Aircraft Engine Cowl Central Grip Structure for Balanced Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turbine engine cowls are heavy and require multiple lifting interfaces on their external diameter, leading to imbalance and aerodynamic inefficiencies, with limited rotational freedom due to sling attachments.
Innovation Solution
A cowl design featuring a conical reinforcement with a central revolution member and aligned holes for gripping, allowing a single-point handling interface that minimizes weight and maintains balance, enabling rotation in any position without external diameter attachments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple lifting interfaces are positioned around the external diameter of the cowl, then the cowl can be lifted and handled, but the cowl experiences imbalance and aerodynamic degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the lifting interface from the external diameter location and relocates it to the internal revolution member. By taking out the multiple external lifting points and consolidating them into a single internal gripping interface, the patent eliminates the imbalance caused by distributed external attachments while maintaining full handling capability through the centralized revolution member design.
2Ease of operation
If multiple lifting interfaces are positioned around the external diameter of the cowl, then the cowl can be lifted and handled, but the aerodynamic performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the harmful external lifting interfaces from the aerodynamic surface of the cowl. By extracting all lifting functionality from the external diameter and consolidating it into the internal revolution member, the patent eliminates the aerodynamic drag and turbulence caused by external attachments while preserving complete handling capability.
3Ease of operation
If slings are fixed to the external diameter of the cowl, then the cowl can be transported, but the rotational position is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by moving the lifting interface from the external surface to the internal revolution member. This inversion allows the cowl to be gripped and transported from the inside out, eliminating the rotational constraints imposed by external sling attachments and enabling free rotation to any angular position during handling and installation.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a single central gripping interface is used, then the balance and aerodynamics are improved, but the gripping force must be concentrated at one point
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple lifting functions into a single integrated revolution member located at the center of the cowl. By combining all handling, lifting, and rotational capabilities into this one central interface, the patent achieves perfect balance and minimal aerodynamic impact while the conical reinforcement structure distributes and manages the concentrated gripping forces effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The revolution member incorporates a conical reinforcement structure that acts as a composite system, combining the external skin with internal reinforcement elements. This composite construction allows the single central interface to handle concentrated loads efficiently by distributing stresses through the layered reinforcement structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a cowl of an aircraft turbine engine extending about an axis, comprising a conical reinforcement centred about the axis, an external skin fixed around the reinforcement, and a revolution member fixed to the conical reinforcement along the axis and against the external skin, the external skin and the revolution member each comprising a hole coaxial with the axis, the revolution member being configured to allow the cowl to be gripped by inserting a bar into the hole.