FR3132280A1 - IMPROVED AIRCRAFT MODULE CARRYING SET - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a carrying assembly (1) for an aircraft module (M) comprising a transport trolley (10) composed of a mobile base (11) and a mast (14), the trolley being configured to move translationally in at least one predetermined direction (X) of travel; a porting tool (1000) configured to port said module (M); and, an articulated connection assembly (100) comprising a base (110) integral with said mast (14) and a plate (120), the plate (120) having a flat tool-carrying surface orientable perpendicular to said at least one predetermined direction (X), and adjustable in position according to 6 degrees of freedom and 3 axes of translation, and the tool-carrying surface comprising fixing means (122) configured for fixing a plurality of interchangeable carrying tools comprising said tool carry (1000). Advantageously, it is thus possible to standardize the trolleys and to simplify the logistics necessary for the assembly operations of the aircraft. Fig. 1

Description

IMPROVED CARRYING ASSEMBLY FOR AN AIRCRAFT MODULE

The present invention relates to an assembly for carrying an aircraft module for assembly purposes. At least one embodiment concerns a carrying assembly for an aircraft module intended for positioning this module in an aircraft fuselage section.

STATE OF PRIOR ART

The manufacturing of an aircraft includes numerous phases of assembling pre-assembled modules together. For example, wing elements of an aircraft, such as the wings, can be completely pre-assembled before then being assembled on a central wing box of the fuselage of the aircraft. Similarly, the aircraft's engines can be pre-assembled by an engine manufacturer before being then assembled under the wing of the aircraft, or even on its fuselage depending on the type of aircraft. The same applies to modules to be assembled inside the fuselage of the aircraft, such as, for example, a cockpit floor pre-equipped with flight control and instrumentation modules, or even integrated avionics modules. in the form of bays and intended to be housed in an avionics hold, under the floor of the aircraft. The positioning of such modules inside the fuselage of the aircraft requires the use of several transport trolleys, each adapted to carrying a specific element or a type of elements. For example, a floor element transport cart is used for carrying a variety of floor elements and an avionics bay transport cart is used for carrying these avionics bays. Each of the transport trolleys has one or more carrying and/or gripping members configured to carry modules while allowing the installation of these modules, that is to say by meeting specific constraints of structure, resistance and bulk. The different assembly operations inside a fuselage therefore involve alternating the use of several types of transport trolley, which involves an additional cost and requires logistical management of these transport trolleys around the aircraft being assembled.

The situation can be improved.

An object of the present invention is to propose a carrying assembly for an aircraft module making it possible to standardize the carrying trolleys and to simplify the logistics necessary for assembly operations of the aircraft.

For this purpose, a carrying assembly for an aircraft module is proposed comprising:

- a transport trolley composed of a mobile base, provided with movement means and a mast, the trolley being configured to move in translation in at least one predetermined direction (X) of movement,

- a porting tool configured to port said module, and,

- an articulated connection assembly comprising a base secured to said mast and a plate, the plate having a flat tool-carrying surface orientable perpendicular to said at least one predetermined direction (X), and adjustable in position according to six degrees of freedom and three axes translation, and the tool-carrying surface comprising fixing means configured for fixing a plurality of interchangeable carrying tools comprising said carrying tool.

According to one embodiment, the position of the base on the mast is adjustable in height.

Advantageously, the articulated connection assembly comprises, between the base and the plate, an arrangement of six jacks arranged in pairs between the base and the plate, and where each jack is mounted articulated with the base and with the plate and where for a pair, the joints with the base of the cylinders of the pair are adjacent, while the articulation with the plate of one of the two cylinders of said pair is close to the articulation with the plate of one of the two cylinders of a second pair and that the articulation with the plate of the other of the two cylinders of said pair is close to the articulation with the plate of one of the two cylinders of a third pair.

According to one embodiment, the means for moving the mobile base comprise wheels arranged to cause the base to roll on two rails arranged parallel to each other.

Advantageously, the mast extends vertically below the mobile base.

According to one embodiment, the means for moving the mobile base comprise wheels arranged to operate on a floor.

Advantageously, the mast extends vertically above the mobile base and the base is secured to the mast via a mechanical assembly of the slide connection type and the base is adjustable in height by translation along the mast.

