Aircraft Nacelle Corner Insert for Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing aircraft nacelles with complex shapes and geometries, such as corners and transitions, is challenging due to load distribution and weight efficiency issues, as heavier components are required to manage loads, which decreases fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A sandwich panel design featuring a first and second skin, coupled with core portions and an insert forming a corner fitting, where the insert is made of materials like metal or plastic and configured as a solid, ribbed, or honeycomb structure, providing a continuous load path and acoustic treatment, allowing for efficient load distribution and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heavier components are used to manage loads in complex nacelle geometries, then load distribution is improved, but weight increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials in the sandwich panel construction, combining different materials with complementary properties to achieve both structural strength and weight reduction. The composite structure allows load distribution while maintaining lighter weight compared to traditional homogeneous materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner insert provides localized structural reinforcement at the critical corner region where complex geometries create stress concentrations. This local quality enhancement allows the rest of the structure to remain lighter, achieving optimal load distribution without uniformly increasing overall weight.
2Shape
If complex shapes and corners are accommodated in nacelle manufacturing, then geometric requirements are met, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sandwich panel is segmented into distinct components including skin layers, core portions, and a separate corner insert. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes, then assembled to form the complex corner geometry, thereby reducing overall manufacturing difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner insert serves as an intermediary component that simplifies the manufacturing of complex corner geometries. Rather than directly forming complex shapes in the main panel structure, the insert mediates by providing a pre-fabricated corner element that interfaces with simpler panel sections, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
3Area of stationary object
If smaller radii are used in panel design, then acoustic area is increased, but structural integrity becomes more challenging to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The sandwich panel uses composite material construction with multiple layers and a corner insert, creating a structurally robust design that can maintain integrity even with smaller radii. The composite structure distributes stresses more effectively than single-material constructions, enabling smaller radii while preserving strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner insert provides localized structural enhancement at regions with smaller radii where stress concentrations are highest. This local quality improvement allows the panel to maintain structural integrity in critical areas while achieving increased acoustic area through smaller overall radii.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a panel configured for use on an aircraft nacelle, comprising: a first skin, a second skin, a first core portion coupled to the first skin and the second skin, a second core portion coupled to the first skin and the second skin, and an insert coupled to the first skin, the second skin, the first core portion, and the second core portion, the insert forming a corner fitting between the first core portion and the second core portion.