Flexible supporting device for skin part assembly, assembly tool and construction method

Abstract

The invention discloses a flexible supporting device for skin part assembly, an assembly tool and a construction method, and belongs to the technical field of design and manufacturing of aircraft fuselage production and manufacturing process equipment. According to the flexible supporting device for skin part assembly, the assembly tool and the construction method, adjustment is convenient, and different supporting areas are convenient to assemble. The flexible supporting device comprises a bottom frame, a supporting and adjusting assembly and a universal flexible connecting mechanism, the supporting and adjusting assembly is arranged on the bottom frame in the vertical direction in a liftable mode, and the supporting and connecting face of the universal flexible connecting mechanism is rotatably arranged on the supporting and adjusting assembly. In the skin part assembling process, the skin part needing to be assembled is sucked and fixed through the supporting connecting face of the universal flexible connecting mechanism, and the shape and position state of the skin part which is sucked and fixed to the flexible supporting device is determined through the supporting adjusting assembly under the cooperation of the universal flexible connecting mechanism. The assembly tool is composed of at least three sets of flexible supporting devices which are arranged according to specified longitudinal and transverse sizes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flexible support device, in particular to a flexible support device for assembling skin parts, and belongs to the technical field of design and manufacturing of aircraft fuselage production and manufacturing process equipment. The present invention also relates to an assembly tool formed by using the flexible support device for assembling skin parts, and a construction method for assembling aircraft thin-walled parts using the assembly tool. Background Art

[0002] In the aircraft manufacturing process, tooling (tools and fixtures) are essential equipment to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of the assembly process. Fixed tooling is a product of the last century, but it is still in use today. However, with the continuous changes in the aviation field, the performance requirements of aircraft have also undergone earth-shaking changes. Traditional fixed tooling can no longer meet the current lean manufacturing and precision manufacturing requirements and concepts. Tooling has developed from traditional fixed tooling to multi-purpose tooling and flexible tooling. Multi-purpose tooling and flexible tooling are two types of tooling widely used in modern aircraft manufacturing. The following is a detailed analysis of the current status, advantages and disadvantages of these two types of tooling:

[0003] 1. Multi-purpose tooling

[0004] Current situation: Multi-purpose tooling is a tooling that can be used for multiple tasks. It is usually used to handle the assembly of different models or different parts in aircraft manufacturing. With the continuous changes in aircraft models and configurations, traditional single-purpose tooling is gradually being replaced by multi-purpose tooling.

[0005] advantage:

[0006] Strong adaptability: It can adapt to aircraft parts of different models and sizes, reducing the number of special tooling;

[0007] Cost saving: reduces the cost of making and maintaining multiple special tooling and improves equipment utilization;

[0008] Space saving: Multi-purpose tooling can reduce the need for tooling storage space;

[0009] Quick conversion: Able to quickly adjust and convert to adapt to different assembly tasks and improve production efficiency.

[0010] shortcoming:

[0011] Increased complexity: The design and manufacture of multi-purpose tooling is more complex and requires a higher level of skill;

[0012] Precision may be reduced: Due to the need to adapt to multiple uses, the high precision requirements of special tooling may not be achieved in some cases;

[0013] Operation difficulty: Workers are required to master more operation skills and adjustment methods.

[0014] 2. Flexible tooling

[0015] Current situation: Flexible tooling is a tooling system that can be quickly adjusted and reconfigured to adapt to different manufacturing tasks. With the development of intelligent manufacturing and automation technology, flexible tooling is increasingly used in aircraft manufacturing.

[0016] advantage:

[0017] High flexibility: can quickly adapt to changes in production tasks, especially suitable for small batch and multi-variety production;

[0018] Reduce downtime: The adjustment and configuration time is shorter, which reduces equipment downtime and improves production efficiency;

[0019] Automation compatible: can work with automated assembly systems and robots to achieve a higher degree of automation;

[0020] Reduced inventory costs: Reduced need for specialized tooling, which reduces inventory and management costs.

[0021] shortcoming:

[0022] Large initial investment: The R&D and purchase costs of flexible tooling are high, and the initial investment is large;

[0023] High technical requirements: high technical requirements for design, manufacturing and maintenance personnel, requiring specialized training;

[0024] System complexity: The overall system complexity increases, which may require more maintenance and management work;

[0025] Reliability issues: In some cases, flexible tooling may not be as reliable and stable as dedicated tooling.