According to one embodiment, the means for fixing the tool-carrying surface are common to each of the tools of the plurality of interchangeable carrying tools.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the attached drawings, among which:

schematically represents a carrying assembly of an aircraft module seen from the side, according to one embodiment;

schematically represents the carrying assembly already represented on the prior to a module carrying operation, during an aircraft assembly operation;

schematically represents the carrying assembly represented on the And at the end of a module carrying operation, during an aircraft assembly operation;

schematically represents an articulated connection assembly of the carrying assembly already represented; And,

represents a carrying assembly of an aircraft module, according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

There is a schematic representation of a carrying assembly 1 of an aircraft module M, seen from the side, and configured to move on a ground GR in at least one determined direction X. The carrying assembly 1 is composed of a transport trolley 10, an aircraft module carrying tool 1000, and an articulated connection assembly 100 arranged between the transport trolley 10 and the carrying tool 1000. The transport trolley 10 comprises a multi-wheel mobile base 11 comprising a plurality of wheels 12 arranged along at least two parallel positioning lines to ensure sufficient stability of the carriage 10 during carrying operations, in particular when the carried module is carried in a “cantilever” manner . According to variants, the mobile base may comprise other means of movement, such as for example, a system configured to operate movements of the transport trolley on an air cushion. A mast 14 is arranged on the multi-wheel mobile base 11 and extends vertically above the base, in a direction Z perpendicular to the direction X. The mast 14 can have a fixed length. According to one embodiment and the example described in the , the mast 14 comprises a fixed part 14a and a telescopic movable part 14b, so that the mast 14 is adjustable in length by extending in the direction Z. The articulated connection assembly 100 comprises a base 110 secured to the mast 14 and a plate 120 called a “tool holder plate” 120 on which different carrying and gripping tools can be assembled. When the mast 14 is telescopic, the base 110 secured to the mast is adjustable in height. For this purpose, the plate 120 has a flat surface called a “tool-carrying surface”, which comprises fixing means configured to assemble a plurality of tools or types of carrying and gripping tools, such as the tool 1000 designed for carrying the aircraft module M. The base 110 of the articulated connection assembly 100 is fixed to the mast by a connection 16. The connection 16 can be a fixed connection, or even a sliding connection to allow height adjustment of the base 110 by sliding along the mast 14, therefore allowing height adjustment of the articulated connection assembly 100, and therefore consequently of the tool-carrying plate 120 and the carrying and gripping tool 1000. The tool 1000 is fixed on the plate tool holder 120 thanks to fixing elements 122 which operate in combination with the means of fixing the plate 120. For example, the means of fixing the plate 120 are threads and the fixing elements 122 are screws, this example does not not being limiting. The articulated connection assembly 100 comprises, between the base 110 and the tool-carrying plate 120, three pairs of cylinders arranged according to a structure commonly called "hexapod" or "hexapod positioner platform" or even "Stewart platform", each controllable in length via actuators and configured to position the plate 120 under the control of a remote control unit. Thus, the base 110, the six cylinders and the tool-carrying plate 120 jointly form a hexapod-type positioning device, controllable remotely and intended to orient the carrying and gripping tool 1000 according to six degrees of freedom, three of which translation axes, which makes it possible to position the module M with great precision and more generally to significantly facilitate module carrying and positioning operations, in particular when the carried module must be inserted inside an aircraft fuselage or a pre-assembled section of such a fuselage. In other words, the tool carrying surface of the base 110, orientable perpendicular to said at least one predetermined direction (X) according to an initial position called "neutral", can be adjusted in position, finely, around this initial position , thus facilitating the insertion of a module into an aircraft fuselage by offering great positioning finesse.

According to the example described, the aircraft module M is composed of an aircraft cockpit floor MR on which is assembled an instrumentation and flight control module MI, or, at the very least, mechanical elements forming a frame of this MI module. The carrying tool 1000, specific to the module M or to a given type of modules, such as, for example a type of modules grouping together a variety of sections of aircraft floors, is used for carrying and gripping the module M The tool 1000, for carrying and gripping the module M, comprises gripping elements 1100 configured for gripping the floor MR of the module M. The gripping elements 1100 are, for example, in the form of articulated brackets which can be folded down manually or by motorized or pneumatic actuators, so that the floor MR rests on a horizontal part of these gripping elements 1100. This example of implementation is, again, not limiting.

Advantageously, the use of the carrying assembly 1 comprising the articulated connection assembly 100 operating an articulated connection in six degrees of freedom between the transport carriage 10 and the carrying and gripping tool 1000, by relative positioning of the plate 120 and the base 100, allows precise position adjustment of the module M, particularly when it comes to moving such a module in translation along and inside an aircraft fuselage.

