Removable Aircraft Storage Shell With Sealing Gasket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft designs with non-removable baggage holds limit adaptability to user needs, as they cannot easily be modified or replaced to accommodate different requirements such as maximizing range or carrying alternative loads without significant effort and weight changes.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft with a modular storage structure featuring a sealing device and interchangeable storage shells, allowing users to select and attach removable storage shells to non-removable fittings using elongate fasteners, which can be easily swapped to convert the aircraft for different purposes, such as carrying baggage or additional fuel tanks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a non-removable baggage hold is installed in the aircraft, then the structural integrity and sealing are maintained, but the adaptability to different user needs (such as carrying baggage or fuel tanks) is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The baggage hold is divided into two parts: a non-removable structural frame that remains integrated with the aircraft airframe, and a removable container that can be detached and replaced. This segmentation allows the structural integrity to be maintained while enabling adaptability through container replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-removable structural frame is designed with universal attachment features (such as longerons and frames) that can accommodate different types of containers (baggage holds, fuel tanks, etc.). This allows a single structural design to serve multiple functions and adapt to different user needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a removable storage shell is introduced to enhance adaptability, then the ease of modification improves, but the sealing reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Sealing means (such as gaskets or seals) are pre-installed on the non-removable structural frame before the removable container is attached. This preliminary action ensures that sealing is built into the attachment mechanism itself, maintaining reliability while enabling easy removal and reattachment of containers.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing element acts as an intermediary between the removable container and the non-removable frame. This intermediary component ensures a reliable seal during attachment while allowing the container to be easily detached and replaced, thus maintaining both sealing reliability and ease of modification.
3Strength
If conventional non-removable baggage holds are used, then the structural strength is maintained, but the weight increases when converting between different configurations
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the structural frame from the container, only the container weight changes during conversion while the structural frame remains constant. This allows the aircraft to maintain structural strength while minimizing weight changes when switching between different configurations (e.g., baggage hold to fuel tank).
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft having an airframe including a hollow structure referred to as a “storage” structure, the storage structure having an opening that is open to the outside of the aircraft. A sealing device extends around the opening, the sealing device including at least one compressible gasket. A plurality of non-removable fittings are fastened to the storage structure. At least one removable storage shell comprises at least a covering configured to close the opening while compressing each gasket. Removable fittings of the storage shell are attached in reversible manner to the non-removable fittings by respective elongate fasteners passing through each removable fitting and the non-removable fitting.