Single-Unit Ram Air Turbine Nose Cone Mass Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ram air turbine (RAT) nose fairings are complex and costly due to multiple individual parts, including tungsten weights, which complicate assembly and balancing, leading to increased vibration and resonance issues.

Innovation Solution

A single-unit nose cone made of a homogeneous material, such as steel, with a unified design that includes a dome, stand, seat, and stem portions, and a preload bolt system to connect with the turbine shaft, reducing assembly complexity and enhancing vibration control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If conventional multi-part nose fairings with tungsten weights are used, then mass distribution can be adjusted for balancing, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass distributionVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate components (nose fairing body and tungsten weights) into a single integrated nose fairing component made from composite material. The composite material itself provides the necessary mass distribution characteristics without requiring separate balancing weights, thereby reducing the number of parts while maintaining the required mass distribution for vibration control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes composite materials with varying density characteristics to achieve proper mass distribution within a single nose fairing component. By strategically placing denser composite material regions, the design achieves balancing without requiring separate tungsten weights, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining stable mass distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple individual parts including tungsten weights are used, then mass distribution can be controlled, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass distributionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the nose fairing structure and balancing mass into a single integrated component. This eliminates the need to manufacture and assemble separate tungsten weights, reducing manufacturing steps, assembly operations, and associated costs while maintaining proper mass distribution through composite material design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The use of composite materials allows for cost-effective mass distribution control within a single manufacturable component. The composite material can be tailored during manufacturing to provide the required density variations, eliminating the need for expensive tungsten weights and complex assembly processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Stability of the object's composition

If multiple parts are assembled together, then mass distribution can be adjusted, but assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass distributionVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the nose fairing and balancing masses into a single pre-manufactured integrated component. This eliminates all assembly operations related to installing separate tungsten weights and adjusting mass distribution, significantly reducing assembly complexity while maintaining the required mass distribution characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Stability of the object's composition

If conventional nose fairings with multiple parts are used, then mass distribution can be controlled, but vibration and resonance issues worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass distributionVSAvoidvibration and resonance

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials with carefully controlled density distributions to achieve precise mass distribution within the nose fairing. This uniform and controlled mass distribution minimizes vibrations and resonance issues during RAT operation, eliminating the harmful effects associated with conventional multi-part designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

By integrating the mass distribution control directly into the nose fairing structure as a single component, the patent achieves more uniform mass distribution compared to assembled multi-part designs. This integration reduces vibrations and resonance by eliminating gaps and discontinuities between separate parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3633146B1Ram air turbine single-unit nose

Publication Date: 2021.12.01 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

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AI summary

A single-unit nose cone for a ram air including: a dome portion (182) located at a forward end of the single unit nose cone (180); a dome stand portion (184) adjacent to the dome portion; a seat portion (186) adjacent to the dome stand portion; and a stem portion (188) adjacent to the seat portion and located at an aft end of the single-unit nose cone, wherein the dome portion, the dome stand portion, the seat portion, and the stem portion are composed from a single piece of material having a density of about 0.286 pound/cubic inch (7916 kilogram/cubic meter).