3-篩選及標引后的專利著錄項目數(shù)據(jù)及專利全文us9347759b2

1、I 111111111111111111111 lllllllllllllll111111111111111111111111111111 IIIIIIIIUS009347759B2c12) United States PatentKane(IO) Patent No.:(45) Date of Patent:US 9,347,759 B2May 24, 2016(54) METHOD TO FIXTURE AND INSPECTION CONTOUREDAERODYNAMIC SURFACES(56)References CitedU.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS(71) Appl

2、icant: The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL(US)(72) Inventor: Daniel J. Kane, Mercer Island, WA(US)(73) Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY, Chicago,IL (US)(*)Notice:Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthispatent is extended or adjusted under 35U.S.C. 154(b) by 282 days.2,394,489 A *4,146,967 A *4,914,828 A *

3、4,956,764 A *5,000,037 A *5,285,397 A *5,481,811 A *5,588,216 A *6,460,264 Bl*7,103,985 Bl8,176,792 B2*2004/0068884 Al*2009/0301235 Al*2012/0163673 Al2/1946 Rowe33/5574/1979 Rohner et al33/5304/1990 Fiedor et al33/5549/1990 Carver et al700/593/1991 Baresh73/1042/1994 Heier et al702/1671/1996 Smith.3

4、3/57312/1996 Rank et al33/28610/2002 Bos et al33/5499/2006 Phillips et al5/2012 Kozasa et al73/8404/2004 Jones et al33/64512/2009 Kozasa et al73/865.86/2012 Thompson et al(21) Appl. No.: 13/943,972OTHER PUBLICATIONS(22) Filed:(65)Jul. 17, 2013Prior Publication DataEuropean Search Report for Applicat

5、ion No. 14173498.8 dated Jan 26, 2015, 5 pgsUS 2015/0020396 Al(51) Int. Cl.GOJB 5100B64F 5100 GOJMS/00(52) U.S. Cl.Jan.22,2015(2006.01)(2006.01)(2006.01)* cited by examinerPrimary Examiner - Christopher Fulton(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - Patterson+ Sheridan, LLP(57) ABSTRACTA method to fixture an

6、d inspect contoured aerodynamic surCPC GOJB 5100 (2013.01); B64F 5100 (2013.01);B64F 510045 (2013.01); GOJM 51005(2013.01); GOJM 510091 (2013.01)(58) Field of Classification SearchCPCGOlB 5/00; GOlB 5/20; GOlB 5/28;GOlB 5/285; GOlB 5/205; B65F 5/0045 USPC33/561.1, 501, 549, 573, 530, 562, 565,33/567

7、, 551, 553See application file for complete search historyfaces of a part, such as an engine inlet lip skin, is provided. A controlled preload is applied to one or more discrete locations along the contoured surface to constrain the lip skin at the locations the lip skin would be constrained upon as

8、sembly on the airplane. The contoured surfaces are then inspected to dimensional requirements. The controlled preload can be applied by use of magnets or elastic bumpers628218 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets62U.S. PatentMay 24, 201628Sheet 1 of 7US 9,347,759 B222，, 1lJI1 /20, I 46.I , I,1 ; LI) ! I I），：I I

9、，46( !I ,l ！46F IG愈1PROI R ART102102102F IG邁5PRIOR ART.U .S P a ten t M ay S he e t 2o f 7U S ,9 , 7 5 9 B 2曇 ”2 ,4 2 0 1 6 3 4 7 4。2420,20a！“/3PRIOR ART32, / !ia 2I 4。2240“2PRIOR ART， 4PRIOR ART62 /4/ 64 U.S. PatentUS 9,347,759 B2May 24, 2016Sheet 7 of 76254 , j F!G. 6AFIG. 6A50/ 袒 FIG. 6628 78 266

10、022508282284嚇、 84，上i, 、 FIG. 9AF IG心 9A84。 9 , / 。，（。0 。0 I I I i , I , ， 寸 ，I ,1 、O L. 9 / / J f / 尸II i i i i I ; I I i I ，京8 ，/ / / 匯 夕O L ； f 夕2 US 9,347,759 B21METHOD TO FIXTURE AND INSPECTION CONTOURED AERODYNAMIC SURFACESBACKGROUNDMost aerodynamic surfaces, such as airplane leadings edges, ar

