Lightning Protection Card Nesting in Aircraft Electronic Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic equipment designs for protecting against lightning in aircraft are either excessively large due to intermediate spaces or require costly and time-consuming replacement of entire daughter cards when the lightning protection card is damaged.

Innovation Solution

The electronic equipment design includes a casing with a backplane card, a connector, and daughter cards, each with a dedicated lightning protection card, connected via first and second ports with perpendicular fitting directions, allowing independent access and replacement of the lightning protection card without affecting the daughter card or backplane board.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the anti-lightning protection card is inserted between the backplane card and the connector, then the lightning protection function is provided, but the size of the electronic equipment significantly increases due to the intermediate space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning protectionVSAvoidsize of electronic equipment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The lightning protection card is integrated within the existing electronic equipment structure by nesting it between the backplane card and daughter cards, utilizing the available space without creating additional intermediate spaces that would increase overall equipment volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The connection ports are arranged in perpendicular directions, utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently. The first port connects in one direction while the second port connects in a perpendicular direction, allowing compact arrangement that reduces the volume required for the protection card assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the anti-lightning protection card is inserted between the backplane card and the connector, then the lightning protection function is provided, but the replacement of the lightning protection board requires dismantling of all daughterboards and the backplane board

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning protectionVSAvoidreplacement of lightning protection board

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into modular components with the lightning protection card as an independent replaceable unit. The first port and second port enable the protection card to be disconnected and replaced without affecting the daughter boards or backplane board, significantly easing maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the anti-lightning protection card is integrated on each daughter card, then the lightning protection function is provided, but the size of the electronic equipment increases due to the lengthening of the daughter card

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning protectionVSAvoidlength of daughter card

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lightning protection card is extracted from the daughter card structure and positioned as a separate component between the backplane card and daughter cards. This extraction prevents the daughter cards from being lengthened while maintaining the lightning protection function through the dedicated protection card with its own connection ports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If the anti-lightning protection card is integrated on each daughter card, then the lightning protection function is provided, but when a lightning protection card suffers damage, the entire daughter card must be replaced which represents a non-negligible cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning protectionVSAvoidreplacement cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3099150B1Electronic device comprising a housing and at least one electronic card protected against lightning

Publication Date: 2018.09.26 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

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AI summary

The invention relates to an electronic equipment (100) for an electronic system, the electronic equipment (100) comprising: - a housing (102), - a backplane card (208) housed in the housing (102), - a connector (106) fixed on the backplane card (208) and configured to connect to the rest of the electronic system, - at least one daughter card (204) housed in the housing (102), - for each daughter card (204), a lightning protection card (210) housed in the housing (102), and - for each lightning protection card (210), - a first port (212) is arranged to connect the lightning protection card (210) to the backplane card (208), and - a second port (214) is arranged to connect the daughter card (204) to the lightning protection card (210). Such an arrangement allows for cost and time savings during maintenance and replacement of the protection card (210).