting ring cannot be tightly fitted with the positioning surface on the assembly fixture. During the process of pressing the bottom surface of the connecting ring against the positioning surface of the assembly fixture using the clamping device, if the clamping force between the side of the connecting ring and the composite material cover is insufficient, the side of the connecting ring may slide downwards relative to the composite material cover, resulting in loosening. If the clamping force between the side of the connecting ring and the composite material cover is large enough to prevent sliding, the bottom surface of the connecting ring will not be tightly fitted with the positioning surface on the assembly fixture, or the connecting ring may deform. Both of these situations will affect the assembly accuracy of the connecting ring. During assembly, the operator needs to repeatedly adjust the clamping force of the clamping device to achieve the goal of simultaneously and accurately positioning and clamping the side and bottom surfaces of the connecting ring. Traditional clamping methods are highly dependent on the operator's technical skills, which affects both the stability and positioning accuracy of the radar dome assembly quality and the assembly efficiency of the radar dome. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the technical problems of complex operation, low assembly efficiency, and poor quality stability in the existing assembly process of composite material covers and connecting rings. This invention proposes a special device for assembling radar covers and connecting rings and a synchronous positioning and pressing method to achieve synchronous and precise positioning and pressing of the side and bottom surfaces of the connecting rings.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention:

[0006] On the one hand, a special device for assembling a radar dome and a connecting ring is provided, including: a clamping bracket 1, a clamping screw 2, a rotating shaft 3, a rotating clamping bracket 4, and a clamping block 5;

[0007] Rotary clamping bracket 4: It is an "L"-shaped double-arm bracket with an included angle of 80° to 110° between the two arms. It is suitable for matching the curvature of the radome and the connecting ring assembly surface of 0.1 to 0.5 and the included angle of the connecting ring (the included angle between the two sides of the connecting ring) of 65° to 85°. The rotary clamping bracket 4 required by this application is compatible with a variety of existing radomes.

[0008] Its outer arm 41 has a threaded hole that mates with the clamping screw 2. The chamfer radius of the front end of the inner arm (42) is R1 to 3 mm, and the front end face is an arc surface. The wall thickness of the connecting ring is in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm. The radius of the arc surface can effectively clamp the connecting rings within this thickness range.

[0009] The clamping device fixing bracket 1 has a U-shaped structure with a through hole at the top for mounting the rotating shaft 3 and a groove in the upper part. The outer arm of the rotating clamping bracket 4 is clearance-fitted with the groove with a clearance of 0.005 to 0.018 mm. The through hole is clearance-fitted with the rotating shaft 3 with a clearance of 0.001 to 0.005 mm. The fit of the two clearances allows the outer arm to remain stationary in the groove when no external force is applied, enabling synchronous positioning and meeting the requirements of high positioning accuracy.

[0010] Clamping screw 2: The front end is a ball head, which fits into the spherical recess on the clamping block;

[0011] Several retractable small protrusions are provided on the two surfaces of the clamping block 5 that are in contact with the connecting ring. When the clamping block 5 is in contact with the side of the connecting ring 7, the retractable small protrusions will automatically conform to the inner surface of the connecting ring, so that the connecting ring is subjected to balanced force.

[0012] In addition to addressing the aforementioned requirements for shape, size, and clearance fit, the device described in this invention also has the following requirements for the installation position of each component:

[0013] The clamping device fixing frame 1 is installed on the mounting and inspection tooling positioning table 8, and the clamping screw 2 is installed in the threaded hole of the rotating clamping frame 4; the rotating clamping frame 4 is installed on the clamping device fixing frame 1 through the rotating shaft 3, and can rotate around the rotating shaft 3 when an external force is applied; the clamping block 5 is placed on the connecting ring 7, the outer side of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the side of the connecting ring 7, the bottom surface of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the bottom surface of the connecting ring 7; the upper end surface of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the clamping surface of the rotating clamping frame 4, and the inner side of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the end face of the clamping screw 2.

[0014] The clamping screw 2 feeds 0.15 mm for every 90° rotation. During the rotational feeding process, the small feed amount is used to precisely adjust the clamping degree between the connecting ring and the radome contact surface. When the outer surface of the radar dome is flush with the tooling positioning table 8, the clamping screw 2 is adjusted to the correct position and the feeding stops.

[0015] The number of protrusions is three. These three protrusions are sufficient to achieve automatic conforming to the inner surface of the connecting ring, resulting in a balanced force distribution on the connecting ring.

