Oblique Fin Ring Plate for Aircraft Wheel Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airplane wheel driving devices fail to efficiently rotate wheels before landing, leading to tire erosion and residue deposition on runways, increasing maintenance costs and difficulties due to complex structures and weight additions.
Innovation Solution
A driving device featuring a flat ring plate with obliquely arranged fins on the tire's side surface, utilizing relative atmospheric air flow to generate torque in the same direction as wheel rotation after landing, with the fins designed to deform and increase torque on the lower side, reducing wear and residue adherence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional wheels without driving apparatus are used, then the structure is simple, but the wheels cannot rotate before landing causing tire erosion and residue deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The driving device is segmented into modular components: a driving disc with multiple fins attached to the wheel rim, separate from the wheel structure itself. This allows the wheel to remain simple while adding a detachable driving component that rotates the wheel before landing, preventing tire erosion and residue deposition without complicating the base wheel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving disc acts as an intermediary component between the atmospheric air flow and the wheel. The fins on the driving disc capture air flow to generate rotational torque, which is then transferred to the wheel through the driving disc attachment, enabling wheel rotation without direct modification to the wheel structure itself.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If driving devices are added to rotate wheels before landing, then tire wear is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driving disc is designed with flexible fins that can dynamically adjust their orientation based on air flow conditions. The fins are arranged at different angles to optimize torque generation during approach, and the entire driving disc assembly can be detached and replaced, allowing the system to adapt to different operational conditions without permanent structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving disc is designed as a disposable or replaceable component that can be detached from the wheel after use. Once the fins become worn or the driving disc loses effectiveness, it can be removed and replaced with a new one, allowing the main wheel structure to remain simple while the driving component is periodically renewed without adding permanent complexity to the wheel system.
3Power
If fins are arranged on the tire side surface, then torque is generated by air flow, but the tire structure becomes complex and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The fins are segmented into multiple individual elements arranged around the driving disc perimeter, with each fin optimized for specific angular positions. This segmentation allows efficient torque generation from air flow while keeping each individual fin lightweight, and the entire fin assembly can be detached from the tire, preventing permanent weight addition to the tire structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving disc serves as an intermediary carrier for the fins, separating the torque-generating fin structure from the tire itself. The fins are attached to the driving disc which is then attached to the wheel rim, allowing the tire to remain lightweight while the driving disc with fins provides the necessary torque generation capability.
4Power
If grooves are formed on the tire to generate torque, then wheel rotation is achieved, but the tire requires special structure increasing cost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming complex grooves directly in the tire, the driving device segments the torque generation function into separate fin elements mounted on a driving disc. This approach achieves wheel rotation capability without requiring expensive special tire molding processes, as the fins are standard components attached to a simple disc structure that can be manufactured separately and assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving disc acts as an intermediary structure that provides the torque-generating surface (fins) without requiring the tire itself to have special grooved structures. This separates the torque generation function from the tire manufacturing process, allowing standard tires to be used while achieving the desired wheel rotation capability through the attached driving disc assembly.
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 effectively reduces tire wear and residue deposition on runways by rotating the wheels in the same direction as after landing, minimizing shock and damage, and simplifying maintenance by using a reusable and attachable revolution drive disc made of rubber-based materials.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing relative atmospheric air flow that the airplane receives before landing
Implementation Method 2
a torque generated by a part of the plurality of fins at a lower side of the tire in the direction same as the direction of the revolution of the wheel after landing is larger than a torque generated by a part of the plurality of fins at an upper side of the tire
Implementation Method 3
a gap is formed between a leading end portion of each of the fins and the ring plate so that the fin deforms to increase the gap between the leading end portion and the ring plate when the relative air flow is applied
Data Source
AI summary
A driving device for driving a wheel of an airplane in a direction same as that of a revolution of the wheel after landing, includes a revolution drive disc having a flat ring plate having an attachment portion adapted to attach on a side surface of a tire of the wheel; and a plurality of fins arranged on the ring plate. The plurality of fins is obliquely arranged on an outer side surface of the ring plate so that when the plurality of fins receives relative atmospheric air flow, a torque generated by the fins at a lower side of the tire in the direction same as that of the revolution of the wheel after landing is larger than a torque generated by the fins at an upper side of the tire in a direction reverse to that of the revolution of the wheel after landing.