System for handling a side shell of an aircraft with a view to assembling a fuselage barrel of the aircraft and method for assembling a fuselage barrel of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12304659-B2
Application number	US-202318357779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2023
Priority date	Jul 25, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A system for handling a side shell of an aircraft with a view to assembling a fuselage barrel of the aircraft and method for assembling a fuselage barrel of an aircraft are disclosed. The handling system includes at least two fixing devices per side shell. Each of the fixing devices is configured to be fixed to a longitudinal end of the side shell. Each of the fixing devices has a fixing part configured to be fixed on the side shell, a fixing support is configured to mount the fixing device movably on a holding device of an assembly platform, and an elastic element connecting the fixing part to the fixing support.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A handling system configured for handling a side shell of an aircraft with a view to assembling a fuselage barrel of the aircraft, the side shell is configured for assembly at least with a lower shell of the aircraft and an upper shell, the fuselage barrel after assembly being associated with an orthogonal reference system (R) defined by an axis X parallel to a longitudinal axis (L 1 ) of the fuselage barrel, a horizontal axis Y and a vertical axis Z, wherein it comprises at least two fixing devices per side shell, each of the fixing devices being configured to be fixed to a longitudinal end of the side shell, each of the fixing devices having a fixing part, a fixing support and a first elastic element;
wherein the fixing part is configured to be fixed on an outer surface (E) of the side shell;
wherein the fixing support is configured to be mounted on a supporting device of an assembly platform, the fixing support is configured such that the fixing part and the first elastic element are movable in translation, in a plane comprising the axis X and the axis Y, in relation to the supporting device on which the fixing support is configured to be mounted;
wherein the first elastic element being fixed to the fixing part and to the fixing support, the first elastic element being configured to allow a displacement of the fixing part in relation to the supporting device along an axis parallel to the axis Z about a nominal position, the first elastic element having a predetermined stiffness such that the displacement of the fixing part has a predetermined displacement amplitude about the nominal position of the fixing part in relation to the fixing support.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing support further comprises a fork having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end is configured to be mounted rotatably on a rod of a reference positioning device and so as to be movable in translation along the axis Y in relation to the rod, the reference positioning device is configured to be mounted fixedly on a holding device on which the fixing device is mounted, the rod having a longitudinal axis (L 2 ) parallel to the axis X, the rod being movable in translation along the axis X, the fixing part being connected to the fork via the first elastic element between the first end and the second end of the fork;
a mechanical ram mounted fixedly in terms of translational movement along the axis Z on the fixing support, the mechanical ram comprising a piston configured to be driven by the mechanical ram along the axis Z, the piston comprising a free end configured to be fixed to the second end of the fork;
the fork being able to rotate about the longitudinal axis (L 2 ) of the rod when the piston is driven by the mechanical ram along the axis Z, the rotation of the fork being able to cause the side shell to rotate about the longitudinal axis (L 1 ) of the fuselage barrel.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first elastic element further comprises a compression spring having an upper end fixed to the fixing part and a lower end fixed to the fixing support, the lower end being in abutment against the fixing support, the compression spring being configured to exert an expansion force upward along the axis Z against the fixing part at its upper end.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing part further comprises
a fixing frame having at least one upright shaped to closely follow at least in part the outer surface (E) of the side shell, the one or more uprights are configured to fix the fixing part on the outer surface (E) of the side shell; and
a fixing bar having a longitudinal axis parallel to the axis X, the fixing bar being fixed to the first elastic element.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one holding structure configured to maintain the shape of the side shell, the holding structure comprising an arcuately curved bar configured to be fixed to the side shell such that it is located in a plane perpendicular to the axis X, the curved bar having a first end configured to be fixed to an upper edge of the side shell and a second end configured to be fixed on an inner surface (I) of the side shell;
a straight bar having two ends fixed respectively to the first end of the curved bar and to the second end of the curved bar;
a stay having a first end comprising a plate fixed to the curved bar and the straight bar, the plate being comprised in a plane comprising the curved bar and the straight bar, the stay moreover comprising a second end configured to be fixed to the inner surface (I) of the side shell, the stay having a longitudinal axis forming a non-zero angle with the plate.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first elastic element further comprises a tension spring having an upper end fixed to the fixing support and a lower end fixed to the fixing part, the lower end hanging freely from the fixing support, the tension spring being configured to exert a tensile force upward along the axis Z on the fixing part at its lower end.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising an elastic device connecting the supporting device to the fixing part, the elastic device being configured to allow a displacement of the fixing part in relation to the supporting device along an axis parallel to the axis X and along an axis parallel to the axis Y about a nominal position, the elastic device having a predetermined stiffness such that the displacement of the fixing part has a predetermined displacement amplitude about the nominal position of the fixing part in relation to the supporting device.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing support further comprises a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end being configured to be mounted so as to be able to rotate in relation to the supporting device about an axis (L 2 ) parallel to the axis X and mounted so as to be movable in translation along the axis Y in relation to the supporting device.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the fixing support further comprises a yoke, the yoke having two legs and a plate connecting the two legs, the yoke being mounted so as to be movable in translation along the axis Y on a holding device, the yoke being connected to the holding device via a first end of the two legs, the plate connecting the two legs at a second end of the two legs that is opposite the first end of the two legs, the two legs each comprising a circular opening, the circular opening of each of the two legs each having a center aligned along an axis parallel to the axis X, the circular opening of each of the two legs is configured to receive a pin,
wherein a mechanical ram is fixed on the plate of the yoke such that the free end of a piston of the mechanical ram is between the two legs of the yoke, the free end of the piston of the mechanical ram having a ring configured to receive the pin, the free end of the piston of the mechanical ram being configured to be fixed to the second end of a fork by way of introduction of the pin into the circular opening of each of the two legs and into the ring ( 23 ).

10. The system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the fixing support further comprises a fixing element configured to be fixed to a holding device, a mechanical ram being mounted so as to be movable in translation along the axis X at the fixing element, the first elastic element being mounted so as to be movable in translation at a fork along the axis Y.

11. The system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the fixing support further comprises at least one first guide rail fixed on the fixing element

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Datas Jean-Marc
• Cartereau Thomas
• Bouriquet Jacques
• Aquila André
• Darbonville Nicolas
• Autret Thomas
• Barboule Joël
• Bayonne Sébastien
• Guerin Patrick
• Van Der Veen Sjoerd

Classifications

• B64C1/068

  Fuselage sections · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

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