[0016] The clamping block 5 is versatile and can automatically adjust its extension and retraction according to different included angles of the connecting ring to match the pressed connecting ring.

[0017] The clamping device fixing frame 1, rotating shaft 3, and rotating clamping frame 4 are made of steel to maintain sufficient rigidity.

[0018] The radar dome is made of composite material, and the clamping block 5 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which has certain self-lubricating properties to prevent scratches on the connecting ring during clamping and sliding. It also has a certain degree of elasticity to prevent damage to the composite material dome due to excessive force at individual points during clamping.

[0019] On the other hand, a method for synchronously positioning and clamping a radome and a connecting ring is provided, utilizing the aforementioned dedicated device for assembling the radome and the connecting ring, comprising the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Securely position and fix the 6 composite material cover on the 8 assembly tooling positioning table;

[0021] Step 2: Place the 7 connecting ring on the 8 assembly fixture positioning table. The bottom surface of the 7 connecting ring is in contact with the upper surface of the 8 assembly fixture positioning table, and the side surface of the 7 connecting ring is in contact with the inner surface of the 6 composite material cover.

[0022] Step 3: Place the 5 clamping block on the 7 connecting ring. The three retractable small protrusions on the outer side of the 5 clamping block are in contact with the inner surface of the 7 connecting ring, and the three retractable small protrusions on the bottom surface of the 5 clamping block are in contact with the bottom surface of the 7 connecting ring. The upper end face of the 5 clamping block is in contact with the clamping surface of the 4 rotating clamping frame, and the inner side of the 5 clamping block is in contact with the ball head end face of the 2 clamping screw.

[0023] Step 4: Tighten the clamping screw 2. The upper end face and inner side of the clamping block 5 are simultaneously subjected to clamping force and move forward, pushing the connecting ring 7 to move forward along the positioning surface of the assembly tooling positioning table 8, gradually fitting with the inner surface of the composite material cover 6, until the outer surface of the composite material cover 6 matches the outer surface of the assembly tooling positioning table 8, then it is clamped in place; when the connecting ring 7 is clamped with the composite material cover 6, the clamping frame 4 rotates and simultaneously clamps the connecting ring 7 onto the assembly tooling positioning table 8 through the clamping block 5.

[0024] The device of the present invention is suitable for the synchronous positioning and installation of radar domes with a connecting ring wall thickness of 2mm to 5mm, a radome and connecting ring assembly surface curvature of 0.1 to 0.5, a connecting ring included angle range of 65° to 85°, and a dome body made of composite material.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0026] 1. The synchronous positioning and clamping device of the present invention avoids the need for operators to repeatedly adjust the clamping force of the clamping device during the assembly process in the prior art, and can achieve the purpose of simultaneously and accurately positioning and clamping the side and bottom surfaces of the connecting ring. Specifically, the clamping device fixing bracket 1 can cooperate with the rotating shaft 3 and the rotating clamping bracket 4 at the same time. The groove of the clamping device fixing bracket 1 is fitted with the outer arm of the rotating clamping bracket 4 with a given clearance, and the through hole of the clamping device fixing bracket 1 is fitted with the rotating shaft 3 with a given clearance. This improves the stability and positioning accuracy of the radar dome assembly quality and realizes synchronous positioning and clamping with the side and bottom surfaces of the connecting ring.

[0027] 2. Compared with traditional clamping methods, which are highly dependent on the operator's technical skills, the synchronous positioning clamping device of the present invention improves the assembly efficiency of the radar dome.

[0028] 3. This invention was applied to the assembly process of the composite material radome and connecting ring in a certain type of radar dome, achieving good engineering and technical results and promoting the research and development and mass production of weapons and equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting ring;

[0031] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the clamping device mounting bracket;

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the rotating clamping frame;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the device and the assembly tooling positioning table of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention in its static state. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] The features of various aspects of the embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can also be practiced without these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the invention by illustrating examples. The invention is not limited to any specific setups and methods provided below, but covers all improvements, substitutions, etc., to product structures and methods without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0037] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0038] like Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic of the special assembly device for the radome and connecting ring of the present invention, including: a clamping bracket 1, a clamping screw 2, a rotating shaft 3, a rotating clamping frame 4, and a clamping block 5; the clamping bracket 1, rotating shaft 3, and rotating clamping frame 4 are made of 45 steel, possessing sufficient rigidity. The radome body is made of composite material, and the clamping block 5 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), possessing certain self-lubricating properties to prevent scratches on the connecting ring during clamping and sliding. It also possesses a certain degree of elasticity to prevent damage to the composite material radome body due to excessive force at individual points during clamping.

[0039] A schematic diagram of clamp holder 1 is shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the overall structure is U-shaped, with a through hole at the top for mounting the rotating shaft 3, and a groove in the upper part. The outer arm of the rotating clamping frame 4 is clearance-fitted with the groove, with a gap of 0.005 to 0.018 mm. The through hole is clearance-fitted with the rotating shaft 3, with a gap of 0.001 to 0.005 mm. The combined use of the two gaps can achieve the effect that the outer arm remains stationary in the groove when no external force is applied, thus meeting the requirements of high positioning accuracy.

[0040] Rotary clamping frame 4: It is an "L"-shaped double-arm bracket with an included angle of 80° to 110° between the two arms. The rotary clamping frame 4 required by this invention is compatible with various existing radar domes, and is specifically suitable for radar domes with a curvature of 0.1 to 0.5 on the assembly surface of the radar dome and the connecting ring and an included angle of 65° to 85° between the two sides of the connecting ring.

[0041] Its outer arm 41 has a threaded hole that mates with the clamping screw 2, and the front end of the inner arm 42 is rounded with a chamfer radius of R1 to 3mm, preferably R = 2mm in the embodiment, and the front end face is an arc surface; the wall thickness of the connecting ring is in the range of 2mm to 5mm, and the radius of the arc surface can effectively clamp the connecting rings within this thickness range.

[0042] Clamping screw 2: The front end is a ball head, which fits into the spherical recess on the clamping block. The clamping screw 2 feeds 0.15mm for every 90° rotation. During the rotational feeding process, the small feed amount is used to precisely adjust the clamping degree between the connecting ring and the mating surface of the radome. When the outer surface of the radome is flush with the tooling positioning table 8, the clamping screw 2 is adjusted to the correct position and the feeding stops.

[0043] The clamping block 5 is versatile and can automatically adjust its extension and retraction according to different included angles of the connecting ring to match the pressing connecting ring. Each of the two surfaces of the clamping block 5 that are in contact with the connecting ring is provided with three retractable small protrusions. When the clamping block 5 is in contact with the side of the connecting ring 7, the three retractable small protrusions will automatically conform to the inner shape of the connecting ring, so that the connecting ring is subjected to balanced force.

[0044] like Figure 5 As shown, the clamping bracket 1 is installed on the positioning table 8 of the inspection fixture, and the clamping screw 2 is installed in the threaded hole of the rotating clamping frame 4; the rotating clamping frame 4 is installed on the clamping bracket 1 via the rotating shaft 3, and can rotate around the rotating shaft 3 when an external force is applied; the clamping block 5 is placed on the connecting ring 7, the outer side of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the side of the connecting ring 7, the bottom surface of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the bottom surface of the connecting ring 7; the upper end surface of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the clamping surface of the rotating clamping frame 4, and the inner side of the clamping block 5 is in contact with the end face of the clamping screw 2. The combined state diagram is shown below. Figure 6 As shown.

[0045] The method for synchronously positioning and clamping the radome and connecting ring during assembly using the special assembly device for the radome and connecting ring of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0046] Step 1: Securely position and fix the composite material cover 6 on the assembly tooling positioning table 8;

[0047] Step 2: Place the connecting ring 7 on the assembly fixture positioning table 8. The bottom surface of the connecting ring 7 contacts the upper surface of the assembly fixture positioning table 8, and the side surface of the connecting ring 7 contacts the inner surface of the composite material cover 6.

[0048] Step 3: Place the 5 clamping block on the 7 connecting ring. The three retractable protrusions on the outer side of the 5 clamping block should be in contact with the inner surface of the 7 connecting ring, and the three retractable protrusions on the bottom surface of the 5 clamping block should be in contact with the bottom surface of the 7 connecting ring. The upper end face of the 5 clamping block should be in contact with the clamping surface of the 4 rotating clamping frame, and the inner side face of the 5 clamping block should be in contact with the ball head end face of the 2 clamping screw.

[0049] Step 4: Tighten the clamping screw 2. The upper end face and inner side of the clamping block 5 are simultaneously subjected to clamping force and move forward, pushing the connecting ring 7 to move forward along the positioning surface of the assembly tooling positioning table 8, gradually fitting with the inner surface of the composite material cover 6, until the outer surface of the composite material cover 6 matches the outer surface of the assembly tooling positioning table 8, then it is clamped in place; when the connecting ring 7 is clamped with the composite material cover 6, the clamping frame 4 rotates and simultaneously clamps the connecting ring 7 onto the assembly tooling positioning table 8 through the clamping block 5.

[0050] The synchronous positioning and clamping device of this invention avoids the need for operators to repeatedly adjust the clamping force of the device during assembly, as required by existing technologies. It achieves the goal of simultaneously and precisely positioning and clamping the side and bottom surfaces of the connecting ring. Furthermore, it improves the stability and positioning accuracy of the radar dome's assembly quality.

[0051] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for synchronously positioning and clamping a radar dome and a connecting ring during assembly, characterized in that: The method includes the following steps: Step 1: Position and fix the composite material cover (6) on the assembly tooling positioning table (8); Step 2: Place the connecting ring (7) on the assembly fixture positioning table (8), with the bottom surface of the connecting ring (7) in contact with the upper surface of the assembly fixture positioning table (8) and the side surface of the connecting ring (7) in contact with the inner surface of the composite material cover (6). Step 3: Place the clamping block (5) on the connecting ring (7). The three retractable small protrusions on the outer side of the clamping block (5) are in contact with the inner side of the connecting ring (7). The three retractable small protrusions on the bottom surface of the clamping block (5) are in contact with the bottom surface of the connecting ring (7). The upper end surface of the clamping block (5) is in contact with the clamping surface of the rotating clamping frame (4). The inner side of the clamping block (5) is in contact with the ball head end face of the clamping screw (2). Step 4: Tighten the clamping screw (2). The upper end face and inner side of the clamping block (5) are simultaneously subjected to clamping force and move forward, pushing the connecting ring (7) to move forward along the positioning surface of the assembly tooling positioning table (8), gradually fitting with the inner surface of the composite material cover (6) until the outer surface of the composite material cover (6) matches the outer surface of the assembly tooling positioning table (8), then it is clamped in place; when the connecting ring (7) is clamped with the composite material cover (6), rotate the clamping frame (4) to simultaneously clamp the connecting ring (7) onto the assembly tooling positioning table (8) through the clamping block (5); Rotating clamping frame (4): It is an "L" type double-arm bracket with an included angle of 80°~110° between the two arms. It is suitable for radar domes with a curvature range of 0.1~0.5 on the assembly surface of the radar dome and the connecting ring and an included angle range of 65°~85°. Its outer arm (41) has a threaded hole that mates with the clamping screw (2), the inner arm (42) has a chamfer radius of R1~3mm at the front end, the front end face is an arc surface, and the wall thickness of the connecting ring is in the range of 2mm~5mm; The clamping bracket (1) has a U-shaped structure, with a through hole at the top for mounting the rotating shaft (3), and a groove in the upper part. The outer arm of the rotating clamping bracket (4) is in clearance fit with the groove, with a gap of 0.005~0.018mm. The through hole is in clearance fit with the rotating shaft (3), with a gap of 0.001~0.005mm. The clamping screw (2) has a ball head at the front end, which fits into the spherical recess on the clamping block (5); The clamping block (5) has several retractable small protrusions on each of its two surfaces that are in contact with the connecting ring. When the clamping block (5) is in contact with the side of the connecting ring (7), the retractable small protrusions will automatically conform to the inner surface of the connecting ring, so that the connecting ring is subjected to balanced force. The clamping device fixing frame (1) is installed on the mounting and inspection tooling positioning table (8), and the clamping screw (2) is installed in the threaded hole of the rotating clamping frame (4); the rotating clamping frame (4) is installed on the clamping device fixing frame (1) through the rotating shaft (3), and can rotate around the rotating shaft (3) when an external force is applied; the clamping block (5) is placed on the connecting ring (7), the outer side of the clamping block (5) is in contact with the side of the connecting ring (7), the bottom surface of the clamping block (5) is in contact with the bottom surface of the connecting ring (7); the upper end surface of the clamping block (5) is in contact with the clamping surface of the rotating clamping frame (4), and the inner side of the clamping block (5) is in contact with the end face of the clamping screw (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feed amount of the clamping screw (2) is 0.15mm for every 90° rotation. When the outer surface of the radar dome is flush with the tooling positioning table (8), the clamping screw (2) is adjusted to the position and the feed is stopped.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of protrusions is 3.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping block (5) automatically adjusts its extension and retraction according to the different included angles of the connecting ring to match the pressed connecting ring.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping device fixing frame (1), rotating shaft (3), and rotating clamping frame (4) shown are made of steel.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radar dome is made of composite material, and the clamping block (5) is made of polytetrafluoroethylene to avoid scratching the connecting ring during the clamping and sliding process.

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