Aircraft Wing Actuator Symmetry for Port-Starboard Commonality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing and manufacturing aircraft actuators for movable aerodynamic surfaces requires separate left-handed and right-handed versions, increasing costs and complexity due to asymmetrical design and gravitational effects, making it impractical to simply invert a single design for use on both sides of the aircraft.
Innovation Solution
Designing actuators with reflectional symmetry about the aircraft's centerline, allowing the same actuator design to be used on both sides with symmetrical mounting and power input locations, enabling identical actuators to function effectively on port and starboard wings without significant compromise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate left-handed and right-handed actuator designs are used for port and starboard wings, then the actuators can be optimized for each specific location and gravitational effects, but manufacturing costs and maintenance costs significantly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the actuator with a specific orientation where the output shaft and mounting bracket are positioned to work effectively with gravity in one direction. The actuator is designed to be installed in a specific orientation (not inverted) to optimize its performance for gravitational effects while maintaining asymmetrical features that allow the same design to be used on both port and starboard wings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves universality by creating a single actuator design that can be used on both port and starboard wings without requiring mirror-image versions. The actuator's symmetrical mounting bracket design and centralized output shaft position enable the same component to serve multiple functions and locations, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single actuator design is used and simply inverted for use on one of the two wings, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but this is not always practical when gravity has an impact on the actuator function
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is designed with asymmetrical internal components and a specific orientation for the output shaft and piston assembly that optimizes performance under gravitational influence. The mounting bracket is designed with specific attachment point positions that ensure the actuator operates correctly in its intended orientation, preventing improper installation while maintaining cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies equipotentiality by positioning the actuator's output shaft and piston assembly at specific heights and orientations that create equivalent operational conditions regardless of whether the actuator is installed on the port or starboard wing. This ensures that gravitational effects are consistent and predictable, allowing the same design to be used universally without inversion.
3Productivity
If actuators are designed with specific orientation for gravitational effects, then actuator performance is optimized, but the location and mounting must be asymmetrical increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator incorporates asymmetrical design elements such as a specifically oriented output shaft and piston assembly that optimize performance under gravity. The mounting bracket features asymmetrical attachment points that ensure correct installation orientation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that does not significantly increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the orientational requirements in specific local areas of the actuator (such as the output shaft position and mounting bracket attachment points) while keeping the majority of the actuator body and internal mechanisms simple and standardized. This localized approach to asymmetry maintains overall design simplicity while achieving optimized performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A starboard wing of an aircraft includes various movable aerodynamic surfaces, such as a spoiler, slat, aileron, flap or the like. An actuator is provided for moving each such surface. The location and mounting of the actuator of the starboard wing is symmetrical about the centreline of the aircraft to that of the actuator of the port wing. The location of the piston, arm or other mechanical output of the actuator is at a centre portion of the actuator (i.e. at or near the midline of the actuator. The input port(s) for power is/are also at the centre portion. The actuator for the starboard wing may thus be substantially identical to the actuator for the port wing.