Aircraft Access Tunnel Conical Nesting Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access tunnels for aircraft with telescopically connected elements face issues such as decreasing passage width and high force requirements to disassemble, limiting the number of elements that can be connected without compromising space efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Designing tunnel elements to taper conically along their longitudinal axis, allowing them to be slid into each other like shopping carts, with flexible archway-shaped seals and guide devices to maintain passage width and ease disassembly, and using cables or chains to limit extension and prevent separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If tunnel elements are telescopically connected to one another, then space for storage is reduced, but the clear passage width decreases and the number of connectable elements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by designing tunnel elements that can be stored inside one another during transport and storage, similar to nested dolls. Each tunnel element has a conical shape allowing it to be inserted into the next larger element, significantly reducing storage volume while maintaining full passage width when deployed
2Stability of the object's composition
If tunnel elements are telescopically connected with frames connected to one another, then structural stability is improved, but the force required to pull elements apart increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guiding function from the frame structure. Instead of having frames connected to each other through guides (which would require considerable force to disassemble), the tunnel elements are designed with conical shapes that allow free sliding, and only cables or chains are used to limit pull-out, significantly reducing the force needed for disassembly
3Length of moving object
If the number of tunnel elements is increased to extend the access tunnel, then the tunnel length is improved, but the clear passage width continues to decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The conical design enables multiple tunnel elements to be nested within each other during storage, but when deployed, each element maintains its full circular cross-section with consistent passage width throughout its length, allowing the tunnel to be extended by adding more elements without reducing the available passage width
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
Enables efficient storage of multiple tunnel elements without reducing passage width, minimizes the effort needed to disassemble, and ensures a flexible, water-tight, and safe access tunnel structure.
Implementation Method 1
the archway-shaped seal is designed to be elastic, at least in the roof area of the tunnel element. The seal in the roof area is designed like a rubber band. The elastic archway-shaped seal in the roof area rests under tension on the cladding of the adjacent tunnel element in order to ensure maximum impermeability against penetrating moisture.
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an access tunnel (1) to an aircraft, comprising several tunnel elements (10) which are slidably connected to one another, wherein a plurality of the tunnel elements (10) are conically tapered in the direction of the longitudinal axis of each tunnel element (10) so that the tunnel elements (10) can be slid into one another.