Load introduction system and method for manufacturing a load introduction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377957-B2
Application number	US-202318537072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2023
Priority date	Dec 14, 2022
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A load introduction system comprising an aerodynamic component and an attachment unit. The attachment unit comprises a first and a second attachment element, each of the first and the second attachment element having a mounting interface that mounts the attachment unit to a skin section and to a protrusion of the aerodynamic component. The first and the second attachment element are in contact with each other via respective contact surfaces and both attachment elements have a first opening for receiving a coupling mechanism of a base unit. The first openings coaxially align with each other and cooperatively receive the coupling mechanism. Also a method for manufacturing a load introduction system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A load introduction system comprising:
an aerodynamic component having a skin section with an aerodynamic outer surface and a protrusion extending from the aerodynamic outer surface of the skin section;
an attachment unit for movably coupling the aerodynamic component to a base unit;
wherein the attachment unit comprises a first attachment element and a second attachment element, each of the first attachment element and the second attachment element having a mounting interface that is configured to mount the attachment unit to the skin section and to the protrusion of the aerodynamic component;
wherein each of the first attachment element and second attachment element has a contact surface;
wherein the contact surface of the first attachment element and the contact surface of the second attachment element are in contact with each other in an assembled state of the attachment unit;
wherein each of the first attachment element and the second attachment element has a first opening for receiving a coupling mechanism of the base unit;
wherein, in the assembled state of the attachment unit, the first opening of the first attachment element and the first opening of the second attachment element coaxially align with each other, such that the first opening of the first attachment element and the first opening of the second attachment element cooperatively receive the coupling mechanism of the base unit.

2. The load introduction system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first attachment element and the second attachment element are separately manufactured parts which are mounted together in the assembled state.

3. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first attachment element is configured to provide a first load path from the first opening of the first attachment element to the mounting interface of the first attachment element;
wherein the second attachment element is configured to provide a second load path from the first opening of the second attachment element to the mounting interface of the second attachment element;
wherein the first load path is independent from the second load path.

4. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first opening of the first attachment element and the first opening of the second attachment element together accommodate a bearing element for receiving the coupling mechanism of the base unit.

5. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the assembled state of the attachment unit, the first attachment element is mounted to the second attachment element via at least one fastening element.

6. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first attachment element comprises a second opening;
wherein the second attachment element comprises a second opening;
wherein, in the assembled state of the attachment unit, the second opening of the first attachment element and the second opening of the second attachment element are configured to cooperatively receive an actuation mechanism of the base unit.

7. The load introduction system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the second opening of the first attachment element is axially spaced apart from the second opening of the second attachment element; and
wherein the actuation mechanism of the base unit is at least partially arranged between the second opening of the first attachment element and the second opening of the second attachment element.

8. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the attachment unit comprises a first arm and a second arm, the first arm mounted to the first attachment element and the second arm mounted to the second attachment element,
wherein each of the first arm and the second arm has an opening configured to cooperatively receive an actuation mechanism of the base unit.

9. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the mounting interface of the first attachment element comprises at least one fastening element which fastens the first attachment element onto the outer surface of the skin section and at least one fastening element which fastens the first attachment element to the protrusion; and/or
wherein the mounting interface of the second attachment element comprises at least one fastening element which fastens the second attachment element onto the outer surface of the skin section and at least one fastening element which fastens the second attachment element to the protrusion.

10. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protrusion on the outer surface of the skin section is formed by a structure that extends substantially perpendicular from the outer surface of the skin section.

11. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the attachment unit at least partially extends over the protrusion of the aerodynamic component.

12. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protrusion extends from the outer surface of the skin section and divides a space adjacent the skin section into a front space and a rear space;
wherein the attachment unit extends over the protrusion of the aerodynamic component such that the attachment unit is partially arranged in the front space relative to the protrusion and such that the attachment unit is partially arranged in the rear space relative to the protrusion.

13. The load introduction system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the base unit is a wing structure; and
wherein the aerodynamic component is a flap structure movably coupled to the wing structure by the attachment unit.

14. An aircraft comprising:
the load introduction system according to claim 1 .

15. A method for manufacturing a load introduction system, comprising
providing an aerodynamic component having a skin section with an aerodynamic outer surface and a protrusion extending from the aerodynamic outer surface of the skin section;
providing a base unit having a coupling mechanism;
manufacturing a first attachment element having a mounting interface, a contact surface, and a first opening;
manufacturing a second attachment element having a mounting interface, a contact surface, and a first opening;
assembling the first attachment element and the second attachment element such that the contact surface of the first attachment element and the contact surface of the second attachment element are in contact with each other and such that the first opening of the first attachment element and the first opening of the second attachment element coaxially align with each other;
mounting the first attachment element to the skin section and to the protrusion of the aerodynamic component via the mounting interface of the first attachment element;
mounting the second attachment element to the skin section and to the protrusion of the aerodynamic component via the mounting interface of the second attachment element;
receiving the coupling mechanism of the base unit both in the first opening of the first attachment element and in the first opening of the second attachment element, thereby movably coupling the aerodynamic component to the base unit.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Seack Oliver
• Stubbe Kathrin

Classifications

• B64C9/16 Primary

  at the rear of the wing · CPC title

• B64C3/38

  Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof · CPC title

• B64C3/28

  Leading or trailing edges attached to primary structures, e.g. forming fixed slots · CPC title

• B64C9/02 Primary

  Mounting or supporting thereof · CPC title