Aircraft jacking structure and aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft jacking structure includes a support, the support being mounted on the inside of the aircraft's fuselage skin and including a groove recessed toward the inside of the fuselage skin; a movable component mounted in the groove and configured to move within the groove; and a jacking joint configured to force the movable component to move toward the inside of the fuselage skin, causing the jacking joint to partially enter the support's groove for detachable assembly with the support. When the support is separated from the jacking joint, surfaces of the support and movable component facing the outside of the fuselage skin conform to the aircraft's aerodynamic shape. An aircraft including the aircraft jacking structure is also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aircraft fuselage design, and more particularly to an aircraft jacking-up structure and an aircraft. Background Art

[0002] Jacking up or lifting the entire aircraft is an important operation procedure during aircraft maintenance. Usually, multiple jacking points and auxiliary support points are set on the wings, nose and rear fuselage.

[0003] Currently, there are two main types of aircraft jacking structures: one pre-designs bolt holes at the jacking points and auxiliary support points of the aircraft structure for installing jacking supports. The other pre-installs supports with a jacking head or socket at the jacking points and auxiliary support points of the aircraft structure, and then uses a matching jacking socket or jacking head for jacking. However, both methods have some drawbacks.

[0004] In the method of utilizing existing bolt holes, when the aircraft needs to be jacked up, the original bolts are first removed, and then a jack support (with a head or socket) is installed for jacking or support. This method requires removing the original bolts and then installing the support each time the aircraft is jacked up. This process is cumbersome and there is a risk of damaging the threads in the bolt holes due to frequent use.

[0005] In pre-installed mounts with a head or socket, when the aircraft needs to be jacked up, a jack is used to directly contact the head or socket. This method can easily damage the aircraft structure during the jacking process. Furthermore, currently, mounts with a head or socket are usually installed as separate components on the aircraft's exterior surface, causing them to protrude from the aircraft structure, thereby affecting the aircraft's aerodynamic shape and aesthetics.

[0006] With respect to the form of pre-installed top head or top socket, a jacking structure is currently desired, which can reduce the impact on the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft and also reduce the risk of damaging the fuselage structure. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the issue of existing supports with a head or socket affecting the aircraft's aerodynamic shape, this structure provides a concealed interface for connecting to the jacking connector, without affecting the aircraft's aerodynamic shape or aesthetics. Furthermore, this aircraft jacking structure reduces the risk of damage to the aircraft structure during jacking, and is easy to install and remove.

[0008] Specifically, an aircraft jacking structure includes: a support, which is installed on the inner side of the aircraft's fuselage skin and includes a groove recessed toward the inner side of the fuselage skin; a movable component, which is installed in the groove and is configured to be able to move in the groove; and a jacking joint, which is configured to force the movable component to move toward the inner side of the fuselage skin so that the jacking joint partially enters the groove of the support to be detachably installed together with the support, wherein, when the support is separated from the jacking joint, the surfaces of the support and the movable component facing the outer side of the fuselage skin conform to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft.

[0009] Advantageously, the aircraft jacking-up structure further comprises a reinforcement plate installed between the support and the fuselage skin.

[0010] Advantageously, the aircraft jacking-up structure further comprises a first reinforcement member, which is mounted on the left and right sides of the support.

[0011] Advantageously, the aircraft jacking-up structure further comprises a second reinforcement member, which is mounted on the forward and rearward sides of the support in the heading direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, the aircraft lifting structure further includes a compression spring and a spring base, one end of the compression spring is mounted on the spring base, and the other end of the compression spring is connected to the movable part, and the spring base is mounted at the bottom of the groove, wherein the compression spring forces the movable part to move toward the outside of the fuselage skin.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the support includes a bushing fixedly mounted in a groove, wherein the groove of the support has a first section and a second section extending sequentially from a surface of the support facing the outside of the fuselage skin, a first inner diameter of the first section is greater than a second inner diameter of the second section to form a first step between the first section and the second section, and wherein one end of the bushing abuts the first step and the other end of the bushing conforms to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft.

