Low cost reusable in-cabin support beam structure

Abstract

The application relates to a low-cost reusable cabin support beam structure and belongs to the technical field of aerospace manufacturing engineering. The application adopts a rectangular topology scheme, adds multiple aluminum profiles as reinforcing beams in each profile joint area, and adopts a connecting plate to reinforce the strength of the joint area. According to task requirements, a connecting piece is used to install a cargo carrying unit or a personnel carrying unit on the support beam structure. The application can carry personnel and cargo loads in a sealed cabin body, and has the characteristics of low manufacturing cost, convenient disassembly and reusability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aerospace manufacturing engineering technology, specifically relating to a low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure for bearing important loads inside the sealed cabin of a spacecraft. Background Technology

[0002] The internal support beam structure is a crucial component of the spacecraft's sealed cabin. It features mounting interfaces for securing important loads such as cargo, equipment, and crew seating. During takeoff and landing, the beam structure primarily bears the pressure from these loads. Therefore, during the design phase, the internal support beam structure must simultaneously meet requirements for high rigidity, high strength, and lightweight design, making its manufacturing quite challenging. Traditional support beam structures involve machining raw materials into specified shapes and then welding the different parts together. This manufacturing method has several drawbacks. First, after machining, the beam structure still requires assembly and welding. During welding, specific welding fixtures are needed to ensure high positioning accuracy, increasing manufacturing time and economic costs. Second, traditional beam structures use I-beam cross-sections, which are prone to stress concentration in geometrically discontinuous areas during welding, increasing residual stress in the weld area. During long-term service, the beam structure faces the safety risk of weld cracking. As space tourism gradually becomes a new hot topic in the aerospace field, sealed cabins need to frequently travel between Earth and suborbital space. This necessitates high reliability in the beam structure to meet the requirements of repeated use. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a reusable support beam structure that is high-strength, has a short manufacturing cycle, and is easy to assemble. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem solved by this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and propose a low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure. This structure can bear the load of personnel and cargo inside the sealed cabin, and also has the characteristics of low manufacturing cost, easy disassembly and reusability.

[0004] The solution of the present invention is: A low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure includes several main beams, auxiliary beams, 90° angle brackets, support joints, reinforcing beams, 135° angle brackets, and extension beams; Several main beams are placed in parallel, and multiple parallel auxiliary beams are set between adjacent main beams. The auxiliary beams are perpendicular to the main beams, and the auxiliary beams on both sides of the main beams are located on the same straight line. The main beams and auxiliary beams are fixed together by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners to form the main frame supporting the beam structure. Multiple protruding beams are set around the periphery of the main frame. The protruding beams located on the main beam side are perpendicular to the main beams and are fixed to the main beams by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners. The protruding beams located on the auxiliary beam side are perpendicular to the auxiliary beams and are fixed to the auxiliary beams by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners. A reinforcing beam is set in the junction area of ​​the auxiliary beams and the main beams. The reinforcing beam is fixed to the main beam or auxiliary beam by 135° angle brackets and screw fasteners. The protruding beams and the main frame form a circular plane, and its circumcircle matches the cabin structure. In the structure formed by the extended beam and the main frame, square connecting plates are fixed in the cross-shaped joint area, T-shaped connecting plates are fixed in the T-shaped joint area, and right-angle connecting plates are fixed in the right-angle joint area; the above-mentioned overall structure is fixed on the mounting base inside the cabin to form the cabin support beam structure.

[0005] Preferably, the acute angle between the cross section of the reinforcing beam and the horizontal plane is 45°.

[0006] Preferably, the cantilever end of the extended beam is provided with a support joint, which provides an installation interface for the assembly between the internal support beam structure and the cabin body. The support joint is connected to the extended beam by angle brackets and bolt fasteners.

[0007] Preferably, the floor is located on the upper surface of the cabin support beam structure, and the square connecting plate, T-shaped connecting plate, and right-angled connecting plate are all located on the lower surface of the cabin support beam structure.

