Aircraft Flap Roller Assembly Removal via Retaining Member
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roller assemblies for aircraft flaps are difficult to remove and replace, requiring the flap to be taken off the wing, leading to increased maintenance time and unnecessary replacement of all assemblies, resulting in waste and expense.
Innovation Solution
A flap roller arrangement with a retaining member that allows the roller assembly to egress through the flap fitting in a direction away from the flap track, enabling easy removal and replacement without needing to remove the flap from the wing, by configuring the roller assembly to fit through the opening and using a retaining member that obstructs movement when coupled and allows movement when uncoupled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional roller assemblies are designed with the shaft and opening having substantially the same diameter to minimize rocking motion, then the stability of the object's composition is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because the roller assembly cannot be easily removed without taking off the flap
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly is segmented into a shaft portion and a roller portion with distinct functions. The shaft portion has a diameter matching the opening for stable mounting, while the roller portion has a larger diameter for rolling engagement, allowing the assembly to be removed by translating the shaft through the opening without removing the flap
Solution Approach 2:
The removal direction is changed from the conventional direction (towards the flap track) to a new direction (away from the flap track, through the opening). This dimensional change in removal path allows the roller assembly to be extracted without flap removal while maintaining stable operation during use
2Ease of repair
If the flap is removed from the wing to replace a roller assembly, then the ease of repair is improved, but the loss of time increases due to additional rigging and inspection requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly is extracted as a separate, independently removable component from the flap assembly. The shaft is designed to translate through the opening in the flap fitting, allowing the roller assembly to be removed and replaced without extracting the entire flap from the wing, thus reducing maintenance downtime while maintaining repair accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The roller assembly is designed with self-contained features (shaft with specific diameter, roller portion) that enable maintenance personnel to service or replace individual roller assemblies without requiring removal of the flap from the wing, allowing the system to serve itself through easy component-level maintenance
3Reliability
If all roller assemblies are replaced when one needs service, then the reliability is improved, but the loss of substance increases due to unnecessary replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly is segmented into a reusable shaft portion and a replaceable roller portion. When service is needed, only the roller portion is replaced while the shaft remains in place, allowing individual component replacement rather than replacing entire assemblies, thus reducing waste while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft portion is recovered and retained for continued use, while only the worn roller portion is discarded and replaced. This selective replacement approach maintains system reliability by replacing only the failed component rather than the entire assembly, reducing unnecessary waste of functional parts
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A flap roller arrangement for supporting a flap on a wing of an aircraft is disclosed herein. The flap roller arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a roller assembly that is configured for rolling engagement with a flap track of the wing and for engagement with a flap fitting. The flap roller arrangement further includes a retaining member that is removably coupled to the roller assembly. The roller assembly is configured to egress through an opening in the flap fitting in a direction away from the flap track. The retaining member is configured to obstruct egress of the roller assembly through the opening when the retaining member is coupled to the roller assembly. The roller assembly is enabled to egress through the opening when the retaining member is removed from the roller assembly.