An engine maintenance aid

Abstract

The application discloses an engine maintenance auxiliary equipment, comprising: a bearing main body for bearing an engine; a translation device arranged on the bearing main body for controlling movement of the engine in a horizontal direction; and a hoisting device arranged above the translation device for controlling lifting of the engine; the translation device comprises two parallel guide rails arranged on both sides of the engine, and the guide rails are provided with moving pieces capable of bearing the engine. The application integrates the functions of transfer, horizontal alignment and vertical hoisting, avoids repeated clamping and transfer of the engine between multiple special devices, and significantly simplifies the operation process of field maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of engine maintenance technology, and in particular to an engine maintenance auxiliary device. Background Technology

[0002] When maintaining and supporting aircraft engines, especially turbofan engines, in the field, it is usually necessary to carry out a variety of operations such as transportation, lifting, disassembly and assembly, and repair. These different operations usually require independent auxiliary equipment to complete. This not only requires more auxiliary equipment and increases the complexity of the operation, but also increases the risk of engine damage when the engine is moved between many pieces of equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides an engine maintenance auxiliary device that has multiple functions such as horizontal lifting, simplifies the operation process, improves maintenance efficiency, and reduces the risk of damage during engine maintenance.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in this invention is to design an engine maintenance auxiliary device, comprising: The main support structure is used to support the engine; A translation device, mounted on the supporting body, is used to control the movement of the engine in the horizontal direction; A lifting device, located above the translation device, is used to control the lifting and lowering of the engine; The translation device includes two parallel guide rails located on both sides of the engine, and the guide rails are provided with moving parts capable of supporting the engine.

[0005] In some embodiments, the movable component is provided with a support rod, and the end of the support rod is provided with a socket for connecting a positioning post on the engine housing.

[0006] In some embodiments, a telescopic control mechanism is provided between the support rod and the movable member, the telescopic control mechanism controlling the support rod to move in a direction perpendicular to the guide rail.

[0007] In some embodiments, the lifting device includes a first lifting frame, which is suspended and pulled by traction ropes in multiple directions, each traction rope being controlled by an independent retraction device, and the first lifting frame is provided with multiple connectors for connecting the engine.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first lifting frame is a rectangular frame, and the connecting members are distributed on the edge of the rectangular frame.

[0009] In some embodiments, the lifting device further includes a second lifting frame located above the first lifting frame; the retraction device is disposed on the second lifting frame, and the second lifting frame is controlled to lift by a lifting power device.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second lifting frame is a rectangular frame, and the lifting power device is a lifting mechanism supported at the four corners of the rectangular frame.

[0011] In some embodiments, the number of traction ropes is four, and the connection points of the four traction ropes to the first lifting frame are located at the four apex corners of the rectangle.

[0012] In some embodiments, the retraction device is a telescopic cylinder, and the telescopic cylinders are parallel to each other.

[0013] In some embodiments, the supporting body has drive wheels.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention integrates transfer, horizontal alignment, and vertical lifting functions into one unit, avoiding repeated clamping and transfer of the engine between multiple specialized devices and significantly simplifying the field maintenance operation process. Dual-sided guide rails, in conjunction with moving parts, enable precise horizontal adjustment of the engine, facilitating accurate docking with the loading vehicle. Simultaneously, the engine housing's inherent positioning posts allow for quick attachment without additional tools, significantly reducing auxiliary docking time. The rectangular lifting frame, with independent traction ropes at four corners, not only ensures even load distribution but also allows for tilt control of the engine's pitch or roll attitude through differential adjustment. The two-stage lifting structure further separates large-stroke displacement from fine-angle adjustment, preventing housing damage caused by rigid pulling. The lateral telescopic adjustment of the support rod compensates for lateral deviations of the packaging box or loading vehicle and is compatible with different engine models, effectively reducing the risk of impact and stress damage, and significantly improving the safety and versatility of field operations. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. To illustrate the details and facilitate understanding of its principles, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and similar reference numerals may describe similar components in different views. The accompanying drawings generally illustrate the embodiments discussed herein by way of example and not limitation. Wherein: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the auxiliary equipment in the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the end side of the auxiliary device in the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A left-side view diagram.