[0008] Preferably, the main beam, auxiliary beam, reinforcing beam, and extension beam are all made of aluminum profiles.

[0009] Preferably, the square connecting plate, T-shaped connecting plate, and right-angle connecting plate are all fastened to the aluminum profile with hexagonal screws and a preload torque of 20 N·m is applied.

[0010] Preferably, depending on the mission requirements, connecting components are used to install the cargo carrying unit or personnel carrying unit onto the cabin support beam structure.

[0011] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: (1) High structural rigidity and strong load-bearing capacity. The beam structure of this invention adopts a rectangular topology scheme, which has a large bending stiffness. At the same time, multiple reinforcing beams are set in the junction area of ​​the auxiliary beam and the main beam, and connecting plates are used to strengthen the joint area. The above measures can significantly enhance the stiffness and strength of the beam structure, enabling it to meet the usage requirements of large cabins during takeoff and landing.

[0012] (2) Short manufacturing cycle and low manufacturing cost. Aluminum alloy profiles are the core components of the cabin support beam structure. The production process of aluminum alloy profiles is very mature, and their quality is reliable and the cost is low. They can be purchased in large quantities directly from manufacturers. When manufacturing the cabin support beam structure, aluminum alloy profiles of different lengths are directly assembled into a frame structure. The profiles are connected and fastened with angle brackets and bolts, and the assembly speed is fast. Since there is no need to process special fixtures, profile positioning devices on the market can be purchased directly, which greatly speeds up the production progress of the beam structure.

[0013] (3) The beam structure is easy to disassemble and reuse. Traditional support beam structures are welded integrated structures, which are difficult to disassemble and reuse. The beam structure described in this invention uses bolts for fastening. Only some screws at the joints need to be removed to disassemble the beam structure into multiple components. When reusing, the main beam, auxiliary beam, reinforcing beam, and extension beam are reassembled according to the preset topology using angle brackets and fasteners, and each screw is tightened to the specified torque using a torque wrench. If the overall size of the beam structure needs to be adjusted, only some profiles need to be replaced locally. The original profiles, angle brackets, and connecting plates can still be used without redesigning and manufacturing.

[0014] (4) Flexible installation interface configuration. The aluminum profile has standardized slots that can be used with T-nuts to form an efficient and convenient connection system. The T-nuts can be precisely inserted into the profile slots without drilling or welding. They can be quickly positioned by simply sliding along the slots and tightened with bolts. This provides a stable and reliable installation interface for various sensing devices, electrical components, cargo carrying units, and personnel carrying units. This modular connection method is flexible, adjustable, and easy to assemble and disassemble, effectively improving the efficiency of equipment layout within the cabin.

[0015] (5) Low skill requirements for assembly personnel. The beam structure described in this invention requires relatively low skill levels from assembly personnel during assembly; ordinary fitters can complete all assembly work without the need for specialized welding personnel. Compared to traditional welded structures, this invention not only avoids the high-skill labor requirements of welding processes but also significantly reduces labor costs while ensuring the structural load-bearing capacity. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial view of the present invention; Figure 3 This describes the location and connection of the cargo or personnel carrying unit to the supporting beam structure. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] To address the problems of long manufacturing cycles, high manufacturing costs, and difficulty in controlling welding quality in traditional cabin support beam structures, this invention provides a low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure capable of supporting personnel and cargo loads within a sealed cabin. It also features low manufacturing costs, easy disassembly, and reusability.

[0019] The beam structure involved in this invention mainly includes main beams, auxiliary beams, reinforcing beams, extension beams, angle brackets, connecting plates, fasteners, support joints, flooring, and load-bearing units. The main beams, auxiliary beams, reinforcing beams, and extension beams are all made of aluminum profiles. To address the issue of repeated disassembly and assembly of the beam structure, this invention uses easily detachable angle brackets to connect aluminum profiles of different lengths. The angle brackets are manufactured using a mass-production die-casting process, offering advantages such as high strength, low cost, and easy installation and disassembly.

