A split connection structure of an engine thrust joint and a torque mounting joint

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of aero-engine mounting structure design, and particularly relates to a split type connecting structure of an engine thrust joint and a torque mounting joint, and especially to a split type design which completely decouples the engine thrust transmission function and the torque and moment balance function in structure. The thrust transmission function and the torque balance function are completely separated, the problems of complex load path, large structure weight and poor maintainability of a traditional integrated engine rear mounting joint are solved, the split type connecting structure has the advantages of clear force transmission path, structure optimization and weight reduction, convenient maintenance, high reliability and the like, and is particularly suitable for the installation of a modern high-bypass-ratio turbofan engine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of aero-engine installation structure design technology, specifically relating to a split connection structure of engine thrust joint and torque mounting joint, and particularly a split design that completely decouples engine thrust transmission function from torque and moment balance function in structure. Background Technology

[0002] In current aircraft, the engine is connected to the wing via a pylon. The connection structure must be able to transmit the engine's enormous thrust, gravity, inertial forces, and aerodynamic loads, while accommodating the relative displacement between the engine and the pylon caused by thermal expansion. Traditional engine aft mounting sections often employ an integrated or semi-integrated design, where the thrust transmission path and torque reaction path are achieved through a compact, structurally coupled main load-bearing engine aft mounting section.

[0003] This traditional design has inherent limitations:

[0004] 1. Load path coupling and stress complexity: Thrust and torque loads are transmitted on the same main structure, resulting in a complex composite stress state that is difficult to analyze accurately and is prone to fatigue crack initiation at stress concentration points.

[0005] 2. Design compromises and weight penalties: A single structure must simultaneously meet the stringent requirements of thrust and torque, which often leads to "over-design," that is, increasing the overall weight in order to meet local high strength or stiffness requirements, which is not conducive to reducing aircraft weight.

[0006] 3. Poor maintainability: When repairing or replacing integrated structures, it is often necessary to disassemble the entire rear mounting section as a whole or a major component, which is a complicated, time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

[0007] 4. Sensitive to manufacturing and assembly errors: The compact integrated structure requires extremely high precision in the machining and assembly of parts. Even small errors may lead to assembly stress and abnormal stress on components, affecting the lifespan of the structure.

[0008] 5. Lack of modularity and upgrade flexibility: Any improvement to the thrust or torque transmission system may have far-reaching consequences, requiring a complete redesign of the connection structure. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the aforementioned issues arising from the functional integration of the engine rear mounting section in existing technologies, this application proposes a connection structure that completely separates the engine thrust connector and torque mounting section of an aero-engine. This design aims to achieve physical separation of the load path and functional simplification, thereby achieving the goals of structural optimization, weight reduction, improved maintainability, and enhanced reliability.

[0010] According to one aspect of this application, a split connection structure for an engine thrust joint and a torque mounting joint is provided, the split connection structure being used to connect a suspension body and an engine body.

[0011] This includes a thrust transmission system and a torque balancing system.

[0012] The thrust transmission system consists of an engine thrust connector, a thrust rod lug connecting plate, a thrust rod, a bolt and spherical bearing assembly, and a bolt and nut assembly.

[0013] The torque balancing system consists of a second bolt and a spherical bearing assembly, a hanging side joint, a torque lug connecting plate, a torque mounting section, and tensile bolts.

[0014] The thrust rod is connected to the thrust rod lug connecting plate by a combination of a first bolt and a spherical bearing. The thrust rod lug connecting plate is connected to the engine thrust connector by a combination of bolts and nuts. The engine thrust connector is fixedly connected to the suspension body by fasteners, forming an independent thrust transmission path, which is mainly used to transmit the axial thrust of the engine.

[0015] The thrust rod can be one or two.

[0016] The shape and size of the thrust rod lug connecting plate are adjusted according to actual needs.

[0017] The torque mounting section and the side connector of the suspension are fixedly connected to the main body of the suspension. The torque mounting section and the side connector of the suspension are connected to the main body of the suspension by tensile bolts. The torque mounting section is connected to the engine body through a combination of torque lug connecting plate, second bolt and spherical bearing to form an independent torque transmission path, which is used to bear and balance the torque and lateral load generated by the engine torque.

[0018] The shape and size of the torque lug connecting plate are adjusted according to actual needs.

