Aircraft Load Attachment Ball Joint with Electromechanical Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing attachment devices for loads under aircraft, such as fuel tanks or weapons, face challenges in maintaining hydraulic prestressing over a long period due to leakage phenomena, making it difficult to securely attach and detach loads during various aircraft phases.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a first upper connecting ball joint with radially movable rollers, a lower connecting ball joint, and an electromechanical actuator that maintains preload through a hydraulic prestressing chamber and an irreversible electromechanical actuator, ensuring the connection is maintained even after hydraulic pressure is removed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic prestressing is used to maintain ball joint connection, then the connection can be maintained initially, but the prestressing cannot be maintained over a long period due to leakage phenomena
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic actuator applies prestressing force to the attachment device before the aircraft takes off, and the prestressing is maintained passively through the mechanical locking mechanism (friction locks and stops) without requiring continuous hydraulic pressure. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by establishing the connection initially and then maintaining it over long periods without relying on sustained hydraulic pressure that would leak.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the continuous hydraulic pressure maintenance system with a mechanical locking system consisting of friction locks, stops, and a locking lever. This mechanical substitution eliminates the leakage problem inherent in continuous hydraulic systems while maintaining the prestressing force applied initially, thereby resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and long-term duration.
2Reliability
If hydraulic pressure is continuously applied to maintain prestressing, then the connection remains secure, but the system becomes complex and cannot operate without continuous power
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment device is designed to maintain its own prestressing through passive mechanical elements (friction locks, stops, and locking levers) after initial hydraulic application. The system serves itself by using the applied prestressing force to engage the mechanical locking mechanisms, eliminating the need for continuous external power or complex active control systems, thus resolving the contradiction between security and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the continuous hydraulic pressure requirement from the prestressing maintenance function. By separating the initial prestressing application (hydraulic) from the maintenance function (mechanical locks), the system eliminates the need for continuous hydraulic pressure control systems, reducing complexity while maintaining attachment security through the extracted mechanical locking function.
3Ease of operation
If the attachment device uses a simple locking mechanism, then the device is easier to operate, but it cannot maintain secure connection under high stress conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment device uses a dynamic locking mechanism where the locking lever can be manually positioned to engage or disengage the friction locks. During operation, the prestressing force automatically increases the engagement of the friction locks, providing adaptive strength that responds to load conditions. This dynamic system resolves the contradiction by maintaining simplicity in operation (manual lever positioning) while achieving high connection strength through automatic mechanical engagement under stress.
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
The solution provides a reliable and compact attachment system that maintains the connection between ball joints over a long period, ensuring safety and ease of operation by using an electromechanical actuator to lock and unlock the rollers, preventing detachment during stress phases and facilitating easy release.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic prestressing chamber arranged around the movable tubular body and connected to the fixed structure via the first upper ball joint, the movable body sliding axially in said hydraulic chamber
Implementation Method 2
an electromechanical actuator connected to the movable tubular body, said electromechanical actuator being adapted on the one hand to block said tubular body axially in the retracted locking position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for attaching a load under an aircraft comprising: - an upper ball joint (10) having radially movable rollers (13) arranged in an axially movable tubular body (11), - a lower ball joint (20) that can be connected to the first ball joint (10) by means of said rollers (13), - a piston (14) adapted to lock the radially spaced rollers (13) when the attachment device (1) is in the locked position, - a preload generation system (30) intended to maintain the connection between the two ball joints in the retracted locking position of the attachment device (1),characterized in that the prestressing generation system (30) comprises a hydraulic prestressing chamber (31) and an electromechanical actuator (35) adapted to axially lock said tubular body (11) in the retracted locking position of the latching device (1) so as to maintain the prestressing generated by the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic chamber (31) once said pressure has been removed.