Aircraft Wing Tip Locking Pin Replaceable Tip Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing aircraft wing designs with movable wing tip devices face issues due to misalignment between the locking pin and locking bore, leading to wear and the need for frequent and costly replacement of the locking pin, especially under conditions of tolerance, deflection, wear, and temperature changes.
Innovation Solution
The locking pin is designed with a replaceable tip that can be easily detached and replaced, allowing for simple, fast, and cost-effective maintenance, and is configured to align with the locking bore using a movable mounting system that can rotate or translate to ensure proper alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism with a locking pin and locking bore is used to lock the wing tip device, then the wing tip device can be securely locked in flight or ground configurations, but misalignment between the locking pin and locking bore occurs due to tolerances, deflections, wear effects and temperature changes, leading to wear of the locking pin
Solution Approach 1:
The locking pin is divided into two separate parts: a reusable body and a replaceable tip. The body contains the connector while the tip contains the cooperating connector. This segmentation allows the tip to be replaced independently when worn, without replacing the entire locking pin assembly, thereby reducing maintenance costs and downtime while maintaining reliable locking functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip of the locking pin is designed as a consumable component that can be discarded when worn and replaced with a new tip. The body of the locking pin is recovered and reused. This approach acknowledges that the tip is the component most susceptible to wear from misalignment contact, and replaces only that portion rather than the entire locking pin.
2Device complexity
If the locking pin is designed as a single integrated component, then the structure is simple, but replacement of the locking pin is time consuming and expensive when wear occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The locking pin is segmented into a body and a tip that can be independently replaced. The body remains in the locking mechanism while the tip can be quickly swapped out. This reduces repair time and cost significantly compared to replacing an integrated locking pin, as only the worn tip needs to be replaced rather than the entire component.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip is extracted as a separate replaceable component from the locking pin body. The connector and cooperating connector are positioned such that the tip can be removed and replaced independently. This extraction allows for rapid replacement of the worn portion without disturbing the rest of the locking mechanism.
3Manufacturing precision
If a movable mounting system is used to align the locking pin with the locking bore, then proper alignment is ensured despite tolerances and deflections, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system for the locking pin is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position dynamically. This enables the locking pin to self-align with the locking bore during operation, compensating for tolerances, deflections, and thermal expansion without requiring complex precision manufacturing or rigid fixed mounting structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft wing having a fixed wing and a wing tip device at the tip of the fixed wing is disclosed. The wing tip device being movable relative to the fixed wing between flight and ground configurations, the aircraft wing having a locking mechanism including a locking bore and a locking pin, the locking mechanism being configurable between a locked configuration, in which the locking pin is received in the locking bore, to lock the wing tip device in one of the flight or ground configurations, and an unlocked configuration in which the locking pin is withdrawn from the locking bore such that the wing tip device is moveable relative to the fixed wing, and wherein the locking pin is configured such that it has a replaceable tip.