AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING MEANS FOR ATTACHING A WING TO AN ENGINE POST
The aircraft assembly with a reactor mast and additional fittings creates a hyperstatic architecture, enhancing force transfer pathways and structural integrity by using clevises and connecting rods, ensuring robust attachment and redundancy.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing aircraft fastening systems between the wing and jet pylon do not effectively create a hyperstatic architecture, limiting the pathways for force transfer and requiring improvements to enhance structural integrity.
Aircraft assembly with a reactor mast and additional fittings, including clevises, connecting rods, and a stud system that form a hyperstatic arrangement, allowing multiple pathways for force transfer and providing redundancy through movable components.
The hyperstatic arrangement multiplies force transfer paths, enhances structural integrity, and provides redundancy, ensuring robust attachment of the wing to the jet pylon even in case of component failure.
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Aircraft assembly comprising means for attaching a wing to an engine mast technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to an aircraft assembly comprising means for attaching a wing to a jet pylon, as well as an aircraft comprising a wing and such an assembly. PREVIOUS STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Typically, for an aircraft, a propulsion system comprises a turbojet engine which is fixed under a wing of the aircraft by means of a jet pylon. The jet pylon generally consists of a primary structure formed by a box consisting of an upper spar, a lower spar and two side panels connecting the two spars and internal ribs distributed along the box.
[0003] The turbojet is fixed under the engine mast by means of engine attachments which conventionally include, at the front, a front engine attachment, at the rear, a rear engine attachment, and between the front and rear engine attachments, a thrust force recovery assembly comprising recovery rods, fixed on one side to the turbojet, and on the other side to a shoe attached to the primary structure of the mast, to absorb the thrust forces generated by the turbojet.
[0004] A fastening system connects the engine pylon to the wing. This fastening system reacts to and absorbs bending moments and shear forces at the interface between the engine pylon and the wing. An example of such an arrangement is described in US-A-2016 / 0221682.
[0005] Although such fastening systems give satisfaction, it is desirable to find different arrangements in particular to create a hyperstatic architecture which multiplies the paths of transfer of forces from the reactor to the wing structure. Description of the invention
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an aircraft assembly comprising means for fixing a wing to a jet pylon where the fixing means create a hyperstatic architecture.
[0007] To this end, an assembly is proposed for an aircraft comprising a wing with a structure, said assembly having a vertical direction and a vertical median plane and comprising:
[0008] - a reactor mast having a primary structure forming a caisson and comprising a starboard side panel, a port side panel, an upper stringer and a lower stringer,
[0009] - an additional fitting intended to be fixed to the wing structure,
[0010] - a starboard clevis and a port clevis arranged on either side of the median plane vertical, each intended to be fixed to the wing structure and each mounted hinged on the side panel on the same side,
[0011] - a front connecting rod disposed in the vertical median plane, one upstream end of which is mounted articulated on the upper longitudinal member and one downstream end is mounted articulated on the additional fitting,
[0012] - a rear connecting rod disposed in the vertical median plane, of which an upstream end is mounted hinged on the lower spar and one downstream end of which is intended to be mounted hinged on the wing structure, and
[0013] - a stud with an axis parallel to the vertical direction and having a proximal end attached to the upper spar and a distal end mounted in a window of the additional fitting through an annular linear connection.
[0014] With such an assembly, the pathways for transferring efforts are multiplied.
[0015] Advantageously, the block is movable in translation relative to the fitting additional parallel to a longitudinal direction.
[0016] Advantageously, the assembly comprises a ring which has a spherical outer surface and which is fitted onto the distal end of the stud, a nut which has a spherical inner surface in which the ring is housed, where on either side of the nut, the outer surface of the nut has a rib parallel to the longitudinal direction, where, on the edges of the window, the additional fitting has for each rib, a recess extending parallel to the longitudinal direction in which said rib is guided in translation.
[0017] Advantageously, the block consists of two half-cylinders joined along a plane, where the proximal end of each half-cylinder is fixed to the upper spar.
[0018] Advantageously, each joint takes the form of a rotation around an axis perpendicular to the vertical median plane.
[0019] Advantageously, for each clevis, the assembly includes a complementary connecting rod, the first end of which is intended to be mounted articulated on the wing structure and the second end of which is mounted articulated on the side panel which is on the same side.
