Transparent Aircraft Screen Shields for Tool-Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern aircraft touch screens are vulnerable to damage from heavy tools during servicing, necessitating expensive repairs.
Innovation Solution
A kit of removable, transparent protective shields for aircraft screens that allow viewing while protecting against tool impacts, featuring engagement mechanisms with aircraft structures and polycarbonate resin thermoplastic materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If protective shields are installed over aircraft screens during servicing, then screen protection from tool impacts is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional shielding components and installation procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The protective shield is divided into a frame structure with multiple independent transparent panels that can be separately installed and removed. The frame includes mounting features that engage with the aircraft structure at discrete locations, allowing modular assembly and disassembly without complex fastening procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is pre-assembled as a complete unit with all mounting features attached to the frame before installation. This preliminary assembly simplifies the installation process during servicing, as the entire protective structure can be installed as one piece rather than assembling multiple components during the servicing operation.
2Ease of operation
If transparent protective shields are used to allow viewing of screens during servicing, then operational capability is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases due to requirements for transparent materials and precise fabrication
Solution Approach 1:
The shield structure uses transparent panels only in the specific locations where screen viewing is required, while other portions of the frame and mounting structures use opaque materials. This localized application of transparent materials reduces overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining the necessary viewing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent panels are designed as simple, replaceable components that can be manufactured using cost-effective processes. If a panel becomes damaged or obscured during servicing, it can be quickly replaced without replacing the entire shield assembly, reducing the impact of manufacturing complexity on overall system cost.
3Ease of repair
If shields are designed to be removable for screen access, then ease of repair is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential installation errors or improper seating
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting features include built-in alignment guides and self-correcting engagement mechanisms that ensure proper seating of the shield panels. These features provide a cushioning effect that tolerates minor installation variations and automatically guides the shield into the correct position, preventing improper seating even if installation is not perfectly precise.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield assembly includes self-aligning features and automatic engagement mechanisms that ensure proper installation without requiring specialized tools or expertise. The mounting structure self-corrects for minor positioning errors, allowing routine maintenance personnel to install and remove shields reliably without compromising protection integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
Aircrafts with kits and methods for servicing aircraft are provided. A method includes covering a display panel in the aircraft with a display shield, wherein the display shield comprises a transparent region configured to allow viewing of the display panel while covered; covering a control panel in the aircraft with a control shield including a transparent region configured to allow viewing of the control panel while covered; employing a tool to service a component of the aircraft while shielding the display panel from the tool with the display shield and shielding the control panel from the tool with the control shield; and reading information displayed on the display panel through the display shield and/or on the control panel through the control shield while servicing the component.