Thermoplastic Leg Support Homogeneous Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial aircraft leg supports require weight reduction while maintaining strength and durability, and existing solutions fail to efficiently achieve this balance due to limitations in structural materials and manufacturing techniques.
Innovation Solution
A thermoplastic leg support is formed via homogeneous chemical bonding of thermoplastic components, incorporating reinforcing elements and apertures to enhance strength-to-weight ratio, with a method that includes molding a support element and integrating reinforcing elements to create a chemically compatible bond, ensuring consistent load performance and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional structural materials and manufacturing techniques are used for leg supports, then strength and durability requirements are met, but weight reduction opportunities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining thermoplastic matrix with reinforcing fibers (carbon or glass) to create a leg support that achieves both weight reduction and strength requirements. The composite structure allows the lightweight thermoplastic to be reinforced strategically with high-strength fibers, resolving the contradiction between reducing weight and maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by placing reinforcing elements specifically at high-stress regions of the leg support rather than uniformly throughout. This targeted reinforcement approach reduces overall weight while maintaining strength where it is most needed, addressing the weight-strength contradiction efficiently.
2Reliability
If homogeneous chemical bonding is used to bond thermoplastic components, then structural integrity and load performance are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bonding process with the molding operation by integrating reinforcing elements directly into the thermoplastic matrix during injection molding. This combination approach achieves homogeneous chemical bonding and structural integrity while avoiding separate, complex bonding steps, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling temperature and pressure conditions during the molding process to achieve proper chemical bonding of the thermoplastic matrix with reinforcing elements. By optimizing these processing parameters, the patent achieves reliable structural integrity through a manufacturable process that doesn't require excessively complex procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a high strength-to-weight ratio assembly that meets performance requirements, offering increased mechanical load-bearing capabilities and dimensional stability, while reducing weight and cost through the use of thermoplastic injection molded carbon or glass reinforced composite structures.
Implementation Method 1
A homogeneous chemical bond is formed between the support element and the reinforcing element
Data Source
AI summary
A leg support includes a support element. A reinforcing element is disposed on the support element. The support element is chemically compatible with the reinforcing element. A homogeneous chemical bond is formed between the support element and the reinforcing element.