[0018] In the diagram, 1. guide rail; 2. moving part; 3. engine; 4. drive wheel; 5. support rod; 6. positioning column; 7. first lifting frame; 8. traction rope; 9. hanging hole; 10. lifting ring; 11. retraction device; 12. second lifting frame; 13. lifting mechanism; 14. guide wheel; 15. electrical control module; 16. oil receiving tray; 17. support column; 18. connecting rope; 19. support block. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, and the technical solution of the present invention will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the following embodiments do not limit the invention covered by the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are necessary for the inventive solution.

[0020] The principles and structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] Example like Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 1 and 3, an engine maintenance auxiliary device includes a supporting body for carrying an engine 3 so as to facilitate the transfer of the engine 3 to the maintenance station. The supporting body is a gantry frame structure made of square column profiles. A translation device and a lifting device are provided on the supporting body.

[0022] The translation device is installed on the main support body and is used to control the movement of the engine 3 in the horizontal direction so as to accurately align the engine 3 with the vehicle and achieve smooth transfer of the engine 3.

[0023] The lifting device is located above the translation device and is used to control the lifting and lowering of the engine 3 so as to vertically lift and move the engine 3 out of the packaging box.

[0024] The translation device includes two parallel guide rails 1 located on both sides of the engine 3. Movable components 2 capable of supporting the engine 3 are mounted on the guide rails 1, allowing the engine 3 to move along the guide rails 1. The guide rails 1 are located on the frames on both sides of the gantry frame structure, and the lifting device is located above the two guide rails 1, facilitating the transfer of the engine 3 between the translation device and the lifting device. The movable components 2 are freely slidable on the guide rails 1, and their movement can be manually propelled or controlled by a power device, such as a linear motor.

[0025] In other words, the engine 3 maintenance auxiliary equipment provides stable support for the engine 3 through its main support structure, enabling its safe transfer between various maintenance stations. The translation device consists of guide rails 1 located on both sides of the engine 3 and a moving part 2 that slides on them. The moving part 2 directly supports the engine 3 and achieves precise horizontal position adjustment of the engine 3 by sliding along the guide rails 1, thereby quickly and accurately docking with the engine 3 loading vehicle and ensuring a smooth and controllable transfer process. The lifting device is erected above the translation device and uses its lifting function to vertically lift and remove the engine 3 from its packaging box. The coordinated operation of these three components integrates the transfer, alignment, and lifting operations of the engine 3 into a single device, avoiding repeated clamping and transfer of the engine 3 between multiple specialized devices. This significantly simplifies the operation process, reduces the risk of collisions and impacts caused by multiple lifting and transfer operations, and effectively improves the efficiency and safety of field maintenance.

[0026] Furthermore, the supporting body has a drive wheel 4, which can be, for example, a motor-driven walking wheel, so that the supporting body can carry the engine 3 to move, thereby realizing the transport of the engine 3.

[0027] Furthermore, the movable component 2 is provided with a support rod 5, and the end of the support rod 5 is provided with an insertion hole for connecting to the positioning post 6 on the engine housing 3. In this embodiment, the end of the support rod 5 is provided with a support block 19, and the insertion hole is provided on the support block 19. The positioning post 6 is a component on the engine housing 3, and the insertion hole facilitates the connection or separation of the support rod 5 from the engine 3.

[0028] In other words, the movable component 2 is equipped with a support rod 5, the end of which has an insertion hole that matches the shape of the positioning post 6 inherent on the engine housing 3. In use, simply align the insertion hole and insert it into the positioning post 6 to quickly connect the support rod 5 to the engine 3. The movable component 2 then moves the engine 3 by moving the support rod 5. This structure utilizes the engine 3's own positioning post 6 as a connection interface, eliminating the need for additional clamping tools or engine 3 modifications. The assembly and disassembly operations are simple and quick, significantly reducing the docking time between auxiliary equipment and the engine 3.

