Extruded Aircraft Air Supply Duct for Lightweight PSU Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current individual air supply ducts for aircraft are complex, heavy, and costly due to their rigid material and design, which complicates their manufacturing and integration with passenger service units.
Innovation Solution
The individual air supply duct is designed as an extruded profile with a longitudinal extension, featuring a circular inner portion and a radially extending outer portion with a Ω-like cross-section, including connection ports and a rail structure for attachment and rotation, allowing for flexible connection and easy assembly with passenger service units, and optionally incorporating electrical and signal transmission capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an individual air supply duct is made of rigid material with a straight circular-cylindrical pipe design, then structural strength and stability are improved, but manufacturing complexity, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from traditional rigid pipe fabrication to extrusion process, and modifies the cross-sectional geometry from simple circular-cylindrical to profiled shape with integrated features. This parameter change enables single-step manufacturing of complex geometries, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining structural strength through optimized extrusion design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple separate components into a single integrated extruded profile. The air supply duct combines the pipe wall, connection ports, and outer rail structure into one monolithic extruded component, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and weight
2Stability of the object's composition
If an individual air supply duct is made of rigid material with port structures protruding symmetrically, then structural stability is improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the connection ports and outer rail structure into the same extruded profile, creating an integrated design where these features are formed simultaneously during extrusion. This merging eliminates the need for separate components and reduces overall weight while maintaining structural stability through the optimized profile geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different structural characteristics to different regions of the extruded profile. The wall thickness and geometric features are optimized locally for each function (air flow, connection, structural support) rather than using a uniform design, reducing weight while maintaining stability where required
3Reliability
If an individual air supply duct uses a rigid design with separate common manifold and flexible hose, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and overall cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the connection ports and outer rail structure into the same extruded profile, creating an integrated design where these features are formed simultaneously during extrusion. This merging eliminates the need for separate components and reduces overall weight while maintaining structural stability through the optimized profile geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The extruded profile serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the air supply passage, incorporates connection ports for air panel attachment, and includes an outer rail structure for mechanical support and positioning. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed in the system
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Individual air supply duct (3) for connecting a main air supply duct (7) to a passenger service unit (9) in an aircraft, wherein the duct (3) is an extruded profile with a longitudinal extension direction (x). Individual air supply assembly (39) comprising the duct (3) and a passenger service unit (9) configured to be mounted thereto, wherein the duct (3) comprises individual connection ports (15), being located on the outer surface of the duct (3) and at equal intervals along the duct (3), wherein the passenger service unit (9) comprises a port (45), being located on the outer surface of the passenger service unit (9), and wherein, when the passenger service unit (9) is mounted to the duct (3), the port (45) is brought into close proximity and into alignment with a corresponding connection port (15).