[0014] Advantageously, the aircraft jacking structure further comprises a fixing pin, which fixes the support and the bushing together, wherein the support and the bushing form a matching portion to match the shape of the fixing pin.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the bushing has a bushing edge, the thickness of the bushing edge is greater than the width of the first step, so that a limit portion is formed at one end of the bushing abutting the first step, wherein the groove also has a third section extending from the second section, the third inner diameter of the third section is smaller than the second inner diameter of the second section, so as to form a second step between the second section and the third section, and wherein the movable part has a flange, and the flange is confined between the limit portion and the second step, so that the movement of the flange is confined in the second section.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, the jacking joint has a protrusion, and the bushing has a guide groove, and the jacking joint is configured to be detachably mounted with the support by moving the protrusion along the guide groove.

[0017] Additional features and advantages of the described aircraft jacking structure will be set forth in the following detailed description, which includes the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description or learned by practicing the embodiments described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] With reference to the above objects, the technical features of the present invention are clearly described in the following claims, and its advantages are apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example without limiting the scope of the inventive concept.

[0019] Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 An axonometric view of a support for an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a support for an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein components within a groove of the support are removed;

[0022] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a support for an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 5A and 5B Schematic diagrams showing a bushing of an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention at different angles;

[0024] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing a jacking joint of an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0025] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of an aircraft jacking structure with a jacking joint installed according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Reference numerals

[0027] 1 fuselage skin

[0028] 2 long stringers

[0029] 10 supports

[0030] 100 grooves

[0031] 101 Section 1

[0032] 102 Second Section

[0033] 103 Section 3

[0034] 104 First Step

[0035] 105 Second Step

[0036] 106 groove matching portion

[0037] 20 reinforcement plate

[0038] 31 first reinforcement

[0039] 32 second reinforcement

[0040] 40 moving parts

[0041] 41 Edge

[0042] 42 flange

[0043] 51 compression spring

[0044] 52 spring base

[0045] 60 bushing

[0046] 61 bushing fitting part

[0047] 62 Bushing Edge

[0048] 63 guide slots

[0049] 70 fixing pin

[0050] 80 jacking joint

[0051] 81 protrusions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, but they are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0053] The term "aircraft structure" used in this article includes structural components such as the fuselage, wings, and tail, all of which have fuselage skin, and the term "within the aircraft structure" means inside these structural components and not protruding outside the fuselage skin.

[0054] As used herein, the term “fuselage skin inboard” refers to the side of the fuselage skin facing the interior of the aircraft, and “fuselage skin outboard” refers to the side of the fuselage skin facing the surrounding environment.

[0055] The term "vertical direction" as used herein refers to Figure 3The sectional view shown is defined by reference to the side, and "lateral" is also referred to if not explicitly stated (e.g. sideways of an aircraft). Figure 3 Specifically, the lateral direction is a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0056] As used herein, terms such as "aircraft heading," "aircraft lateral," "forward," "backward," "left," and "right" are defined based on the direction of the aircraft during flight. Specifically, "aircraft heading" may be understood as the direction of the aircraft's nose during flight, and "aircraft lateral" may be understood as the direction perpendicular to the heading on a horizontal plane.

[0057] As used herein, the term "aerodynamic shape" refers to the flight-suitable shape of an aircraft, which is primarily maintained by the fuselage skin. A description of a component "conforming to the aircraft's aerodynamic shape" means that the component's shape (or outer surface) substantially compensates for missing portions of the fuselage skin to ensure that the aircraft's aerodynamic shape is not affected.

[0058] For ease of understanding, the "bushing" and "sleeve" used in this article are considered to have a roughly cylindrical structure, but those skilled in the art can easily imagine that in other cases, the "bushing" and "sleeve" can have other shapes, such as an elliptical cylinder with a through hole, a square prism or a hexagonal prism, etc.

[0059] Figure 1 An isometric view of an aircraft jacking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Although the embodiments of the present invention utilize an aircraft jacking structure installed on the aircraft's rear fuselage, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the aircraft jacking structure described herein can be installed within the aircraft structure at the wings, nose, or rear fuselage of the aircraft. Unlike conventional jacking structures, some components of the aircraft jacking structure are installed inside the fuselage skin before the skin is installed on the aircraft structure. Therefore, these components (including the brackets described below) are designed as part of the aircraft structure rather than as separate components.

