Aircraft Engine Attachment Wear Pad Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing rear engine attachment systems for aircraft propulsion units experience wear at the contact surfaces between thrust rods and spreaders due to engine vibrations, leading to reduced service life and frequent replacement requirements.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an interface part, such as a removable wear pad, between the spreader and thrust rods at the ball joint connections to absorb wear and reduce direct contact, along with a breakage indicator for detecting primary thrust path failures without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the thrust rod directly contacts the spreader at the ball joint connection, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but wear occurs at the contact surfaces reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
An interface part is introduced as an intermediary element between the thrust rod and the spreader at the ball joint connection. This interface part absorbs the wear that would otherwise occur at the contact surfaces of the thrust rod and spreader, thereby extending their service life while maintaining the overall structural simplicity of the engine attachment system.
2Ease of manufacture
If the spreader and thrust rod are directly connected, then the assembly is simple, but wear requires complete disassembly for replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint connection is segmented into distinct components: the thrust rod, the interface part, and the spreader. The interface part is designed as a separate, replaceable element that can be independently maintained. This segmentation allows the interface part to be replaced without requiring complete disassembly of the spreader and thrust rod assembly, significantly easing maintenance operations.
3Reliability
If wear pads are added to protect contact surfaces, then service life is extended, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface part is designed as a relatively simple, inexpensive component that can be easily replaced when worn. By using a simple interface part rather than complex protective mechanisms, the solution extends the service life of the expensive thrust rod and spreader while adding minimal complexity to the overall system.
Data Source
AI summary
A rear engine attachment having a beam fixed to a pylon, a spreader pivotally mounted on the beam, the spreader comprising two ends situated on either side of a median plane, two rods located one on either side of the median plane, each rod having a first end fixed to one end of the spreader by a ball joint and a second end fixed to the engine, each ball joint comprising a clevis with two arms at the first end of the rod, a swivel bearing arranged on the end of the spreader, and a hinge pin passing through the two arms, the swivel bearing arranged between the two arms and fitted on the hinge pin. For each ball joint, an interface part is removably interposed between the end of the spreader and the first end of the rod and forms a contact surface between the spreader and the rod.