[0020] The beam structure connects aluminum profiles into an integral frame using angle brackets, with the frame's primary topology being rectangular. This design not only provides high bending stiffness but also facilitates equipment installation and load-bearing units. To enhance the beam structure's strength, multiple reinforcing beams are added to the joint areas of the profiles, and connecting plates are used to reinforce these joint areas. This strength enhancement scheme significantly improves the beam structure's load-bearing capacity, meeting the strength requirements for large cabins during takeoff and landing. Connecting plates are available in T-shaped, square, and right-angled designs, and can be made of steel or aluminum depending on the specific needs. The connecting plate thickness is 5-8mm and can be processed using laser cutting.

[0021] Fasteners, primarily responsible for securing the angle brackets and connecting plates, mainly consist of bolts and nuts. Bolt holes are provided on the support joints, allowing screws to be used to connect the beam structure to the cabin as a whole. The load-bearing units can be connected to the support beam structure via connecting plates or angle brackets to secure and bear cargo and personnel loads.

[0022] like Figure 1-2 As shown, the beam structure involved in this invention includes several main beams 1a, auxiliary beams 1b, extended beams 1c, 90° angle brackets 2, support joints 3, reinforcing beams 4, 135° angle brackets 5, square connecting plates 6, right-angle connecting plates 7, T-shaped connecting plates 8, hexagonal socket head cap screws 9, nuts 10, and floor panels 11. The main beams, auxiliary beams, reinforcing beams, and extended beams are all made of aluminum profiles.

[0023] Several main beams 1a are placed in parallel, and multiple parallel auxiliary beams 1b are arranged between adjacent main beams. The auxiliary beams are perpendicular to the main beams, and the auxiliary beams 1b on both sides of the main beam 1a are located on the same straight line. The main beams and auxiliary beams are fixed together by 90° angle brackets 2 and M8 hexagon socket head cap screws to form the main frame of the supporting beam structure. Multiple protruding beams 1c are arranged around the perimeter of the main frame. The protruding beams located on the main beam side are perpendicular to the main beams and are fixed to the main beams by 90° angle brackets 2 and bolts; the protruding beams located on the auxiliary beam side are perpendicular to the auxiliary beams and are fixed to the auxiliary beams by 90° angle brackets 2 and bolts. Each 90° angle bracket 2 has 6 sets of screws. When pre-tightening the screws, a torque wrench is used to apply a pre-tightening torque of 20 N•m to each screw to ensure sufficient friction between the 90° angle bracket 2 and the mating surface of the aluminum profile.

[0024] A reinforcing beam 4 is installed at the junction of the auxiliary beam and the main beam. The reinforcing beam is fastened to the main beam or auxiliary beam by 135° angle brackets 5 and M8 hexagon socket screws 9 to enhance the rigidity of the beam structure. The protruding beam 1c and the main frame form a circular plane, and its circumcircle matches the cabin structure. One reinforcing beam is installed in the right-angle area, and four reinforcing beams can be installed in the cross-shaped joint area.

[0025] In the structure formed by the extended beam 1c and the main frame, square connecting plates 6 are fixed to the cross-shaped joint area, T-shaped connecting plates 8 are fixed to the T-shaped joint area, and right-angle connecting plates 7 are fixed to the right-angle joint area. Each T-shaped connecting plate 8 has 5 through holes, each square connecting plate 6 has 9 through holes, and each right-angle connecting plate 7 has 5 through holes. All connecting plates are fastened to the aluminum profiles using M8 hexagon socket head cap screws, with a preload torque of 20 N·m applied to increase the load-bearing capacity of the beam structure. The above-mentioned overall structure is fixed to the mounting base inside the cabin, forming the cabin support beam structure.

[0026] The angle between the direction of the reinforcing beam 4 and the acute angle between the main beam 1a or the auxiliary beam 1b is 45°.

[0027] The cantilever end of the extended beam 1c is provided with a support joint 3. Each support joint 3 is connected to the cantilever end of the extended beam by 6 M8 bolts, 6 nuts 10 and 2 angle brackets. The front end of each support joint 3 is provided with two adjacent through holes to provide an installation interface for the assembly between the support beam structure and the cabin.