[0026] In summary, in aircraft manufacturing, the choice of multi-purpose tooling or flexible tooling mainly depends on production needs and economic benefits. Multi-purpose tooling is suitable for occasions that require a certain degree of flexibility but still maintain high precision requirements, while flexible tooling is more suitable for occasions where production tasks change frequently, batches are small, and high flexibility is required.

[0027] With the advancement of technology, tooling systems are also constantly developing. In the future, more intelligent, modular and efficient tooling solutions may appear to meet the increasingly complex and diversified needs of the aviation manufacturing industry.

[0028] For the current processing of large-sized thin-walled parts or special-shaped parts that require the assistance of flexible tooling, the stability of fixation and the precision of processing pose huge difficulties and challenges to flexible tooling or multi-purpose tooling. To this day, how to quickly, accurately and stably fix large-sized, large-curvature, multi-curvature, and highly specific thin-walled parts is one of the main problems in the aviation field. Summary of the invention

[0029] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: to provide a flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts, which is easy to adjust and convenient to assemble with different support areas, as well as an assembly tool composed of the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts, and a construction method for assembling aircraft thin-walled parts using the assembly tool.

[0030] The technical solution adopted to solve the above technical problems is: a flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts, the flexible support device includes a base frame, a support adjustment assembly and a universal flexible connection mechanism, the support adjustment assembly is arranged on the base frame in a vertically liftable manner, and the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism is rotatably arranged on the support adjustment assembly; during the assembly process of aviation thin-walled skin parts, the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled are fixed by suction through the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism, and the aviation thin-walled skin parts fixed by suction on the flexible support device determine their shape and position through the support adjustment assembly with the cooperation of the universal flexible connection mechanism.

[0031] Furthermore, the base frame includes a bottom plate and a cylindrical support column, the bottom plate is arranged at the lower end of the cylindrical support column, and the support adjustment component is sleeved on the cylindrical support column in a vertically liftable manner through its lower portion.

[0032] A preferred embodiment of the above scheme is that the universal flexible connection mechanism includes a flexible connection head, a non-metallic elastic serial connection member and at least two arc bowls, the flexible connection head arranged circumferentially on the edge of the outermost arc bowl constitutes a support connection surface, and the arc bowls arranged overlapping in the same direction are connected to form a rotatable whole with a support connection surface through the non-metallic elastic serial connection member, and the universal flexible connection mechanism is fixedly connected to the top of the support adjustment assembly through the lowest arc bowl.

[0033] Furthermore, the universal flexible connection mechanism also includes a bowl body fixing seat composed of a fixing seat body and a fastener, a longitudinal shrinkage seam is arranged on the fixing seat body, a fixed connection head is also arranged at the lower end of the lowest arc-shaped bowl, a transverse shrinkage seam is arranged on the fixed connection head, the lowest arc-shaped bowl is detachably fixed on the top of the support adjustment component by the fixing seat body and the fastener with the cooperation of the longitudinal shrinkage seam and the transverse shrinkage seam, the flexible connection head is composed of an arc-shaped silicone ring, and the arc-shaped silicone ring is circumferentially arranged at the edge of the outermost arc-shaped bowl to form a support connection surface.

[0034] The preferred embodiment of the above scheme is that a first interface is provided on the fixed connecting head, and the universal ball joint adsorption structure composed of multiple arc-shaped bowls has a cavity, the first interface is connected to the cavity, and the cavity forms a closable space cavity with the outer surface of the corresponding position of the aviation thin-walled skin part through the arc-shaped silicone ring, and the space cavity forms a negative pressure state through the first interface with the cooperation of the external vacuum equipment, the fastener is a fixing screw, the fixing seat body is a sleeve cap seat with an inner flange, and serial holes are respectively provided at the bottom of each arc-shaped bowl, and each arc-shaped bowl is rotatably connected to each other through a non-metallic elastic serial connection piece inserted into each serial hole to form an integral universal ball joint adsorption structure, and the outer diameter of the non-metallic elastic serial connection piece is adapted to the aperture of the lowest serial hole.