[0060] Reference Figure 1The aircraft lifting structure includes a support 10, which is installed on the inner side of the fuselage skin 1 of the aircraft. The surface of the support 10 facing outward (bottom surface) conforms to the shape of the fuselage skin 1 at its installation point. Advantageously, the aircraft lifting structure also includes a reinforcement plate 20, which is installed between the support 10 and the fuselage skin 1, which can reduce the stress level of the fuselage skin 1 and improve the bearing capacity of the fuselage skin 1. The shape and curvature of the reinforcement plate 20 are also conformal to the shape of the fuselage skin 1 at the installation point. The support 10 is connected to the fuselage skin 1 and the reinforcement plate 20 by high-locking bolts. When installing the reinforcement plate 20, the long stringer 2 can also be installed together with the fuselage skin 1 and the reinforcement plate 20 by high-locking bolts. The long stringer 2 is a conventional longitudinal component in the aircraft structure, which is mainly used to withstand the axial force caused by the bending of the fuselage and has a supporting effect on the fuselage skin 1.

[0061] In addition to the reinforcement plate 20, the aircraft jacking structure preferably also includes a first reinforcement member 31 and a second reinforcement member 32. The first reinforcement member 31 is installed on the left and right sides of the support 10 using high-lock bolts to improve the lateral stability of the support 10 relative to the aircraft. The second reinforcement member 32 is installed on the front and rear sides of the support 10 using high-lock bolts to improve the stability of the support 10 in the heading direction. It should be understood that at least one of the first reinforcement member 31 and the second reinforcement member 32 can be omitted depending on the actual installation location of the aircraft jacking structure.

[0062] Reference Figure 2 The support 10 is designed to have a T-shaped shape to avoid the long beams on both sides ( Figure 1 ), and a portion of the support 10 can be hollowed out to reduce its weight.

[0063] Reference Figure 3 The support 10 includes a recess 100 recessed toward the inside of the fuselage skin 1. The recess 100 has a first section 101 extending inward from the support's surface facing the outside of the fuselage skin, a second section 102 extending from the first section 101, and a third section 103 extending from the second section 102. The first section 101 has a first inner diameter, the second section 102 has a second inner diameter, and the third section 103 has a third inner diameter. The first inner diameter of the first section 101 is greater than the second inner diameter of the second section 102, forming a first step 104 between the first and second sections 101, 102. Furthermore, the second inner diameter of the second section 102 is greater than the third inner diameter of the third section 103, forming a second step 105 between the second and third sections 102, 103. It should be understood that the shape of the recess 100 described and illustrated herein is merely exemplary and non-limiting. In other embodiments, the recess may be cylindrical, for example, and other components, such as stops, may be added.

[0064] Reference Figure 4, shows a movable part 40 of the aircraft jacking structure, which is installed in the groove 100 of the support 10 and can move in the groove 100 along the inner wall of the groove 100. Since the jacking joint described below needs to be installed in the support 10, the fuselage skin 1 needs an opening for the jacking joint to be connected to the support 10. In order to reduce the impact of the opening of the fuselage skin 1 on the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft, the shape of the movable part 40 is designed so that when the jacking joint described below is not installed, the surface of the support 10 and the movable part 40 facing the outside of the fuselage skin 1 conforms to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. It can be seen from the figure that the lower surfaces of the support 10 and the movable part 40 basically compensate for the open portion of the fuselage skin 1, eliminating the impact of the opening of the fuselage skin 1 on the aerodynamic shape and aesthetics of the aircraft.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the movable part 40 has a sleeve shape, and its end facing the fuselage skin 1 has an edge 41 to fill the opening of the fuselage skin 1 to the greatest extent possible. To ensure that the movable part 40 can compensate for the opening of the fuselage skin 1 when jacking is not required, the aircraft jacking structure further includes a compression spring 51 and a spring base 52. One end of the compression spring 51 is mounted on the spring base 52 (e.g., sleeved on the spring base 52), and the other end of the compression spring 51 is connected to the movable part 40, for example, engaging the edge 41 of the movable part 40. As a result, the compression spring 51 can push the edge 41, thereby forcing the movable part 40 to move toward the outside of the fuselage skin 1, so that the movable part 40 conforms to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. The spring base 52 can be mounted at the bottom of the groove 100, i.e., at the third section 103.

