Aircraft Cowl Misalignment Latch With Spherical Bearing Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing latch assemblies for aircraft cowls do not effectively accommodate misalignment between components, leading to potential bending moments and difficulty in maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A latch assembly featuring semi-spherical geometry in keepers and hooks, coupled through ball joints, allowing for slight misalignment adjustment and secure engagement, with a handle mechanism for easy opening and closing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional latch assemblies are used to secure aircraft cowls, then the latch can maintain the cowl in a closed position, but the latch cannot accommodate misalignment between components, leading to bending moments and maintenance difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spherical bearing surfaces on both the keeper and hook components, allowing them to form a ball joint connection. This spherical geometry enables the latch assembly to accommodate misalignment between cowl and nacelle components by rotating and adjusting to the correct alignment position, eliminating bending moments while maintaining secure engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch assembly transitions from a rigid fixed-position connection to a dynamic adjustable connection through the ball joint mechanism. The spherical bearings allow the hook and keeper to rotate and self-align during operation, enabling the system to adapt to misalignment conditions and making maintenance easier by allowing simple disengagement and repositioning.
2Strength
If a rigid latch connection is used to securely hold the cowl, then the latch provides strong holding force, but it cannot adjust to misalignment, creating bending moments that stress the structure
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical bearing surfaces enable the latch to maintain strong holding force through proper surface contact while simultaneously accommodating misalignment. The ball joint configuration allows the components to rotate and align correctly, eliminating bending moments that would otherwise stress the structure, thus achieving both strength and alignment tolerance.
3Ease of manufacture
If the latch components have fixed geometric interfaces, then manufacturing is simplified, but the latch cannot accommodate misalignment between installed components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spherical bearing surfaces on both the keeper and hook, which can be manufactured using standard spherical bearing or ball joint techniques. This curved surface geometry provides misalignment accommodation through rotational adjustment while maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity compared to complex adjustable mechanisms.
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 assembly securely maintains cowls in closed positions while accommodating misalignment, reducing bending moments and simplifying maintenance by allowing easy disengagement when intended.
Implementation Method 1
The keeper includes a keeper bearing surface with a semi-spherical geometry. The latch includes a handle and a hook structure operatively coupled to the handle. The hook structure includes a hook bearing surface with a semi-spherical geometry. The hook bearing surface is engaged with the keeper bearing surface when the handle is in the closed position.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly is provided for an aircraft. This aircraft assembly includes a keeper and a latch. The keeper includes a keeper bearing surface with a semi-spherical geometry. The latch includes a handle and a hook structure operatively coupled to the handle. The handle is configured to move between a closed position and an open position. The hook structure includes a hook bearing surface with a semi-spherical geometry. The hook bearing surface is engaged with the keeper bearing surface when the handle is in the closed position. The hook structure is disengaged from the keeper when the handle is in the open position.