[0029] Furthermore, a telescopic control mechanism is provided between the support rod 5 and the moving part 2. This mechanism controls the movement of the support rod 5 in a direction perpendicular to the guide rail 1, thereby controlling the distance between the support rods 5 on both sides of the two guide rails 1. This allows for the fixation of engines 3 of different sizes. By controlling the movement of the support rod 5 in a direction perpendicular to the guide rail 1, the engine 3 can also be moved in a direction perpendicular to the guide rail 1, thus enabling more dimensional movement of the engine 3. This structure adds a lateral adjustment degree of freedom to the translation device, building upon the original longitudinal movement of the guide rail 1, thus providing bidirectional horizontal fine-tuning capability. In practical use, this can compensate for lateral alignment deviations when the engine 3 is pushed onto a vehicle or packaging box, avoiding shell impacts or stress damage caused by forced pushing and pulling. Simultaneously, the adjustable lateral dimensions allow this auxiliary equipment to adapt to engines 3 of different models and different mounting point spacings. The telescopic control mechanism can be, for example, an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0030] Furthermore, the lifting device includes a first lifting frame 7, which is suspended and pulled by traction ropes 8 in multiple directions, and each traction rope 8 in each direction is controlled by an independent retraction device 11. The first lifting frame 7 is provided with multiple connectors for connecting the engine 3, thereby facilitating the connection of the first lifting frame 7 to the engine 3 via multiple ropes.

[0031] The first lifting frame 7 is a rectangular frame, and the connecting parts are distributed on the edge of the rectangular frame. By controlling the different lengths of the traction ropes 8 in each direction, the different tilt states of the first lifting frame 7 are controlled, thereby controlling the tilt state of the engine 3. The connecting parts in this embodiment include hanging holes 9 provided on the edge, and lifting rings 10 are pre-set on the engine 3 housing. In use, the hanging holes 9 and lifting rings 10 can be connected by hooks at both ends of the connecting ropes 18, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the engine 3.

[0032] In other words, the lifting device is equipped with a first lifting frame 7 with a rectangular frame structure. Multiple connectors are distributed on its frame for reliable connection to corresponding lifting points on the engine 3 housing via ropes. This first lifting frame 7 is suspended and pulled by traction ropes 8 from different spatial directions, each traction rope 8 being independently connected to a retraction device 11. In actual operation, the retraction and extension lengths of the corresponding traction ropes 8 are controlled by each retraction device 11: when the traction ropes 8 in each direction are retracted and extended synchronously and equally, the engine 3 can be smoothly and vertically lifted and lowered; however, when it is necessary to adjust the spatial attitude of the engine 3, the lengths of one or more traction ropes 8 in different directions are controlled differentially, causing the first lifting frame 7 to tilt or roll under non-uniform tension, thereby causing the engine 3 to tilt synchronously to the required angle. The structure utilizes the symmetry of the rectangular frame and the multi-point distribution connection to ensure the balanced transfer of lifting load and avoid local stress concentration. At the same time, with the differential adjustment of the independent traction rope 8, the attitude of the engine 3 can be actively adjusted during the lifting process without the need for additional turning tooling. This facilitates accurate adaptation to the packaging box exit angle or the mounting seat mating surface, effectively preventing shell scratches and collisions caused by hard pulling or angular deviations, and significantly improving the flexibility and safety of lifting operations.

[0033] Furthermore, there are four traction ropes 8, and the connection points of the four traction ropes 8 with the first lifting frame 7 are located at the four apex corners of the rectangle; the retraction device 11 is a telescopic cylinder, the telescopic cylinders are parallel to each other and parallel to the moving direction of the moving part 2, and the ends of the traction ropes are fixedly connected to the telescopic rods of the telescopic cylinders.

[0034] In other words, there are four traction ropes 8, which are connected to the four apex corners of the rectangular frame of the first lifting frame 7, forming a symmetrical four-point suspension layout. All four retraction devices 11 use telescopic cylinders, which are arranged parallel to each other, and their extension and retraction directions are consistent with the horizontal movement direction of the moving component 2. In this structure, the four apex lifting points ensure a uniform distribution of the lifting load, effectively preventing the lifting frame from being unbalanced or tilting and becoming unstable. When the telescopic cylinders extend and retract synchronously, the first lifting frame 7 rises and falls smoothly and vertically, ensuring that the engine 3 is lifted without swaying. More importantly, the telescopic cylinders are parallel to the movement direction of the moving component 2, so that during the horizontal translation of the engine 3, the length of each traction rope 8 does not need to be compensated or adjusted to maintain the relative position of the lifting points, avoiding additional swaying or interference during translation. At the same time, the parallel and compact arrangement of all telescopic cylinders saves internal space and facilitates unified control of the oil or air circuits, simplifying the operation logic, thereby further improving the stability and reliability of the coordinated lifting and translation operation.