[0028] Floor 11 is located on the upper surface of the cabin support beam structure, while square connecting plate 6, T-shaped connecting plate 8, and right-angled connecting plate 7 are all located on the lower surface of the cabin support beam structure.

[0029] Depending on the mission requirements, several connectors and M8 screws are used to install the cargo or personnel carrying units onto the supporting beam structure. During installation, the specific installation position of the screws can be adjusted along the length of the profile, thereby changing the actual position of the carrying unit. The cargo or personnel carrying units are generally designed based on the actual mission requirements. Therefore, Figure 3 The document only shows the connection between the load-bearing unit and the supporting beam structure, without explaining the implementation scheme of the load-bearing unit.

[0030] The floor is installed on the upper surface of the beam structure. During actual installation, countersunk screw holes can be drilled in the upper surface of the floor. After the countersunk screws pass through the screw holes, they are connected and tightened with T-nuts in the grooves of the aluminum profile, thus achieving the connection between the floor and the beam structure.

[0031] The main assembly process of this invention includes the following steps: a) Determine the specific dimensions, shape, and functional configuration of the support beam structure based on the available space within the spacecraft cabin and mission requirements; b) Provide several main beams and auxiliary beams made of aluminum profiles. The main beams are placed in parallel, and multiple parallel auxiliary beams are set between adjacent main beams. The auxiliary beams are perpendicular to the main beams, and the auxiliary beams on both sides of the main beams are located on the same straight line. The main beams and auxiliary beams are fixed together by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners to form the main frame of the detachable support beam structure. Multiple protruding beams are set around the periphery of the main frame. The protruding beams located on the main beam side are perpendicular to the main beams and are fixed together by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners. The protruding beams located on the auxiliary beam side are perpendicular to the auxiliary beams and are fixed together by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners. c) Based on the actual installation space, provide several reinforcing beams arranged at 45° around the joint area of ​​the main beam and auxiliary beam, and connect them to the main beam and auxiliary beam by 135° angle brackets and bolt fasteners. d) Install different types of connecting plates in the aluminum profile joint area at the bottom of the beam structure with bolts to enhance the overall load-bearing capacity of the beam structure; specifically, square connecting plates are fixed in the cross-shaped joint area, T-shaped connecting plates are fixed in the T-shaped joint area, and right-angle connecting plates are fixed in the right-angle joint area. e) Depending on the task requirements, the cargo carrying unit or personnel carrying unit is installed onto the support beam structure using connectors; f) Connect the support joint to the cantilever end of the protruding beam using angle brackets and fastening bolts to provide an installation interface for further assembly of the support beam structure and the cabin; g) Drill countersunk bolt holes in the floor and use countersunk screws to connect the floor to the supporting beam structure.

[0032] This invention comprises a main frame formed by multiple standardized aluminum profile units connected by angle brackets and screw fasteners. All aluminum profiles have identical cross-sectional shapes and dimensions, facilitating interchangeability, expansion, and maintenance. The spatial topology of the beam structure is primarily a rectangular frame, which, while meeting load-bearing requirements, reduces the amount of aluminum profiles used, thereby lightening the beam structure's weight. The supporting beam structure can be fitted with personnel or cargo support units as needed, enabling it to carry goods or personnel. Furthermore, the profiles are detachably connected using angle brackets, connecting plates, and fasteners, allowing the supporting beam structure to be disassembled and reused multiple times.

[0033] The 90° angle brackets in this invention are mainly used to connect two vertically distributed aluminum profiles, while the 135° angle brackets are mainly used to connect reinforcing beams. Each angle bracket has six bolt holes. Under preload, sufficient friction is generated between the angle bracket and the side of the aluminum profile to resist bending deformation of the beam structure. Simultaneously, surface contact exists between the aluminum profiles, which can be used to transfer force and bending moment.

