Aircraft Door Support Trolley with Rotatable Sub-Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is challenging to access and work on aircraft doors for repair and repainting, as they are typically only accessible at the manufacturing plant, and positioning them for maintenance near the fuselage is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A support trolley with adjustable and eccentrically positioned support bolts that engage with the door's locking bolts, allowing the door to be securely mounted and rotated for full accessibility, along with a pivoting sub-frame and stabilization strut for enhanced positioning and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door is removed from the fuselage for repair and repainting, then accessibility to all parts of the door is improved, but positioning the door for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support trolley incorporates a rotatable sub-frame that can be pivoted about a vertical axis and inclined struts that can be adjusted to different angles. This dynamic positioning system allows the door to be oriented in multiple positions (horizontal, vertical, and intermediate angles) to provide easy accessibility to all parts of the door for maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The support trolley is designed as a multi-functional device that can accommodate doors of different sizes and configurations. The adjustable struts and rotatable sub-frame enable the same device to position doors in various orientations, making it universally applicable for maintenance of different aircraft door types.
2Ease of manufacture
If assembly racks are used at the manufacturing plant, then door maintenance is possible, but the door cannot be positioned anywhere near the parked aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the fixed mechanical assembly racks used at manufacturing plants with a mobile support trolley equipped with rollers and a rotatable sub-frame. This substitution transforms the stationary maintenance system into a mobile one, allowing the door to be maintained at various locations near the parked aircraft rather than being confined to the manufacturing plant.
Solution Approach 2:
The support trolley incorporates movable components including rollers for horizontal movement and a rotatable sub-frame for angular adjustment. This dynamic design enables the maintenance system to be relocated and repositioned as needed, providing mobility that was not possible with fixed assembly racks.
3Ease of operation
If the door is positioned for maintenance, then accessibility is improved, but the positioning system becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is segmented into distinct functional components: a base trolley with rollers for horizontal movement, a rotatable sub-frame for angular positioning, and adjustable inclined struts for height and angle adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function independently, simplifying the overall system while providing comprehensive positioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic, adjustable components rather than fixed positioning mechanisms. The rotatable sub-frame and adjustable struts can be easily reconfigured for different door positions and orientations, providing accessibility to all parts of the door without requiring an overly complex fixed positioning system.
Data Source
AI summary
A support trolley for supporting a door of an aircraft to permit working on the door comprises a frame with an upper support portion having at least two pairs of support bolts for engagement with locking bolts of the door to be supported so that the door is supported at each lateral side by a pair of support bolts. For engagement with the locking bolts the support bolts comprise recesses at their free ends.