Aircraft Aft Fuselage Assembly via Top Opening

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for assembling an aircraft aft portion with engines attached to the fuselage are cumbersome and costly, often resulting in damage to the fuselage and engine mounting structure due to the need to insert and move components through lateral openings, and require significant structural reinforcement to transfer engine loads effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the assembly of a fuselage with a top opening that allows for the insertion and fixation of a box structure mounting system, which reduces the risk of damage and complexity by enabling easier mounting of engines and aerodynamic fairings, and incorporates a top fairing and cross beams to distribute loads and enhance structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If a pylon is fixed directly to the fuselage to transfer engine load, then load transfer is achieved, but substantial structural reinforcers are necessary resulting in significant mass penalty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine load transferVSAvoidmass penalty

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mounting structure as an intermediary element between the fuselage and the engine pylon. This mounting structure includes a box structure that interfaces with the fuselage through a top opening, allowing load transfer while reducing the need for substantial structural reinforcers directly on the fuselage, thereby reducing mass penalty.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting structure is divided into separate components: a box structure that attaches to the fuselage, a pylon, and engagement structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier assembly while reducing overall structural requirements on the fuselage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Force

If an engine mounting structure passes across the fuselage through lateral openings, then load intensity at openings is reduced, but assembling requires moving half-structures through openings which is difficult and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload intensity distributionVSAvoidassembly difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving half-structures through lateral openings as in prior art, the patent inverts the approach by providing a top opening that allows the complete mounting structure (box structure with engines) to be inserted from above. This eliminates the need to maneuver large components through narrow lateral openings, significantly easing assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the dimensional approach by opening the fuselage from the top (vertical dimension) rather than through lateral openings (horizontal dimension). This top opening allows the mounting structure to be inserted vertically, providing easier access and simpler assembly procedures while maintaining the load distribution benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If half-structures are moved through openings in the fuselage for assembly, then engine mounting is achieved, but risks of damaging the fuselage and mounting structure occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting structure assemblyVSAvoiddamage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the assembly approach by providing a top opening that allows the complete mounting structure to be inserted from above, rather than moving half-structures through lateral openings. This eliminates the risky maneuvering of large components through narrow openings, significantly reducing the risk of damage to both the fuselage and mounting structure during assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9656736B2Method for assembling an aircraft aft portion

Publication Date: 2017.05.23 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

In the case of an aircraft aft portion equipped with an engine mounting structure passing across the fuselage, assembly of the aft portion presents problems caused by the moving of the box structure of the mounting structure through lateral openings in the fuselage. In order to overcome these problems, a method of assembling an aircraft aft portion is proposed, in which method the box structure of the engine mounting structure is inserted into the fuselage through a top opening extending from one side of the fuselage to the other across a vertical midplane of the fuselage such that the top opening opens to the top and to the sides of the fuselage.