[0034] To further enhance the local load-bearing capacity of the beam structure, this invention includes connecting plates in the joint area formed by the aluminum profile. The connecting plates mainly include three types: square connecting plates, right-angled connecting plates, and T-shaped connecting plates. Through holes are provided on the connecting plates, and all of these connecting plates are fastened to the aluminum profile using M8 hexagonal socket head cap screws, with a preload torque of 20 N·m applied. Under the preload force, a large frictional force is generated between the connecting plate and the lower surface of the aluminum profile, thereby strengthening the beam structure's resistance to deformation.

[0035] The primary application of this invention is as a support platform for sealed spacecraft cabins, capable of carrying both cargo and personnel. Personnel and cargo carrying units can be installed on the support platform, and these units can be designed according to actual transportation needs. The carrying units are equipped with bolt holes or assembly slots, allowing them to be connected to the support beam structure using connectors. Furthermore, the installation position of the personnel or cargo carrying units can be adjusted along the length of the main or auxiliary beams.

[0036] This invention features reusable disassembly and assembly. During disassembly, the nuts must first be removed to separate the support joint from the protruding beam. After removing the connectors between the support beam structure and the load-bearing unit, the cargo or personnel load-bearing unit can be separated from the main body of the support beam structure. The individual aluminum profile parts can be separated by removing the angle brackets between the profiles and the screws on the connecting plates. Compared to traditional non-removable support platforms, this invention allows for fine-grained disassembly at the component level and can also divide the support platform into several parts according to actual needs.

[0037] This invention aims to provide a low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure to solve the problems of long manufacturing cycles, high manufacturing costs, and difficulty in controlling welding quality in traditional cabin support beam structures. The structure of this invention can support the loads of personnel and cargo within a sealed cabin, while also featuring low manufacturing costs, easy disassembly, and reusability.

[0038] The contents not described in detail in this specification are common knowledge to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure, characterized in that: Includes several main beams, auxiliary beams, 90° angle brackets, support joints, reinforcing beams, 135° angle brackets, and extension beams; Several main beams are placed in parallel, and multiple parallel auxiliary beams are set between adjacent main beams. The auxiliary beams are perpendicular to the main beams, and the auxiliary beams on both sides of the main beams are located on the same straight line. The main beams and auxiliary beams are fixed together by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners to form the main frame supporting the beam structure. Multiple protruding beams are set around the periphery of the main frame. The protruding beams located on the main beam side are perpendicular to the main beams and are fixed to the main beams by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners. The protruding beams located on the auxiliary beam side are perpendicular to the auxiliary beams and are fixed to the auxiliary beams by 90° angle brackets and screw fasteners. A reinforcing beam is set in the junction area of ​​the auxiliary beams and the main beams. The reinforcing beam is fixed to the main beam or auxiliary beam by 135° angle brackets and screw fasteners. The protruding beams and the main frame form a circular plane, and its circumcircle matches the cabin structure. In the structure formed by the extended beam and the main frame, square connecting plates are fixed in the cross-shaped joint area, T-shaped connecting plates are fixed in the T-shaped joint area, and right-angle connecting plates are fixed in the right-angle joint area; the above-mentioned overall structure is fixed on the mounting base inside the cabin to form the cabin support beam structure.

2. The low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acute angle between the cross section of the reinforcing beam and the horizontal plane is 45°.

3. The low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cantilever end of the extended beam is provided with a support joint, which provides an installation interface for the assembly between the internal support beam structure and the cabin body. The support joint is connected to the extended beam through angle brackets and bolt fasteners.

4. The low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The floor is located on the upper surface of the cabin support beam structure, while the square connecting plate, T-shaped connecting plate, and right-angled connecting plate are all located on the lower surface of the cabin support beam structure.

5. The low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main beams, auxiliary beams, reinforcing beams, and extension beams are all made of aluminum profiles.

6. A low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The square connecting plate, T-shaped connecting plate, and right-angled connecting plate are all fastened to the aluminum profile with hexagonal screws and a preload torque of 20 N·m is applied.

7. The low-cost, reusable cabin support beam structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Depending on the mission requirements, connecting components are used to install the cargo carrying unit or personnel carrying unit onto the internal support beam structure.

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