11、e thin metallic structures that lack rigidity. The parts lack rigidity due to the thic燦 ess of the sheet material leading to low rigidity in bending and torsion, particularly for long parts such as engine inlet lip skins and wing leading edges. 10contoured surface to constrain the lip skin at the lo

12、cations the lip skin would be constrained upon assembly on an airplane The contoured surfaces are then inspected to dimensional requirements. The controlled preload can be applied by use of5 magnets or elastic bumpers.The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims and is

13、 not affected by the statements within this summary.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe lack of rig 心 ty makes the parts very difficult to inspect tothe dimensional requirements. Leading edges on the nextThe invention can be better understood with reference to generation of aircraft are being manuf

14、actured to tighter tol- the following drawings and description. The components in erances as a method to reduce drag and fuel bum. To ensure the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead these tighter tolerances are met, advances are required in the 15 being placed upon illustrating the

15、 principles of the invention methods to verify the tolerances of both the part and assem-FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a multi-piece lip skin; bly.FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the multi-piece lip skin shownOne type of an airplane leading edge is an engine inlet lip in FIG. 1;如 n. A typical lip s

16、kin is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. Multi-pieceFIG. 3 is a plan view of a single piece lip skin;lip skins 20 and single piece lip skins 20a are 燦 ownin the art. 20 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along lines 4-4 of FIGS. 2 The lip skin 20, 20a is formed into a thin, aerodynamically and 3;shaped metal

17、skin which is generally circular when viewed inFIG. 5 is a schematic view ofa lip skin showing the internal plan view as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The lip skin 20, 20a is structure;usually formed of aluminum, but may be formed of otherFIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-piece lip skin impact

18、 resistant materials, such as titanium. The lip skin 20, 25 mounted on a fixture in accordance with a first embodiment of 20a includes a curved leading nose 22 having an internal face the present invention;24 and an external face 26, an outer trailing surface 28 havingFIG. 6A is an enlarged view of

19、a portion of FIG. 6;an internal face 30 and an external face 32, the outer trailingFIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of the multi-piece surface 28 extending from the nose 22 and terminating in an lip skin mounted on a fixture in accordance with alternate edge 34, and an inner trailing surface

20、36 having an internal 30 embodiments of the present invention;face 38 and an external face 40, the inner trailing surface 36FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the lip s燦n mounted on extending from the nose 22 and tern 血 ating in an edge 42. As a fixture in accordance with a second embodiment of the

21、 a result of the structure, a pocket 44 is formed by the nose 22, present invention;the outer trailing surface 28 and the inner trailing surface 36.FIG. 9A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 9; and The lip skin 20, 20a is formed to be smooth and devoid of 35FIG. 10 is perspective view of the l

22、ip skin mounted on the irregularities and discontinu山es to reduce drag and to avoidfixture and shown being inspected by a measurement system the creation ofturbulence. The nose 22 provides a smoothtransition between the outer and inner trailing surfaces 28, 36, while creating a small frontal area to

23、 reduce drag. The outerDETAILED DESCRIPTIONtrailing surface 28 is longer than the inner trailing surface 36. 40 While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment inThe multi-piece lip s 燦 n 20 is fom 記 d of a plurality of sectors different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein 46 whic

24、h are affixed together by 燦 own means to form the will be described in detail, a specific embodiment with the completed lip skin 20. The multi-piece lip skin 20 is flexible understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered and if the lip skin 20 were placed on a flat surface, the lip ski

25、n an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is 20 would not hold its shape due to the thinness of the metal. 45 not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and The single-piece lip skin 20a is more rigid than the multi- described herein. Therefore, unless otherwise no

26、ted, features piece lip skin 20, however, it also cannot be placed on a flat disclosed herein may be combined together to form addi 一 surface and hold its shape due to the thinness of the metal.tional combinations that were not otherwise shown for pur-Lip s 燦 ns have complex shapes that are often ou

