Aircraft Buoyancy Floats With Elastic Non-Elastic Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing buoyancy systems for aircraft face challenges in maintaining stability during water landings, particularly on irregular waves and severe sea states, due to the tilting of aircraft under wind or wave forces, which can lead to capsizing and increased risk of damage.
Innovation Solution
A buoyancy system with at least two floats on either side of the fuselage, connected by a device comprising elastic and non-elastic links. The elastic links allow floats to move relative to the fuselage, while non-elastic links provide a restoring force, enabling greater displacement and reducing forces on attachment fittings, thus enhancing stability and damping wave-induced movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If floats are fixed rigidly to the fuselage, then the structure is simple and strong, but the aircraft stability deteriorates on irregular waves and the floats cannot adapt to large tilts
Solution Approach 1:
The connection device transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system with elastic links that allow the floats to move and adapt their position relative to the fuselage. This enables the floats to maintain optimal stability positions even when the aircraft tilts significantly on waves, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and stability performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic links change their physical state (extension/compression) in response to aircraft tilting and wave conditions. By allowing the connection parameters (link length, float position) to vary dynamically, the system maintains stability without requiring a complex adjustable mechanism, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and device complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If floats are allowed to move freely on the fuselage, then the aircraft can withstand larger inclinations, but the forces on attachment fittings increase and damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic links are pre-configured to provide cushioning protection to the attachment fittings. When the aircraft tilts and floats displace, the elastic links absorb the impact forces through their elasticity, preventing excessive forces from reaching the rigid attachment fittings. This beforehand cushioning allows greater float displacement while protecting the structural integrity of the connection points.
3Force
If non-elastic links are used to limit float displacement, then the attachment forces are reduced, but the floats cannot adequately respond to sudden wave-induced movements
Solution Approach 1:
The connection device merges two types of links with complementary characteristics: non-elastic links that provide structural support and limit displacement to protect attachment fittings, and elastic links that provide adaptability to absorb sudden wave-induced movements. This combination allows the system to simultaneously reduce attachment forces while maintaining float adaptability to various sea conditions.
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 system optimizes stability on regular and irregular waves, increases the maximum rollover angle before capsizing, and reduces the risk of damage from impact forces during water landings by allowing greater inclinations and damping sudden changes in water level.
Implementation Method 1
each elastic link exerting a restoring force on the float
Implementation Method 2
each non-elastic link being bent when the float is against the fuselage so as to be able to be extended, each inelastic link limiting the amplitude of displacement of the float under the effect of Archimedes' thrust
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a buoyancy system (10) of an aircraft (1), this buoyancy system (10) being provided with at least two floats (15), said buoyancy system (10) comprising a linking device (20) per float (15), each linking device (20) attaching each float (15) to a structure (2') of an aircraft (1). Each connecting device (20) includes at least one elastic link (25) and at least one non-elastic link (30) attached to the float (15) and suitable for being attached to said structure (2'), each non-elastic link (30) being bent when the float (15) is against the fuselage (2) so as to be able to be extended, each non-elastic link (30) limiting the amplitude of displacement of the float (15) under the effect of Archimedes' thrust and each elastic link (25) exerting a restoring force (100) on the float (15).