[0020] Advantageously, each joint of a complementary connecting rod is made by a complementary shaft which passes through a bore of said complementary connecting rod and a bore respectively of the associated side panel or of the wing structure.
[0021] Advantageously, the bore of the complementary connecting rod corresponding to the connection with the side panel has a diameter greater than the diameter of the associated complementary shaft.
[0022] The invention also proposes an aircraft comprising a wing with a structure, a turbojet and an assembly according to one of the preceding variants, where the additional fitting is fixed to the wing structure, where each clevis is fixed to the wing structure, where the downstream end of the rear connecting rod is mounted articulated on the wing structure and where the turbojet is fixed under the engine mast. Brief description of the drawings
[0023] The features of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will become clearer upon reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:
[0024] [Fig-1] is a side view of an aircraft according to the invention,
[0025] [Fig.2] is a perspective and rear view of an assembly according to the invention,
[0026] [Fig.3] is a schematic side view representation of a variant of realization of the invention,
[0027] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of a detail of the assembly according to the invention,
[0028] [Fig.5] shows the detail of [Fig.4] seen in cross-section by plane V, and
[0029] [Fig.6] is an exploded view of some elements of the detail of [Fig.4].
[0030] DETAILED STATEMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS
[0031] Figure 1 shows an aircraft 10 comprising a propulsion system 100 with a turbojet engine 102 connected to a wing 104 of the aircraft 10 by means of a jet engine pylon 106. The jet engine pylon 106 and the fastening means described below, which secure the jet engine pylon 106 to the wing 104, form an assembly according to the invention. The turbojet engine 102 is fixed below the jet engine pylon 106.
[0032] In the following description, terms relating to a position are taken with reference to an aircraft in normal flight position, i.e. as shown in [Fig.1], and the positions "forward" and "rear" are taken with respect to the front and rear of the turbojet and with respect to the forward direction F of the aircraft 10 when the turbojet 102 is operating.
[0033] In the following description, and by convention, X is called the longitudinal direction of the assembly which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the turbojet, Y is called the transverse direction which is horizontal when the aircraft is on the ground, and Z is called the vertical direction which is vertical when the aircraft is on the ground, these three directions X, Y and Z being orthogonal to each other.
[0034] The turbojet 102 has a shape of revolution around its longitudinal axis.
[0035] Fig. 2 represents assembly 1 according to the invention.
[0036] As shown in [Fig.2] and [Fig.3], wing 104 has a structure 104a (shown in ghost lines in [Fig. 2]) which is rigid and here takes the form of spars extending along the transverse Y direction. Wing 104 also has an intrados panel 104b (shown in ghost lines in [Fig. 3]) which at least partially covers the lower part of structure 104a. Typically, wing 104 also has an extrados panel which at least partially covers the upper part of structure 104a.
[0037] The reactor pylon 106 includes a rigid structure 202 forming a box girder, also called the primary structure. The primary structure 202 is formed by an upper spar 204, a lower spar 206, and a starboard side panel 208a and a port side panel 208b connecting the two spars 204 and 206. The primary structure 202 may also include internal ribs distributed within the primary structure 202 and connected to the spars 204 and 206 and to the side panels 208a-b. The primary structure 202 also includes a rear rib 268 that closes the box girder at the rear and is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X.
[0038] The primary structure 202 is globally symmetric with respect to a median plane XZ of the set 1 which extends vertically.
[0039] The primary structure 202 supports the turbojet 102 by means of engine attachments which may be of conventional design such as those disclosed in document US-A-2016 / 0221682.
[0040] The cascade attachment of the turbojet 102 to the engine mast 106 and then to the structure 104a of the wing 104 ensures the transfer of forces from the turbojet 102 to the wing 104.
[0041] Assembly 1 also includes a starboard clevis 252a and a port clevis 252b, where each is rigidly fixed to the structure 104a of the wing 104 by any suitable means such as screw elements, weld points... Each clevis 252a-b can be fixed directly to the structure 104a of the wing 104 or via intermediate fittings.
[0042] Each bracket 252a-b is also hinged to the side panel 208a-b of the primary structure 202 on the same side. The brackets 252a-b are thus arranged on either side of the vertical median plane XZ. The hinges of the two brackets 252a-b with respect to the side panels 208a-b take the form of rotation about a common hinge axis 52 which is perpendicular to the vertical median plane XZ and therefore parallel to the transverse direction Y.
