Aircraft Engine Mount Link with Flexing Portion for Blade-Off Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft component links are unable to effectively manage high load events such as blade-off events, where centrifugal forces significantly increase the load on the wing or body, leading to potential structural failure due to the inability to absorb and distribute these loads efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a linking structure with flexible and rigid portions, where the flexible portions inelastically deform during high load events to absorb and reduce the load, and elastically deform during normal loads, and a secondary link with a Kevlar strap ensures continued connection in case of primary link failure, allowing for controlled load transfer and maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the link is designed to be stiff and elastic to withstand normal operational loads, then it can maintain structural integrity during normal flight, but it cannot absorb and reduce the magnitude of high load events such as blade-off events
Solution Approach 1:
The link is divided into two distinct segments: a rigid portion that maintains structural integrity during normal operation, and a flexing portion that can deform inelastically during high load events to absorb energy and reduce the magnitude of loads transmitted to the aircraft structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The link's stiffness parameter is made variable rather than fixed. The rigid portion maintains high stiffness during normal operation, while the flexing portion transitions to a compliant state during high load events, allowing the link to adapt its mechanical properties to the operational conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the link is designed to be flexible to absorb high load events, then it can reduce the magnitude of loads during blade-off events, but it may deform permanently under extreme centrifugal forces
Solution Approach 1:
The link is segmented into a rigid portion and a flexing portion, where the flexing portion is specifically designed to undergo controlled inelastic deformation during high load events. This segmentation allows the link to absorb energy while maintaining a backup rigid structure that prevents complete failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexing portion acts as a pre-designed energy absorption mechanism that is activated before the link would fail. By allowing controlled deformation in the flexing portion during high load events, the link cushions the impact and prevents catastrophic failure of the entire structure.
3Reliability
If a secondary link is added to provide backup connection during primary link failure, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary link is integrated with the primary link through shared mounting structures and joints, combining both links into a unified system. This merging approach provides backup connection while minimizing the increase in overall structural complexity by reusing existing structural elements.
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
This solution effectively reduces the magnitude of high loads transferred to the aircraft wing or body during events like blade-off, extends the link's lifespan by managing load cycles, and ensures safe landing by allowing for timely replacement of deformed links, thereby enhancing safety and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the flexing portion is configured to inelastically deform when the load is outside of an expected load window
Implementation Method 2
the flexing portion is configured to elastically deform when the load is inside of an expected load window
Implementation Method 3
The secondary link may comprise a flexible strap. The flexible strap may be at least partially Kevlar®
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4b
AI summary
A gas turbine engine mount (50) for an aircraft wing including a link body (200) having a first joint (210; 510), a second joint (220; 520) and a linking structure (230; 530) connecting the first joint (210; 510) to the second joint (220; 520). The linking structure (230; 530) includes at least a flexing portion (234; 534) and an elastic portion. The flexing portion (234; 534) is configured to flex during a load outside of an expected load window.