Geodesic Electric Aircraft Fuselage Structural Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric aircraft, such as eVTOLs, face safety concerns due to potential component malfunctions during flight, which can compromise the integrity and safety of the aircraft, passengers, and cargo.
Innovation Solution
The design of an electric aircraft incorporating a fuselage with geodesic, monocoque, or semi-monocoque construction, along with fixed wings and booms, and a tail, featuring lift components and control surfaces, to maintain structural integrity and facilitate safe landing, even in the event of component failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional aircraft construction methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but structural robustness and safety are compromised due to inability to distribute loads effectively during component failures
Solution Approach 1:
The fuselage is divided into multiple geodesic panels or segments that can independently bear loads. This segmentation allows the structure to distribute stresses across multiple discrete elements, so that if one component fails, the remaining segments maintain structural integrity and continue to support the aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the geodesic fuselage, combining materials with different mechanical properties to achieve both strength and weight optimization. This composite approach enhances structural robustness while managing the complexity through integrated material design rather than separate structural elements.
2Reliability
If conventional monocoque or semi-monocoque construction is used, then manufacturing ease is maintained, but load distribution capability is insufficient to ensure safe landing after damage
Solution Approach 1:
The geodesic construction divides the fuselage into triangular or polygonal panels that naturally distribute loads across their geometry. This segmented approach improves safety by ensuring that damage to one panel does not compromise the entire structure, while the modular nature of geodesic panels can simplify manufacturing through standardized component production.
Solution Approach 2:
The geodesic fuselage employs curved, spherical-like geometry that inherently distributes stresses more evenly across the structure compared to conventional flat-panel construction. This curvature provides superior load distribution and damage tolerance, while modern composite manufacturing techniques can produce these curved surfaces more easily than traditional metal forming methods.
3Reliability
If structural reinforcement is added to improve damage tolerance, then safety is enhanced, but aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The geodesic fuselage utilizes composite materials that provide high strength-to-weight ratios, achieving superior damage tolerance without proportionally increasing weight. The composite construction allows for tailored material properties in different fuselage regions, optimizing weight while maintaining enhanced damage tolerance through the geodesic structure's inherent load distribution capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
In an aspect the present disclosure is directed to an electric aircraft. An electric aircraft may include a plurality of fixed wings, a tail, a first boom, and a second boom and a plurality of lift components. The aircraft also includes a tail affixed to the aft end of the fuselage, a first boom including a first rear end affixed to the tail and a first forward end proximal to the fore end of the fuselage, wherein the first boom is affixed to a first wing, a second boom including a second rear end affixed to the tail and a second forward end proximal to the fore end of the fuselage, wherein the second boom is affixed to the second wing. The aircraft may include a plurality of lift components which may be affixed to the booms.