[0043] These joints ensure the transfer of forces in Z and X. The clevises 252a-b are arranged at the rear part of the primary structure 202 in the vicinity of the rear rib 268.
[0044] Each articulation of a clevis 252a-b is achieved here by a lateral shaft (not shown) which passes through a bore of the associated side panel 208a-b and a bore of said clevis 252a-b. There are thus two lateral shafts arranged on either side of the vertical median plane XZ.
[0045] Here, each cleat 252a-b constitutes a female cleat into which the associated side panel 208a-b is fitted, which then forms a male cleat.
[0046] Assembly 1 also includes a front connecting rod 254 which has an upstream end and a downstream end. The upstream end is hinged to the upper spar 204 and the downstream end is hinged to the wing structure 104a 104.
[0047] The articulation on the structure 104a is achieved here by means of an additional fitting 104c fixed to the structure 104a. The front connecting rod 254 is disposed in the vertical median plane XZ.
[0048] The articulation of the front connecting rod 254 at its upstream end and the articulation of the front connecting rod 254 at its downstream end each take the form of a rotation around respectively an upstream articulation axis 54a and a downstream articulation axis 54b which are perpendicular to the vertical median plane XZ and therefore parallel to the transverse direction Y.
[0049] The front connecting rod 254 ensures the transfer of axial forces along X. The upstream end of the front connecting rod 254 is forward and downward relative to the downstream end of the front connecting rod 254.
[0050] Each joint of the front connecting rod 254 is made here by a shaft, and there is therefore an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft (not shown), where the upstream shaft passes through a bore of an upper fitting 204a integral with the upper longitudinal member 204 and a bore of the upstream end of the front connecting rod 254 and where the downstream shaft passes through a bore of the additional fitting 104c and a bore of the downstream end of the front connecting rod 254.
[0051] Here, each end of the front connecting rod 254 constitutes a female clevis into which the upper fitting 204a and the additional fitting 104c are respectively fitted, each then forming a male clevis.
[0052] Assembly 1 also includes a rear connecting rod 256 which has an upstream end and a downstream end. The upstream end is hinged to the lower spar 206 and the downstream end is hinged to the wing structure 104a 104. The hinge to the structure 104a is achieved here by means of an additional fitting 104d attached to the structure 104a. The rear connecting rod 256 is disposed in the vertical median plane XZ.
[0053] The articulation of the rear connecting rod 256 at its upstream end and the articulation of the rear connecting rod 256 at its downstream end each take the form of a rotation around respectively an upstream articulation axis 56a and a downstream articulation axis 56b which are perpendicular to the vertical median plane XZ and therefore parallel to the transverse direction Y.
[0054] The rear connecting rod 256 ensures the transfer of axial forces along X. The upstream end of the rear connecting rod 256 is forward and downward relative to the downstream end of the rear connecting rod 256.
[0055] Each articulation of the rear connecting rod 256 is made here by a shaft and there is therefore an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft (not shown), where the upstream shaft passes through a bore of a rear fitting 206a integral with the lower longitudinal member 206 and a bore of the upstream end of the rear connecting rod 256 and where the downstream shaft passes through a bore of the additional fitting 104d and a bore of the downstream end of the rear connecting rod 256.
[0056] Here, each end of the rear connecting rod 256 constitutes a female clevis into which the rear fitting 206a and the additional fitting 104d are respectively fitted, each then forming a male clevis.
[0057] The attachment of the reactor mast 106 to the wing 104 is also ensured by a stud 502 (Figs. 4 and 5) in the form of a straight cylinder whose axis is parallel to the vertical direction Z. The stud 502 has a proximal end fixed to the upper spar 204 and a distal end mounted in a window 601 of the structure 104a of the wing 104 and more particularly here of the additional fitting 104c through an annular linear connection 504, that is to say that the stud 502 is mounted in the window 601 through a ball joint and the stud 502 is also movable in translation relative to an additional fitting 104c parallel to the vertical direction Z.
[0058] The stud 502 projects upwards from the upper longitudinal member 204.
