Fail-Safe Roll-Pitch Device for Aircraft Refueling Boom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft refueling booms have limited structural integrity and fuel flow growth capability due to inadequate mechanical articulations, which can lead to safety issues and inefficiencies in fuel transfer.
Innovation Solution
A refueling apparatus with a mechanical articulation system that includes a fail-safe roll-pitch device with duplicated load paths and a rigid fuel tight coupling, providing two degrees of freedom for conical pivoting motion and ensuring continuous operation even in case of component failure, along with a fuel line connected via a flanged coupling for efficient fuel flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical articulation is used to provide conical pivoting motion for the boom, then the boom can achieve the required maneuverability and two degrees of freedom, but the structural integrity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical articulation is divided into three separate devices: a first device with a pivot axis, a second device with a roll axis, and a third device with a pitch axis. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for both mobility and strength, resolving the contradiction between maneuverability and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension of redundancy by duplicating load paths within the mechanical articulation devices. This dimensional approach to load path duplication strengthens the structure without compromising the conical pivoting motion capability.
2Reliability
If the mechanical articulation is simplified to improve reliability, then the structure becomes more robust, but the fuel flow growth capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical articulation devices are designed with dynamic load path capabilities that can adapt to varying fuel flow demands. The duplicated load paths allow the structure to handle increased fuel flow rates while maintaining reliability, as the load can be distributed across multiple paths rather than being constrained by a simplified single-path design.
3Productivity
If a rigid fuel tight coupling is used to ensure fuel transfer efficiency, then fuel flow capability increases, but the complexity of the mechanical articulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid fuel tight coupling is integrated with the three mechanical articulation devices, merging the fuel transfer function with the positioning function. This integration allows the fuel line to follow the complex motions of the boom while maintaining a rigid, efficient fuel flow path, thus achieving high fuel flow capability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A refueling apparatus for interconnecting a tanker aircraft (11) with a receiver aircraft in flight comprising a boom (21) joined to said tanker aircraft (11) by means of a mechanical articulation (41) comprising a first device (43) including a pivot axis (45), a second device (47) including a roll axis (49) and a third device (51) including a pitch axis (53), having at least one of said devices (43, 47, 51) fail-safe means (37, 37') providing a duplication of the load paths (39, 39') along the device, and also comprising a rigid fuel tight coupling (35) connecting the boom fuel line (31) to the tanker aircraft fiuef line (33).