Aircraft Nacelle Cowl Alignment and Safety Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing solutions for opening and closing aircraft engine nacelle cowls face issues such as insufficient space for easy manipulation during opening, misalignment in the closed position, and the need for manual alignment and impact protection.
Innovation Solution
An alignment and safety device with first and second alignment arms and a blocking member that facilitates opening, aligns cowls in the closed position, and absorbs impacts, using a bumper made of elastomeric material to ensure proper latching and aerodynamic continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the cowls are closed tightly to ensure aerodynamic continuity, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the operator cannot easily manipulate the cowls for maintenance access
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the cowl system into movable and fixed parts. The alignment arms and blocking member are separable components that can be positioned independently to either maintain aerodynamic continuity or provide access space, resolving the contradiction between tight closure and operational access
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member is designed to be movable between different positions - interposed to provide separation space during maintenance operations and removed to allow tight closure for aerodynamic continuity. This dynamic repositioning resolves the static contradiction between access space and aerodynamic performance
2Area of stationary object
If the cowls are made large to cover engine components, then the engine protection is improved, but the cowls become misaligned in closed position requiring manual alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment arms act as intermediary elements between the two large cowls. These arms extend into the nacelle interior and provide reference surfaces that guide the cowls into proper alignment, eliminating the need for manual alignment operations while maintaining the large coverage area
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment device enables the cowls to self-align through the interaction of the alignment arms with the nacelle interior surfaces. The system automatically achieves proper alignment position without requiring external manual intervention, resolving the precision issue for large components
3Reliability
If the latching mechanisms are designed to securely latch the cowls, then the latching reliability is improved, but the operator may forget to actuate them leaving cowls improperly closed
Solution Approach 1:
The closure fault indicator uses visual signaling (color or position changes) to communicate the latching status to the operator. When latches are not properly actuated, the indicator displays a visible warning state, preventing operator oversight and ensuring reliable closure without compromising latching security
4Ease of operation
If the blocking member is made rigid to effectively separate the cowls, then the opening operation facilitation is improved, but the impact protection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is constructed from composite materials or combinations of materials with different properties - rigid enough to effectively separate and hold the cowls during opening operations, but with impact-absorbing characteristics to protect against damage. This material composite resolves the contradiction between operational effectiveness and impact protection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device simplifies the opening and closing operations by providing adequate space, ensuring proper alignment, and protecting against impacts, while acting as a closure fault indicator to prevent misalignment and facilitate latching.
Implementation Method 1
with a bumper at its end, particularly of an elastomeric material, to absorb impacts
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4a~4c
Figure 5a~6
AI summary
The invention provides an alignment and safety device (20) for the cowls (11, 41) of the nacelle of an aircraft engine formed by first and second parts (23, 43) to be arranged opposite of each other at the lower edges of the cowls (11, 41) that comprise first and second alignment arms (31, 51) configured with a portion (33, 53) arranged to enter inside the inner space of the nacelle covered by the opposite cowl (41, 11). One of the parts (23, 43) comprises a blocking member (81) configured to be interposed between the cowls (11, 41) after being unlatched to facilitate their opening operation and also when they return to the closed position from an open position if they are misaligned to facilitate its alignment and subsequent latching applying a force F on the blocking member (81).