Composite Landing Gear Rib Joint for Lightweight Fatigue Resistance

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional landing gear attachment members for aircraft are heavy, expensive, and difficult to manufacture, and existing metal matrix composites are costly and complex to produce, while titanium, though desirable, is expensive and energy-intensive to extract.

Innovation Solution

A landing gear attachment member with a body made of metal alloy and a lug made of metal matrix composite, fused via a joint, such as a scarf joint, eliminating the need for conventional fasteners and providing structural resilience and fatigue resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If titanium is used for the landing gear attachment member, then strength and weight ratio is improved, but cost and extraction energy increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidextraction energy

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining a metal matrix (aluminum alloy) with reinforced elements (ceramic fibers or particles) to create a metal matrix composite (MMC) lug. This composite structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio comparable to titanium while using more readily extractable aluminum as the base material, thus reducing extraction energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by using metal matrix composite material specifically for the lug portion that requires high strength, while the main body of the attachment member is made from conventional metal alloy. This localized application of enhanced material properties provides titanium-like strength where needed without requiring the entire component to be made from expensive titanium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If metal matrix composite is used for the entire attachment member, then strength-to-weight ratio is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength-to-weight ratioVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the attachment member into two distinct parts: a main body made from conventional metal alloy and a lug made from metal matrix composite. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured using the most suitable process for its specific requirements, simplifying overall production while maintaining high strength-to-weight ratio in the critical lug area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by using metal matrix composite material specifically for the lug portion that requires high strength, while the main body of the attachment member is made from conventional metal alloy. This localized application of enhanced material properties provides titanium-like strength where needed without requiring the entire component to be made from expensive titanium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If conventional fasteners are used to attach the lug to the body, then ease of assembly is improved, but structural resilience and fatigue resistance decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidstructural resilience

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by fusing the lug and body into a single integrated structure through a joint, eliminating the need for separate fasteners. This merging of components creates a continuous load path that enhances structural resilience and fatigue resistance while maintaining ease of assembly through the fusion process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies composite materials by combining a metal matrix (aluminum alloy) with reinforced elements (ceramic fibers or particles) to create a metal matrix composite (MMC) lug. This composite structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio comparable to titanium while using more readily extractable aluminum as the base material, thus reducing extraction energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 solution offers a lightweight, cost-effective, and damage-tolerant landing gear attachment member with similar strength to titanium, using less expensive materials and simplified manufacturing processes.

Implementation Method 1

The lug is fused to the body via a joint, such as a scarf joint

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBrazing: Brazing

Data Source

PatentUS20250368323A1Landing gear attachment rib

Publication Date: 2025.12.04 AIRBUS OPERATIONS LTD

AI summary

A landing gear attachment member for an aircraft is provided, the landing gear attachment member including a body comprising metal; and a lug comprising a metal matrix composite, wherein the lug is fused to the body via a joint. The lug may be brazed to the body, and the joint may comprise one or more scarf joints.