Removable Aircraft Fuselage Step with Automatic Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft maintenance ladders are heavy, cumbersome, and difficult to store in small rotorcraft, while fixed running boards cause aerodynamic drag and are unattractive. Existing solutions do not provide a discreet, safe, and efficient means to access upper aircraft components during maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A portable aircraft step with a support assembly featuring attachable pins and an automatic locking system, allowing quick and secure temporary installation on the fuselage without structural modifications, minimizing aerodynamic impact and optimizing storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a maintenance ladder is used to access upper aircraft components, then accessibility is improved, but weight and storage difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance ladder is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can be extended when needed and retracted for storage. The ladder comprises a plurality of telescopic elements arranged in series, allowing the structure to be segmented into compact segments for storage while providing full length when deployed for maintenance access
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic sections of the ladder are nested within each other when retracted, with each section containing the next smaller section. This nesting arrangement allows the entire ladder structure to be collapsed into a compact form that fits within the aircraft fuselage, eliminating storage space requirements while maintaining full operational length when extended
2Ease of operation
If fixed running boards are installed on the fuselage, then accessibility is improved, but aerodynamic drag and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The running board structure transitions from a fixed static configuration to a dynamic retractable configuration. The running boards can be extended when maintenance access is required and retracted into the fuselage when not in use, allowing the structure to adapt its state based on operational requirements and eliminating continuous aerodynamic drag
Solution Approach 2:
The running board functionality is extracted from a permanent fixed installation and converted into a removable temporary structure. The running boards can be detached from the fuselage and stored when not needed, separating the accessibility function from the permanent airframe structure and eliminating the continuous presence of drag-generating components
3Reliability
If a portable support assembly with automatic locking system is used, then safety and ease of installation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking system operates automatically upon insertion of the support assembly into the fuselage receptacles. The automatic locking mechanism engages without requiring manual intervention, allowing the structure to self-secure and eliminating the need for complex manual locking procedures or additional actuating mechanisms
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a step (10) comprising a portable support assembly (30) having a vertical body (40) carrying a step (31). This step includes at least two pins (20) fixed to a fuselage (2). The body (40) includes a mounting hole (50) for each pin (20), said body (40) being supported by said pins (20). The step includes at least one locking system (60) carried by said body (40) for automatically locking the position of at least one pin (20) in a mounting hole (50), and a manual unlocking means (86) connected to the locking system (60) for allowing manual separation of the body (40) and the pins (20).