[0066] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the compression spring 51 does not cause the movable component 40 to pop out of the fuselage skin 1, the support 10 further includes a bushing 60, which is fixedly installed in the groove 100, wherein one end of the bushing 60 abuts against the first step 104, and the shape of the other end of the bushing 60 is designed to compensate for the opening of the fuselage skin 1 to conform to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For example, Figure 5A As shown, in the case of the rear fuselage, one end of the bushing 60 (the lower end in the figure) is designed to be curved to conform to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. Advantageously, a fixing pin 70 (at Figure 1 (see Figure 2) fixes the support 10 and the bushing 60 together. Figure 4 and Figure 5A The groove 100 of the support 10 is formed with a groove fitting portion 106, and the bushing 60 is formed with a bushing fitting portion 61. The groove fitting portion 106 and the bushing fitting portion 61 form a through hole that allows the fixing pin 70 to pass through. After the fixing pin 70 is installed, the bushing 60 can be prevented from moving in the vertical direction relative to the groove 100.

[0067] Continue to refer to Figure 4 The bushing 60 has a bushing edge 62, and the thickness of the bushing edge 62 is greater than the first step 104 ( Figure 3 ), forming a stop at one end of the bushing that abuts the first step 104. Correspondingly, the movable component 40 has a flange 42 at its end opposite the end having the edge 41. The flange 42 is larger than the inner diameter of the bushing 60, preventing the flange 42 from moving past the bushing 60. Furthermore, the third inner diameter of the third section 103 is smaller than the second inner diameter of the second section 102, limiting the movement of the flange 42 between the stop and the second step 105, that is, limiting the movement of the flange 42 within the second section 102. Thus, the addition of the bushing 60 ensures that, when the aircraft's jacking structure is not in use, the movable component 40 can be pushed by the compression spring 51 into a shape that conforms to the aircraft's aerodynamic shape.

[0068] In this embodiment, the installation method of the aircraft jacking structure within the aircraft structure is as follows: place the compression spring 51 and the spring base 52 into the groove 100 of the support 10, and then place the movable part 40 and the bushing 60 in sequence, and press the movable part 40 so that its outer surface is aligned with the outer surface of the skin; install the fixing pin 70 through the through hole to fix the bushing 60, and install a fuse at the tail end of the fixing pin 70; connect the support 10 to the fuselage skin 1, the reinforcement plate 20, the first reinforcement 31 and the second reinforcement 32 through high-locking bolts.

[0069] It should be understood that although the above description provides a portion of the aircraft jacking structure including the support 10, the movable component 40, the spring, and the bushing 60 installed within the aircraft structure, which can meet the requirements of conforming to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft, this is merely exemplary and not restrictive. In other embodiments, the portion of the aircraft jacking structure installed within the aircraft structure may have other configurations. For example, the groove of the support may have a sliding track, and the movable component may utilize gravity to automatically slide to a position conforming to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft when not in use.

