Integrated Latching Shaft for Aircraft Door Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional actuating systems for actuatable doors in aircraft are complex, expensive, heavy, and voluminous due to their numerous components and tolerances, making them difficult to manufacture and assemble, while also requiring increased material thickness for stress load compensation.
Innovation Solution
A simplified actuating system with a reduced number of components, integrating the rotatable latching shaft into the mechanical transmission element, eliminating unnecessary bearings and components, and incorporating an overcentering adjustment device for enhanced safety and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional actuating systems with multiple components and bearings are used, then reliability and locking security are improved, but device complexity, weight, and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the latching shaft and mechanical transmission element into a single integrated component. The latching shaft itself serves as the pivotable mechanical transmission element, eliminating the need for separate coupling rods, bell cranks, and multiple bearings. This merging reduces the number of components while maintaining the locking security through the preserved functional relationship between the latching hook, pivot bearing, and integrated shaft-transmission element.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated latching shaft performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the rotatable locking mechanism, the pivotable mechanical transmission element, and the coupling between the actuator and latching hook. This multi-functionality reduces component count while maintaining reliability, as the single component is designed to fulfill all necessary mechanical roles in the actuating system.
2Reliability
If multiple bearings and coupling elements are used, then mechanical transmission reliability is improved, but weight and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the latching shaft and mechanical transmission element into one component, the patent eliminates multiple separate bearings and coupling elements. The integrated design reduces total weight while maintaining mechanical transmission reliability through the carefully designed pivot bearing that connects the integrated component to the latching hook.
3Manufacturing precision
If numerous components with tolerances are used, then locking precision is improved, but manufacturing and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the latching shaft and mechanical transmission element into a single manufacturable component reduces the number of parts that need to be precisely assembled. This decreases assembly difficulty and potential sources of error from multiple interfaces, while the critical locking precision is maintained through the precise design of the pivot bearing and latching hook engagement.
4Strength
If material thickness is increased for stress load compensation, then structural strength is improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated design creates a more efficient stress load path by eliminating intermediate coupling elements and reducing the number of interfaces. This allows for optimized material distribution that maintains structural strength while reducing overall material thickness and weight compared to conventional multi-component designs.
Data Source
AI summary
An actuating system for an actuatable door that comprises at least one latching device with a latching hook that is adapted for locking the actuatable door in a closed position, the latching hook being pivotally mounted to an associated pivot bearing and connected to a pivotable mechanical transmission element via a coupling link, which is pivotally mounted to the latching hook and to the pivotable mechanical transmission element, the pivotable mechanical transmission element being coupled to a rotatable latching shaft, wherein rotation of the rotatable latching shaft in operation results in pivoting of the pivotable mechanical transmission element and pivoting of the latching hook around the associated pivot bearing, wherein the pivotable mechanical transmission element is mounted onto the rotatable latching shaft. The invention is further related to an actuatable door having such an actuating system.