Aircraft Windshield Pane Retainer for Interchangeable Mineral and Organic Glass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft windshield panes made of organic materials, such as acrylic, deform significantly under pressure and impact variations, risking detachment from the frame assembly, necessitating complex and costly modifications to the frame structure for secure mounting.
Innovation Solution
A method to replace windshield panes of either mineral or organic type without modifying the frame, involving removal of fastening elements and retainers, installation of a new pane with a specific retainer designed for the new type, and fastening using pins that engage through the pane to ensure secure attachment, even under deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If organic material panes are used to reduce weight and improve flexibility, then the pane can be more easily replaced, but the pane deforms significantly under pressure and impact, risking detachment from the frame assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into multiple retainment portions distributed around the perimeter of the pane, each providing independent retainment. This segmentation allows the system to maintain security through multiple attachment points rather than relying on a single fastening mechanism, resolving the contradiction between ease of replacement and attachment security.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer is received within a recess in the frame, creating a nested structure where the retainer fits into the frame's recess area. This nesting provides structural support and constraint for the retainer, enhancing the security of pane attachment while maintaining the simplicity of the replacement process.
2Reliability
If through-fasteners are used to secure organic panes to prevent detachment, then the pane attachment security is improved, but the frame structure becomes more complex and costly to modify
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening mechanism is extracted from the frame structure and consolidated into a separate retainer component. Instead of modifying the frame with through-holes and fasteners, the retainer incorporates all necessary retainment features (multiple retainment portions) in a single removable component, reducing frame complexity while maintaining attachment security.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the pane, incorporates multiple retainment portions for secure attachment, and acts as a removable interface for pane replacement. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate components and frame modifications, reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a standardized frame structure is used to simplify manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to interchange different pane types (mineral or organic) is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer acts as an intermediary component between the standardized frame and different pane types (mineral or organic). The frame maintains a uniform recess structure, while the retainer provides the adaptable interface that can accommodate different pane materials and thicknesses, enabling interchangeability without compromising frame manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft in which it is possible to replace windshield panes of the mineral type with windshield panes of the organic type and vice versa, without the frame of the aircraft structure having to be modified. The pane is held in place on the frame by a window pane retainer specific to the pane. The frame has no through-holes opening to the outside of the aircraft for fastening the pane. The window pane retainer specific to a pane of the organic type has pins passing through the acrylic panes. The disclosed embodiments also relate to a method of replacing a pane of a first type with a pane of a second type.