Method of containing contaminants during processing of an aircraft wing-body section

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11198522-B2
Application number	US-202016791350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

A spray containment system for a wing-body section includes a forward module, a center module, and an aft module. The forward module has a forward closeout panel configured to engage a forward end of a fuselage center section of the wing-body section. The center module has opposing module side panels each configured to engage a wing lower surface of a wing of the wing-body section. The aft module has an aft closeout panel configured to engage an aft end of the fuselage center section. The forward module and the aft module are independently movable and are configured to be assembled around the wing-body section to define an internal environment that is sealed from an external environment for containing contaminants including at least one of vapors, overspray, and liquids generated during application of one or more of coatings, sealants, and adhesives to localized areas of the wing-body section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of containing contaminants during processing of an aircraft wing-body section having a pair of wings joined to a fuselage center section having an aircraft longitudinal axis, the method including:
positioning a forward module against a forward end of the aircraft wing-body section such that a forward closeout panel of the forward module is engaged to and at least partially closes off a fuselage center section forward end;
providing a center module under the aircraft wing-body section such that a panel upper edge of each of opposing module side panels on each of opposing sides of the center module are engaged to a wing lower surface respectively of the pair of wings of the wing-body section;
positioning an aft module against an aft end of the aircraft wing-body section such that an aft closeout panel is engaged to and at least partially closes off a fuselage center section aft end; and
wherein the forward module, center module, and aft module, when assembled around the wing-body section, form a spray containment system that, in combination with the wing-body section, collectively defines an internal environment that contains contaminants generated during application of one or more coatings to portions of the wing-body section, wherein the forward module and the aft module are independently moveable.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step of positioning the forward module against the aircraft wing-body section includes:
receiving a wing leading edge within a cutout formed in each of opposing module side panels of the forward module in a manner such that each one of the module side panels is sealed to the wing.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cutout in each of the module side panels of the forward module has a cutout seal lining the cutout, the step of receiving the wing leading edge within the cutout in each of the module side panels of the forward module comprising:
sealingly conforming the cutout seal to a cross-sectional profile of the wing leading edge of a corresponding one of the wings.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of positioning the aft module against the aircraft wing-body section includes:
receiving a wing aft portion within a cutout formed in each of opposing module side panels of the aft module in a manner such that each one of the module side panels is sealed to one of the wings.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the aft module includes a movable seal plate above the cutout on each one of opposing mandrel side panels of the aft module, the step of positioning the aft module against the aircraft wing-body section includes:
moving the seal plate on each side of the aft module into contact with the wing aft portion such that a seal plate lower edge is placed in sealing engagement with a wing upper surface of the wing aft portion.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the seal plate lower edge on each side of the aft module has an elastomeric seal strip, the step of moving the seal plate on each side of the aft module into contact with the wing aft portion comprises:
placing the elastomeric seal strip into sealing engagement with the wing upper surface of the wing aft portion.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cutout in each of the module side panels of the aft module has a cutout seal lining the cutout, the step of receiving the wing aft portion within the cutout in each of the module side panels of the aft module comprising:
sealingly conforming the cutout seal to a cross-sectional profile of the wing aft portion of a corresponding one of the wings.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including:
circulating air through the internal environment using a ventilation system incorporated into at least one of the forward module, center module, and aft module.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of circulating air through the internal environment includes:
providing the air to the ventilation system using an external duct system and exhausting the air from the internal environment using the external duct system.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of circulating air through the internal environment includes:
discharging air into the internal environment from an air inlet located of at least one of the forward module and the aft module;
directing the air from the air inlet along a first airflow direction generally parallel to the aircraft longitudinal axis and through an upper level of the fuselage center section above a cabin floor;
receiving the air flowing in the first airflow direction at an airflow cavity included in a remaining one of the forward module and the aft module; and
directing, using the airflow cavity, the air downwardly below the cabin floor and along a second airflow direction opposite the first airflow direction.

11. The method of claim 10 , further including:
uniformly distributing the air through the upper level of the fuselage center section using a diffuser included with the air inlet.

12. The method of claim 10 , further including:
downwardly deflecting the air flowing in the first airflow direction upon the air reaching an airflow cavity incorporated into the forward closeout panel.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of circulating air through the internal environment includes:
filtering the air circulating through the internal environment using a plurality of air filters removably installed in at least one of the forward module, center module, and aft module.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of filtering the air comprises:
passing the air through two parallel rows of air filters respectively contained within a pair of filter housings located in the center module and separated by a plenum chamber.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein circulating air through the internal environment includes:
heating the air within the internal environment.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of circulating air through the internal environment includes:
generating, using the ventilation system, negative air pressure within the internal environment relative to an air pressure in an external environment.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the steps of positioning the forward module, center module, and aft module against the aircraft wing-body section includes:
moving the at least one of the forward module, center module, and aft module relative to one another and relative to the wing-body section using wheels supporting the at least one of the forward module, center module, and aft module.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
at least one of the wheels of at least one of the forward module, center module, and aft module is a powered drive wheel for motorized movement.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of positioning the forward module, providing the center module, and positioning the aft module against the aircraft wing-body section include:
enclosing, using module panels of the forward module, center module, and aft module, the internal environment in a manner defining a volume of space inside and below the fuselage center section.

20. The method of claim 1 , further including:
supporting one or more technicians on a work platform included with at least one of the forward module, the center module, and the aft module.

21. The method of claim 1 , further including:
collecting liquid contamination using a drainage system included with the spray containment system.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mindock Nikolas
• Kauffman Brent
• Lopez Iii Agustin
• Polyakov Aleksandr
• Ullerich Jeffrey
• Weinberg Daniel

Classifications

• B05B16/60 Primary

  Ventilation arrangements specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B05B16/80

  Movable spray booths · CPC title

• B05B16/00

  Spray booths (arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material in spray booths B05B14/40) · CPC title

• B05B13/02

  Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work (B05B13/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B12/32

  Shielding elements, i.e. elements preventing overspray from reaching areas other than the object to be sprayed (nozzles with integral shielding elements B05B1/28) · CPC title