[0059] Such an arrangement makes it possible to generate a hyperstatic arrangement which multiplies the Force transfer paths. All forces are transferred at the level of the structure 104a of the wing 104 through the lower wing panel 104b, which allows the forces on said lower wing panel 104b to be limited.
[0060] According to a particular arrangement, the block 502 is also movable in translation relative to the additional fitting 104c parallel to the longitudinal direction X. This arrangement ensures the transfer of forces in Y but avoids transmitting forces in X.
[0061] Figs. 4 to 6 show an embodiment of the connection between the stud 502 and the additional fitting 104c.
[0062] Assembly 1 comprises a ring 602 which has a central bore 602a which is fitted onto the distal end of the stud 502, and where the stud 502 is movable in translation in said central bore 602a parallel to the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, the ring 602 has an outer surface 602b which is spherical.
[0063] Assembly 1 also includes a nut 604 with a spherical inner surface in which the ring 602 is housed. The ring 602 is thus free to rotate within the nut 604.
[0064] Here, assembly 1 also has a locking plate 608 which is fixed to the nut 604, for example by screw, and which blocks the rotation of the nut 604 relative to the additional fitting 104c.
[0065] The ring 602, the nut 604 and the locking plate 608 are housed in the window 601 of the additional fitting 104c, the shape of which is adapted.
[0066] To ensure the translation of the stud 502 parallel to a longitudinal direction X, the nut 604 has on its outer surface two ribs 606 which are on either side of the nut 604 with respect to the vertical median plane XZ. Each rib 606 is parallel to the longitudinal direction X and here takes the form of a portion of a cylinder.
[0067] On the edges of the window 601, the additional fitting 104c has for each rib 606, a recess 603 which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction X and in which said rib 606 is guided in translation.
[0068] For reasons of redundancy, the block 502 is here made up of two half-cylinders 502a-b which are on either side of a plane YZ perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. The two half-cylinders 502a-b are thus joined along said plane YZ and the proximal end of each half-cylinder 502a-b is fixed to the upper longitudinal member 204, here by means of a shoe 506a-b fixed for example by screw elements to the upper longitudinal member 204. Thus in the event of breakage of one or the other of the half-cylinders 502a-b, the other takes over.
[0069] To keep the two half-cylinders 502a-b joined, the distal end of the stud 502 is covered with a sleeve 508.
[0070] The moment about the longitudinal direction X (Mx) is resisted by a differential of Z (vertical forces) applied by the yokes 252a-b. The moment about the transverse direction Y (My) is resisted by two opposing forces in the front 254 and rear 256 connecting rods. The moment about the vertical direction Z (Mz) is resisted by a differential of X (axial forces) applied by the yokes 252a-b.
[0071] In the event of breakage of one of the front connecting rods 254 and rear connecting rods 256, the forces passing through this connecting rod are taken over by the other connecting rod and the yokes 252a-b.
[0072] Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention which makes it possible to compensate for a break in one of the 252a-b cleats.
[0073] In addition to each clevis 252a-b, assembly 1 includes a supplementary connecting rod 702, one end of which is hinged to the structure 104a of the wing 104 and the other end of which is hinged to the panel lateral 208a-b which is on the same side. There are two complementary connecting rods 702 arranged on either side of the vertical median plane XZ.
[0074] The articulation of each end of the complementary connecting rods 702 here takes the form of a rotation around a complementary axis parallel to the articulation axis 52, perpendicular to the vertical median plane XZ and parallel to the transverse direction Y.
[0075] Each articulation of a complementary connecting rod 702 is made here by a complementary shaft 704 which passes through a bore of said complementary connecting rod 702 and a bore respectively of the associated side panel 208a-b or of the structure 104a of the wing 104. There are thus two complementary shafts 704 for each complementary connecting rod 702.
[0076] To prevent the yoke 252a-b and the connecting rod 702, which are on the same side, from working simultaneously, the connecting rod 702 is designed to operate only when the yoke 252a-b fails. To achieve this, one of the bores of each connecting rod 702 has a diameter larger than the diameter of its associated connecting shaft 704. Thus, as long as the yoke 252a-b is not faulty, there is no contact between the connecting shaft 704 and the larger diameter bore of the connecting rod 702. When the yoke 252a-b breaks, the rigid structure 202 lowers, causing the connecting shaft 704 to come into contact with the edge of the larger diameter bore, and the connecting rod 702 can then perform its function.In the embodiment of the invention shown here, it is the bore of the complementary connecting rod 702 corresponding to the connection with the side panel 208a-b that has a larger diameter.
