Self-aligning structural attachment for crown integration panel (CIP)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011343-B2
Application number	US-201514840205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2015
Priority date	Aug 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A self-aligning structural attachment and a corresponding method are disclosed. The self-aligning structural attachment includes a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the main body is attached to (i) a CIP of a support system and (ii) a clevis on an airframe of an aircraft. Further, the self-aligning structural attachment includes a first attachment fitting disposed on the proximal end, wherein the first attachment fitting is a slide-and-swivel attachment fitting. Still further, the self-aligning structural attachment includes a second attachment fitting disposed on the distal end, wherein the second attachment fitting is a slide attachment fitting. Yet still further, the self-aligning structural attachment includes a pivoting hinge disposed between the first attachment fitting and the second attachment fitting.

First claim

We claim:

1. A self-aligning structural attachment for a crown integration panel (CIP), the self-aligning structural attachment comprising:
a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the main body is configured to attach to (i) a CIP of a support system and (ii) a clevis on an airframe of an aircraft;
a first attachment fitting disposed on the proximal end, wherein the first attachment fitting is a slide-and-swivel attachment fitting;
a second attachment fitting disposed on the distal end, wherein the second attachment fitting is a slide attachment fitting; and
a pivoting hinge disposed between the first attachment fitting and the second attachment fitting.

2. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises a main-body clevis, wherein the main-body clevis is configured to receive the CIP, and wherein main-body clevis comprises the pivoting hinge and the second attachment fitting.

3. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment fitting comprises a spherical bearing.

4. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 1 , wherein the CIP comprises a CIP attachment fitting attached to the airframe, wherein the CIP attachment fitting allows for rotation but prevents translation along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis, and wherein pivoting of the self-aligning structural attachment accommodates at least one of (i) build tolerances of the airframe or (ii) body deflections occurring during flight of the aircraft.

5. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 1 , wherein the self-aligning structural attachment is configured to isolate the clevis from a longitudinal load up to 9G-force stress level when the main body is attached to the CIP and the clevis.

6. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 1 , wherein the self-aligning structural attachment comprises machined aluminum.

7. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment fitting provides four degrees of freedom, wherein the four degrees of freedom are rotation about an X axis, rotation about a Y axis, rotation about a Z axis, and translation along the X axis.

8. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 7 , wherein the self-aligning structural attachment is configured to accommodate translation along the X axis of about 0.5 inches.

9. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 7 , wherein the first attachment fitting prevents translation along the Y axis and the Z axis.

10. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 7 , wherein the pivoting hinge provides one degree of freedom, wherein the one degree of freedom is rotation about the pivoting hinge.

11. The self-aligning structural attachment of claim 7 , wherein the second attachment fitting provides two degrees of freedom, wherein the two degrees of freedom are rotation about the pivoting hinge and translation along the X axis.

12. A system comprising:
a plurality of support systems for a crown area of an aircraft, wherein each support system comprises:
a first support-system attachment and a second support-system attachment for attaching the support system to an airframe of the aircraft, wherein the first support-system attachment is a self-aligning structural attachment as recited in claim 1 .

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second support-system attachment is a swivel attachment fitting.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first attachment fitting provides four degrees of freedom, wherein the four degrees of freedom are rotation about an X axis, rotation about a Y axis, rotation about a Z axis, and translation along the X axis.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second attachment fitting allows for rotation but prevents translation along the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first support-system attachment comprises a pin oriented along the X axis, and wherein the second support-system attachment comprises a pin oriented along the Y axis.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the main body comprises a main-body clevis, wherein the main-body clevis is configured to receive the CIP, and wherein main-body clevis comprises the pivoting hinge and the second attachment fitting.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first attachment fitting comprises a spherical bearing.

19. A method for attaching a plurality of support systems for a crown area of an aircraft to an airframe of the aircraft, wherein each support system comprises a first support-system attachment and a second support-system attachment for attaching the support system to an airframe of an aircraft, wherein the first support-system attachment is a self-aligning structural attachment as recited in claim 1 , the method comprising:
for each support system, (i) attaching the second support-system attachment to a second clevis on the airframe and (ii) attaching the first support-system attachment to a first clevis on the airframe,
wherein during the attaching of the first support-system attachment, the first support-system attachment self-aligns to fit into the first clevis on the airframe.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first support-system attachment self-aligning to fit into the first clevis on the airframe comprises the first support system attachment rotating about the pivoting hinge.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• King Timothy Todd
• Davis Kenneth G
• Thomas Matthew R

Classifications

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C1/06 Primary

  Frames; Stringers; Longerons {; Fuselage sections} · CPC title

• B64F5/0009

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2001/0081

  from metallic materials · CPC title

• B64F5/40

  Maintaining or repairing aircraft · CPC title