Aircraft Engine Attachment Element With Rigid Flange Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft engine attachment systems, such as those with half-barrel connecting parts, poorly distribute thrust forces and vibrations, leading to discomfort in the cabin and premature wear due to irregular engine deformation and clearance issues, and often require unacceptable overhangs when the mast is not aligned with the engine's center of gravity.
Innovation Solution
A new engine attachment element with circular flanges and a rigid structure that surrounds the engine, allowing for uniform force transmission and easy assembly, featuring flexible connections to decouple vibrations and reduce bending, and a simplified mast design with plane wings that can be manufactured without overhangs, ensuring regular force distribution and reduced deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a half-barrel connecting part is used to attach the engine to the mast, then the engine can be directly attached to the mast, but the thrust forces are poorly distributed and large bending moments are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into three distinct circular flanges (first flange on mast, second flange on engine, third flange intermediate) connected by rigid structures. This segmentation allows forces to be distributed more uniformly across multiple attachment points rather than concentrated at a single half-barrel interface, resolving the contradiction between direct attachment capability and force distribution uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection transitions from a two-dimensional half-barrel interface to a three-dimensional arrangement of circular flanges distributed around the engine perimeter. This dimensional expansion creates multiple attachment points that distribute thrust forces more uniformly while maintaining direct attachment capability through the intermediate third flange.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mast main part is positioned away from the engine's center of gravity to avoid propellers, then propeller interference is avoided, but overhang in the fitting part occurs which is unacceptable
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate third flange acts as a mediator between the mast's first flange and the engine's second flange. This intermediary component allows the mast to be positioned away from propellers while distributing forces through the rigid structure connecting the flanges, eliminating the need for unacceptable overhang in the fitting part.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the connection into three flanges distributed around the engine, the system achieves positioning flexibility to avoid propellers while the rigid structures between flanges prevent unacceptable overhang by distributing loads across multiple attachment points.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the engine is attached by the center of gravity plane to reduce engine deformation, then engine deformation is reduced, but vibrations are difficult to filter and harmful to cabin comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system employs local quality differentiation where the rigid structures between flanges provide stability to control engine deformation, while the distributed circular flange arrangement creates multiple vibration paths that can be filtered. The third intermediate flange specifically addresses vibration transmission while maintaining the center of gravity alignment for deformation control.
4Strength
If a rigid structure joins the flanges to transmit forces uniformly, then force transmission is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid structure is segmented into discrete elements (frames, profiles, or tubes) connecting the circular flanges rather than a monolithic complex structure. This segmentation achieves uniform force transmission through multiple rigid links while reducing overall structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an engine (22) attached to an engine pylon (23, 24) via an intermediate structure (39) assembled by flanges (40, 41), to the pylon and to the engine, a rigid structure (42) connecting the flanges. Said arrangement simplifies the design of the pylon while enabling considerable overhang when attempting to attach the engine by the plane of the centre of gravity thereof, having to separate the pylon therefrom: the element (39) can withstand the stress caused by the overhang. The invention also enables assemblies that favour a balanced transmission of stress to the pylon and a good ability to filter vibrations.