Installation system and method for installing a self-supporting truss structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371164-B2
Application number	US-202318501274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2023
Priority date	Nov 30, 2022
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A system for installing a self-supporting truss structure having interconnected truss elements on an aircraft fuselage. The truss structure has radially outer closed truss nodes and radially inner releasable connecting nodes. The installation system has a carrying device, movable on a fuselage floor and with an upper receptacle, a stand for temporarily holding truss elements in predetermined relative positions, and a movement device, on the upper receptacle, and holding the stand in a settable position relative to the support surface. The stand is further away from the support in installation positions than in a transport position. The installation system is configured, with the stand in the transport position, to move the carrying device into a predetermined internal fuselage position and to lock it there, to move the stand into a suitable installation position via the movement device, and to lock the at least one lockable connecting node via a drive.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An installation system for installing a self-(Currently Amended) supporting truss structure having a plurality of interconnected truss elements on a fuselage of an aircraft, wherein the self-supporting truss structure has radially outer closed truss nodes and radially inner releasable connecting nodes, the installation system comprising:
a mobile carrying device having an upper receptacle, the mobile carrying device movable on a floor of the fuselage,
a stand for temporarily holding the plurality of interconnected truss elements in predetermined positions relative to one another, and
a movement device arranged on the upper receptacle, the movement device to hold the stand in a position that is set relative to the upper receptacle,
wherein the movement device is configured to hold the stand in a transport position and in any desired installation position, wherein the stand is further away from the upper receptacle in installation positions than in the transport position,
wherein the installation system is configured, when the stand is in the transport position, to move the mobile carrying device on the floor into a predetermined position within the fuselage and to lock the mobile carrying device, to move the stand into a suitable installation position with the movement device, and to lock at least one connecting node with a drive arranged on the stand.

2. The installation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting node has a plurality of node elements, which are arranged at an angle to one another and are connected to a truss element.

3. The installation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting node is rigid such that angles of node elements are invariable.

4. The installation system as claimed in claim 2 ,
wherein the connecting node has first engagement means including a first set of toothed elements for each relevant truss element, the first engagement means configured to compliment second engagement means including a second set of toothed elements on the truss elements, and
wherein the first engagement means is brought with an actuating element provided in the connecting node into a locking position, in which the first engagement means engage in the second engagement means, and into an insertion position, in which the first engagement means moved relative to the second positive engagement means.

5. The installation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein, in the insertion position, the first engagement means is moved relative to the second engagement means, and, in the locking position, is locked in the respective position.

6. The installation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the actuating element is connected to the drive.

7. The installation system as claimed in claim 1 , furthermore comprising a plurality of latching receptacles, which is secured in the fuselage structure and are configured to receive latching elements of radially outer nodes of the self-supporting truss structure, the plurality of latching receptacles to latch with the latching elements with mechanical pressure directed from a relevant node to the respective latching receptacle.

8. The installation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stand has a plurality of upwardly open receptacles, into or onto which the truss elements is brought.

9. The installation system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the stand has a plurality of upwardly open receptacles, into or onto which the truss elements is brought,
wherein a subset of the open receptacles is aligned radially, and
wherein the radially aligned open receptacles are resiliently mounted in an axial direction.

10. The installation system as claimed in claim 7 , furthermore comprising at least one transport retainer for holding the self-supporting truss structure in the open receptacles.

11. An aircraft having the fuselage and the self-supporting truss structure arranged within the fuselage, comprising the installation system as claimed in claim 1 .

12. The aircraft as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the self-supporting truss structure is arranged on radially outer regions of a passenger cabin in order to hold overhead stowage compartments.

13. A method for installing a self-supporting truss structure comprising a plurality of interconnected truss elements on a fuselage of an aircraft, wherein the self-supporting truss structure has radially outer closed truss nodes and radially inner releasable connecting nodes, the method comprising the following steps:
providing a preassembled truss structure in the fuselage on a stand which is held by a carrying device in such a way that the carrying device is moved by with a movement device,
moving the carrying device to a predetermined position within the fuselage,
locking the carrying device,
raising the stand and moving the stand in a radial direction to align the stand on a fuselage structure,
latching the outer truss nodes to corresponding latching receptacles on the fuselage structure by urging the self-supporting truss structure in an axial direction into the latching receptacles, wherein a predetermined alignment of the plurality of interconnected truss elements relative to one another is maintained,
locking the radially inner connecting nodes, and
removing the stand.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the removal of the stand comprises lowering the stand, moving the stand in a direction away from the fuselage, and moving the stand out of the fuselage.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Benthien Hermann
• Poppe Andreas

Classifications

• B64D11/003 Primary

  Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

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

• B64D11/00 Primary

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