摘要:
A stowage system particularly for space applications comprises a flight bag (10), a backpack (66), a backpack adapter plate (96), and a pressurized stowage rack (104). The flight bag (10) is fabricated of a Kevlar /Nomex fabric, and its lid (18) includes an integral transparent panel (22) so that the contents of the bag may be readily identifiable without opening the bag. Beneath the lid (18) is a payload restraint net (24) which is removably attached to the interior liner of the bag to restrain small stowage items. The mesh comprising the net preferably includes one or more access slits (28) for accessing the interior of the case without removing the net and thereby risking loss of contents from the bag. The flight bag (10) also includes a plurality of hook and loop (VELCRO ) patches (30) about its periphery so that it may be collapsed upon itself for storage when not in use, and may additionally be rafted or trained to other flight bags if desired. The backpack (66) of the inventive stowage system comprises various configurations and can accommodate up to four flight bags or some combination of unique payload and/or foam. Web straps (72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 86), integral to the bag's structure, attach the bag and its contents to the backpack adapter plate (96) via quick release buckles (98, 100). A clear longitudinal panel (102) on the lid (68) allows quick identification of backpack and flight bag contents.
摘要:
Independently deflectable control surfaces are located on the trailing edge of the wing of a blended wing-body aircraft. The reconfiguration control system of the present invention controls the deflection of each control surface to optimize the spanwise lift distribution across the wing for each of several flight conditions, e.g., cruise, pitch maneuver, and high lift at low speed. The control surfaces are deflected and reconfigured to their predetermined optimal positions when the aircraft is in each of the aforementioned flight conditions. With respect to cruise, the reconfiguration control system will maximize the lift to drag ratio and keep the aircraft trimmed at a stable angle of attack. In a pitch maneuver, the control surfaces are deflected to pitch the aircraft and increase lift. Moreover, this increased lift has its spanwise center of pressure shifted inboard relative to its location for cruise. This inboard shifting reduces the increased bending moment about the aircraft's x-axis occasioned by the increased pitch force acting normal to the wing. To optimize high lift at low speed, during take-off and landing for example, the control surfaces are reconfigured to increase the local maximum coefficient of lift at stall-critical spanwise locations while providing pitch trim with control surfaces that are not stall critical.
摘要:
A knowledge driven composite design optimization process for designing a laminate part includes steps for generating a globally optimized 3-D ply definition for a laminate part, and modifying the 3-D ply definition to include features of the laminate part, where the generating and modifying steps are parametrically linked to one another and are performed in the recited order. Preferably, the generating step includes substeps for determining connectivity between a plurality of regions defining the laminate part, subsequently generating ramp features detailing interconnection of the regions defining the laminate part, and displaying views and corresponding tabular data describing the laminate part and illustrating both inter-region connectivity and the ramp features as specified by a user. A knowledge driven composite design optimization system and associated computer memory for operating a general purpose computer as a knowledge driven composite design optimization system are also described.
摘要:
The machined-sandwich structural assembly has two components joined together with a joint of substantially the same strength as the weakest base material. More specifically, the structural assembly includes a first structural member and a second structural member. The first structural member is spaced from the second structural member through a plurality of intermediate members which extend between the first structural member and the second structural member. The plurality of intermediate members are friction stir welded to the first structural member. The resultant assembly requires less stock material, takes less time to machine and has a jint of improved strength.
摘要:
An aluminum-alloy, aircraft structural component having a faying surface prepared by treating with one or more curable organic coatings, one or more of which is optionally in an encapsulated state, and delivering a uniform coating on demand by rupturing and curing the encapsulated coating.
摘要:
A vertical stabilizer fin and rudder assembly (10) for use on an aircraft including a stabilizer fin (26) with airfoil surfaces and a rudder (18) with a forward margin pivotally mounted on the trailing edge of the stabilizer fin (20). The assembly is subjected to Bernoulli forces as a relatively moving airstream passes over it in a chordal direction. A fin spoiler (26) is pivotally mounted on each fin surface at a forward chordal location on the assembly (10) whereby the effective sideslip capability for the fin surfaces, when the aircraft is operated in a crosswind, is substantially increased.
摘要:
The wedgelock of the present invention prevents the separation of structural members during drilling or other fabrication operations on structural assemblies with curved surfaces or thickness variations and precludes the formation of burrs and delaminations which might result from such separation. The wedgelock also permits more precise and repeatable hole and other feature fabrication by more precisely locating an alignment fixture, such as a drill plate, relative to a structural assembly upon which fabrication operations are to be performed. The bushed spring loaded wedgelock (20) comprises a standard, commercially-available wedgelock modified by attaching a bushing (28) within which a spring loaded spacer (32) is telescopically mounted. Like a standard wedgelock, the bushed spring loaded wedgelock is inserted through collinear holes (16,17) in a drill plate or other alignment fixture and a structural assembly to clamp the assembly to the fixture. Even when used with a structural assembly with curved surfaces or thickness variations, the bushed spring loaded wedgelock (20) clamps structural members together by forcing a spring loaded spacer (32) against the front surface of the structural assembly while the shoulders (26) of the wedgelock arms (24) engage the rear surface of the structural assembly. A variety of wedgelock sizes and designs can be constructed to accommodate a range of alignment fixture, tooling hole and structural assembly geometries.
摘要:
A method of forming a hollow structure having a predetermined shape from a sheet of superplastic material. The sheet is initially formed into a preform configuration (10). A reusable fluid inlet tube is placed in the preform configuration (10) to define a port in fluid communication with the interior portion of the preform configuration (10). The preform configuration (10) is disposed in a containment die, which defines a cavity having the predetermined desired shape. Force is applied to the containment die to temporarily seal the edges of the preform configuration without the use of welding or diffusion bonding. Once its edges are sealed, the preform configuration becomes a gas-tight envelope capable of holding fluid that is introduced through the fluid inlet tube. Fluid is fed through the tube to apply internal pressure to the gas-tight preform configuration under superplastic conditions while it is still being held in the containment die.
摘要:
Fixed parallel cargo rails (24, 26) are positioned on the cargo bed floor of an aircraft, spaced sufficiently to fit a pallet snugly therebetween. A plurality of colinear slots arranged along the length of the cargo bed floor are positioned just inboard of each rail. The slots are evenly spaced and oriented lengthwise with respect to the cargo bed floor. A dog (38) extends above the cargo bed floor from each slot and is adapted to engage a notch (36) in the cargo. While engaged, the dog is adapted to move along its slot, thereby moving the pallet lengthwise along the cargo bed floor. The pallet is passed bucket-brigade style from one dog to the next. Another aspect of the invention is the employment of movable cargo rails on the cargo ramp. The rails are slidable widthwise across the ramp within mounting slots, thus permitting the spacing between the rails to vary. The result is that loading cargo onto the ramp and aligning it with the fixed cargo rails on the cargo bed floor is made much easier.
摘要:
Microgravity sensitive payloads (21) placed on a platform (1) are isolated from external acceleration forces over extended periods of time in the weightless environment inside an orbiting space vehicle by canceling acceleration on the platform (1). Wide gap dual axis magnetic actuators (5,7,9) and accelerometer pairs (17,19) are spaced about the platform (1) with the magnetic actuators providing a non-contacting magnetic position control, wherein physical contact with the platform is avoided. Position sensors (23,25,27) sense platform positioning and the control system, containing both digital (33) and analog (35) computers, controls the magnetic actuators to ensure proper positioning and neutralize any transient acceleration forces applied to the platform (1).