[0070] Reference Figure 6 and 7 The aircraft jacking structure further includes a jacking joint 80, which is configured to force the movable component 40 to move toward the inner side of the fuselage skin 1, so that the jacking joint 80 partially enters the groove 100 of the support 10 to be detachably installed with the support 10. Specifically, referring to Figure 7The jacking joint 80 has a protrusion 81, and the bushing 60 has a guide groove 63. The jacking joint 80 is configured to be removably mounted on the support 10 by moving the protrusion 81 along the guide groove 63. In this embodiment, the guide groove 63 is L-shaped. Thus, the jacking joint 80 can be moved upward to overcome the compression spring 51 and the movable member 40, so that the protrusion 81 first moves along the L-shaped guide groove 63 to the apex of the L-shape. The jacking joint 80 is then rotated to move the protrusion 81 along the L-shaped guide groove 63 to the end, thereby completing the installation. When the jacking joint 80 cooperates with the jack and the lifting force of the jacking joint 80, the flange upper surface of the jacking joint 80 contacts the lower edge of the support 10 and the bushing 60, transmitting the lifting force to the support 10, and then transmitting the lifting force to the fuselage skin 1, the reinforcement plate 20, and the long stringer 2 through the high locking bolts. When the work is completed and there is no need to lift up, just rotate and remove the lifting joint 80, and the movable part 40 will return to its original position under the action of the compression spring 51. Figure 4 When the support 10 is separated from the lifting joint 80, the surface of the support 10 and the movable component 40 facing the outside of the fuselage skin 1 is restored to conform to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft.

[0071] Compared with the prior art, the aircraft jacking structure proposed by the present invention has the following technical advantages:

[0072] The aircraft jacking structure does not affect the aerodynamic shape and aesthetics of the aircraft; a hidden installation interface is provided for the jacking joint by using bushings, movable parts, springs and other parts; the jacking joint is an auxiliary structure independent of the aircraft structure and is easy to disassemble and assemble; it can reduce the risk of the jack damaging the fuselage structure; and the jacking joint does not need to be installed on the aircraft structure all the time, which has certain weight advantages.

[0073] Although the structure of the present invention has been described above in conjunction with preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, modifications and variations may be made to the present invention, and such modifications and variations will fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. An aircraft jacking structure, comprising: A support, the support being mounted on an inner side of a fuselage skin of the aircraft and comprising a groove recessed toward the inner side of the fuselage skin; a movable member installed in the groove and configured to be movable in the groove; as well as A lifting joint configured to force the movable component to move toward the inner side of the fuselage skin so that the lifting joint partially enters the groove of the support to be detachably mounted with the support, Wherein, when the support is separated from the lifting joint, the surfaces of the support and the movable component facing the outer side of the fuselage skin conform to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft.

2. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 1, wherein: A reinforcing plate is also included, and the reinforcing plate is installed between the support and the fuselage skin.

3. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 1, wherein: The aircraft further comprises a first reinforcement member installed on the left and right sides of the support in a lateral direction of the aircraft.

4. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 1, wherein: The aircraft further comprises a second reinforcement member installed at the front and rear sides of the support in the heading direction of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes a compression spring and a spring base, one end of the compression spring is installed on the spring base, and the other end of the compression spring is connected to the movable part, and the spring base is installed at the bottom of the groove, wherein the compression spring forces the movable part to move toward the outside of the fuselage skin.

6. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 5, wherein: The support includes a bushing fixedly mounted in the groove, The groove of the support has a first section and a second section extending sequentially from the surface of the support facing the outer side of the fuselage skin, the first inner diameter of the first section is larger than the second inner diameter of the second section, so as to form a first step between the first section and the second section; One end of the bushing abuts against the first step, and the other end of the bushing conforms to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft.

7. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 6, wherein: A fixing pin is further included to fix the support and the bushing together, wherein the support and the bushing form a matching portion to match the shape of the fixing pin.

8. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 6, wherein: The bushing has a bushing edge, the thickness of which is greater than the width of the first step, so that a limiting portion is formed at one end of the bushing abutting against the first step. wherein the groove further has a third section extending from the second section, a third inner diameter of the third section being smaller than the second inner diameter of the second section, so as to form a second step between the second section and the third section; and The movable component has a flange, and the flange is restricted between the limiting portion and the second step, so that the movement of the flange is restricted in the second section.

9. The aircraft jacking structure according to claim 1, wherein: The jacking joint has a protrusion, and the bushing has a guide groove, and the jacking joint is configured to be detachably mounted with the support by moving the protrusion along the guide groove.

10. An aircraft comprising the aircraft jacking-up structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the aircraft jacking-up structure is installed in the aircraft structure at the wings, the nose and the rear fuselage of the aircraft.

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