Curved Rail Positioning Tool for Aircraft Fuselage Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The construction of aircraft involves cumbersome manual lifting and lowering of large objects into and from the fuselage, which can damage the interior and requires controlled movements to avoid contact with the fuselage walls.

Innovation Solution

A positioning tool with a lift mechanism, curved rails, a carriage, and clamps that allows for precise alignment and attachment of aircraft fuselage frames and cutouts, enabling controlled lifting and lowering without contacting the fuselage walls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual lifting is used to move large objects into the fuselage, then the objects can be positioned, but the process is cumbersome and risks damaging the interior

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of moving objectsVSAvoidrisk of damage to fuselage interior

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a positioning tool as an intermediary device between the floor and the fuselage interior. This tool includes a lift mechanism with curved rails that guide the movement of objects, allowing them to be raised and positioned without direct manual handling that could cause damage. The curved rails act as a mediator that controls the trajectory and contact points, preventing harmful contact with the fuselage walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning tool is divided into multiple functional segments: a lift mechanism for vertical movement, curved rails for guided positioning, and a carriage system for precise placement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing the overall complexity of manual operations and minimizing damage risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If controlled lifting is performed to avoid contacting fuselage walls, then damage is prevented, but the lifting process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to fuselage interiorVSAvoidcomplexity of lifting mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs curved rails with a radius of curvature matched to the fuselage geometry. This curvature allows objects to be guided along a natural arc path that conforms to the fuselage shape, simplifying the control requirements compared to straight-line positioning. The curved path inherently avoids sharp angles and direct contact with walls, reducing complexity in control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning tool is designed to move objects along a controlled trajectory where the center of gravity and contact points are optimized. The curved rails create a path that maintains stable positioning throughout the lifting process, reducing the need for complex active control systems to prevent contact with fuselage walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

3Manufacturing precision

If precise alignment is achieved using the positioning tool, then assembly precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precision of componentsVSAvoidcomplexity of alignment mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning tool performs preliminary alignment actions before final assembly. The curved rails pre-position objects in the correct orientation and location, and the carriage system makes fine adjustments. This preliminary positioning reduces the need for complex post-assembly adjustments and simplifies the overall alignment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning tool is designed as a universal device that can accommodate multiple object types and sizes. The curved rails and carriage system can be adjusted to handle different geometries, reducing the need for multiple specialized alignment tools and simplifying the device complexity while maintaining precision across various applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12275540B2Positioning tool for apparatus manufacturing

Publication Date: 2025.04.15 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A positioning tool (100) includes a lift mechanism (102), multiple curved rails (106), a carriage (110), and multiple clamps (114). The lift mechanism (102) has multiple stages (104) configured to move linearly between a retracted position (152) and an engaged position (154). The curved rails (106) are mounted on the stages (104). The carriage (110) is coupled to the curved rails (106) and is configured to be adjusted into an alignment with a panel (82). The clamps (114) are coupled to the carriage (110) and are configured to releasably couple a part (88) to the carriage (110) while the stages (104) are in the engaged position (154), hold the part (88) in the carriage (110) while the stages (104) are between the engaged position (154) and the retracted position (152), and releasably couple the part (88) to the carriage (110) while the stages (104) are in the retracted position (152).