Polymer Rope Cargo Net with Node Locks for 9G Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cargo barrier nets for aircraft are too heavy for single-person handling, prone to damage, and become brittle in cold temperatures, with webbing-based solutions failing to meet high load requirements like 9G conditions due to uneven load distribution and relative movement issues.
Innovation Solution
A 9G cargo barrier net constructed from polymer ropes connected via full or partial splicing without knotting or stitching, using polymer tether lines with eye splices and webbing for anti-tangling and attachment, and incorporating node locks to prevent relative movement, allowing for a lightweight and robust net that can be installed by one person.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If webbing-based cargo nets are used, then cargo restraint function is provided, but the net becomes too heavy for single-person handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional webbing to polyethylene rope, which has a significantly better strength-to-weight ratio. This parameter change allows the net to maintain its cargo restraint function while reducing weight to enable single-person handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with polyethylene ropes for the net structure and polypropylene webbing for the boundary edges. This composite material approach optimizes the overall performance by combining the lightweight high-strength properties of polyethylene with the durability and edge-strengthening properties of polypropylene.
2Reliability
If webbing-based cargo nets are used, then cargo restraint function is provided, but the net becomes prone to damage through friction and becomes brittle in cold temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material from webbing to polyethylene rope, which has superior resistance to friction damage and maintains flexibility in cold temperatures. Polyethylene's molecular structure provides better toughness and resistance to environmental degradation compared to traditional webbing materials.
3Weight of moving object
If webbing-based cargo nets are used, then cargo restraint function is provided, but the net absorbs water and becomes even heavier in wet conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material from water-absorbent webbing to polyethylene rope, which is hydrophobic and does not absorb water. This parameter change eliminates the weight increase problem in wet conditions while maintaining the cargo restraint function.
4Strength
If traditional knotting or stitching methods are used to connect ropes, then net structure is formed, but load distribution becomes uneven and relative movement occurs under high load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the knotting or stitching connection method from the net construction. Instead, it uses a continuous loop structure with rope ends spliced into adjacent ropes, which distributes load more evenly and prevents relative movement under high load conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the rope ends with adjacent ropes through splicing, creating a unified continuous structure. This merging eliminates the separate connection elements (knots or stitches) that cause stress concentration and relative movement, resulting in more uniform load distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A cargo barrier net is disclosed. The net includes polymer ropes being connected at nodes to form a net body, one or more ends of the ropes being attachable to a respective plurality of attachment points on an interior of an aircraft. The net further includes one or more node locks, each of the one or more node locks being installed on a respective node to reduce relative movement of the ropes at the node. The net accommodates a desired load factor of at least nine.