[0035] Furthermore, the support adjustment assembly includes a lifting column and an expansion locking mechanism. An installation cavity is provided on the upper part of the cylindrical support column. The expansion locking mechanism sleeved on the lifting column is arranged in the installation cavity. The lifting column with height adjustment is locked on the cylindrical support column by the expansion locking mechanism, and the bowl body fixing seat is arranged on the top of the lifting column.

[0036] A preferred embodiment of the above scheme is that the expansion locking mechanism includes an annular expansion bag and an open locking ring group, and the open locking rings constituting the open locking ring group are sleeved on the lifting pillar in the installation cavity with opening seams staggered in the height direction, and the annular expansion bag located in the installation cavity is sleeved on the open locking ring group, and the expansion and contraction of the annular expansion bag is determined by the high-pressure fluid medium delivered by an external high-pressure drive system.

[0037] Furthermore, the high-pressure fluid medium is a high-pressure gas medium or a high-pressure liquid medium transported by a high-pressure drive system, the annular expansion capsule is an annular rubber capsule or an annular silicone capsule, and a passivation structure is provided at the opening and upper and lower edges of each open locking ring. The open locking rings sleeved on the lifting support are arranged in a vertical order of pressing against each other.

[0038] The assembly tooling is composed of the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts, and the assembly tooling includes at least three sets of flexible support devices, each set of flexible support devices is arranged according to specified vertical and horizontal dimensions, and the spatial shape of the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled is fixed in a conformal manner through the support adjustment components and universal flexible connection mechanisms of each flexible support device with the cooperation of a universal shaping frame or a contoured simple hanger.

[0039] A construction method for assembling aircraft thin-walled parts using the assembly tooling comprises the following steps: firstly arranging and fixing each set of flexible support devices on a hardened floor in a workshop according to the specified longitudinal and transverse dimensions; then, through a high-pressure drive system and in cooperation with an expansion locking mechanism, placing the lifting struts in the same horizontal plane and maintaining them in a balanced state that does not fall under the action of their own gravity; then, the aviation thin-walled skin parts shaped by a universal shaping frame or a contoured simple hanger are hoisted onto a supporting plane formed by each set of flexible support devices; and the universal flexible connection mechanisms of each set of flexible support devices are respectively and simultaneously contacted and fixed with the corresponding positions of the aviation thin-walled skin parts, and then, a high-pressure fluid medium is input to lock and determine the height of each set of flexible support devices to complete the fixation of the aircraft thin-walled parts.

[0040] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the technical solution provided by the present application is to set a set of flexible support devices including a base frame, a support adjustment component and a universal flexible connection mechanism, and to arrange the support adjustment component on the base frame in a vertically liftable manner, so that the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism can be rotatably arranged on the support adjustment component; then in the assembly process of the aviation thin-walled skin parts, the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled are fixed by suction support through the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism, and then the aviation thin-walled skin parts fixed by suction support on the flexible support device are determined by the support adjustment component under the cooperation of the universal flexible connection mechanism in their shape and position state. Further, according to the size and shape of the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be supported and fixed, at least three sets of flexible support devices are arranged in accordance with the specified longitudinal and transverse dimensions to form the assembly tooling described in the present application, and then the spatial shape of the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled is fixed by the support adjustment components and the universal flexible connection mechanism of each flexible support device under the cooperation of the universal shaping frame or the simple profiling hanger. This solves the technical problems in the prior art of using multi-purpose tooling to assemble thin-walled parts with a large area, such as complex assembly of the tooling itself, difficulty in ensuring accuracy, and difficulty in unified operation. Since the heights of the various sets of flexible support devices that constitute the assembly tooling of the present application and the universal flexible connection mechanisms connected to the aviation thin-walled skin parts can be automatically adjusted by controlling the shape of the aviation thin-walled skin parts fixed by a universal shaping frame or a contoured simple hanger, and finally fixed, not only is the adjustment of the entire assembly tooling very convenient, but it can also make it easier to assemble assembly tooling with different support areas. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the flexible support device used for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts in another direction of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 It is a front view of the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-wall skin parts of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 for Figure 3 AA section view;

[0045] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partial view in the direction of B;

[0046] Figure 6 A diagram of a use state of the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 7 The three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the open locking ring involved in the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts of the present invention.

