Aircraft airframe assembly
First Claim
1. An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the assembly process comprising:
- providing a first assembly, the first assembly including a first part of the aircraft airframe and a first reference structure attached to the first part of the aircraft airframe, the first part of the aircraft airframe having a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the first reference structure, the first reference structure comprising a first plurality of key protrusions;
providing a second assembly, the second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached to the second part of the aircraft airframe, the second part of the aircraft airframe having a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the second reference structure, the second reference structure comprising a second plurality of key protrusions;
locating each of the first plurality of key protrusions in a respective key hole of a first receptacle attaching the first reference structure to the first receptacle;
locating each of the second plurality of key protrusions in a respective key hole of a second receptacle, attaching the second reference structure to the second receptacle;
moving, by an actuation device, the first and second receptacles into a predetermined configuration for the receptacles, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration for the airframe parts;
while the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe are in the predetermined configuration for the airframe parts, performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe, producing the at least part of an aircraft airframe; and
wherein;
each key protrusion comprises a fastener head at a distal end of that key protrusion and a shank portion connecting the fastener head of that key protrusion to the reference frame, the fastener heads having a first diameter, the shank portions having a second diameter, the second diameter being less than the first diameter; and
each key hole comprises a first portion having a having a diameter greater than or equal to the first diameter, and a second portion having a diameter greater than or equal to the second diameter and less than the first diameter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the assembly process comprising: providing a first assembly including a first part of the airframe and a first reference structure attached thereto; providing a second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached thereto; receiving, by a first receptacle, the first reference structure; receiving, by a second receptacle, the second reference structure; moving, by an actuation device, the receptacles into a predetermined configuration, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration; and performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe, thereby producing the part of the aircraft airframe.
37 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the assembly process comprising:
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providing a first assembly, the first assembly including a first part of the aircraft airframe and a first reference structure attached to the first part of the aircraft airframe, the first part of the aircraft airframe having a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the first reference structure, the first reference structure comprising a first plurality of key protrusions; providing a second assembly, the second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached to the second part of the aircraft airframe, the second part of the aircraft airframe having a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the second reference structure, the second reference structure comprising a second plurality of key protrusions; locating each of the first plurality of key protrusions in a respective key hole of a first receptacle attaching the first reference structure to the first receptacle; locating each of the second plurality of key protrusions in a respective key hole of a second receptacle, attaching the second reference structure to the second receptacle; moving, by an actuation device, the first and second receptacles into a predetermined configuration for the receptacles, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration for the airframe parts; while the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe are in the predetermined configuration for the airframe parts, performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe, producing the at least part of an aircraft airframe; and wherein; each key protrusion comprises a fastener head at a distal end of that key protrusion and a shank portion connecting the fastener head of that key protrusion to the reference frame, the fastener heads having a first diameter, the shank portions having a second diameter, the second diameter being less than the first diameter; and each key hole comprises a first portion having a having a diameter greater than or equal to the first diameter, and a second portion having a diameter greater than or equal to the second diameter and less than the first diameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the apparatus comprising:
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a first receptacle comprising a first plurality of key holes, each of the first plurality of key holes configured to receive a respective key protrusion of a first reference structure of a first assembly, the first assembly including a first part of the aircraft airframe and the first reference structure attached to the first part of the aircraft airframe, the first part of the aircraft airframe having a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the first reference frame; a second receptacle comprising a second plurality of key holes, each of the second plurality of key holes configured to receive a respective key protrusion of a second reference structure of a second assembly, the second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and the second reference structure attached to the second part of the aircraft airframe, the second part of the aircraft airframe having a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the second reference frame; an actuation device operatively coupled to the first and second receptacles and configured to move the first and second receptacles into a predetermined configuration for the receptacles, moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration for the airframe parts; and wherein; each key protrusion comprises a fastener head at a distal end of that key protrusion and a shank portion connecting the fastener head of that key protrusion to the reference frame, the fastener heads having a first diameter, the shank portions having a second diameter, the second diameter being less than the first diameter; and each key hole comprises a first portion having a having a diameter greater than or equal to the first diameter, and a second portion having a diameter greater than or equal to the second diameter and less than the first diameter. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification