Fuselage Wing Attachment Structural Configuration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The attachment of a wing to a fuselage in a tiltrotor aircraft poses challenges due to the presence of door openings underneath, which can lead to deformation and inadequate pitch stiffness, as the forces transmitted from the wing to the fuselage are extreme and require additional structural support to manage vibrations and loads effectively.

Innovation Solution

A structural configuration featuring coplanar fuselage beams and wing ribs with uninterrupted joints, combined with forward and aft attach fittings, forms a continuous structural element that distributes loads across multiple supports, eliminating gaps and enhancing the fuselage's ability to accommodate the forces imparted by the wing, thereby maintaining structural integrity and pitch stiffness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If door openings are provided in the fuselage underneath the wing, then troop ingress and egress are improved, but pitch stiffness and structural integrity deteriorate due to inadequate support for extreme forces transmitted from the wing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetroop ingress and egressVSAvoidpitch stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system is divided into multiple components: forward attach fitting, aft attach fitting, and fuselage beams. These segmented elements work together to distribute and manage the extreme forces transmitted from the wing, with each component serving a specific structural function while maintaining overall pitch stiffness despite the presence of door openings in the fuselage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The forward attach fitting, aft attach fitting, and fuselage beams are combined to form an integrated structural assembly. This merging of components creates a continuous load path that effectively transmits forces from the wing through the attachment system to the fuselage, maintaining structural integrity while accommodating door openings underneath the wing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If door openings are provided in the fuselage underneath the wing, then troop ingress and egress are improved, but structural integrity deteriorates due to reduced support for extreme forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetroop ingress and egressVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system is divided into multiple components: forward attach fitting, aft attach fitting, and fuselage beams. These segmented elements work together to distribute and manage the extreme forces transmitted from the wing, with each component serving a specific structural function while maintaining overall structural integrity despite the presence of door openings in the fuselage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If additional structural support is added to manage extreme forces, then pitch stiffness and structural integrity are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepitch stiffnessVSAvoidattachment system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fuselage beams serve multiple functions: they provide structural support to maintain pitch stiffness, transmit extreme forces from the wing to the fuselage, and accommodate the door openings underneath the wing. This multi-functionality allows the attachment system to achieve high structural performance without proportionally increasing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10407152B2Fuselage to wing attachment

Publication Date: 2019.09.10 BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC

AI summary

According to one embodiment, an aircraft features a fuselage, a wing member, and two fuselage beam. The fuselage features a first plurality of structural supports, a second plurality of structural supports, a first opening disposed between the first plurality of structural supports, and a second opening disposed between the second plurality of structural supports. The wing member is disposed above the first opening and above the second opening. The wing features a plurality of ribs including a first rib and a second rib. The first fuselage beam couples the first rib of the wing member to the fuselage and has an elongated body portion extending across the first plurality of structural supports. The second fuselage beam couples the second rib of the wing member to the fuselage and features an elongated body portion extending across the second plurality of structural supports.