[0048] Marked in the figure are: base plate 1, cylindrical support column 2, flexible connector 3, arc bowl 4, fixed seat body 5, fastener 6, longitudinal shrinkage seam 7, transverse shrinkage seam 8, first interface 9, cavity 10, serial hole 11, lifting column 12, installation cavity 13, annular expansion bag 14, open locking ring 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] like Figure 1 to Figure 7The present invention provides a flexible support device for assembling aircraft thin-walled skin parts that is easy to adjust and easy to assemble with different support areas, as well as an assembly tool using the flexible support device for assembling aircraft thin-walled skin parts, and a construction method for assembling aircraft thin-walled parts using the assembly tool. The flexible support device includes a chassis, a support adjustment component and a universal flexible connection mechanism, the support adjustment component is arranged on the chassis in a vertically liftable manner, and the universal flexible connection mechanism has a support connection surface that is rotatably arranged on the support adjustment component; during the assembly process of the aircraft thin-walled skin parts, the aircraft thin-walled skin parts to be assembled are fixed by suction through the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism, and the aircraft thin-walled skin parts fixed by suction on the flexible support device determine their shape and position through the support adjustment component with the cooperation of the universal flexible connection mechanism. The assembly tooling includes at least three sets of flexible support devices, each set of flexible support devices is arranged according to the specified vertical and horizontal dimensions, and the spatial shape of the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled is fixed in shape through the support adjustment components and universal flexible connection mechanisms of each flexible support device in cooperation with the universal shaping frame or the contoured simple hanger. The technical solution provided by the present application is to set up a set of flexible support devices including a base frame, a support adjustment component and a universal flexible connection mechanism, and arrange the support adjustment component on the base frame so that it can be lifted and lowered vertically, and arrange the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism rotatably on the support adjustment component; then in the assembly process of the aviation thin-walled skin parts, the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled are fixed by suction support of the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism, and then the aviation thin-walled skin parts fixed by suction support on the flexible support device are determined in shape and position by the support adjustment component in cooperation with the universal flexible connection mechanism. Furthermore, according to the size and shape of the thin-walled aviation skin parts to be supported, at least three sets of flexible support devices are arranged in the specified vertical and horizontal dimensions to form the assembly tool described in this application, and then the spatial shape of the thin-walled aviation skin parts to be assembled is fixed in shape through the support adjustment components and universal flexible connection mechanisms of each flexible support device under the cooperation of the universal shaping frame or the simple profiling hanger. This solves the technical problems in the prior art that when multi-purpose tooling is used to assemble thin-walled parts with a large area, the tooling itself is complex to combine, the accuracy is difficult to ensure, and the operation is difficult to unify. Since the height of each set of flexible support devices constituting the assembly tool of this application and the universal flexible connection mechanism connected to the thin-walled aviation skin parts can be automatically adjusted under the shape control of the thin-walled aviation skin parts fixed by the universal shaping frame or the simple profiling hanger, and finally fixed, not only the adjustment of the entire assembly tooling is very convenient, but also it is easier to assemble assembly tools with different support areas.

[0050] Accordingly, combined with the actual production situation, in order to simplify the structure of each part of the flexible support device of the present application, and at the same time to easily realize the rotation of the support connection surface and the adjustment of the support height, the base frame of the present application includes a bottom plate 1 and a cylindrical support column 2, the bottom plate 1 is arranged at the lower end of the cylindrical support column 2, and the support adjustment component is sleeved on the cylindrical support column 2 through its lower part which can be lifted and lowered vertically. The universal flexible connection mechanism of the present application includes a flexible connection head 3, a non-metallic elastic serial connection piece and at least two arc bowls 4, the flexible connection head 3 arranged on the edge of the outermost arc bowl along the circumferential direction constitutes a support connection surface, and each arc bowl 4 arranged in the same direction and overlapping is connected to a rotatable whole with a support connection surface through a non-metallic elastic serial connection piece, and the universal flexible connection mechanism is fixedly connected to the top of the support adjustment component through the bottom arc bowl 4. The support adjustment assembly of the present application includes a lifting column 12 and an expansion locking mechanism. An installation cavity 13 is provided on the upper part of the cylindrical support column 1. The expansion locking mechanism sleeved on the lifting column 12 is arranged in the installation cavity 13. The lifting column 12 adjusted in position is locked on the cylindrical support column 1 by the expansion locking mechanism. The bowl body fixing seat is arranged on the top of the lifting column 12. At this time, the universal flexible connection mechanism preferably also includes a bowl body fixing seat composed of a fixing seat body 5 and a fastener 6. A longitudinal contraction seam 7 is provided on the fixing seat body 5. A fixed connection head is also provided at the lower end of the lowest arc-shaped bowl 4. A transverse contraction seam 8 is provided on the fixed connection head. The lowest arc-shaped bowl 4 is detachably fixed on the top of the support adjustment assembly through the fixing seat body 5 and the fastener 6 in cooperation with the longitudinal contraction seam 7 and the transverse contraction seam 8. The flexible connection head 3 is composed of an arc-shaped silicone ring, which is arranged circumferentially at the edge of the outermost arc-shaped bowl 4 to form a support connection surface. The expansion and locking mechanism preferably includes an annular expansion capsule 14 and an open locking ring group. The open locking rings 15 constituting the open locking ring group are sleeved on the lifting pillar 12 in the installation cavity 13 with opening seams staggered in the height direction. The annular expansion capsule 14 located in the installation cavity 13 is sleeved on the open locking ring group. The expansion and contraction of the annular expansion capsule 14 is determined by the high-pressure fluid medium delivered by an external high-pressure drive system.

[0051] A more specific structure is that a first interface 9 is provided on the fixed connecting head, and the universal ball joint adsorption structure composed of multiple arc-shaped bowls 4 has a cavity 10. The first interface 9 is connected with the cavity 10, and the cavity 10 forms a closable space cavity with the outer surface of the corresponding position of the aviation thin-walled skin part through an arc-shaped silicone ring. The space cavity forms a negative pressure state through the first interface 9 with the cooperation of an external vacuum pumping device. The fastener 6 is a fixing screw, and the fixing seat body 5 is a sleeve cap seat with an inner flange. Serial holes 11 are respectively provided at the bottom of each arc-shaped bowl 4. Each arc-shaped bowl 4 is rotatably connected to each other through a non-metallic elastic serial connection piece inserted into each serial hole 11 to form an integral universal ball joint adsorption structure, and the outer diameter of the non-metallic elastic serial connection piece is adapted to the aperture of the lowest serial hole 11. The high-pressure fluid medium of the technique is a high-pressure gas medium or a high-pressure liquid medium transported by a high-pressure driving system. The annular expansion bag 14 is an annular rubber bag or an annular silicon capsule. Passivation structures are provided at the openings and upper and lower edges of each open locking ring 15. The open locking rings 15 sleeved on the lifting pillar 12 are arranged in a vertically tightened order. In this way, the assembly tooling described in the present application can be used to assemble aircraft thin-walled parts according to the following construction method. First, each set of flexible support devices is arranged and fixed on the hardened ground in the workshop according to the specified longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Then, the high-pressure drive system is used to place the lifting struts in the same horizontal plane and maintain them in a balanced state without falling under the action of their own gravity with the cooperation of the expansion locking mechanism. Then, the aviation thin-walled skin parts shaped by the universal shaping frame or the contoured simple hanger are hoisted onto the support plane formed by the various sets of flexible support devices, and the universal flexible connection mechanisms of each set of flexible support devices are respectively and simultaneously connected and fixed to the corresponding positions of the aviation thin-walled skin parts. Then, high-pressure fluid media are input to lock and determine the height of each set of flexible support devices to complete the fixation of the aircraft thin-walled parts.

[0052] In summary, the tooling provided in the present application can meet the needs of multi-purpose and precise fixation of soft parts, and is not limited by the curvature, size and shape of the parts; and the tooling can meet the needs of fixing different parts. Compared with traditional fixing tooling, it has more functions, faster fixation, and better protection for parts, avoiding the problem of traditional fixing tooling using hard materials to directly fit the parts and cause scratches on the skin.

