Aircraft Engine Attachment Assembly With Fuse Pins

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft engine attachment assemblies face limitations in ground clearance and structural depth, leading to unpredictable behavior during high energy dynamic events, which can result in fuel tank rupture and damage to volatile components.

Innovation Solution

The aircraft engine attachment assembly features a wing section, engine pylon, secondary attachment links, lateral load links, connectors, and fuse pins, allowing for increased ground clearance and forming alternate load paths and damage-tolerant joints to manage high energy events, with knuckle-off geometries promoting mechanical fusing and safe separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If forward-mounted engines are positioned to increase ground clearance, then ground clearance is improved, but the height is limited by minimum structural depth required for engine pylons

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveground clearanceVSAvoidminimum structural depth

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The engine attachment assembly is divided into multiple independent components: primary attachment links, secondary attachment links, lateral load links, and multiple attachment points on both the wing section and engine pylon. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for strength and clearance requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the attachment geometry by positioning primary attachment points on the lower portion and secondary attachment points on the upper portion of both the wing section and engine pylon. This multi-level attachment arrangement increases ground clearance while maintaining structural depth through the vertical distribution of load paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If conventional engine attachment assemblies are used, then structural depth is maintained, but behavior during high energy dynamic events is unpredictable and may lead to fuel tank rupture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebehavior predictability during dynamic eventsVSAvoidfuel tank rupture risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Fuse pins are pre-installed at strategic locations within the attachment assembly to create predetermined failure points. During high energy dynamic events, these fuse pins are designed to fail in a controlled sequence, guiding the separation process and preventing uncontrolled failure that could damage fuel tanks or other volatile components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful uncontrolled failure mode into a beneficial controlled separation mechanism. By designing specific weak points (fuse pins) and knuckle-off geometries, the assembly is intended to fail in a predictable manner that protects critical components while still allowing the engine to separate safely from the wing section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Quantity of substance

If larger engine sizes are desired, then engine capacity is improved, but ground clearance and wing height limitations are exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine sizeVSAvoidground clearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment assembly uses multiple separate links (primary attachment links, secondary attachment links, lateral load links) rather than a single monolithic pylon structure. This allows the engine to be positioned forward on the wing, increasing ground clearance and enabling larger engine sizes while distributing structural requirements across multiple components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

By utilizing both lower and upper attachment points vertically distributed on the wing section and engine pylon, the design creates additional vertical space that accommodates larger engine dimensions while maintaining adequate ground clearance through the forward positioning enabled by the multi-link attachment geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Reliability

If multiple attachment links and joints are used, then load path redundancy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload path redundancyVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: primary attachment links for main load bearing, secondary attachment links for additional support, and lateral load links for side load management. Each segment serves a specific function, creating redundant load paths while keeping individual components simple and manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10583930B2Aircraft engine attachment assembly

Publication Date: 2020.03.10 SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS INC

AI summary

An aircraft engine attachment assembly having a wing section, an engine pylon, upper secondary attachment links, lateral load attachment links, and a number of fuse pins. The engine pylon is mounted to the front end of the wing section so that the engine pylon is not restricted by a minimum structural depth. The wing section, engine pylon, upper secondary attachment links, and lateral load links form primary and secondary attachment joints configured to form alternate load paths if one of the joints fails. The wing section and engine pylon include knuckle-off geometries for promoting mechanical fusing of the fuse pins during high energy dynamic events.