In other words, the carrying assembly 1 of an aircraft module comprises three main elements assembled together to facilitate the insertion of a module into a part of the fuselage:

• the transport trolley 10, intended to carry out a rough adjustment in position (along 3 mutually orthogonal direction axes), using its means of longitudinal movement in the direction X such as its wheels, for example, and vertical in the direction Z using its mast 14, possibly telescopic, the carriage comprising transverse adjustment means in a direction Y perpendicular to the direction X and to the direction Z, being configured to be able to be limited in transverse movement ( by blocking its wheels on the ground or on rails, for example),
• the articulated connection assembly 100, fixed integrally to the mast 14 allowing small movements and precise position adjustments to be made, in spatial swing, according to six degrees of freedom, to allow an aircraft module to be assembled and to position it with great precision in relation to its points of attachment to other elements of the aircraft,
• the tool holder 1000, arranged on the articulated connection assembly 100, via the plate 120, allowing a module to be carried via a deflector tool.

There illustrates a configuration of the carrying assembly 1 comprising the articulated connection assembly 100 and carrying the module M, before translational movement in the direction an aircraft, placed on a support S during an assembly phase of this aircraft. Thanks to the articulated hexapod type connection implemented by the articulated connection assembly 100, precise positioning of the module M can be achieved during the approach of the carriage 10 moving towards the part C of the aircraft fuselage. In particular, in addition to the movement of the carriage 10 on its wheels 12, it is advantageously possible to adjust the position of the module M in translation in a direction parallel to the direction the direction X, or even transversely in a second direction, horizontal, perpendicular to the direction reference to each of the three axes which are the roll, pitch and yaw axes referenced relative to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage of the aircraft. This possibility, offered by the ability to control the cylinders of the hexapod which connect the base 110 and the tool holder plate 120, and therefore to very precisely orient the tool holder surface of the tool holder plate 120, allows very precise positioning. end, in space, of the carried module M.

There illustrates the positioning of the module M in part C of the aircraft fuselage, at the end of carrying operations combined with precise positioning and precise orientation of the module M, thanks to the use of the carrying assembly 1 comprising the articulated connection assembly 100.

There illustrates, in a perspective view, the arrangement of the six cylinders assembled between the base 100, secured to the mast 14, and the tool holder plate 120, to constitute a hexapod type positioning structure. The cylinders, linear actuators, are configured to jointly operate isostatic positioning according to six degrees of freedom (the three axes of translation, as well as variations in orientation according to pitch, roll and yaw angles). The cylinders can each be controlled in length, remotely, from a setpoint established under the control of an operator or automatically, via a control unit, so as to achieve very precise positioning of the tool-carrying plate 120. The cylinders 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 are assembled in pairs on the base 110, by means of mechanical connections of the ball joint type. The connections of the cylinders 111 and 112 are adjacent on the base 110, as are the connections of the cylinders 115 and 116, and as are the connections of the cylinders 113 and 114. Similarly, the connections of the cylinders 112 and 113 are neighboring on the plate 120, just as are the connections of the cylinders 114 and 115, as well as the connections of the cylinders 111 and 116. Here we mean “neighboring connections” mechanical connections arranged close to each other, as opposed to connections arranged at a distance from each other, as is the case in a classic hexapod type structure such as that illustrated on the . For example, always in relation to the , the connections of the cylinders 115 and 116 are said to be close to each other on the base 110, while the connections 116 and 111 are said to be distant from each other. The ball joints respectively arranged in pairs on the base 110 and on the plate 120 are for example arranged so that each pair of connections of the base 110 or of the plate 120 forms the vertex of a triangle falling into a plane included in the base 110 or in the plate 120. The details of the operation of a hexapod positioner or Stewart platform are not described here to the extent that they are not necessary for a good understanding of the invention.