[0019] Functional and structural decoupling: The thrust transmission system and the torque balance system are separated from each other in terms of spatial location, physical structural connection, and load transmission path. There is no direct rigid connection between the two, thereby realizing the physical decoupling of the thrust transmission function and the torque balance function and the decoupling of the load path.

[0020] The first bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly and the second bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly are composed of bolts, nuts, and spherical plain bearings, wherein the spherical plain bearings include an inner spherical plain bearing ring and an outer spherical plain bearing ring.

[0021] The inner ring of the spherical bearing is in contact with the bolt.

[0022] In the first bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly, the outer ring of the spherical plain bearing contacts the thrust rod lug connecting plate.

[0023] In the second bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly, the outer ring of the spherical plain bearing contacts the torque lug connecting plate.

[0024] The length of the thrust rod is adjustable, and the thrust rod consists of a thrust rod body, an internally threaded tube, and a thrust rod lug-type end.

[0025] The main body of the thrust rod is made of carbon fiber composite material, and the two ends are pressed into internally threaded titanium alloy tubes to form an internally threaded tubular end structure of the thrust rod. The lug-type end of the thrust rod is machined from titanium alloy to form an external thread, which can be threadedly connected to the internally threaded tubular end structure of the thrust rod.

[0026] The connection structure at the end of the thrust rod is a combination of a first bolt and a spherical bearing to accommodate the relative displacement between the engine and the suspension in multiple degrees of freedom, especially radial thermal expansion.

[0027] The torque mounting joint and the hanging side joint are closed or semi-closed box-shaped structures with internal reinforcing ribs to provide excellent torsional and shear stiffness.

[0028] The torque mounting section is connected to the engine body through multiple torque lug connecting plates to form a redundant safety connection structure, thereby optimizing the reliability of load transmission.

[0029] The thrust rod is an adjustable thrust rod with a finely adjustable length, used to compensate for manufacturing and assembly tolerances.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this application are:

[0031] 1. Clear and optimized load paths: thrust and torque loads are transmitted through completely independent paths, the structural stress is clear, and the corresponding components can be designed and materials selected for each type of load, avoiding complex stress states and improving structural efficiency.

[0032] 2. Significant weight reduction: Due to load path decoupling, each system can be designed in a refined manner as needed, avoiding redundant materials in the monolithic structure, thereby achieving effective structural weight reduction; at the same time, the engine thrust joint is located behind the torque mounting joint, reducing the angle between the thrust rod and the engine axis. Under the same engine thrust or variable, the axial force that the thrust rod itself needs to bear is reduced, and the radial load of the engine is reduced, which can bring about system-level weight reduction.

[0033] 3. Excellent maintainability: The split design allows the thrust rod and torque mounting section to be disassembled, inspected, replaced and maintained independently without disassembling the entire rear mounting section, which greatly shortens maintenance time and reduces maintenance costs.

[0034] 4. High reliability and security: Functional separation reduces the risk of the entire connection system failing due to the failure of a single component.

[0035] 5. Manufacturing and assembly tolerance: Split components are less sensitive to manufacturing and assembly errors. For example, adjustable thrust rods can absorb some installation errors and reduce assembly stress.

[0036] 6. Modularity and adaptability: This design provides flexibility for engine or pylon upgrades, allowing for independent upgrades to the thrust or torque systems without having to redesign the entire connectivity architecture. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall installation of the split connection structure of this application between the engine and the suspension.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a detailed exploded view of the thrust transmission system of this application, showing the assembly relationship of the thrust rod, the thrust rod lug connecting plate, and the engine thrust connector.

[0039] Figure 3 This is a detailed exploded view of the torque balancing system of this application, showing the assembly relationship of the torque mounting joint, torque lug connecting plate, and suspension side joint.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of bolts and spherical bearings.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure at the end of an adjustable-length thrust rod.

[0042] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the thrust rod lug connecting plate.

[0043] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of one of the torque lug connecting plates in the diagram.

[0044] Figure 8 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the second torque lug connecting plate in the diagram.

[0045] Figure 9 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the third torque lug connecting plate in the diagram.

