Additive Lubrication Channels in Landing Gear Lugs Without Drilling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for forming lubrication channels in landing gear components through drilling create stress concentration regions, potential fatigue failure points, and increase manufacturing time and cost, while limiting channel geometries and locations.

Innovation Solution

Additive manufacturing is used to create complex, angled, and curved lubrication channels integrated into landing gear components during formation, avoiding high stress zones and eliminating drilling errors, allowing for varied and optimized channel designs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If lubrication channels are drilled through landing gear components, then lubrication flow paths are provided, but stress concentration regions and fatigue failure points are created

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel formationVSAvoidfatigue resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical drilling process with an additive manufacturing process. Instead of removing material through drilling, the lubrication channels are built layer-by-layer during component fabrication, eliminating stress concentrations and fatigue failure points while maintaining lubrication functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The lubrication channels are formed during the additive manufacturing process itself, before the component is subjected to service loads. This preliminary formation of channels during fabrication avoids creating stress concentrations that would occur if channels were drilled after the component was manufactured

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional drilling methods are used to form lubrication channels, then channels are created, but manufacturing time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel formationVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the component fabrication process with the lubrication channel formation process. Both the structural component and the lubrication channels are manufactured simultaneously through additive manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate drilling operations and reducing overall manufacturing time and cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If drilling machines are used to create lubrication channels, then channels are formed, but channel locations and geometries are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel formationVSAvoidchannel design flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The additive manufacturing process enables the creation of curved and complex channel geometries that cannot be achieved with conventional drilling. The channels can follow any three-dimensional path through the component, providing design flexibility for optimized lubrication flow paths

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional drilling operations to three-dimensional channel formation. Additive manufacturing allows channels to be created in multiple directions and complex spatial configurations, overcoming the limitations of linear drilling paths

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11167865B2Additively manufactured lubrication channels

Publication Date: 2021.11.09 GOODRICH CORP

AI summary

An additively manufactured component for a landing gear assembly may comprise a lug and a lubrication channel extending through the lug. The lubrication channel may comprise an inlet and an outlet. The outlet may be located at a pin orifice defined by the lug. A center axis of a first portion of the lubrication channel may be oriented at an angle relative to a center axis of a second portion of the lubrication channel.