The control unit which controls the length of each of the length-adjustable cylinders, based on a setpoint, comprises, connected to a communication bus: a processor or CPU (“Central Processing Unit”, in English); RAM (“Random Access Memory” in English); a ROM (“Read-Only Memory” in English); a storage unit such as a hard drive or a storage media drive, such as an SD (“Secure Digital”) card reader; at least one communication interface, allowing the control unit to communicate (via wired or wireless links) with motors making it possible to extend or shrink one of the cylinders; and at least one interface making it possible to communicate with remote equipment such as an operator console or an automation unit. The motors can, for example, be placed in the cylinders. The processor is capable of executing instructions loaded into the RAM from the ROM, an external memory, a storage medium or even a communication network. When the control unit is powered on, the processor is able to read instructions from RAM and execute them. These instructions form a computer program causing the implementation, by the processor, of all or parts of the algorithms and steps allowing the operation of the articulated connection assembly 100. All or part of the algorithms and steps can be implemented in the form software by execution of a set of instructions by a programmable machine, for example a DSP (“Digital Signal Processor” in English) or a microcontroller, or can be implemented in hardware form by a machine or a dedicated component, for example a FPGA (“Field Programmable Gate Array”, in English) or an ASIC (“Application-Specific Integrated Circuit”, in English). Similarly, a second control unit, coupled or not to the control unit of the articulated connection assembly 100, can control each of the wheels 12 of the multi-wheel mobile base of the transport trolley 10, to control the movement of the cart 10 on the ground, based on instructions from a human operator, or from an automation unit.

There schematically illustrates the carrying assembly 1 according to another embodiment. According to this embodiment, the wheels 12 of the multi-wheel mobile base 11 are configured to be each wedged on a rail and arranged along at least two positioning lines so that the transport trolley 10 can move in translation on two parallel rails forming a GA handling gantry. According to the example described, the GA handling gantry is suspended by HA fixing elements from the ceiling of an industrial building or other structure allowing this suspension. In addition, the mast 14 extends vertically below the multi-wheel mobile base 11, unlike the exemplary embodiment described in relation to the .

The other elements making up the carrying assembly 1 remain identical to the embodiment previously described in relation to the .

Advantageously, the tool-carrying plate 120 comprises fixing means preferably common to several types of carrying and gripping tools, so that these tools are interchangeable, which advantageously allows carrying and gripping operations to be carried out. 'a plurality of aircraft modules or a plurality of types of aircraft modules. Thus, a single transport trolley equipped with an articulated connection assembly can be used in numerous applications because it can be coupled with multiple carrying tools. The number of trolleys on the ground is then greatly reduced, which makes it possible to obtain a significant saving in floor space.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments and examples described only but relates more generally to any carrying assembly of an aircraft module comprising a transport trolley having a mast to which is coupled a carrying tool tray, the plate and the mast being connected to each other via an articulated connection assembly allowing positioning of the plate according to six degrees of freedom, from a control unit.

Claims (8)

Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module (M) comprising:

• a transport trolley (10) composed of a mobile base (11) provided with movement means and a mast (14), the trolley being configured to move in translation in at least one predetermined direction (X) of movement ,
• a carrying tool (1000) configured to carry said module (M), and,
• an articulated connection assembly (100) comprising a base (110) integral with said mast (14) and a plate (120), the plate (120) having a flat tool-carrying surface and adjustable in position according to six degrees of freedom, and the tool-carrying surface comprising fixing means configured for fixing a plurality of interchangeable carrying tools comprising said carrying tool (1000).

Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to claim 1, wherein the position of said base (100) on the mast (14) is adjustable in height. Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which the articulated connection assembly (100) comprises, between said base and said plate, an arrangement of six jacks (111 , 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) arranged in pairs between the base (110) and the plate (120), and where each cylinder is mounted articulated with the base and with the plate and where for a pair, the articulations with the base of the cylinders of the pair are adjacent, while the articulation with the plate of one of the two cylinders of said pair is close to the articulation with the plate of one of the two cylinders of a second pair and that the The articulation with the plate of the other of the two cylinders of said pair is close to the articulation with the plate of one of the two cylinders of a third pair. Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the means for moving the mobile base (11) comprise wheels (12) arranged to roll the base movable (11) on two rails arranged parallel to each other and forming a gantry (GA). Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to claim 4, in which the mast (14) extends vertically below the mobile base (11). Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the means for moving the mobile base (11) comprise wheels (12) arranged to operate on a ground (GR). Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to claim 4, in which the mast (14) extends vertically above the movable base (11) and in which the base (110) is integral with the mast (14) via a mechanical assembly of the slide connection type (16) and the base is adjustable in height by translation along the mast. Carrying assembly (1) of an aircraft module according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the means for fixing the tool-carrying surface are common to each of the tools of the plurality of interchangeable carrying tools.