Expandable Deburr Tool for Aircraft Piccolo Tube Turns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools are unable to effectively navigate and deburr the interior of non-straight tubes like Piccolo tubes in aircraft engine assemblies without disassembling the engine, as they fail to traverse the turns and engage the inner wall reliably.
Innovation Solution
A flexible deburr tool with an expandable burr removal head that can collapse to fit through turns and expand to engage the inner wall, comprising a flexible drive shaft and adjustable burr removal elements, allowing in-situ deburring of non-straight tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rigid deburr tool is used, then the burr removal capability is sufficient, but the tool cannot navigate the turns in the non-straight tube
Solution Approach 1:
The deburr tool employs a dynamically adjustable head that can transition between collapsed and expanded states. The head collapses to navigate turns and expands to engage the inner wall for burr removal, allowing the tool to adapt its geometry to the complex tubular path while maintaining reliable burr removal capability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The burr removal elements are nested within the expandable head structure, allowing them to be compact during insertion and navigation, then deployed outward when engaged with the tube wall. This nesting principle enables the tool to pass through tight spaces while carrying the necessary burr removal components
2Reliability
If the deburr tool is designed to engage the inner wall reliably, then burr removal is effective, but the tool cannot pass through the turns in the tube
Solution Approach 1:
The tool head dynamically changes its configuration based on operational requirements - collapsed for navigation through turns, expanded for effective burr removal. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between needing to traverse turns and needing to engage the wall reliably
Solution Approach 2:
The tool changes its physical parameters (radius, engagement force) by transitioning between collapsed and expanded states. When navigating turns, the radius is minimized; when removing burrs, the radius expands and engagement force increases, achieving both navigation and effective burr removal
3Manufacturing precision
If the tool is disassembled to access the Piccolo tube for deburring, then complete deburring is possible, but assembly time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is designed to perform complete deburring operations through the existing assembly structure without requiring disassembly. The expandable head can reach and engage the inner wall at all necessary locations, providing self-service deburring that maintains quality while avoiding the time loss associated with disassembly and reassembly
4Ease of operation
If a small-radius tool is used to navigate turns, then the tool can traverse the tube, but it cannot effectively engage the inner wall to remove burrs
Solution Approach 1:
The tool employs dynamic radius adjustment - the head collapses to a small radius for navigating turns, then expands to a larger radius for effective inner wall engagement. This dynamic radius change allows the tool to sequentially perform both navigation and burr removal functions with the same device
Data Source
AI summary
A deburr tool has a flexible drive shaft and an expandable burr removal head. The expandable burr removal head is selectively collapsible and expandable. While collapsed, the burr removal head can navigate through the lumen of a non-straight tube, including across the abrupt right angle turn from an inlet tube section to an outlet tube section in an aircraft Piccolo tube. When expanded, the burr removal head engages the inner wall of the tube. The flexible drive shaft operatively connects the burr removal head to a prime move such that the prime mover drives rotation of the burr removal head while expanded. The rotating, expanded burr removal head removes burrs from inside the tube.