27、t-of round poses of brevityand difficult to manufacture. Lip s燦ns are typically produced soAn inspection method is provided which allows arelatively by multiple-stage deep draw operations, bulge forming, orflexible contoured part, such as an airplane lip skin 20, 20a, to spin forming, requiring comp

28、lex and costly tooling and timebe constrained at the locations the lip skin 20, 20a would be consuming multi-step processing. As a result, it can be diffi-constrained upon assembly on the airplane and inspected to cult to meet the tolerance requirements.dimensional requirements. The inspection of th

29、e lip skin 20, A method is provided herein which allows a part, such as a 55 20a, while constrained as would be on the airplane, allows for lip skin, to constrain the lip skin at the locations the lip s 燦nprecise measurement of the lip skin 20, 20a and adjustment of would be constrained upon assembl

30、y on the airplane andthe manufacturing process for the contoured part (tooling inspected to dimensional requirements by a measurementmodifications). This enables the finished part to meet much system. Other features and advantages will become apparenttighter tolerances and verify that those toleranc

31、es are met, atupon a reading of the attached specification, in combination 60 both the part and assembly levelwith a study of the drawings.A first embodiment of the inspection method, shown in FIGS. 6-8, is disclosed for inspecting a multi-piece part, suchSUMMARYas a multi-piece lip skin 20 of an ai

32、rcraft. A second embodi ment of the inspection method, shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A, isA method to fixture and inspect contoured aerodynamic 65 disclosed for inspecting a single piece part, such as a single surfaces of a part, such as a lip skin, is provided. A controlled piece lip skin 20a of an aircraf

33、t. The inspection method can be preload is applied to one or more discrete locations along the used to inspect other types of parts, for example, but not4 3 US 9,347,759 B2limited to, leading edges of wings, nacelles, aircraft noses,hold-downs 76 to press on the external surface 26 of the nose verti

34、cal fins of aircraft, horizontal stab山zers of aircraft, etc.22 of the lip skin 20 as shown in FIG. 7. Although generally For ease in description and illustration, the present method isshown in the figures as a downward force, depending uponthe described with regard to theaircraft lip skins 20, 20a s

35、hown inorientation of the fixture 50 and lip skin 20, the force applied FIGS. 1-4.5 may be in any direction so long as the nose 22 is moved The present inspection method provides a fixture 50 upontoward engagement with the fixture 50. S皿ilarly, a magnet which the lip skin 20, 20a can be placed to in

36、spect the lip skin78, which may be a rare-earth magnet, may be mounted in the 20, 20a. The fixture 50 is preferably made of aluminum, butsupport surface 60 of the fixture 50 and a magnet 80, which can also be made of non-ferrous materials. The fixture 50may bea rare-earth magnet, may be positioned o

37、n theexternal generally mirrors the shape of the lip skin 20, 20a in its 10 face 26 of the nose 22 of the lip skin 20 as shown in FIG. 8 to nominal or final shape (the shape of the lip skin 20, 20aposition the nose 22 of the lip skin 20 between the magnet 78assumes when assembled for use on the airc

38、raft and the lip and the magnet 80 to provide the force.如 n 20, 20a is attached to its internal structure). That is, theOncethenose 22 of thelipskin 20 isfullyengaged withthe fixture 50 has a shape which generally conforms or corre-support surface 60 of thefixture 50, magnets 82, which may sponds to

39、 the contoured surface(s) of the lip skin 20, 20a or 15 berare-earth magnets, areapplied totheexternal faces 32, 40 other part having one or more flexible contoured surfaces.of the lip skin 20 and align with the correspondingly posi一 Thefixture 50 hasanupper section 52 andalower section 54.tioned ma

40、gnets 62 mounted on the fixture 50, such that the The upper section 52 has a pair of side surfaces 56, 58 whichcorrespondingly positioned 62, 82 interact with each other, taperinwardlyandanuppersupportsurface60whichmirrorsand the leading and trailing surfaces 28, 36 are positioned theshape of thenos

41、e 22 of thelip skin 20. Thesupport surface 20 between the respective magnets 62, 82. The interaction 60 is smallerthanthe nose 22. Thelower section 54 has apairbetween the correspondingly positioned magnets 62, 82 of side surfaces 63, 64 which generally taper inwardly fromappliesapreloadthatpullsthe

