Aircraft Spar Hinge Structure With Integrated Brackets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing hinges for aircraft moveable surfaces are labor-intensive, costly, and result in high rejection rates, making them inefficient and unreliable for modern aircraft designs with larger wingspans.
Innovation Solution
A spar structure with continuous hinge lines and integrated attachment/actuation brackets, formed from a single body of material using CNC machining or additive manufacturing, where the hinge lines serve as the datum for bracket placement, reducing the need for complex jigs and shims.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional drilling and assembly methods are used to manufacture hinges, then alignment precision can be achieved through jigs and shims, but manufacturing becomes extremely labor-intensive with high costs and slow production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate hinge components into a single integrated hinge assembly that can be manufactured as one piece using additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate drilling, shimming, and assembly operations while maintaining alignment precision, thereby dramatically improving manufacturing productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from conventional subtractive manufacturing (drilling and assembly) to additive manufacturing. This parameter change enables complex hinge geometries to be produced directly with high precision alignment features built-in, eliminating labor-intensive post-assembly operations
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional drilling and assembly methods are used to manufacture hinges, then alignment can be achieved through jigs and shims, but rejection rates become high and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated hinge design combines all alignment-critical features into a single monolithic structure manufactured in one process. This eliminates variability introduced by multiple assembly steps, shimming operations, and manual adjustments, thereby improving manufacturing consistency and reducing rejection rates
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process inherently produces the precise alignment features and geometric tolerances required for hinge operation. The structure self-ensures alignment precision through its built-in geometry rather than requiring external jigs, shims, or post-assembly adjustments
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional multi-component hinge assemblies are used, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but the number of components increases leading to higher assembly complexity and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate hinge components (brackets, shims, fasteners, alignment features) into a single integrated structure. This reduces component count and assembly complexity while maintaining the functional versatility and adaptability of the hinge system through geometric design
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a spar structure (11) for connecting a moveable component (4) to an aircraft. The structure is formed from a single continuous body of material defining a plurality of attachment/actuation brackets (10A-10F) and a pair of continuous hinge lines (6, 7) extending through the body.