Interleaved Torque Box Hinge for Foldable Aircraft Wings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folding wing designs for commercial aircraft increase weight when scaled up to accommodate larger wingspans, negating the fuel efficiency benefits of long span wings due to high reaction loads, which is undesirable for commercial aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A wing assembly with a fixed section and a foldable section hinged together using torque boxes pinned along a hinge axis, allowing the foldable section to rotate between stowed and deployed positions without significant weight increase, utilizing interleaved torque boxes and latch pins for load distribution and stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If folding wing designs are scaled up for commercial aircraft to accommodate larger wingspans, then wingspan is increased for better aerodynamic efficiency, but weight increases due to high reaction loads requiring larger hinges and locking pins
Solution Approach 1:
The wing assembly is divided into a fixed section and a foldable section that can be independently positioned. The foldable section is segmented into multiple panels that can be folded relative to each other, allowing the wingspan to be adjusted without requiring proportionally larger hinge structures throughout the entire wing.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly utilizes a torque box structure that distributes reaction loads through a three-dimensional pinned framework. By arranging hinges and locking pins in multiple dimensions and orientations, the structure efficiently handles high reaction loads without requiring proportional increases in overall hinge size and weight.
2Strength
If hinges and locking pins are increased in size to overcome high reaction loads, then structural strength is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is segmented into multiple torque boxes, each handling specific portions of the reaction loads. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve high overall strength through the cumulative effect of multiple smaller, optimized components rather than requiring a single large complex hinge structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The torque box structure employs composite construction methods, combining multiple materials and structural elements (skins, spars, ribs, locking pins) to achieve high strength-to-weight ratio. This composite approach provides the necessary structural strength while minimizing weight and complexity compared to monolithic hinge designs.
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A wing assembly comprises a fixed section, a foldable section, and a hinge assembly for hinging the foldable section to the fixed section. The hinge assembly includes a plurality of interleaved torque boxed that are hinged together.