[0046] The markings in the diagram represent: 1. Suspension body, 2. Engine body, 3. Engine thrust connector, 4. Thrust rod lug connecting plate, 5. Thrust rod, 6-1. First bolt and spherical bearing assembly, 6-2. Second bolt and spherical bearing assembly, 7. Bolt and nut assembly, 8. Suspension side connector, 9. Torque lug connecting plate, 10. Torque mounting joint, 11. Tensile bolt, 12. Bolt, 13. Nut, 14. Spherical bearing inner ring, 15. Spherical bearing outer ring, 16. Thrust rod body, 17. Internally threaded pipe, 18. Thrust rod lug end. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The present application is described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but the present application is not limited to these embodiments.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] Taking the rear connection of a certain type of high bypass ratio turbofan engine as an example:

[0050] like Figures 1-9 As shown:

[0051] A split connection structure for an engine thrust joint and a torque mounting joint, wherein the split connection structure is used to connect the suspension body 1 and the engine body 2.

[0052] This includes a thrust transmission system and a torque balancing system.

[0053] The thrust transmission system consists of an engine thrust connector 3, a thrust rod lug connecting plate 4, a thrust rod 5, a first bolt and a spherical bearing assembly 6-1, and a bolt and nut assembly 7.

[0054] The torque balancing system consists of a second bolt and a spherical bearing assembly 6-2, a hanging side connector 8, a torque lug connecting plate 9, a torque mounting section 10, and a tensile bolt 11.

[0055] The thrust rod 5 is connected to the thrust rod lug connecting plate 4 via a first bolt and a spherical bearing assembly 6-1. The thrust rod lug connecting plate 4 is connected to the engine thrust connector 3 via a bolt and nut assembly 7. The engine thrust connector 3 is fixedly connected to the suspension body 1 via fasteners, forming an independent thrust transmission path, which is mainly used to transmit the axial thrust of the engine.

[0056] The thrust rod 5 can be one or two.

[0057] The shape and size of the thrust rod lug connecting plate 4 are adjusted according to actual needs.

[0058] The torque mounting section 10 and the side connector 8 are both fixedly connected to the main body 1. The torque mounting section 10 and the side connector 8 are connected to the main body 1 by tensile bolts 11. The torque mounting section 10 is connected to the engine body 2 through the torque lug connecting plate 9, the second bolt and the spherical bearing assembly 6-2 to form an independent torque transmission path, which is used to bear and balance the torque and lateral load generated by the engine torque.

[0059] The shape and size of the torque lug connecting plate 9 are adjusted according to actual needs.

[0060] Functional and structural decoupling: The thrust transmission system and the torque balance system are separated from each other in terms of spatial location, physical structural connection, and load transmission path. There is no direct rigid connection between the two, thereby realizing the physical decoupling of the thrust transmission function and the torque balance function and the decoupling of the load path.

[0061] The first bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly 6-1 and the second bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly 6-2 are composed of bolt 12, nut 13 and spherical plain bearing, wherein the spherical plain bearing includes an inner ring 14 and an outer ring 15.

[0062] The inner ring 14 of the spherical bearing is in contact with the bolt 12.

[0063] In the first bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly 6-1, the outer ring 15 of the spherical plain bearing contacts the thrust rod lug connecting plate 4.

[0064] In the second bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly 6-2, the outer ring 15 of the spherical plain bearing contacts the torque lug connecting plate 9.

[0065] The length of the thrust rod 5 is adjustable. The thrust rod 5 consists of a thrust rod body 16, an internally threaded tube 17, and a thrust rod lug-type end 18.

[0066] The thrust rod body 16 is made of carbon fiber composite material, and titanium alloy internal threaded tubes 17 are pressed into both ends to form a thrust rod internal threaded tubular end structure. The thrust rod lug end 18 is made of titanium alloy and machined to have external threads, which can be threaded to the thrust rod internal threaded tubular end structure.

[0067] The connection structure at the end of the thrust rod 5 is a combination of a first bolt and a spherical bearing 6-1, to accommodate the relative displacement between the engine and the suspension in multiple degrees of freedom, especially radial thermal expansion.

[0068] The torque mounting section 10 and the hanging side joint 8 are closed or semi-closed box-shaped structures with internal reinforcing ribs to provide excellent torsional and shear stiffness.

[0069] The torque mounting section 10 is connected to the engine body 2 through multiple torque lug connecting plates 9 to form a redundant safety connection structure, thereby optimizing the reliability of load transmission.