[0035] Furthermore, the lifting device also includes a second lifting frame 12 located above the first lifting frame 7; the retraction device 11 is mounted on the second lifting frame 12, and the second lifting frame 12 is controlled by a lifting power device; the second lifting frame 12 is a rectangular frame, and the lifting power device is a lifting mechanism 13 supported at the four corners of the rectangular frame, which can be, for example, a cylinder, electric cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or other telescopic device. The second lifting frame 12 is equipped with guide wheels 14 that support the traction rope 8. The rectangular frame of the second lifting frame 12 is supported by four vertically retractable support columns 17 on the load-bearing body.

[0036] In other words, a second lifting frame 12 is added above the first lifting frame 7. Four retraction devices 11 are installed on the second lifting frame 12. The second lifting frame 12 itself is a rectangular frame, and its four corners are synchronously supported and driven to rise and fall by a lifting mechanism 13 (such as a pneumatic cylinder, electric cylinder, or hydraulic cylinder). The second lifting frame 12 is also equipped with guide wheels 14 to support and guide the direction of each traction rope 8. During operation, the lifting mechanism 13 drives the second lifting frame 12 to rise and fall as a whole, realizing the large-stroke vertical displacement of the engine 3; at the same time, each telescopic cylinder independently retracts and extends the traction rope 8 through the guide wheels 14, making fine adjustments to the attitude of the first lifting frame 7 and the engine 3. This two-stage lifting structure separates large vertical movement from fine angle adjustment, ensuring both lifting efficiency and improving adjustment accuracy; the setting of the guide wheels 14 makes the layout of the traction rope 8 more flexible, avoiding pipe entanglement or interference caused by the large movement of the telescopic cylinder with the first lifting frame 7, significantly enhancing the stability and ease of operation of the equipment during high-altitude operations.

[0037] Of course, an electrical control module 15 can also be installed on the main body to control the operation of each power unit. An oil tray 16 can also be placed at the bottom for operations such as oil changes in the engine 3.

[0038] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or additions to the described embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An engine maintenance auxiliary device, characterized in that, include: The main support structure is used to support the engine; A translation device, mounted on the supporting body, is used to control the movement of the engine in the horizontal direction; A lifting device, located above the translation device, is used to control the lifting and lowering of the engine; The translation device includes two parallel guide rails located on both sides of the engine, and the guide rails are provided with moving parts capable of supporting the engine.

2. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable component is provided with a support rod, and the end of the support rod is provided with a socket for connecting to the positioning post on the engine housing.

3. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, A telescopic control mechanism is provided between the support rod and the moving part, and the telescopic control mechanism controls the support rod to move in a direction perpendicular to the guide rail.

4. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device includes a first lifting frame, which is suspended and pulled by traction ropes in multiple directions. Each traction rope in each direction is controlled by an independent retraction and release device. The first lifting frame is provided with multiple connectors for connecting the engine.

5. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first lifting frame is a rectangular frame, and the connecting parts are distributed on the edge of the rectangular frame.

6. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lifting device also includes a second lifting frame located above the first lifting frame; the retraction device is installed on the second lifting frame, and the second lifting frame is controlled by a lifting power device.

7. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second lifting frame is a rectangular frame, and the lifting power device is a lifting mechanism supported at the four corners of the rectangular frame.

8. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The number of traction ropes is four, and the connection points of the four traction ropes to the first lifting frame are located at the four apex corners of the rectangle.

9. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The retraction device is a telescopic cylinder, and the telescopic cylinders are parallel to each other.

10. The engine maintenance auxiliary equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting body has drive wheels.

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