[0077] Each additional connecting rod 704 is mounted here on the structure 104a of the wing 104 by means of an additional fitting 706 separate from the clevis 252a-b, which provides additional security in the event of breakage of the clevis 252a-b.
[0078] According to another embodiment not shown, which also compensates for a break in one of the cleats 252a-b, each element of the cleat-side panel connection is doubled, i.e., at the point where the lateral shaft passes through, the lateral panel 208a-b is doubled, meaning there are two plates fixed to one another and through which the lateral shaft passes. Similarly, the two walls constituting the cleat 252a-b are doubled, i.e., there are two plates fixed to one another and through which the lateral shaft passes. Thus, in the event of a break in one of the walls, the doubled wall takes over. Likewise, the lateral shaft is doubled and consists of a peripheral shaft that is cylindrical and hollow, and an inner shaft that is fitted into the peripheral shaft. Thus, in the event of failure of the peripheral shaft, the inner shaft can take over.
Claims
Demands
1. Assembly (1) for an aircraft (10) comprising a wing (104) with a structure (104a), said assembly (1) having a vertical direction (Z) and a vertical median plane (XZ) and comprising: - a jet pylon (106) having a primary structure (202) forming a box section and comprising a starboard side panel (208a), a port side panel (208b), an upper spar (204) and a lower spar (206), - an additional fitting (104c) intended to be attached to the structure (104a) of the wing (104), - a starboard clevis (252a) and a port clevis (252b) disposed on either side of the vertical median plane (XZ), each being intended to be attached to the structure (104a) of the wing (104) and each being hinged to the side panel (208a-b) which is on the same side, - a front connecting rod (254) arranged in the vertical median plane (XZ),- a rear connecting rod (256) disposed in the vertical median plane (XZ), of which an upstream end is articulated on the upper spar (204) and a downstream end is intended to be articulated on the wing structure (104a), and - a stud (502) with an axis parallel to the vertical direction (Z) and having a proximal end fixed to the upper spar (204) and a distal end mounted in a window (601) of the additional fitting (104c) through an annular linear connection (504).
2. Assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the stud (502) is movable in translation relative to the additional fitting (104c) parallel to a longitudinal direction (X).
3. Assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a ring (602) having a spherical outer surface (602b) and fitted onto the distal end of the stud (502), a nut (604) having a spherical inner surface in which the ring (602) is housed, wherein on either side of the nut (604), the outer surface of the nut (604) has a rib (606) parallel to the longitudinal direction (X), wherein, on the edges of the window (601), the additional fitting (104c) has for each rib (606), a recess (603) extending parallel to the longitudinal direction (X) in which said rib (606) is guided in translation.
4. Assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the block (502) consists of two half-cylinders (502a-b) joined along a plane (YZ), where the proximal end of each half-cylinder (502a-b) is fixed to the upper spar (204).
5. Assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each joint takes the form of a rotation about an axis perpendicular to the vertical median plane (XZ).
6. Assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that for each clevis (252a-b), the assembly (1) comprises a complementary connecting rod (702) a first end of which is intended to be mounted articulated on the structure (104a) of the wing (104) and a second end of which is mounted articulated on the side panel (208a-b) which is on the same side.
7. Assembly (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that each joint of a complementary connecting rod (702) is made by a complementary shaft (704) which passes through a bore of said complementary connecting rod (702) and a bore respectively of the associated side panel (208a-b) or of the structure (104a) of the wing (104).
8. Assembly (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the bore of the complementary connecting rod (702) corresponding to the connection with the side panel (208a-b) has a diameter greater than the diameter of the associated complementary shaft (704).
9. Aircraft (10) comprising a wing (104) with a structure (104a), a turbojet (102) and an assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional fitting (104c) is fixed to the structure (104a) of the wing (104), wherein each clevis (252a-b) is fixed to the structure (104a) of the wing (104), wherein the downstream end of the rear connecting rod (256) is mounted hinged to the structure (104a) of the wing (104) and wherein the turbojet (102) is fixed under the engine pylon (106).