[0053] The technical solution of the present application is further described below through specific embodiments:

[0054] Embodiment 1

[0055] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0056] This solution provides a modular flexible tooling support device, tooling and its system, which are designed to quickly and accurately position and fix large-sized, large-curvature, multi-curvature, irregular thin-walled parts that need to be processed, so as to meet the requirements of precise and stable processing and prepare for machining.

[0057] First, the core structure and system composition of the technical solution of this application are as follows:

[0058] Tool support device: It is the main component of the entire tool used to fix parts, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown. Figure 3 The structure shown is the structural axonometric diagram of the tooling support device. In actual installation, the base plate is fixedly connected to the hardened ground. The axis of the entire tooling support device is perpendicular to the horizontal ground. Only the universal ball joint adsorption mechanism at the top of the tooling support device can deflect at an angle. The deflection angle limit depends on the structural setting and quantity of the arc bowl of the universal ball joint adsorption structure, as well as the limit deflection angle of a single arc bowl. Figure 6 The three-bowl structure shown can achieve universal deflection within a range of at least 270°. Large-sized, special-shaped, thin-walled parts in aviation are mostly skin parts of special parts of aircraft. The parts with larger skin curvature of aircraft are usually in the following areas:

[0059] Wing: Wings are usually designed with a certain curvature in the airfoil, especially at the wing tip and wing root, to achieve the best lift and drag performance. These curvatures help improve the flight efficiency and stability of the aircraft.

[0060] Fuselage: The front and rear of the aircraft fuselage usually have areas of greater curvature to reduce air resistance and improve the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft. Especially at the tail of the aircraft, there is usually a greater curvature to reduce the tail angle of attack and improve stability.

[0061] Vertical tail and horizontal tail: The vertical tail and horizontal tail of the aircraft are also designed to have a certain curvature in order to generate the required lift and control the stability of the aircraft.

[0062] Engine cowling: The engine cowling on an aircraft is also usually curved to reduce air resistance and optimize engine performance.

[0063] The skin curvature design of these parts is carefully considered to improve the performance, stability and safety of the aircraft. Aeronautical engineers will design the curvature of these parts according to the requirements of aerodynamics, structural mechanics and flight control to ensure that the aircraft performs well under various flight conditions. However, in the processing state, taking horizontal placement as an example, the angle between its maximum curvature and the horizontal plane is usually not greater than 45°. Therefore, the universal ball joint adsorption mechanism of the present invention is sufficient to meet the fixing requirements.

[0064] Its working principle is described as follows:

[0065] When multiple tooling support devices are installed, they will form an array, which is generally a rectangular array. For example, if an array of 10 rows × 4 columns is arranged and the spacing between two adjacent tooling support devices is 40 cm, then the size of the matrix array can reach 3.6m × 1.2m. The size of the array can be changed and arranged at will, with the aim of covering / supporting the size of the parts to be processed, thereby ensuring reliable fixation of the processed parts.

[0066] When the array layout is completed, the parts and the array are matched at an angle. The matching process or method is as follows:

[0067] 1. Adjust the height of each tooling support device that makes up the array to be consistent. In the current state, the height of each tooling support device is equivalent, or to be more precise, it is in the highest state, that is, the lifting strut is in the highest state. Because the current state of the array is worthless before matching, if each tooling support device is the same height, then only an absolutely flat skin part can be fixed, and any skin of the aircraft has curvature, and there will never be a completely flat skin. Therefore, the current tooling has not been completed.

[0068] 2. Lower the pressure in the expansion mechanism, as long as the friction between the expansion mechanism and the lifting strut in the natural state can support the self-weight of the lifting strut and prevent it from sliding down automatically. Fix a skin part to be processed on a traditional fixed tool or a simple lifting frame that can maintain the standard posture of the skin part; then, lift the part by a crane and slowly place it on the matrix array until the skin surface contacts the tooling support devices that make up the array in turn, until each tooling support device in the entire skin part coverage area contacts the skin part, then lift the skin upward to separate the skin from the array; manually observe the alignment of the positioning holes reserved on the skin with the matching positioning devices on the ground, and slowly descend again. Since the skin part cannot be offset in the horizontal direction after positioning, it can only be lifted in the vertical direction. Therefore, it can only make reliable contact with each tooling support device in this process. When the contact is completed, the fixing step can be performed.

