Composite Track Beam for Jet Engine Cowlings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing track beams for aircraft jet engine cowlings are heavy, expensive, and prone to thermal expansion issues due to material differences between synthetic composite materials and metals, leading to increased weight and production complexity.
Innovation Solution
A track beam formed as a hollow section with a substantially closed cross-section using carbon-fiber-reinforced synthetic material via the resin-infusion process, which reduces weight, simplifies production, and minimizes thermal expansion issues by matching thermal expansion coefficients with the inner engine cowling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If track beams are made of metal (aluminum or titanium alloys), then strength and stiffness are sufficient, but weight increases and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by constructing the track beam base body as a hollow section made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). This composite material provides sufficient strength and stiffness while significantly reducing weight compared to traditional metal alloys like aluminum or titanium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a hollow section structure with thin wall thicknesses made from fiber-reinforced plastic. This shell-like structure achieves the required mechanical strength through its geometry and material properties while minimizing material usage and weight.
2Stability of the object's composition
If track beams are made of metal, then structural stability is achieved, but thermal expansion differences with synthetic composite materials cause high shearing forces and require overdimensioned connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by making both the inner engine cowling and the track beam from the same synthetic composite material (fiber-reinforced plastic). This ensures matching thermal expansion coefficients, eliminating differential thermal expansion and the associated shearing forces that would require overdimensioned connections.
3Reliability
If track beams are made of metal with rivets and screws, then structural integrity is ensured, but production effort and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the track beam base body and the fittings into a single integrated component made of fiber-reinforced plastic. This integration eliminates the need for separate rivets and screws, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing production effort while maintaining structural integrity through the composite material's inherent strength.
4Weight of moving object
If wall parts of inner engine cowling are made of synthetic composite material, then weight is reduced, but thermal expansion differences with metal track beams cause connection problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by constructing both the inner engine cowling wall parts and the track beam from the same synthetic composite material (fiber-reinforced plastic). This material homogeneity ensures identical thermal expansion characteristics, preventing connection reliability issues that would arise from joining dissimilar materials with different thermal expansion coefficients.
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 achieves a lightweight, stiff track beam with reduced production costs and fewer connecting elements, addressing the thermal expansion challenges and weight concerns while maintaining structural integrity and ease of maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the hollow profile being formed of a carbon-fiber-reinforced synthetic material by way of a resin-infusion process
Implementation Method 2
Since synthetic composite materials and metals have highly different temperature coefficients, different expansions of the wall portions made of synthetic composite materials and the track beams made of metal will occur in case of temperature fluctuations
Data Source
AI summary
Track beams for the cowling of a jet engine for aircraft are formed of a base body with at least one slide for displaceably mounting a thrust reverser of the jet engine. A connection is provided for an inner engine cowling and fittings for detachably and pivotally attaching to a supporting structure or for connecting to another track beam. To provide such a track beam which has a particularly low weight yet, nevertheless, is sufficiently stiff, the base body is formed by a hollow profile section with a substantially closed cross-section. The hollow section is produced of a carbon-fiber-reinforced synthetic material by way of a resin-infusion process. Two flanges are provided on the hollow section of the base body of the track beam for providing a connection to the inner engine cowling.