Pre-Molded Seal Boot Assembly for Fluid-Tight Aircraft Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing structures, such as aircraft fuel tanks, require manual application of sealants in confined spaces, leading to increased cycle time and labor, and are inefficient in forming fluid-tight barriers.
Innovation Solution
A pre-molded seal boot with a base, toe, and fillet surface is applied to the edge of a component before assembly, using the same sealant material as the adhesive, forming a flexible barrier seal that conforms to the joint contours, reducing the need for post-assembly application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealant is applied manually after spar and skin are connected, then the seal can be applied to the joint, but the cycle time and labor increase due to mechanics accessing confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The seal boot is pre-installed on the spar before the skin is attached, allowing the sealing action to occur prior to assembly rather than requiring post-assembly access to confined spaces. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for mechanics to work inside the wing after assembly, reducing cycle time while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal boot serves as an intermediary component that bridges the joint between spar and skin. By installing this intermediate sealing element before final assembly, the system achieves fluid-tight sealing without requiring manual sealant application in confined spaces afterward, thus improving productivity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If manual sealant application is used in confined spaces, then sealing can be achieved, but labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal boot is pre-positioned on external surfaces before assembly, transforming a difficult post-assembly operation in confined spaces into an easy pre-assembly operation on accessible surfaces. This eliminates the need for mechanics to manually apply sealant inside the wing, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining the fluid-tight barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal boot is designed to be self-contained and pre-formed, requiring no manual manipulation or application tools during assembly. It simply attaches to the spar and skin joint, performing the sealing function automatically without requiring labor-intensive manual sealant application, thus improving ease of operation while ensuring reliable sealing.
3Reliability
If traditional sealant application methods are used, then sealing can be performed, but the process requires post-assembly access to confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The seal boot is installed on the spar before the skin is attached, moving the sealing operation from post-assembly to pre-assembly timing. This eliminates the need for follow-up sealant application work after the wing is assembled, reducing post-assembly work time to zero while maintaining seal integrity through the pre-positioned boot.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal boot installation process skips the entire post-assembly sealant application step by performing the sealing function during the assembly process itself. This eliminates the need to return to confined spaces after assembly, effectively rushing through the sealing requirement in a single pass during assembly, thus eliminating post-assembly work time while ensuring seal integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A seal boot includes a base and a toe that extends from the base. The seal boot includes a fillet surface that is formed by the base and the toe. The seal boot includes a first fay surface that is at least partially formed by the base. The seal boot includes a second fay surface that is at least partially formed by the toe.