[0069] 3. Fixing of skin parts and tooling support device: Connect each second interface with a one-way valve to the vacuum system through a pipeline, so that the entire universal ball joint adsorption structure is in a vacuum state, so that the first arc bowl adsorbed on the skin surface is firmly adsorbed on the skin surface; during the adsorption process, due to the deformation of the adsorbed silicone rubber, the entire universal ball joint adsorption mechanism and the lifting strut will rise a little distance, which is not much, generally 1-2cm; at this time, the array and the parts to be processed are in a completely fitted state, and the curvature of the entire part is consistent with the state of assembly on the aircraft, without any deformation and internal stress. At this time, high-pressure fluid, such as hydraulic oil or air, is filled into each expansion mechanism through the high-pressure system through the pipeline, so that the airbag cavity is gradually filled with pressure fluid, and the annular airbag applies pressure to the multiple open rings set on the lifting strut, so that the open rings can tightly hold the lifting strut, thereby fixing the relative distance between the expansion structure and the lifting strut. It should be noted that multiple open rings are axially stacked and sleeved on the lifting pillars in sequence. At the same time, the opening gaps on the open rings need to be staggered to prevent the annular airbag from being embedded in the opening gaps. In the array, since the annular airbag is made of rubber or other flexible materials, the edges of the open rings are passivated to avoid damaging the annular airbag. When all tooling support devices are fixed, the current array constitutes a tooling for fixing the current part.

[0070] 4. It should be noted here that the universal ball joint adsorption structure is an overall summary of the first arc bowl, the second arc bowl, the third arc bowl and the bowl body fixing seat; wherein the fixing seat body is fixed and clamped on the top of the lifting pillar by fasteners. The bowl body fixing seat and the lifting pillar can be adjusted and disassembled by loosening / tightening the fasteners; of course, generally speaking, since the universal ball joint adsorption mechanism can achieve universal adjustment, once the bowl body fixing seat is fixed, no adjustment will be performed unless the parts that need to be fixed are replaced.

[0071] The third arc bowl is fixedly mounted on the fixing seat body, while the second arc bowl and the third arc bowl are slidingly sealed; similarly, the first arc bowl and the second arc bowl are also slidingly sealed. In order to improve the sealing performance, the arc surfaces of the first arc bowl and the second arc bowl are made of metal and mirror-finished. Silicone rubber for contact sealing is provided inside any arc bowl, which is not shown in the figure. In order to facilitate the loosening or clamping of the fixing seat body, the fixing seat body is provided with transverse and longitudinal contraction seams, so that there is a slight deformation ability and space when the fasteners are tightened or loosened.

[0072] The system including the tooling refers to the pneumatic / hydraulic system and vacuum system used to control the tooling (array support device), as well as possible control method switches, etc.

Claims

1. A flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts, characterized in that: The flexible support device includes a base frame, a support adjustment component and a universal flexible connection mechanism. The support adjustment component is arranged on the base frame in a vertically liftable manner, and the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism is rotatably arranged on the support adjustment component. During the assembly process of aviation thin-walled skin parts, the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled are fixed by suction through the support connection surface of the universal flexible connection mechanism, and the aviation thin-walled skin parts fixed by suction on the flexible support device determine their shape and position through the support adjustment component with the cooperation of the universal flexible connection mechanism.

2. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The base frame comprises a base plate (1) and a cylindrical support column (2), wherein the base plate (1) is arranged at the lower end of the cylindrical support column (2), and the support adjustment component is sleeved on the cylindrical support column (2) through its lower part so as to be liftable in the vertical direction.

3. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The universal flexible connection mechanism comprises a flexible connection head (3), a non-metallic elastic serial connection piece and at least two arc-shaped bowls (4); the flexible connection head (3) arranged on the edge of the outermost arc-shaped bowl along the circumferential direction constitutes a support connection surface; the arc-shaped bowls (4) arranged overlapping in the same direction are connected to form a rotatable whole on the support connection surface through the non-metallic elastic serial connection piece; the universal flexible connection mechanism is fixedly connected to the top of the support adjustment component through the bottom arc-shaped bowl (4).

4. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The universal flexible connection mechanism also includes a bowl body fixing seat composed of a fixing seat body (5) and a fastener (6), a longitudinal shrinkage seam (7) is arranged on the fixing seat body (5), a fixing connection head is also arranged at the lower end of the lowest arc-shaped bowl (4), a transverse shrinkage seam (8) is arranged on the fixing connection head, the lowest arc-shaped bowl (4) is detachably fixed on the top of the support adjustment component through the fixing seat body (5) and the fastener (6) in cooperation with the longitudinal shrinkage seam (7) and the transverse shrinkage seam (8), and the flexible connection head (3) is composed of an arc-shaped silicone ring, which is arranged circumferentially at the edge of the outermost arc-shaped bowl (4) to form a support connection surface.

5. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 4 is characterized in that: A first interface (9) is provided on the fixed connection head. The universal ball joint adsorption structure composed of a plurality of arc-shaped bowls (4) has a cavity (10). The first interface (9) is connected to the cavity (10). The cavity (10) forms a closable space cavity with the outer surface of the corresponding position of the aviation thin-walled skin part through an arc-shaped silicone ring. The space cavity forms a negative pressure state through the first interface (9) with the cooperation of an external vacuum device. The fastener (6) is a fixing screw. The fixing seat body (5) is a cap seat with an inner flange. A serial connection hole (11) is respectively provided at the bottom of each arc-shaped bowl (4). Each arc-shaped bowl (4) is rotatably connected to each other through a non-metallic elastic serial connection piece inserted into each serial connection hole (11) to form an integral universal ball joint adsorption structure. The outer diameter of the non-metallic elastic serial connection piece is adapted to the hole diameter of the lowest serial connection hole (11).

6. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 5 is characterized in that: The support adjustment component comprises a lifting column (12) and an expansion locking mechanism. An installation cavity (13) is provided on the upper part of the cylindrical support column (2). The expansion locking mechanism sleeved on the lifting column (12) is arranged in the installation cavity (13). The lifting column (12) adjusted in height is locked on the cylindrical support column (2) by the expansion locking mechanism. The bowl body fixing seat is arranged on the top of the lifting column (12).

7. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The expansion locking mechanism comprises an annular expansion capsule (14) and an open locking ring group. The open locking rings (15) constituting the open locking ring group are sleeved on a lifting support (12) in an installation cavity (13) with their opening seams staggered in the height direction. The annular expansion capsule (14) in the installation cavity (13) is sleeved on the open locking ring group. The expansion and contraction of the annular expansion capsule (14) is determined by a high-pressure fluid medium delivered by an external high-pressure drive system.

8. The flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 7 is characterized in that: The high-pressure fluid medium is a high-pressure gas medium or a high-pressure liquid medium transported by a high-pressure driving system. The annular expansion capsule (14) is an annular rubber capsule or an annular silicon capsule. Passivation structures are provided at the openings and upper and lower edges of each open locking ring (15). The open locking rings (15) sleeved on the lifting pillar (12) are arranged in a vertically mutually pressed sequence.

9. An assembly tooling device formed by the flexible support device for assembling aviation thin-walled skin parts according to claim 8, characterized in that: The assembly tooling includes at least three sets of flexible support devices, each set of flexible support devices is arranged according to specified longitudinal and transverse dimensions, and the spatial shape of the aviation thin-walled skin parts to be assembled is fixed in a conformal manner through the support adjustment components and universal flexible connection mechanisms of each flexible support device with the cooperation of a universal shaping frame or a contoured simple hanger.

10. A construction method for assembling aircraft thin-walled parts using the assembly tooling of claim 9, characterized in that: The construction method first arranges and fixes each set of flexible support devices on the hardened ground in the workshop according to the specified vertical and horizontal dimensions, and then uses the high-pressure drive system to place the lifting pillars in the same horizontal plane and maintain them in a balanced state without falling under the action of their own gravity with the cooperation of the expansion locking mechanism, and then hoists the aviation thin-walled skin parts shaped by the universal shaping frame or the contoured simple hanger to the support plane formed by the various sets of flexible support devices, and makes the universal flexible connection mechanisms of each set of flexible support devices respectively and simultaneously contact and fix with the corresponding positions of the aviation thin-walled skin parts, and then inputs high-pressure fluid medium to lock and determine the height of each set of flexible support devices to complete the fixation of the aircraft thin-walled parts.

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