Sealed Backshell Assembly for Fault-Tolerant Thermocouple Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft wire harnesses in high-speed environments face challenges due to stress, strain, and rapid temperature changes, requiring robust thermocouple designs that can operate reliably and maintain accurate temperature measurements despite potential failures, while ensuring that damage to one thermocouple does not affect the overall measurement.

Innovation Solution

A backshell assembly with a pressurized environmentally sealed design, featuring a backshell housing, connector, header assembly with an insulating core and tubes, and seals to protect and secure thermocouple wires, ensuring reliable operation and fault tolerance by preventing single-point failures from affecting overall temperature measurement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple thermocouples are arranged in series or parallel to ensure continuous operation despite individual failures, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components and connection requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operation despite individual thermocouple failuresVSAvoidmultiple thermocouple arrangements with resistors or circuitry

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The backshell housing is divided into multiple independent sealed compartments, each containing a single thermocouple. This segmentation allows individual thermocouples to be isolated and protected, enabling the system to continue operating with remaining functional thermocouples without requiring complex series or parallel electrical connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A seal assembly acts as an intermediary component between the backshell housing and header assembly, creating hermetic barriers that isolate each thermocouple compartment. This intermediary sealing mechanism enables independent failure isolation without affecting other thermocouples, achieving reliability through physical isolation rather than electrical redundancy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If thermocouples are located at points spaced about the periphery to obtain meaningful temperature measurements, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple positioning requirements and alignment precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature measurement accuracy at spaced periphery pointsVSAvoidmultiple thermocouple positioning and alignment requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The backshell housing incorporates multiple pre-defined positioning features (such as ribs, grooves, or mounting slots) that are segmented along the periphery. Each feature is designed to receive and position a single thermocouple at a specific location, simplifying the positioning process while maintaining accurate spatial distribution for meaningful temperature measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The backshell housing is pre-configured with integrated positioning structures during manufacturing, establishing precise thermocouple locations before assembly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex alignment procedures during installation, as each thermocouple simply needs to be inserted into its pre-defined position within the segmented housing structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a sealed backshell housing design is used to protect thermocouples from environmental stress and shock, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to sealing requirements and assembly precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from environmental stress, strain, and shockVSAvoidsealing and assembly precision requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is segmented into modular components, with the seal assembly consisting of separate elements (such as O-rings, gaskets, or labyrinth seals) that can be independently manufactured and installed. This segmentation allows for standardized sealing components that are easier to manufacture while maintaining effective protection against environmental stress and shock.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal assembly serves as an intermediary component between the backshell housing and header assembly, absorbing sealing requirements and isolating the complex sealing functions to a dedicated component. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall manufacturing process, as the seal can be manufactured and tested separately before final assembly, reducing the precision requirements for the main housing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240011843A1Backshell assembly

Publication Date: 2024.01.11 HARCOSEMCO LLC

AI summary

Provided is a backshell assembly including a backshell housing having a first end, a second end, a passage extending therebetween, and a radial groove in the passage, a connector coupled to the first end of the backshell housing, a header assembly disposed in the passage of the backshell housing, the header assembly including a header body, an insulating core disposed within the header body and including a plurality of openings, and a plurality of tubes extending through a respective one of the plurality of openings, and a seal disposed in the radial groove and surrounding the header body to seal the backshell housing to the header body.