Adjustable Tie Rod Gearbox for Under-Load Length Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tie rods require tools and disassembly to adjust length, leading to inefficiencies and delays due to tolerance variations during assembly and installation, especially in large and heavy aircraft components.
Innovation Solution
The development of adjustable tie rods with a screw rod and gearbox configuration that allows length adjustment without tools or disassembly, using an adjustment actuator to translate the screw rod along the longitudinal axis, enabling in-place adjustments under load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional tie rods are installed with both ends pinned into place, then structural stability is ensured, but the tie rods cannot be adjusted for length without complete disassembly and unpinning
Solution Approach 1:
The tie rod is divided into a fixed end portion and an adjustable end portion. The adjustable end includes a screw rod with threaded sections that can be rotated independently within the pinned connection, allowing length adjustment without removing the pin connection from the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The tie rod transitions from a static fixed-length component to a dynamic adjustable-length component. The screw mechanism allows the adjustable end to change position along the longitudinal axis while remaining connected, enabling continuous length adjustment during operation or installation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable tie rods are rotated to adjust length, then length adaptability is achieved, but tools and complete removal from assembly are required
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is designed to be manually operable without requiring external tools. The adjustable end can be rotated by hand or with simple manual input to adjust the length, eliminating the need for specialized adjustment tools and reducing installation and adjustment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The screw rod is pre-configured with threaded sections and engagement features that allow immediate adjustment once the component is in place. The adjustment capability is built into the design from the beginning, eliminating the need for trial-and-error approaches and multiple installation attempts.
3Adaptability or versatility
If installed components are removed to access the tie rod for adjustment, then length adjustment is possible, but efficiency is reduced due to the weight and size of components
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment functionality is extracted and concentrated at one end of the tie rod (the adjustable end), while the other end remains fixed and pinned. This allows adjustment to be performed by accessing only the adjustable end, eliminating the need to remove large installed components to reach the tie rod for adjustment.
4Manufacturing precision
If trial and error approaches are used for installation, then eventual proper fit is achieved, but multiple attempts are required increasing installation time
Solution Approach 1:
The tie rod incorporates an adjustable length parameter that can be modified after installation. The screw mechanism allows precise control of the effective length, enabling the installer to accommodate tolerance variations by adjusting the length to the exact required value rather than relying on trial-and-error selection from fixed length options.
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
Enables efficient and ergonomic length adjustments of tie rods without tools, accommodating tolerance variations and reducing installation time by allowing adjustments to be made while the components are still loaded and in place.
Implementation Method 1
a screw rod that defines a first end of the adjustable tie rod... rotation of one or more gears of the gearbox causes more or less of the threaded portion to be positioned within the gearbox, thereby adjusting the overall length of the adjustable tie rod by longitudinally translating the screw rod into or out of the gearbox
Implementation Method 2
a gearbox may be fixed with respect to the tie rod shaft... an adjustment actuator operatively coupled to the gearbox such that selective actuation of the adjustment actuator causes translation of the screw rod along the longitudinal axis
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable tie rod includes a first end defined by a screw rod, wherein the screw rod includes a threaded portion, and a second end opposite the first end, wherein an overall length of the adjustable tie rod is defined as a distance between the first end and the second end along a longitudinal axis of the adjustable tie rod. A tie rod shaft extends between and couples the first end and the second end, and a gearbox is fixed with respect to the tie rod shaft. An adjustment actuator is operatively coupled to the gearbox such that selective actuation of the adjustment actuator causes translation of the screw rod along the longitudinal axis and with respect to the gearbox when the first end is prevented from rotating about the longitudinal axis, thereby adjusting the overall length of the adjustable tie rod.