Aircraft Flap Support Assembly with Part-Spherical Bearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flap support assemblies for aircraft wings are complex, heavy, and prone to jamming due to high wear rates, especially when dealing with three-dimensional movements and misalignments, and lack adequate failsafe features.
Innovation Solution
A support assembly featuring a part-spherical bearing system with a male convex-shaped bearing element and a female concave-shaped bearing element, allowing the shaft to pivot freely in all directions, combined with a guide track and support members for smooth sliding, accommodates multiple degrees of freedom and reduces complexity and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a complex track and carriage assembly with swinging arm is used to support the flap, then multiple degrees of freedom of movement are achieved, but device complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is divided into distinct functional segments: a guide track mounted to the wing structure that defines the primary arcuate path, a carriage that travels along the track, and a shaft with part-spherical bearing that provides secondary rotational freedom. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific movement requirements independently, reducing overall complexity while maintaining multiple degrees of freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
A part-spherical bearing is introduced at the connection between the shaft and carriage, allowing the shaft to pivot freely in all directions relative to the carriage. This spherical element provides the necessary rotational freedom without requiring complex mechanical linkages, thereby reducing the number of parts while maintaining adaptability for multi-directional flap movement.
2Manufacturing precision
If a track shaped for three-dimensional carriage movement is used, then flap deployment path accuracy is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guidance function is segmented between the guide track (which defines the primary two-dimensional arcuate path) and the part-spherical bearing (which accommodates three-dimensional deviations). This allows the track to be manufactured with standard two-dimensional precision using conventional methods, while the spherical bearing handles the complexity of three-dimensional movement accommodation, significantly easing track manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from requiring a complex three-dimensional shaped track to a simpler two-dimensional arcuate track combined with a part-spherical bearing. The bearing adds the necessary third-dimensional freedom of movement without requiring the track itself to be manufactured in three dimensions, thereby simplifying track manufacturing while maintaining accurate flap deployment paths.
3Ease of operation
If multi-roller bearings follow a three-dimensional track, then flap movement guidance is achieved, but wear rate increases and jamming occurs due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The part-spherical bearing replaces multi-roller bearings in following a three-dimensional track. The spherical contact surfaces allow for self-alignment and accommodation of misalignments caused by wing bending and unusual load patterns. This eliminates the scuffing and skidding that occur with roller bearings on mismatched tracks, significantly reducing wear rates and preventing jamming while maintaining smooth flap movement guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing contact geometry is changed from linear roller-contact to spherical surface-contact. This parameter change in the bearing mechanism allows for angular misalignments and accommodates the dynamic conditions of flap deployment, transforming the interaction from rigid roller-on-track contact to flexible spherical pivot contact that tolerates misalignment without increased wear or jamming.
4Strength
If a conventional track and carriage assembly is used, then structural support is provided, but electrical system routing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is segmented into a compact configuration where the guide track is mounted to the wing structure, the carriage travels along the track, and the shaft with part-spherical bearing connects to the flap. This segmented arrangement creates more open space and clearer pathways for electrical routing compared to bulky conventional assemblies, while the track-mounted structure provides necessary structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The design moves from a bulky three-dimensional conventional assembly to a more planar configuration where the guide track defines a two-dimensional path and the carriage operates within that plane. This dimensional simplification reduces the volume occupied by the support mechanism, creating easier pathways for electrical system routing while maintaining structural support capability through the track-mounted design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a lightweight, less complex support system that effectively manages three-dimensional flap movements and misalignments, reducing wear and jamming, while ensuring continued operation with enhanced failsafe features.
Implementation Method 1
a part-spherical bearing and a shaft having one end attachable to a flap and the opposite end coupled to the carriage via said part-spherical bearing such that the shaft is free to pivot relative to the carriage about a centre of the part-spherical bearing in all directions
Implementation Method 2
an arcuate guide track mountable to an aircraft wing and defining a two-dimensional path, a carriage mounted on the guide track so as to slide along the track during flap deployment
Data Source
AI summary
A support assembly for guiding a flap on an aircraft wing during deployment of the flap. The assembly includes an arcuate guide track mountable to an aircraft wing and defining a two-dimensional path, a carriage mounted on the guide track so as to slide along the track during flap deployment, a part-spherical bearing, and a shaft having one end attachable to a flap and the opposite end coupled to the carriage via said part-spherical bearing. The shaft is free to pivot relative to the carriage about a center of the part-spherical bearing in all directions, as the carriage slides along the track.