Flush Electrical Connector in Turbine Engine Casing Flange
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Solution Overview
Problem
The aeronautical industry faces challenges in developing all-electric aircraft due to complex electrical connections on turbine engine casings, which are hindered by weight, bulk, compactness, and limited handling points, making mounting and alignment of components difficult.
Innovation Solution
A turbine engine casing design featuring a fastening flange with an integrated electrical connector that lies flush with the surface, providing enhanced positioning accuracy and secure connection, along with indexing means and an insulating seal to facilitate easy assembly and maintenance, while maintaining structural integrity and visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional electrical connectors are used in turbine engine casings, then electrical connections can be established, but the mounting process becomes complicated due to weight, bulk, compactness, and limited handling points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connector with the fastening flange into a single integrated component. The connector is built into the flange structure itself, eliminating the need for separate connector installation steps. This merging of functions directly addresses the mounting complexity by allowing simultaneous mechanical fastening and electrical connection during a single assembly operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening flange serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical fastening through bolting and simultaneously houses the electrical connector for electrical connections. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall mounting process by consolidating mechanical and electrical assembly into one operation.
2Reliability
If pins protruding from annular wall are used for connection, then electrical connections can be made, but accurate alignment is required and pins might become twisted during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The connector elements are pre-positioned and integrated into the fastening flange structure during manufacturing. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the flange is mounted, the electrical contacts are already correctly aligned and positioned, eliminating the need for precise field alignment and preventing twisting during insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating the electrical connector with the fastening flange, the mechanical alignment provided by the flange mounting automatically aligns the electrical contacts. The mechanical and electrical alignment functions are merged, so that achieving mechanical alignment simultaneously achieves electrical alignment, reducing the precision requirements for separate electrical alignment steps.
3Ease of manufacture
If electrical connectors are integrated into fastening flange, then positioning accuracy is enhanced and assembly is facilitated, but the connector must lie flush with the surface to maintain structural integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connector is merged with the fastening flange as an integrated component, where the connector elements are embedded within the flange structure. This integration allows the connector to lie flush with the flange surface, maintaining the smooth external shape while providing enhanced positioning accuracy through the rigid flange structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connector elements are nested within the fastening flange structure, with contacts positioned inside recesses or cavities of the flange. This nesting allows the connector to be housed within the flange volume, maintaining the flush external surface while providing accurate positioning through the nested configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine engine casing, and in particular an axial turbine engine compressor casing, includes an annular wall and a fastening flange associated with the wall. The fastening flange includes a fastening surface applied against a corresponding mounting surface of the turbine engine, for example, a surface on an intermediate fan casing or a mounting surface of a flow separator. The fastening flange includes at least one electrical connector with one end lying flush with the fastening surface of said fastening flange.