Self-aligning Structural Attachment for Aircraft Crown Integration Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secondary support structures for aircraft crown portions are costly, labor-intensive to install, and inefficiently utilize variable configurations, leading to increased weight and complexity, with challenges in aligning ceiling panels and accommodating build tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A self-aligning structural attachment system featuring a crown integration panel with honeycomb and sheet metal construction, dual-bracketed support systems, and adjustable fittings that allow for external assembly and alignment of equipment, reducing the need for manual adjustments and specialized fasteners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing secondary support structures (lattice, tie rods) are used to provide stable and variable configurations, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into modular components including crown integration panels, attachments with fittings, and standardized hardware. Each panel can be independently configured and assembled, allowing variable configurations without requiring complex overall structural changes. The segmentation enables flexible arrangement of multiple identical modular units to achieve different configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment design incorporates universal features that can accommodate multiple configuration options. The fitting interface and attachment geometry are designed to work with various panel arrangements and equipment configurations, providing multi-functionality without increasing structural complexity. The same basic attachment design serves multiple purposes across different configuration scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing secondary support structures are used with manual adjustment features to accommodate build tolerances, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment is designed with self-aligning features that automatically accommodate build tolerances during assembly. The fitting geometry and tolerance stack-up are engineered so that the attachment self-adjusts to fit within the specified tolerance ranges of the crown rails without requiring manual measurement or adjustment, eliminating time-consuming manual alignment steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates built-in geometric parameters and tolerance ranges that allow the attachment to adapt to variations in crown rail positioning. By pre-designing the attachment geometry with appropriate tolerance buffers and adjustment ranges, the system automatically compensates for build tolerances without requiring additional manual adjustment mechanisms or steps.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional sheet metal construction is used for support panels, then ease of manufacture is improved, but weight increases for larger scale panels
Solution Approach 1:
The crown integration panels utilize composite construction combining aluminum honeycomb core material with aluminum alloy skin panels. This composite structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio, enabling larger scale panels to achieve adequate rigidity and strength without the weight penalty of solid sheet metal construction. The honeycomb structure delivers stiffness equivalent to much thicker solid metal at a fraction of the weight.
4Weight of moving object
If composite structures are used for larger support panels, then weight efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to specialized hardware requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment design employs universal aluminum alloy hardware that is compatible with both composite honeycomb panels and traditional metal panels. The standardized attachment fittings and fastening mechanisms work with the composite panel structure without requiring specialized composite-specific hardware, thereby achieving weight savings from composite materials while avoiding increased hardware complexity.
Data Source
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Figure 2A~2B
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AI summary
A self-aligning structural attachment and a corresponding method are disclosed. The self-aligning structural attachment includes a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the main body is attached to (i) a CIP of a support system and (ii) a clevis on an airframe of an aircraft. Further, the self-aligning structural attachment includes a first attachment fitting disposed on the proximal end, wherein the first attachment fitting is a slide-and-swivel attachment fitting. Still further, the self-aligning structural attachment includes a second attachment fitting disposed on the distal end, wherein the second attachment fitting is a slide attachment fitting. Yet still further, the self-aligning structural attachment includes a pivoting hinge disposed between the first attachment fitting and the second attachment fitting.