Apparatus, system, and method for supporting a wing assembly

• US 10,017,277 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: DesJardien, Matthew Ray, Reid, Eric M., Best, Steven A., Shin, Jaeeun
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Jason L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENEGHINI, AMANDA J
• Application Number:
  US14/558,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20150314892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 29822, 29823, 29824, 29559, 292811, 292814, 292816, 29283, 29783, 29784, 29794
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/50 Handling or transporting aircraft components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/50 Convertible metal working machine

Abstract

A method and apparatus for supporting a structure. The apparatus may comprise a support, a load-balancing structure associated with the support, and a set of connection devices associated with the load-balancing structure. The set of connection devices may be configured to connect to the structure to form a set of control points. Each of the set of connection devices may be configured to independently control a location of a corresponding control point in the set of control points.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a structure, the method comprising:

connecting a load-balancing structure to;

a first support comprising first rails aligned vertically along a z-axis;

a second support comprising second rails aligned vertically along the z-axis; and

to a connecting device located between the first support and the second support;

positioning, via using a first movement system, the first support and the second support relative to a work surface;

moving, using a second movement system comprising the first rails and the second rails, the load-balancing structure and positioning the load-balancing structure relative to the structure via moving a connecting device connected to the first rails and connected to the load-balancing structure;

moving, using a third movement system, an element associated with the connecting device and the load-balancing structure and positioning the element relative to a location on the structure, the element being configured to move, relative to the load-balancing structure, in any of;

an x axis, a y axis, and the z axis, and to rotate about the z axis, such that the z axis aligns substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by the work surface;

supporting the structure via connecting a detachable fitting into the element and to a control point of the structure; and

distributing loads along the load-balancing structure to the first support and to the second support.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving, using the first movement system, a base structure of the first support and positioning, with a first level of precision, the first support relative to the structure.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving, using the second movement system, the load-balancing structure relative to the first support, the second movement system being connected to at least one of;

a number of supports, or the load-balancing structure, and positioning, with a second level of precision, a set of connection devices connected to the load-balancing structure relative to the structure.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

moving, using the third movement system, the element along the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

moving, using the third movement system, the element relative to the load-balancing structure and positioning, to a third level of precision, the control point; and

the third level of precision being more precise than either of the second level of precision or a first level of precision.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, positioning the element using feedback control provided by metrology data received from a metrology system.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

moving a set of connection devices relative to the load-balancing structure.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

simultaneously steering the first support and the second support across a factory floor.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing steering direction for the first support and the second support.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving the steering direction from at least one of:

a controller associated with the first support and the second support, or a system controller.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising fabricating, using the structure, a portion of an aircraft.

12. A method for supporting a structure, the method comprising:

a base comprising;

a first movement system for moving the base about on a work surface; and

a vertical support member comprising a vertical rail system aligned with a z-axis;

associating a load-balancing structure with the support member;

positioning, to a first level of precision, the base relative to the structure;

positioning, to a second level of precision, a connection device associated with a center of the load-balancing structure, relative to the support via moving, using a second movement system comprising the vertical rail system, the load-balancing structure;

connecting a fitting, configured to connect to an element of the connection device, to the connection device; and

moving the element of the connection device relative to the load-balancing structure to position, to a third level of precision, the element at a location on the structure, via moving, using a third movement system, the element of the connection device relative to the load-balancing structure, the third level of precision being more precise than either the first level of precision or the second level of precision, and the element being configured to move, relative to the load-balancing structure, in any of;

an x-axis, a y-axis, and the z-axis, and to rotate about the z-axis, such that the z-axis aligns substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by the work surface.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the first movement system comprising an autonomous guided drive system; and

forming a control point via connecting the element to the structure at the location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

positioning the control point via moving at least one of;

the element of the connection device relative to the load-balancing structure, the connection device relative to the load-balancing structure, the load-balancing structure relative to the support, or the support relative to the work surface.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising, positioning the control point using metrology data received from a metrology system.