Conditioned Air Hose Drive Chain for Low-Loss Aircraft Ground Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems for aircraft on the ground face issues with pressure losses and hose durability due to overdimensioned drive systems and inefficient hose retraction mechanisms, leading to unsatisfactory air pressure and short hose lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A drive system with a closed chain of N drive bearings linked by rotation joints, reducing the need for overdimensioning and distributing torque more efficiently, combined with a hose reinforcement system using spirals or rings for radial rigidity and a sliding coupling ring for increased action radius without bulk increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the hose is wound around a drum like garden hoses, then the hose can be compactly stored, but the hose must be unwound over its entire length even when full length is not needed, causing severe head losses and unsatisfactory air pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is segmented into N drive bearings distributed around the hose perimeter, with each bearing independently driven by paddles or belts. This segmentation allows the hose to be extended only to the necessary length rather than requiring full unwinding, reducing head losses while maintaining compact storage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static drum-wound configuration to a dynamic extension mechanism where the hose length is adjusted on-demand. The hose can be extended to the precise length needed for each application, avoiding the energy losses associated with unwinding the entire hose length unnecessarily.
2Ease of operation
If a drive system with N drive bearings linked by chains and 90° gears is used to control hose extension, then the hose can be precisely controlled, but the system generates significant torque losses, noise, and potential failure points
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the problematic 90° gear system from the drive mechanism. By directly linking the drive bearings through rotation joints without intermediate gear conversions, the system removes the source of significant torque losses and noise while maintaining precise hose control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Rotation joints serve as intermediaries between the drive bearings, providing a direct mechanical connection that transmits torque efficiently without the energy losses associated with gear conversions. This intermediary mechanism maintains control precision while minimizing energy loss.
3Device complexity
If the hose is simply packed in a housing without reinforcement, then the housing structure is simple, but severe head losses occur if the hose is not extended over its entire length
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is constructed as a composite structure with a flexible outer layer and an inner spiral reinforcement. This composite design provides the necessary rigidity to maintain proper hose configuration and minimize head losses during partial extension, while still allowing the hose to be compactly stored in the housing.
4Productivity
If the hose is reinforced with a spiral or rings to provide radial rigidity, then the hose can be contracted and extended efficiently, but the hose structure becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral reinforcement is nested within the hose structure, with the spiral elements integrated into the hose wall construction. This nested design provides the necessary radial rigidity for efficient extension and contraction while minimizing overall hose complexity and maintaining a relatively simple external appearance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces drive system size and cost, minimizes pressure losses, and prolongs hose lifespan by optimizing torque distribution and hose configuration, ensuring reliable and efficient conditioned air delivery to aircraft cabins.
Implementation Method 1
The Nth drive bearing is itself linked by a rotation joint to the first drive bearing, thus forming a closed chain of N drive bearings linked to one another by N rotation joints
Implementation Method 2
whose rotation in one direction or in the other applies a friction to said outer surface of the hose which thus makes it possible to control the extension or the retraction thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A device for storing and extending a hose for supplying conditioned air to an aircraft on the ground or to any other interior space, includes: a tubular housing (11) extending along a longitudinal axis (Z) and having a free open first end, which tubular housing (11) can store a hose; a hose (1) in fluid communication with a conditioned air unit and having a free downstream end; a drive system (4) that can be used to control the extension and retraction of the hose (1) between a retracted position in which the downstream end of the hose (1) is located in the tubular housing (11), and an extended configuration in which the downstream end of the hose (1) is outside the tubular housing (11) and at a distance from the first end of the tubular housing (11). The drive system (4) has N=4 to 8 drive bearings (6.1-6.6) disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (Z) and connected to one another by N swivel joints (7.1-7.7), thereby forming a closed chain.