Aircraft Wing High-Lift Track Rigging for Synchronous Roller Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for rigging roller bearings in aircraft high lift assemblies often result in misalignment and uneven stress distribution due to individual rigging of multiple rollers, leading to premature degradation and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of simultaneous engagement of eccentric connector assemblies by an alignment member for synchronous rigging of roller pairs, ensuring accurate alignment and reducing stress concentrations, thereby extending the lifespan of the rollers and reducing rigging time and replacement needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individual rigging of multiple rollers is performed, then each roller can be adjusted independently, but misalignment and uneven stress distribution occur leading to premature degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple roller adjustments into a single synchronized operation using a common rigging mechanism. The first and second rollers are coupled such that adjusting one roller automatically adjusts the other roller(s) in unison, ensuring uniform alignment and stress distribution across all rollers while eliminating misalignment issues caused by independent adjustment.
2Productivity
If multiple rollers are rigged individually, then flexibility in adjustment is maintained, but rigging time increases and alignment accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rigging operations of multiple rollers into a single synchronized action through a common adjustment mechanism. This allows all rollers to be aligned simultaneously with one adjustment operation, dramatically reducing rigging time while ensuring consistent alignment accuracy across all rollers through the inherent mechanical coupling of the system.
3Ease of manufacture
If tolerance limits are relaxed for cost and time constraints, then manufacturing becomes more economical, but alignment precision between high lift body and wing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-aligning mechanical features and tolerance compensation mechanisms that automatically adjust for variations in manufacturing tolerances. The roller coupling mechanism and track geometry are designed to accommodate reasonable tolerance ranges while maintaining precise alignment through inherent mechanical self-correction, allowing relaxed manufacturing tolerances without sacrificing final alignment precision.
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
This approach ensures precise alignment and even wear distribution among rollers, extending their lifespan, reducing maintenance costs, and improving the reliability of the roller bearing system.
Implementation Method 1
The track is mounted to the main wing via a roller bearing such that the track is movable along the track longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 2
The first end of the elongate track may be preferably mounted to either a leading edge slat, or to a trailing edge flap by any appropriate means, e.g. by an arrangement of spherical bearings
Implementation Method 3
Each of the first and second rollers may have respective first and second rotation axes, and the first and second rotation axes may be coaxial
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft wing includes a main wing and a high lift assembly having a high lift body, and a connection assembly movably connecting the high lift body to the main wing to be movable between a retracted and an extended position, and having an elongate track extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end. The first end of the track is mounted to the high lift body. The track is mounted to the main wing via a roller bearing to be movable along the longitudinal axis. The roller bearing includes a first and a second roller mounted to at least one of the main wing and the track via first and second eccentric connector assembly, respectively. The first and second eccentric connector assemblies are configured to be engaged simultaneously by a single alignment member for synchronous rigging of the first and second rollers.