Aircraft Antenna Cladding With Low-Profile Composite Adapter Plate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antenna claddings for aircraft protrude significantly beyond the outer skin, increasing the risk of bird strikes and limiting flexibility in mounting different antenna modules, while also being heavy and requiring extensive structural integrity checks.

Innovation Solution

An antenna cladding with a fiber composite adapter plate featuring recesses and inserts for fuselage fittings, allowing connection fittings to be arranged between the top and bottom without protruding, combined with a radome cover for electromagnetic transparency and reduced height, enabling flexible module attachment and reduced bird strike risk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If fittings are arranged on the underside of the support structure, then structural integrity is improved, but the antenna cladding projects far beyond the outer skin increasing bird strike risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidbird strike risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by moving fittings from the underside to the top surface of the support structure. This allows the support structure to be positioned closer to the aircraft skin, reducing the protrusion height and bird strike risk while maintaining structural integrity through the inverted fastening configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the fittings from the traditional underside location and repositions them to the top surface. This extraction and relocation enables the support structure to be mounted closer to the aircraft skin, reducing the overall protrusion height while maintaining connection strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If fittings are arranged on the top of the support structure, then bird strike risk is reduced, but flexibility in mounting different antenna modules is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebird strike riskVSAvoidflexibility in mounting antenna modules

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universal mounting holes distributed across the top and side surfaces of the support structure. These multi-functional holes can accommodate various antenna module configurations and mounting patterns, providing adaptability while maintaining the reduced protrusion height design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure features multiple discrete mounting holes positioned at different locations on the top and side surfaces. This segmentation allows flexible selection of mounting positions for different antenna modules while maintaining the compact overall structure that reduces bird strike risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Weight of moving object

If the support structure is made of aluminum with lattice construction, then lightweight is achieved, but weight is still high compared to fiber composite

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport structure weightVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional aluminum lattice construction with fiber composite materials. This substitution significantly reduces the weight of the support structure while maintaining structural strength, and the manufacturing process for fiber composite components is simplified compared to precision milling of aluminum lattice structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 achieves a lower overall height, reduces bird strike risk, and enhances flexibility in accommodating various antenna modules without compromising structural integrity or aerodynamics.

Implementation Method 1

a radome cover (5) which forms a continuous cover and forms a continuous lining for electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined wavelength range with the radome fuselage cladding (4)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic transparency: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

The carrier element (2) is an adapter plate (20) made of fiber composite

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComposite materials: Composite Materials

Data Source

PatentUS12434807B2Antenna cladding for aircraft

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG

AI summary

An antenna cladding is for fastening fuselage fittings protruding from an outer skin of the aircraft. The antenna cladding has a carrier for fastening antenna modules thereto; a radome fuselage cladding fastened to the carrier for contact on the outer skin; and a radome cover, which forms a continuous cover and lining for electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined wavelength range with the radome fuselage cladding. The carrier is a fiber composite adapter plate made of fiber having recesses with inserts, which have connection fittings for connection to the fuselage fittings. The connection fittings are arranged between upper and lower faces of the adapter plate and are designed such that the connection fittings do not protrude beyond the upper side of the adapter plate and the fuselage fittings do not protrude into the adapter plate when connected to the connection fittings, but do not project beyond the upper side thereof.