Aircraft Hook Latch Flushness Adjustment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hook latches used in aircraft and similar vehicles often result in aerodynamic inefficiencies due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances, leading to non-flush positions that increase drag and fuel consumption, and current solutions require complex adjustments that are time-consuming and require human intervention.
Innovation Solution
A hook latch with an integrated adjustment device featuring a bracket and screw mechanism that allows for in-place adjustment of the handle's flushness with the aerodynamic surface, enabling precise alignment without disassembly, using a bracket with lateral plates and a screw that can be screwed or unscrewed within the adapter's recess to adjust the angle formed by the handle and adapter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional hook latches are assembled onto mobile structures, then fastening function is achieved, but manufacturing and assembly tolerances cause non-flush positioning that increases aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment device is nested within the latch structure itself. The bracket is integrated into the adapter assembly, and the screw mechanism is contained within the bracket structure. This nesting allows the adjustment functionality to be incorporated without adding external complexity or requiring separate adjustment systems, thereby improving manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch assembly includes self-contained adjustment capabilities through the bracket and screw mechanism that can be operated directly on the installed latch. The design allows operators to adjust the flushness position using the integrated screw and bracket without requiring external tools or complex procedures, enabling the system to service its own positioning requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex adjusting devices are used to improve flushness positioning, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but adjustment time increases and human intervention is required
Solution Approach 1:
The compact nested structure of the bracket and screw mechanism within the latch assembly allows for quick adjustments without requiring disassembly or complex procedures. The integrated design enables operators to make rapid positional adjustments to achieve proper flushness, thereby reducing adjustment time and minimizing downtime while effectively reducing aerodynamic drag.
Solution Approach 2:
The screw mechanism enables direct adjustment of the latch position by changing the engagement parameter between the bracket and adapter. By rotating the screw, the bracket's position relative to the adapter can be precisely adjusted, allowing quick modification of the latch's flushness without time-consuming procedures or multiple adjustment steps.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the latch is adjusted to achieve proper flushness, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but the adjustment mechanism increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment device utilizes a nested structure where the bracket is integrated into the adapter and the screw mechanism is contained within the bracket. This compact nested design minimizes the overall structural complexity while providing the necessary adjustment functionality, thereby reducing fuel consumption through improved aerodynamics without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket serves multiple functions: it provides the adjustment mechanism, acts as a positioning element, and integrates with the adapter structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby minimizing device complexity while achieving the energy savings associated with proper flushness alignment.
4Productivity
If in-place adjustment is enabled, then downtime is reduced and manual intervention is minimized, but the adjustment device requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The nested structure of the bracket within the adapter and the screw within the bracket allows the adjustment device to be compact and integrated. This nesting reduces the effective space occupied by additional components and minimizes the overall complexity, enabling in-place adjustment that improves productivity without requiring a disproportionate number of additional parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment functionality is merged with the existing latch structure through the bracket and screw mechanism. Rather than adding a completely separate adjustment system, the design combines the adjustment features with the adapter and handle assembly, thereby improving assembly and adjustment efficiency while limiting the increase in component count.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hook latch (73) configured so as to lock and unlock a mobile structure on a fixed structure of a vehicle, said latch havingan adapter (69) fitted with a hook (73) capable of fastening a keeper,a handle comprising a trigger,on the handle, a second pivot connection axis,on the trigger, at least one hook capable of fastening at least one protrusion (125) of a bracket (121) connected to the adapter,a third pivot connection axis, around which the handle and the adapter are guided in rotation in relation to each other, andcharacterised in that it comprises an adjustment device for adjusting the flushness of the upper surface of the handle in relation to the aerodynamic surface, said device comprisingthe bracket (121),a screw (129) capable of being screwed and unscrewed within a first tapped recess of the adapter.