Active Suspension Aircraft Wing-to-Fuselage Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft wing-to-fuselage joints face limitations in managing wing bending-induced stress and deformation, which affect the strength, durability, and passenger comfort due to inadequate separation of wing torsion and vibration modes from fuselage pitch modes, leading to fuselage deformation and turbulence effects.
Innovation Solution
An active suspension system with multiple actuators connected between the wing and fuselage, allowing for dynamic adjustment of their relative position in response to sensed loads and stresses, decoupling the wing from the fuselage in six degrees of freedom, thereby reducing stress and deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid wing attachment points are used to ensure structural strength, then the wing-to-fuselage joint can sustain significant structural loads, but the fuselage structure is forced to sustain deflections imposed by wing bending causing fuselage deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid wing-to-fuselage joint is segmented into multiple independent actuators (at least four actuators connected between the wing and fuselage, with four actuator groups positioned at corners of a wing main spar assembly, each group comprising three actuators oriented at substantially orthogonal angles). This segmentation allows each actuator to independently manage specific load components, preventing cumulative deformation while maintaining overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The static rigid connection is transformed into a dynamic active suspension system that can adapt its stiffness and damping characteristics in real-time. The actuators are configured to selectively adjust the relative position of the wing and fuselage in response to dynamic loads, allowing the joint to remain rigid under normal conditions while accommodating deflections during turbulent flight or maneuvering.
2Strength
If rigid wing-to-body joints are used to maintain structural integrity, then the aircraft can withstand aerodynamic forces, but the fuselage contour is forced out of shape by horizontal and vertical forces upon the wing
Solution Approach 1:
The wing-to-fuselage joint is divided into multiple actuator groups (four groups with three actuators each oriented at substantially orthogonal angles), allowing independent control of load paths. This segmentation enables the system to maintain structural integrity while accommodating contour-preserving deflections through coordinated actuator movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The active suspension actuators serve as intermediaries between the wing and fuselage, absorbing and isolating horizontal and vertical forces that would otherwise distort the fuselage contour. The actuators decouple the wing from the fuselage in six degrees of freedom, allowing the fuselage to maintain its aerodynamic shape while the wing experiences aerodynamic loads.
3Device complexity
If traditional wing-to-body joints are used to connect wing and fuselage, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the system cannot separate wing torsion and vibration modes from fuselage pitch mode as a contributor to wing flutter phenomena
Solution Approach 1:
The joint system is segmented into multiple independently controlled actuator groups positioned at the corners of the wing main spar assembly. Each actuator group can independently respond to different vibration modes and torsional movements, allowing the system to separate and control wing torsion and vibration modes from fuselage pitch mode, thereby suppressing flutter phenomena.
Solution Approach 2:
The static joint is replaced with a dynamic active suspension system that can adapt its characteristics in real-time to suppress flutter. The actuators are configured to selectively adjust the relative position of the wing and fuselage in response to dynamic loads, enabling active control of torsion and vibration modes to prevent flutter while maintaining structural reliability.
4Strength
If conventional wing attachment configurations are used to ensure structural connection, then the wing is firmly attached to the fuselage, but the system has significant limitations in suppressing turbulence effects and wing-mounted engine vibrations which affect passenger comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The wing attachment system is segmented into multiple independently controlled actuators (at least four actuators, arranged as four groups of three actuators each at the wing main spar corners). This segmentation allows each actuator to independently suppress specific vibration frequencies and turbulence effects, maintaining strong attachment while filtering out harmful vibrations and turbulence that affect passenger comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional static attachment is replaced with a dynamic active suspension system that can actively suppress turbulence effects and engine vibrations. The actuators are configured to selectively adjust the relative position of the wing and fuselage in response to dynamic loads, providing active vibration cancellation and turbulence suppression while maintaining firm structural connection.
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
An aircraft includes a fuselage (402), a wing (404), and a decoupled joint (406,410) interconnecting the fuselage and the wing. The decoupled joint can be an active suspension system. A method of adapting an aircraft to attenuate forces between a main wing and a fuselage thereof includes providing a plurality of sensors upon the aircraft, configured for sensing motion and/or mechanical stress of the main wing and/or the fuselage and producing signals indicative thereof, and providing a plurality of active suspension elements interconnecting the wing and the fuselage, the active suspension elements being configured to move at least in response to the signals to adjust a position of the wing with respect to the fuselage.