[0070] The thrust rod 5 is an adjustable thrust rod with a finely adjustable length, used to compensate for manufacturing and assembly tolerances.

[0071] Specifically:

[0072] The thrust rod lug connecting plate 4 is machined from titanium alloy. The engine thrust connector 3 is machined from titanium alloy forgings and is structurally connected to the thrust rod 5 via a combination of high-strength steel bolts and nuts 7. The thrust rod 5 is designed for fine-tuning of its length via threaded connections at both ends.

[0073] The torque mounting section 10 is an open box-shaped structure made of high-strength steel, connected to the engine body 2 via three torque lug connecting plates 9. The side connector 8 is a box-shaped structure milled from high-strength steel and fixed to the suspension body 1 with bolts. The three torque lug connecting plates 9 are machined from high-strength steel.

[0074] The torque mounting section is located above the rear casing of the engine core, while the thrust transmission system is located behind the torque mounting section. The two are completely separated in space, and the load is transferred to the main suspension structure through their respective independent mounting bases.

[0075] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A split connection structure for an engine thrust joint and a torque mounting joint, characterized in that, The split connection structure is used to connect the main body of the suspension (1) and the main body of the engine (2). This includes the thrust transmission system and the torque balancing system; The thrust transmission system consists of an engine thrust connector (3), a thrust rod lug connecting plate (4), a thrust rod (5), a first bolt and a spherical bearing assembly (6-1), and a bolt and nut assembly (7); The torque balancing system consists of a second bolt and spherical bearing assembly (6-2), a hanging side joint (8), a torque lug connecting plate (9), a torque mounting section (10), and a tensile bolt (11); The thrust rod (5) is connected to the thrust rod lug connecting plate (4) by a first bolt and a spherical bearing assembly (6-1). The thrust rod lug connecting plate (4) is connected to the engine thrust connector (3) by a bolt and nut assembly (7). The engine thrust connector (3) is fixedly connected to the suspension body (1) by fasteners to form an independent thrust transmission path, which is mainly used to transmit the axial thrust of the engine. The torque mounting section (10) and the side connector (8) are fixedly connected to the main body (1). The torque mounting section (10), the side connector (8) and the main body (1) are connected by tensile bolts (11). The torque mounting section (10) is connected to the engine body (2) through the torque lug connecting plate (9), the second bolt and the spherical bearing assembly (6-2) to form an independent torque transmission path, which is used to bear and balance the torque and lateral load generated by the engine torque.

2. The split connection structure of the engine thrust joint and torque mounting joint according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thrust rod (5) may be one or two; The shape and size of the thrust rod lug connecting plate (4) are adjusted according to actual needs.

3. The split connection structure of the engine thrust joint and torque mounting joint according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape and size of the torque lug connecting plate (9) are adjusted according to actual needs.

4. The split connection structure of the engine thrust joint and torque mounting joint according to claim 3, characterized in that, The thrust transmission system and the torque balance system are decoupled from each other in terms of physical structure and load transmission path, and there is no rigid connection between them.

5. The split connection structure of the engine thrust joint and torque mounting joint according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly (6-1) and the second bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly (6-2) are composed of a bolt (12), a nut (13) and a spherical plain bearing, wherein the spherical plain bearing includes an inner ring (14) and an outer ring (15). The inner ring (14) of the spherical bearing is in contact with the bolt (12); In the first bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly (6-1), the outer ring (15) of the spherical plain bearing contacts the thrust rod lug connecting plate (4); In the second bolt and spherical plain bearing assembly (6-2), the outer ring (15) of the spherical plain bearing contacts the torque lug connecting plate (9).

6. The split connection structure of the engine thrust joint and torque mounting joint according to claim 5, characterized in that, The length of the thrust rod (5) is adjustable. The thrust rod (5) consists of a thrust rod body (16), an internal threaded tube (17), and a thrust rod lug end (18). The main body (16) of the thrust rod is made of carbon fiber composite material. The two ends are pressed into the internal threaded tube (17) of titanium alloy to form the internal threaded tubular end structure of the thrust rod. The lug end (18) of the thrust rod is machined from titanium alloy to form an external thread, which can be threaded to the internal threaded tubular end structure of the thrust rod.

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