Aircraft Sensor Gimbal Through Window Aperture

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed aircraft sensor systems that use protrusions or turrets for wide field of regard suffer from performance and stealth reductions, necessitating improved sensor positioning and orientation without the need for turrets.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a gimbal yoke, gimbal swing arm, elevation tilt platform, and sensor, where the gimbal yoke rotates about an azimuth axis, the gimbal swing arm rotates about a perpendicular elevation axis, and the elevation tilt platform rotates about a parallel tilt axis, allowing the sensor to maintain a line of sight through an aperture without protrusions, enabling controlled orientation and data acquisition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If protrusions or turrets are used to house sensor systems, then wide field of regard is achieved, but aerodynamic performance and stealth are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield of regardVSAvoidaerodynamic performance and stealth

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is extracted from the traditional turret configuration and repositioned inside the aircraft fuselage. The sensor housing is removed from the external protruding structure and placed within the enclosed space, eliminating the aerodynamic disruption while maintaining sensing capability through the window aperture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system is nested within the aircraft fuselage interior rather than protruding externally. The gimbal mechanism and sensor are contained within the enclosed space, with only the optical path extending through the window, creating a nested configuration that preserves aerodynamic integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sensors are positioned inside the aircraft enclosure, then aerodynamic efficiency is maintained, but sensor orientation and positioning control becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaerodynamic efficiencyVSAvoidsensor positioning and orientation mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor positioning system is segmented into multiple independent rotational degrees of freedom: azimuth rotation about a first axis, elevation rotation about a second axis perpendicular to the first, and tilt rotation about a third axis. This segmentation allows complex orientation control through composition of simpler rotational movements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor mounting structure employs dynamic gimbal mechanisms that allow real-time adjustment of sensor orientation. The system transitions from static fixed positioning to dynamic multi-axis rotation, enabling the sensor to adapt its pointing direction while remaining housed within the static enclosure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10890467B2Systems and methods for sensing through a window

Publication Date: 2021.01.12 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A system is provided that includes a gimbal yoke, a gimbal swing arm, an elevation tilt platform, and a sensor. The gimbal yoke is configured to rotate about an azimuth rotation axis. The gimbal swing arm is rotationally coupled to the gimbal yoke, and is configured to rotate about an elevation rotation axis. The elevation rotation axis is oriented perpendicular to the azimuth rotation axis. The elevation tilt platform is rotationally coupled to the gimbal swing arm, and is configured to rotate about a tilt rotation axis. The tilt rotation axis is oriented parallel to the elevation rotation axis. The sensor is disposed on the elevation tilt platform. The sensor defines a line of sight.