42、lipskin20inwardlytowardthe their bottomedges totheassociated sidesurface 56, 58 of thefixture 50.Theplacement ofthemagnets 62, 82simulatesthe uppersection 52.Thesidesurfaces 56, 58ofthelower sectionpositions where the bulkhead 100 and stiffeners 102 (see FIG 54 are formed such that when the lip skin

43、 20 is seated or 25 5) will be attached to the lip skin 20 when formed as a placedonandsecuredtothefixture50asdescribedherein, thecomponent of theaircraft. Theapplication of magnets 62, 82 lip skin 20 takes it nominal shape.holds the lip skin 20 vertically inthenominal position on the In the first e

44、mbodiment of the method, the fixture 50fixture 50. The magnets 82 are applied to the lip skin 20 includes a plurality of magnets 62, which may be rare-earthstarting inthemiddle circumferentially atthebulkhead 100, magnets, mounted atpredetermined discretelocations onthe 30 andthenatstiffener locatio

45、ns 102, andthenmoving outward fixture 50. These predetermined discrete locations corre-circumferentially. Thispullsthelipskin 20withacontrolled spond to the positions where the bulkhead 100 and stiffenerspreload at the aircraft fastening locations. The magnets 62, 82102 (see FIG. 5) will be attached

46、 to the lip skin 20 when allow for precise control of the preload within stress limits formed as a component of the aircraft. In this regard, the The lip skin 20 is pulled into the fixture 50 at all locations with discrete locations correspond to intended points of attach- 35 no gappingment between

47、the lip skin 20 and the final component, assem-After the magnets 82 are applied to the external faces of the bly, structure, product, etc. Each magnet 62 can be mounted lip skin 20, the force (provided by the sandbag 72, bungee on the fixture 50 in a variety of ways, such as by adhesive, cords 74 at

48、tached to external hold-downs 76, or magnet 80) is mounted in an associated pocket 61 by adhesive or press-fit, removed from the nose 22.by a screw through the magnet 62 and attached to the fixture 40 The magnets 62, 82 (and magnets 78, 80 if used) are pref- 50, etc. The magnets 62 may be seated jus

49、t below the side erablyrubberorplasticcoatedinordertoavoiddamagetothe surfaces 63, 64 of the fixture 50, or can be flush mounted with surfaces of the lip skin 20. The magnets 62, 82 are preferably the side surfaces 63, 64 of the fixture 50. The magnets 62 are evenly-spaced circumferentially at inter

50、vals several inches approximately half of an inch in diameter, and have a low apart around the fixture 50, with a force not to excess the profile, allowing line of sight access to the majority of the 45 allowable preload stress accounting for the distance the mag- surface for inspection. The magnets

51、 62 may be spaced apart nets 62, 82 are separatedfrom each other at predetermined distances.Thereafter, the lip skin 20 is inspected and analyzed rela- The lip skin 20 is seated on the fixture 50 by sliding the lip tive to the dimensional requirements by a measurement sys-如 n 20 over upper section 5

52、2 of the fixture 50 until the tem 70 (FIG. 10). The use of the fixture 50 and the magnets internal face 24 of the nose 22 is proximate to the support so 62, 82 in this first embodiment of the method allows visual surface 60 of the fixture 50, the inner trailing surface 36 seats access to the externa

53、l faces of the lip skin 20 and minimizes over the side surface 56 of the upper section 52 of the fixture shadowing. Since the magnets 82 are relatively small, shad- 50, with its edge 42 overlapping the upper end of the side owing is minimized. The magnets 62, 82 allow for precise surface 63 of the l

54、ower section 54, and the outer trailing control of a preload within stress limits and allows free access surface 28 seats over the side surface 58 of the upper section 55 to the external faces for inspecting in all areas. The inspection 52 and seats over the side surface 64 of the lower section 54. of the lip skin 20 while constrained as would be on the As a result, the upper section 52 of the fixture 50 seats within airplane, allows for precise measurement of the lip skin 20 the pocket 44 of the lip skin 20. An index pin (not shown) or an