Flying Wing Trailing Edge Door Configuration for Aerodynamic Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional door configurations on flying wing and blended wing body aircraft disrupt aerodynamics, affecting the performance of these aircraft types, and existing solutions do not adequately address the need for efficient passenger boarding, exit, and emergency evacuation while minimizing aerodynamic penalties.

Innovation Solution

A door configuration featuring a non-pressurized door in the trailing edge and a pressurized door on the pressurized housing, where the non-pressurized door is positioned outside the central zone of the trailing edge, allowing for optimal aerodynamic shape without impacting aircraft handling and enabling fluid access and exit routes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If doors are placed on the leading edge or on structures connected to the trailing edge, then access to the pressurized housing is enabled, but the aerodynamics of the aircraft are adversely affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to pressurized housingVSAvoidaerodynamic performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The door system is divided into two separate doors: a non-pressurized door in the trailing edge and a pressurized door on the pressurized housing. This segmentation allows each door to be optimized for its specific function, with the non-pressurized door positioned to minimize aerodynamic impact while the pressurized door maintains structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The non-pressurized door is extracted from the central zone of the trailing edge and positioned in an outer zone where surface defects have less influence on aerodynamics. This extraction removes the harmful aerodynamic effect while preserving the access function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If doors are positioned in the central zone of the trailing edge, then access is simplified, but control surface efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor accessVSAvoidaircraft handling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Different zones of the trailing edge are assigned different functions: the central zone is reserved for control surfaces where high lever arm is critical for handling, while the outer zone is designated for door placement where aerodynamic impact is minimized. This local quality differentiation optimizes both access and handling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a single door configuration is used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but aerodynamic penalties increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor configurationVSAvoidaerodynamic penalty

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The door system is segmented into non-pressurized and pressurized components positioned at different locations, allowing optimization of aerodynamics without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The non-pressurized door acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the pressurized housing, positioned in the trailing edge to provide access while the pressurized door maintains the pressure boundary

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10407151B2Doors for an easy access to the pressurized housing of a flying wing, from the trailing edge

Publication Date: 2019.09.10 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

An aircraft of flying wing or blended wing body type comprising, for access to a pressurized housing, a non-pressurized door in the trailing edge of the aircraft and a pressurized door on the pressurized housing. The distance between the center of the pressurized door and a plane of symmetry of the aircraft is less than or equal to the distance between the center of the non-pressurized door and the plane of symmetry, and the pressurized door is located on a wall other than a rear wall of the pressurized housing or upstream of a rear extremum point of the housing in the absence of any such rear wall.