Systems and methods for moving a vehicle component relative to the vehicle structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11634239-B2
Application number	US-201916382144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2019
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for moving a vehicle component relative to the vehicle, the system including first and second upwardly-extending supports; a lift frame between the first and second supports including a crossbeam, and a pair of cambered truss assemblies secured to the crossbeam and configured to be attached to the vehicle component; movable first and second crossbeam support assemblies on the first and second supports to support the rotation of the crossbeam; a first lift mechanism configured to move the first crossbeam support assembly along the first support in response to a first control signal; a rotational drive mechanism configured to rotate the crossbeam relative to the first and second crossbeam support assemblies in response to a second control signal; and an electronic controller configured to generate the first and second control signals to change the position of the vehicle component relative to the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for moving a vehicle component of a vehicle relative to a structure of the vehicle during installation of the component on the structure, the system comprising:
spaced-apart first and second supports mounted to a base on opposite sides of a component bay region of the base, the first and second supports extending upwardly from the base;
a lift frame including a crossbeam enclosed within an outer support beam, extending between the first and second supports along a beam axis central to the crossbeam, and a pair of spaced-apart cambered truss assemblies secured to the crossbeam and configured to be attached to and support the vehicle component relative to the crossbeam;
first and second crossbeam support assemblies on the first and second supports, configured to support the crossbeam for movement of the crossbeam along respective open passageways in the first and second supports, and to support the crossbeam for movement rotationally around the beam axis that is central to the crossbeam, and rotationally around a transverse axis orthogonal to, and intersecting the beam axis;
wherein the first crossbeam support assembly is configured to be moved along the first support in response to a first control signal; and
the crossbeam is configured to be rotated about the beam axis relative to the first and second crossbeam support assemblies in response to a second control signal; and
an electronic controller operatively configured to generate the first control signal controlling movement of the first crossbeam support assembly along the first support, and to generate the second control signal controlling rotation of the crossbeam relative to the first crossbeam support assembly, to thereby change a position of the vehicle component relative to the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to receive input information associated with an objective position of the vehicle component, and in response to the received input information to generate the first control signal for controlling movement of the first crossbeam support assembly along the first support, and generate the second control signal for controlling rotation of the crossbeam relative to the first crossbeam support assembly to rotationally position the vehicle component when supported by the lift frame.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first support, the first crossbeam support assembly, and the crossbeam are collectively configured to allow the crossbeam to move laterally of the first support.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each truss assembly of the pair of truss assemblies extend from the crossbeam through an opening in the outer support beam.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second crossbeam support assembly is configured to move along the second support in response to a third control signal; and the electronic controller is operatively configured to generate the third control signal controlling movement of the second crossbeam support assembly along the second support, to thereby change the position of the vehicle component relative to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second support, the second crossbeam support assembly, and the crossbeam are collectively configured to allow the crossbeam to pivot as well as move laterally of the second support.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second crossbeam support assembly includes a second crossbeam support element supporting the crossbeam, a second support member supported for movement along a second lift line along the second support, and a pivot pin pivotingly coupling the second crossbeam support element to the second support member.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second crossbeam support assembly is partially disposed within the second support.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the first crossbeam support assembly is enclosed within the first support, a second portion of the first crossbeam support assembly is disposed outside of the first support, and the first portion is connected to the second portion via a connecting pin.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the connecting pin is aligned orthogonal to the beam axis, and is configured for up-down movement in the open passageway in the first support.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the connecting pin is configured for lateral movement on a support member.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first support, the first crossbeam support assembly, and the crossbeam are collectively configured to allow the crossbeam to move along a first lift line along the first support.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first crossbeam support assembly includes a first crossbeam support element supporting the crossbeam, a first support member supported for movement along the first lift line, and a pivot pin pivotingly coupling the first crossbeam support element to the first support member.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first crossbeam support element and the first support member are configured to allow the first crossbeam support element to move relative to the first support member along a lateral line transverse to the first lift line.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first crossbeam support assembly further includes a sleeve fixedly mounted to one of the first crossbeam support element and the first support member, and the pivot pin is pivotingly supported in the sleeve and supported by the other of the first crossbeam support element and the first support member.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second crossbeam support assembly includes a second crossbeam support element supporting the crossbeam and a second support member configured to move along a second lift line along the second support, and the second crossbeam support element and the second support member are configured to allow the second crossbeam support element to move relative to the second support member along a lateral line transverse to the second lift line.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second crossbeam support element and the second support member are further configured to allow the second crossbeam support element to pivot relative to the second support member about a second pivot axis that is transverse to the beam axis.

18. A system for moving a vehicle component of a vehicle relative to a structure of the vehicle during installation of the component on the structure, the system comprising:
spaced-apart first and second supports mounted to a base on opposite sides of a component bay region of the base, the first and second supports extending upwardly from the base;
a lift frame including a crossbeam enclosed within an outer support beam, extending along a crossbeam line central to the crossbeam, between the first and second supports, and a pair of spaced-apart cambered truss assemblies secured to the crossbeam and configured to be attached to and support the vehicle component relative to the crossbeam;
first and second crossbeam support assemblies on the first and second supports, configured to support the crossbeam relative to the first and second supports, the first and second crossbeam support assemblies being movable along respective open passageways in the first and second supports;
wherein the first crossbeam support assembly is configured to be moved along the first support in response to a first control signal;
and the second crossbeam support assembly is configured to be moved independently from the first crossbeam support assembly, along the second support in r

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B66F7/0625

  with wheels for moving around the floor · CPC title

• B66F9/08

  Masts; Guides; Chains · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

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

• B66F9/16

  inclinable relative to mast · CPC title

• B66F9/063

  Automatically guided · CPC title