Vehicle Vent Window Assembly Without Drill-Hole Cracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vent window assemblies in aircraft cockpits are prone to cracks due to stress concentration at drill holes and require complex adhesive bonding, making them costly and difficult to replace, while also affecting water tightness and noise/vibration levels.
Innovation Solution
A vent window assembly with a movable vent window pane, comprising two support frames that are rigidly attached via a clip or clamp connection, eliminating the need for mechanically loaded drill holes and adhesive bonding, and incorporating sealing elements for improved water tightness and reduced vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screws and bolts are used to fasten the vent window assembly to the main window pane, then the assembly is securely fixed, but stress concentration at drill holes causes cracks over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drilling operation from the fastening process. Instead of drilling holes through the main window pane to insert screws and bolts, the support frames are attached to the outer surfaces of the window pane, eliminating the need for penetrative fasteners that create stress concentration points.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces support frames as intermediary elements between the vent window assembly and the main window pane. These frames distribute loads across larger surface areas and eliminate direct stress concentration at drill holes, while still providing secure mechanical attachment.
2Reliability
If adhesive bonding is used to attach the vent window assembly, then flight loads are continuously transmitted, but the bonding process requires specifically trained operators and complex procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the chemical bonding process (adhesive) with a mechanical attachment system using support frames. This substitution eliminates the need for trained operators to perform complex bonding procedures while still achieving continuous load transmission through the mechanical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support frame design allows for self-aligning and self-securing attachment to the window pane, eliminating the need for specially trained operators. The mechanical structure inherently provides the necessary load transmission without requiring complex bonding procedures.
3Ease of manufacture
If drill holes are made in the main window pane for fasteners, then the vent window assembly can be securely mounted, but cracks appear due to stress concentration and repeated flight loads
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drilling operation from the mounting process. The support frames are attached to the outer surfaces of the window pane without requiring drill holes through the pane, thereby eliminating the source of stress concentration that leads to cracks under repeated flight loads.
4Reliability
If complex adhesive bonding is used, then structural integrity is maintained, but field replacement becomes difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the vent window assembly into a modular structure with support frames that can be independently attached and detached. This segmentation allows the assembly to be easily removed and replaced in the field without requiring complex adhesive bonding procedures, while maintaining structural integrity through the mechanical frame structure.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
AI summary
The invention relates to a window (6) for a vehicle (1) with a main window pane (6a) having a vent window opening (6b), and a vent window assembly (7) mounted to the main window pane. The vent window assembly comprises: a movable vent window pane (7a) adapted for closing the vent window opening in closed state of the vent window assembly; a first vent window frame assembly (8) comprising a first support frame (8a) arranged on a first surface (6c) of the main window pane; and a second vent window frame assembly (10) comprising a second support frame (10a) arranged on a second surface (6d) of the main window pane, wherein the second vent window frame assembly is rigidly attached to the first vent window frame assembly at the vent window opening such that the first and second vent window frame assemblies fasten each other at the main window pane.