Modular Aircraft Antenna Mounting System with Adapter Plates

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing designs for radomes and mounting systems for aircraft antennas are costly and time-consuming to develop, requiring separate designs for each aircraft and antenna model, leading to increased manufacturing expenses and downtime for aircraft maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A modular antenna attachment apparatus featuring a radome with composite material, a mounting plate, and an adapter plate that can accommodate multiple antenna models, allowing for flexible installation without the need to remove the radome or mounting hardware, enabling compatibility with various antenna types and frequency bands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a new radome and mounting system are designed for each satellite antenna, then the antenna system can be customized for specific aircraft and antenna requirements, but the design, testing, and certification process takes years and adds significant expense to aircraft manufacturing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna system customizationVSAvoiddesign and certification time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting system is divided into separate modular components: a standardized radome, a configurable mounting system with adapter plates, and the antenna itself. This segmentation allows the radome and mounting hardware to be reused across different antenna models while only the antenna-specific adapter plate needs to be customized, dramatically reducing design and certification time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting system is designed with universal components that can accommodate multiple antenna types and configurations. The standardized radome and mounting hardware can be used across different aircraft and antenna models, requiring only minor adapter plate modifications to support new satellite antenna requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a new radome and mounting system are designed for each satellite antenna, then the antenna system can be customized for specific aircraft and antenna requirements, but the expense of design, testing, and certification adds to manufacturing costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna system customizationVSAvoidmanufacturing expense

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If the radome is designed for a particular aircraft and antenna, then the design can be optimized for specific requirements, but replacing the antenna requires complete removal and recertification of the entire radome assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign optimizationVSAvoidantenna replacement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting system incorporates configurable adapter plates that can be adjusted or replaced to accommodate different antenna models. This dynamic adaptability allows airlines to upgrade or replace antennas without removing the radome or mounting hardware, maintaining aircraft service life and reducing regulatory recertification needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If a standardized mounting system is used for multiple antenna models, then manufacturing costs and maintenance time are reduced, but the system must accommodate various antenna types and frequency bands

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidantenna compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting system uses standardized components for the radome and mounting hardware, with localized customization through adapter plates that are specific to each antenna model. This allows the majority of the system to be standardized for efficiency while maintaining the ability to accommodate different antenna types through targeted local modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2790267B1Aircraft antenna mounting system

Publication Date: 2019.09.25 THE BOEING CO

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AI summary

A method of manufacturing is provided comprising forming a mounting plate adaptable to a plurality of models of aircraft, forming an adapter plate configured for use with the mounting plate, forming a radome configured to attach to the mounting plate, configuring a shape of the adapter plate to encompass at least one footprint of at least one antenna, and providing a plurality of hole patterns through the adapter plate corresponding to known hole patterns of the at least one antenna.