Torque Strut Installation Platform for Tandem Landing Gear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current maintenance procedures for torque struts on aircraft with tandem inline wheels require multiple personnel and are challenging due to uneven floors and alignment issues, increasing maintenance time and risking damage during installation and removal.

Innovation Solution

A mobile platform with a scissor jack and adjustable cradles that allows an operator to perform maintenance within the platform's footprint, accommodating uneven elevations and providing ergonomic access to torque struts, enabling single-person operation and efficient installation/removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If three personnel manually lift and position the torque strut, then the torque strut can be installed, but the maintenance time increases to 27 man-hours and the risk of damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafe handling of torque strutVSAvoidmaintenance time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a specialized installation apparatus as an intermediary device between the operators and the torque strut. This apparatus includes positioning mechanisms, alignment guides, and support structures that facilitate the safe and efficient installation of the torque strut, reducing both the time required and the risk of damage while maintaining the necessary three-person operation for safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus performs preliminary positioning and alignment of the torque strut before final installation. The alignment guides and positioning mechanisms pre-establish the correct orientation and location, so that when the torque strut is installed, it is already in the correct position, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual alignment during the installation process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the hangar floor is uneven, then the clevises will be at different elevations, but this makes pin insertion impossible without additional equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of uneven floorsVSAvoidalignment of clevises

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus incorporates adjustable and movable components that can adapt to different floor elevations. The positioning mechanisms can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate uneven surfaces, allowing the clevises to be aligned at different elevations while maintaining the ability to insert pins successfully

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus changes the positional parameters of the clevises relative to each other through its adjustment mechanisms. By modifying the elevation and position of each clevis independently, the system can compensate for uneven floor conditions and achieve proper alignment for pin insertion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the clevises are out of alignment, then the torque strut cannot be properly installed, but manual alignment by three persons increases the complexity and time of the procedure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precision of clevisesVSAvoidcomplexity of alignment procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus introduces alignment guides and positioning mechanisms as intermediary elements between the torque strut and the installation location. These guides physically constrain and guide the torque strut into the correct alignment, ensuring precise clevis positioning without requiring complex manual coordination among multiple personnel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus performs preliminary alignment of the clevises before the actual torque strut installation. The alignment guides and positioning mechanisms pre-establish the correct orientation and position, so that when the torque strut is installed, the clevises are already precisely aligned, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual alignment adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240336373A1Apparatus for delivering torque struts to and removing torque struts from an aircraft landing gear

Publication Date: 2024.10.10 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

AI summary

An apparatus for positioning, aligning, installing and removing a torque strut on a main landing gear of an aircraft having aft tandem inline wheels. The apparatus is mobile and has a generally isosceles frustro-triangular platform with three castors 18. The platform has two isosceles sides which are tapered together to fit into the space between the inline wheels. The third side of the triangular platform is notched to allow an operator to work inside the outline of the footprint. The platform has a jack to raise and lower the torque strut, as needed for the particular maintenance procedure. Two cradles are disposed on the top of the jack for receiving the torque strut. The cradles may be independently adjustable in the vertical direction to accommodate the precision necessary for installation and removal of the torque strut.