Systems and methods for positioning aircraft engine components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530623-B2
Application number	US-201916382138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2019
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

Positioning system and method for positioning engine components on an aircraft, the system including a moveable support for the engine component, a laser assembly, and a system controller. First and second lasers of the laser assembly align their respective beams with an engine target position on the aircraft and provide an indication of a first angle of the first laser beam to a reference line, and an indication of a second angle of the second laser beam to the reference line; and the system controller is configured to rotate the moveable support to rotationally position the engine component, determine the vertical distance between the engine component and the target position based at least in part on the first and second angles, and to control a lift mechanism to reduce the vertical distance between the engine component and the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning system for positioning an engine component for attachment to an engine of an aircraft, comprising:
a pair of spaced-apart upright supports configured to be mounted to a base on opposite sides of a component bay region of the base;
a lift frame including a frame crossbeam and a pair of cambered trusses having respective apexes, the trusses being secured at their apexes at spaced-apart positions to the frame crossbeam, and having distal ends configured to be secured at spaced-apart positions to the engine component;
a crossbeam support on which the frame crossbeam is supported, the frame crossbeam enclosed within the crossbeam support, the frame crossbeam extending between the pair of upright supports along a rectilinear beam axis central to the frame crossbeam, wherein the crossbeam support is configured for movement of the frame crossbeam along respective open passageways in the pair of upright supports, and to support the frame crossbeam for movement rotationally around the beam axis that is central to the frame crossbeam, and rotationally around a transverse axis orthogonal to, and intersecting the beam axis, and wherein the frame crossbeam is configured to rotate relative to the crossbeam support;
the crossbeam support configured to be moved along at least one upright support of the pair of upright supports;
a work platform configured to be mounted on a top portion of the pair of upright supports;
a plurality of laser assemblies, each of the laser assemblies configured to support a first laser and a second laser at a known distance apart along a reference line, each of the laser assemblies being configured to be attached to different portions of the work platform with the reference line oriented vertically, the first and second lasers being individually adjustable in a respective plane including the reference line to align a respective laser beam of each of the first and second lasers with a target position on the aircraft associated with the aircraft engine, with each of the laser assemblies providing a first indication representative of a first angle of the laser beam of the first laser relative to the reference line and a second indication representative of a second angle of the laser beam of the second laser relative to the reference line; and
a system controller configured to (a) control rotation of the frame crossbeam to rotationally position the engine component secured to the lift frame, (b) determine a vertical distance between the engine component and the target position on the aircraft based at least in part on the first and second angles and the known distance, and (c) control movement of the crossbeam support along the at least one upright support in a direction that reduces the vertical distance between the engine component and the engine.

2. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of laser assemblies includes at least four laser assemblies, and each laser assembly is configured to align the respective laser beam at the target position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first cross beam support assembly supporting the crossbeam support is configured to be moved along a first upright support of the pair of upright supports in response to a first control signal.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a second cross beam support assembly supporting the crossbeam support, and configured to be moved along a second upright support of the pair of upright supports in response to a second control signal.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the frame crossbeam is configured to rotate about the beam axis relative to the first and second cross beam support assemblies in response to a third control signal.

6. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the base is configured to be moved along a work surface, and the system controller is further configured to (a) determine a horizontal distance between the engine component and the target position on the aircraft based at least in part on the first and second angles and the known distance, and (b) move the base along the work surface in a direction that reduces the horizontal distance between the engine component and the engine.

7. The positioning system of claim 6 , where the engine component mounts to the aircraft with a hinge including a first hinge component on the aircraft and a second hinge component on the engine component, and the target position on the aircraft is a position of the first hinge component, and the plurality of laser assemblies are configured to be positioned relative to the engine component.

8. The positioning system of claim 7 , wherein each of the laser assemblies is configured to support the first and second lasers in a deployed configuration with the first laser positioned relative to the second hinge component, and additionally configured to be adjusted to support the first and second lasers in a retracted configuration in which the first and second lasers are spaced away from the engine component.

9. The positioning system of claim 8 , wherein the system controller is configured to control movement of the base along the work surface while the lasers are in the retracted configuration.

10. A positioning system for positioning an engine component for attachment to an engine of an aircraft, comprising:
a pair of spaced-apart upright supports configured to be mounted to a base on opposite sides of a component bay region of the base;
a lift frame including a frame crossbeam and a pair of cambered trusses having respective apexes, the trusses being secured at their apexes at spaced-apart positions to the frame crossbeam, and having distal ends configured to be secured at spaced-apart positions to the engine component;
a crossbeam support on which the frame crossbeam is supported for rotation relative to the pair of upright supports; the frame crossbeam enclosed within the crossbeam support, the frame crossbeam extending along a rectilinear beam axis central to the frame crossbeam and between the pair of upright supports, wherein the crossbeam support is supported and configured for relative movement along respective open passageways in the pair of upright supports;
a first cross beam support assembly supporting the frame crossbeam, and configured to be moved along a first upright support of the pair of upright supports in response to a first control signal;
a second cross beam support assembly supporting the frame crossbeam, and configured to be moved independently from the first cross beam support assembly, along a second upright support of the pair of upright supports in response to a second control signal;
a laser assembly configured to support a first laser and a second laser at a known distance apart along a reference line, the laser assembly being positioned relative to the engine component with the reference line oriented vertically, the first and second lasers being individually adjustable in a respective plane including the reference line to align a respective laser beam of each of the first and second lasers with a target position on the aircraft associated with the aircraft engine, with the laser assembly providing a first indication representative of a first angle of the laser beam of the first laser relative to the reference line and a second indication representative of a second angle of the laser beam of the second laser relative to the reference line; and
a system controller configured to (a) determine a vertical distance between the engine component and the target position on the aircraft based at least in part on the first and second angles and the known distance, and (b) control movement of the crossbeam support along the upright supports in a direction that reduces

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wright Robert Steven
• Iwamoto James Tane
• Mauldin Jack William
• Mckenna August West
• Wilson Richard Kevin
• Biskup Bruce Allen

Classifications

• F05D2230/68

  using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding · CPC title

• B64F5/50

  Handling or transporting aircraft components · CPC title

• F05D2230/64

  using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centring, e.g. pins · CPC title

• F01D25/285 Primary

  Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title