Aircraft Door Fixed Stop Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft doors face significant external forces during flight, leading to wear and tear on locks and actuators, which are costly and time-consuming to replace.
Innovation Solution
A door arrangement featuring a fixed stop that prevents external forces from opening the door, reducing the need for locks and minimizing force transfer to the actuator, thereby extending the lifespan of the door arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If locks are used to hold the door in place, then the door can be secured against external forces, but the locks become worn over time and require replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the force-resisting function from the lock and transfers it to the fixed stop. The lock is removed from the force-transfer path, while the fixed stop assumes the role of resisting external forces. This separation allows the lock to be simplified or eliminated, as it no longer needs to withstand the full external force load.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed stop acts as an intermediary element between the door and the actuator. It mediates the external forces by providing a fixed reference point that prevents the door from moving too far open, thereby protecting the actuator from direct force exposure and reducing wear on mechanical components.
2Ease of operation
If external forces are transferred through the door to the actuator, then the door can be controlled, but the actuator becomes damaged over time
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed stop serves as a protective intermediary that breaks the direct force transmission path from the door to the actuator. By providing a fixed mechanical stop, it prevents excessive force from reaching the actuator, thereby extending its service life while maintaining door control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed stop provides beforehand protection by being positioned in advance to intercept external forces before they can damage the actuator. It creates a mechanical buffer that absorbs or redirects forces, preventing them from reaching the actuator and causing damage.
3Reliability
If locks and actuators are replaced frequently, then worn components can be renewed, but maintenance costs and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the force-resisting function from the lock and transferring it to the fixed stop, the patent reduces the operational stress on locking mechanisms and actuators. This extraction leads to reduced wear and extended component life, thereby reducing maintenance frequency and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed stop is designed as a simple, robust component that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. It provides a cost-effective solution that reduces the need for expensive replacements of complex locks and actuators, as the fixed stop handles the force-resisting function that would otherwise cause wear on more expensive components.
Data Source
AI summary
A door arrangement, for use on an aircraft, includes a door and an actuation arrangement. The arrangement is configured to move the door between an open position and a closed position. The actuation arrangement includes: a first member coupled to the door such that movement of the first member moves the door; a second member pivotally coupled to the first member and arranged to drive movement of the first member, wherein the second member is movable between a first position which corresponds to the door being in an open position and a second position which corresponds to the door being in a closed position; and an actuator arranged to rotate the second member between the first position and second positions. The door arrangement further comprises a fixed stop.