One-Piece Composite Fuselage Element with Integrated Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft fuselages made of metal are heavy, leading to excessive fuel consumption and aerodynamic drag due to manufacturing imperfections and the need for complex assembly of multiple parts, which is time-consuming and error-prone.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece aircraft fuselage element made of composite material with integrated frames and connecting elements, manufactured using a single mold to ensure a smooth external surface and simplified assembly, reducing weight and drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal panels are used to construct the fuselage, then the fuselage has high strength, but the fuselage becomes heavy and generates aerodynamic drag due to manufacturing imperfections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials (specifically thermoplastic or thermosetting composite materials) to manufacture the entire fuselage including frames, crosspieces, and outer skin as a single integrated piece. This replaces traditional metal construction while maintaining structural strength through the composite material properties, thereby reducing fuselage weight and eliminating the need for heavy metal framing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple separate components (outer skin, frames, crosspieces, window frames) into a single integrated fuselage element manufactured as one piece. This consolidation eliminates the need for assembly of multiple metal parts, reduces overall weight, and eliminates aerodynamic drag caused by panel mismatches and assembly tolerances.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate parts are assembled to form the fuselage, then the fuselage can be manufactured using traditional methods, but the assembly process is time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates frames, crosspieces, and other structural elements directly into the fuselage outer skin during the molding process itself. This preliminary integration means that what would traditionally require separate assembly steps are instead pre-formed as a single piece, dramatically reducing assembly time and cost while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through composite molding techniques.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple parts are assembled to form the fuselage, then the fuselage can be constructed with standard components, but assembly errors can occur and structural integrity is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the outer skin and internal framing structures into a single monolithic composite structure. This eliminates all joints, fasteners, and connections between separate parts that could potentially fail or be assembled incorrectly. The integrated structure ensures consistent structural integrity throughout the fuselage without weak points at assembly interfaces.
4Ease of manufacture
If metal panels are riveted to form the outer skin, then the fuselage can be constructed traditionally, but manufacturing imperfections create aerodynamic drag
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials to form a smooth, continuous outer skin surface without the panel joints and rivets characteristic of traditional metal construction. The composite molding process creates an aerodynamically smooth surface that eliminates drag-causing imperfections while remaining manufacturable through standard composite molding techniques.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an aircraft fuselage element. According to the invention, - said fuselage element being a one-piece component, it comprises a closed wall (1) defining an internal volume, the external surface (2) of said wall forming the external skin of said fuselage, - said wall has a cross section which has on the side facing the internal volume a planar central part (5), a male connecting element (7) at a first edge and a female connecting element (6) at its other edge, which connecting elements project, each connecting element being designed to engage with the corresponding connecting element of another fuselage element placed side by side with said fuselage element in order to connect these fuselage elements longitudinally to each other, and - one of said connecting elements includes a step (9) forming a frame for said fuselage.