Thermal growth management of radome by boundary constraints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019109369-A1
Application number	US-201715730082-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 11, 2017
Priority date	Oct 11, 2017
Publication date	Apr 11, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A radome assembly of an aircraft includes a shell having an elongated shape wherein the shell defines a first opening having a diameter of a first dimension and is positioned within a first end portion of the shell. The shell defines a second opening having an elongated shape which extends along a length of the shell and has a second dimension which is greater than the first dimension. First fastener extends through the first opening and is engaged with a first surface associated with a first structural element and resists movement of the shell and the first structural element relative to one another. Second fastener extends through the second opening and is engaged with a second surface associated with the first structural element such that the shell is moveable along the length of the shell relative to the first structural element.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A radome assembly of an aircraft, comprising:
a shell having an elongated shape, wherein:
the shell defines a first opening which extends through the shell having a diameter of a first dimension and is positioned within a first end portion of the shell; and
the shell defines a second opening which extends through the shell having an elongated shape which extends along a length of the shell, has a second dimension which is greater than the first dimension and is spaced apart along the length of the shell from the first opening; and
a first fastener extends through the first opening and is engaged with a first surface associated with a first structural element connected to the aircraft and the first fastener resists movement of the shell and the first structural element relative to one another; and a second fastener extends through the second opening and is engaged with a second surface associated with the first structural element such that the shell is moveable along the length of the shell relative to the first structural element as a result of thermal induced expansion or contraction of the shell.

2 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shell defines an internal volume and the length of the shell extends in along a length of the aircraft.

3 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first fastener is engaged with the first surface with the first surface defining threads which are configured to engage threads defined by the first fastener and the threads of the first fastener engage the threads of the first surface.

4 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , further including:
a rail affixed to the shell which extends along the length of the shell and defines a first and second openings aligned with and having the same size and shape of the first and second openings of the shell respectively; and a rotatable wheel associated with the first structural element engages the rail.

5 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second fastener is engaged with the second surface with the second surface defining threads which are configured to engage threads defined by the second fastener and the threads of the second fastener engage the threads of the second surface.

6 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shell defines a pair of internal opposing sidewall portions, within the second opening, which are positioned spaced apart from one another along the length of the shell.

7 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , further including a third opening defined by the shell, wherein:
the third opening extends through the shell having an elongated shape which has a third dimension which extends along the length of the shell; the third dimension is greater than the first dimension and less than the second dimension; the third opening is positioned spaced apart from and between the first opening and the second opening along the length of the shell; and the shell defines a pair of internal opposing sidewall portions, within the third opening, spaced apart from one another along the length of the shell.

8 . The radome assembly of claim 1 , further including the shell having a second end portion opposing the first end portion of the shell wherein a frame member is secured to the second end portion and extends away from a distal end of the second end portion in a direction in which the length of the shell extends.

9 . The radome assembly of claim 8 , further including
a first compression angle secured to a second structural element associated with the radome assembly; and a second compression angle secured to the second structural element.

10 . The radome assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the frame member extends between the first and second compression angles; and with the frame member positioned between the first and second compression angles, a slot defined between the first and second compression angles extends away from a distal end of the frame member in the direction in which the length of the shell extends and in an opposing direction to the direction, permitting the frame to travel within the slot in one of the direction with expansion of the shell along the length of the shell or in the opposing direction with contraction of the shell along the length of the shell.

11 . A radome assembly of an aircraft, comprising:
a shell having an elongated shape; wherein:
a first end portion of the shell is fixedly connected to a first structural element connected to the aircraft;
a second end portion of the shell opposing the first end portion of the shell is fixedly secured to a frame member which extends away from a distal end of the shell in a direction in which a length of the shell extends;
a first compression angle secured to a fixed structural element associated with the radome assembly; a second compression angle secured to the fixed structural element, wherein
the frame member extends between the first and second compression angles; and with the frame member positioned between the first and second compression angles, a slot defined between the first and second compression angles extends away from a distal end of the frame member in the direction in which the length of the shell extends and extends away from the distal end in an opposing direction to the direction permitting the frame member to travel within the slot in one of the direction with expansion of the shell along the length of the shell or in the opposing direction with contraction of the shell along the length of the shell.

12 . The radome assembly of claim 11 , wherein the shell defines an internal volume and the length of the shell extends along a length of the aircraft.

13 . The radome assembly of claim 11 , wherein the shell fixedly secured to the first structural element includes the shell defining a first opening which extends through the shell, has a diameter of a first dimension and is positioned within the first end portion of the shell.

14 . The radome assembly of claim 13 , further including the shell defines a second opening which extends through the shell and has an elongated shape having a second dimension which extends along the length of the shell wherein the second dimension is greater than the first dimension.

15 . The radome assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the shell defines a pair of internal opposing sidewall portions, within the second opening, spaced apart from one another along the length of the shell; and the second opening is positioned spaced apart along the length of the shell from the first opening.

16 . The radome assembly of claim 15 , further includes:
a first fastener extends through the first opening and is engaged with a first surface associated with the first structural element, wherein:
the first structural element extends along the length of the shell; and
the first fastener resists movement of the shell relative to the first structural element; and
a second fastener extends through the second opening, wherein:
the second fastener is positioned between the pair of internal opposing sidewall portions; and
the second fastener is engaged with a second surface associated with the first structural element such that the shell is moveable along the length of the shell relative to the first structural element as a result of thermal induced expansion or contraction of the shell.

17 . The radome assembly of claim 16 , wherein: wherein,
the first fastener is engaged with the first surface with the first surface defining threads which are configured to engage threads defined by the first fasten

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Harleman Thomas J
• Sanford David E

Classifications

• H01Q1/28 Primary

  Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons · CPC title

• H01Q1/427

  Flexible radomes · CPC title

• H01Q1/02

  Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out {; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion} · CPC title

• B64C1/36

  adapted to receive antennas or radomes · CPC title

• H01Q1/282

  Modifying the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle, e.g. projecting type aerials · CPC title