Compliant Crown Panel for Aircraft Bird Strike Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft forward pressure bulkheads and crown panels are structurally inefficient and costly due to their rigid designs, which require numerous components and heavy reinforcement, increasing weight and material costs while being prone to bird strikes and hail damage.
Innovation Solution
A compliant crown panel made from a malleable, deformable monolithic material with selectively removed areas to form reinforcing features, allowing the panel to absorb and dissipate impact energy without rigid frame members, reducing weight and parts count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid reinforcement beams and ribs are used to resist bird strikes and hail, then the structural strength and protection capability are improved, but the weight and material costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a compliant crown panel made from a deformable skin or panel that can flex and deform under impact forces from bird strikes or hail, rather than relying on rigid reinforcement beams and ribs. This flexible structure absorbs impact energy through controlled deformation, providing protection capability while significantly reducing the weight compared to traditional rigid reinforcement approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by changing the material properties and structural parameters of the crown panel from rigid to compliant/deformable. The skin or panel is designed with specific material characteristics that allow it to deform elastically under impact loads, transforming the protection mechanism from rigid resistance to flexible energy absorption, thereby reducing weight while maintaining protective function.
2Strength
If substantial structure and frame elements are used in conventional crown panels to resist deflection and penetration, then the structural integrity and protection are improved, but the parts count and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by merging the functions of multiple separate structural components (frame elements, ribs, and skin) into a single integrated compliant crown panel structure. The deformable skin itself provides both the protective barrier and the structural response to impacts, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement elements and reducing the parts count while maintaining structural integrity through unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by using a deformable skin or panel as the primary structural element that replaces traditional rigid frame and rib assemblies. This flexible structure maintains structural integrity through its ability to deform and recover, providing protection against penetration and deflection without requiring multiple separate structural components, thereby simplifying the overall structure.
3Strength
If rigid reinforcement components are used to support the crown panel skin, then the resistance to foreign object penetration is improved, but the energy absorption capability during impact decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by changing the mechanical parameters of the crown panel from rigid to compliant, allowing the skin or panel to deform under impact loads. This deformation capability enables the structure to absorb impact energy through elastic and plastic deformation mechanisms, transforming the energy dissipation approach from rigid reflection to flexible absorption, thereby improving energy absorption capability while maintaining penetration resistance through appropriate material selection and thickness design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by converting the harmful impact energy from bird strikes or hail into beneficial deformation work. The compliant crown panel is designed to absorb the kinetic energy of impacting objects through controlled deformation of its skin or panel, transforming the harmful impact into useful energy absorption that protects the underlying aircraft structure, rather than allowing the rigid structure to simply reflect or transmit the impact forces.
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 compliant panel effectively absorbs and dissipates impact energy, reducing structural inefficiencies and costs while providing lightweight protection against bird strikes and hail, achieving significant weight reduction and improved energy absorption compared to traditional designs.
Implementation Method 1
The primary section of the crown panel is designed to deform under the impact of a bird strike, thus absorbing and dissipating the impact energy
Implementation Method 2
configured to deform in response to a threshold amount of impact energy caused by a foreign object strike, thus absorbing and dissipating at least a portion of the impact energy
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft forward pressure bulkhead and an aircraft crown panel are described herein. The forward pressure bulkhead includes a malleable and deformable dome that is configured to “catch” foreign objects, such as birds. The dome is intentionally designed to deform in response to a foreign object strike that imparts at least a threshold amount of impact energy to the bulkhead. The dome is free of rigid stiffeners and non-deformable reinforcement members that would otherwise hinder the flexible characteristic of the dome. Practical embodiments of the bulkhead utilize fewer parts, are less heavy, and are less expensive than traditional bulkheads that utilize rigid stiffeners. The crown panel has similar compliant characteristics. The crown panel is designed to simultaneously deform and deflect in response to foreign object impacts such as birds and hail. The crown panel is formed from a monolithic one-piece material, such as aluminum, and various reinforcing features are integrally formed in the material.