Three-Piece Failsafe Clevis Assembly With Uniform Fastener Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft underwing support systems with failsafe clevises face challenges in assembly complexity, cost, and tolerance issues due to the need for tight machining tolerances and varying grip lengths, leading to higher rejection rates and increased assembly time.
Innovation Solution
A three-piece failsafe clevis design with a center portion and laterally adjacent components, allowing for a single grip length of fasteners and simplified assembly, while maintaining structural performance and compliance with fail-safe requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-piece failsafe clevis design is used with inner and outer portions, then fail-safe structural requirements are met, but machining tolerances become tighter and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clevis is divided into three separate pieces (center portion, left lateral portion, right lateral portion) that can be manufactured independently with relaxed tolerances, then assembled together to achieve the fail-safe structural requirement. This segmentation allows each component to be produced with standard tolerances rather than requiring tight tolerances on a two-piece design.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral portions are positioned adjacent to the center portion with their inner surfaces received against the center portion's outer surfaces. This nesting arrangement allows the three pieces to fit together precisely while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and avoiding the need for complex tight-tolerance interfaces required in two-piece designs.
2Reliability
If a two-piece failsafe clevis design is used, then fail-safe requirements are met, but assembly time and cost increase due to varying grip lengths
Solution Approach 1:
All three portions (center, left lateral, right lateral) are designed with uniform thickness, allowing all fasteners to have the same grip length. This homogeneity simplifies the assembly process by eliminating the need for multiple fastener lengths, reducing assembly time and complexity while maintaining fail-safe structural integrity.
3Manufacturing precision
If tight machining tolerances are imposed on two-piece clevis interfaces, then structural precision is improved, but rejection rate increases and cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the clevis into three pieces with standardized interfaces, each component can be manufactured with conventional tolerances. The segmentation eliminates the need for tight tolerances on critical interfaces while maintaining the structural precision required for fail-safe performance, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and rejection rates.
4Adaptability or versatility
If shimming is used to compensate for gaps in two-piece clevis, then assembly flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The uniform thickness design of all three portions eliminates the need for shimming to compensate for gaps. The homogeneous dimensions ensure proper fit and alignment during assembly without requiring additional shimming components or procedures, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A three piece failsafe clevis includes a center portion having a center top surface, a planar first outer surface and a planar second outer surface. The second outer surface is oppositely oriented to the first outer surface. A channel in the center portion is configured to receive a tension and compression member. A left lateral portion is connected adjacent the first outer surface. The left lateral portion has a planar first inner surface received against the first outer surface and a left top surface coplanar with the center top surface. A right lateral portion is connected adjacent the second outer surface. The right lateral portion has a planar second inner surface received against the second outer surface and a right top surface coplanar with the center top surface.