System and methods for distributing loads from fluid conduits, including aircraft fuel conduits

• US 20060278759A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Shelly, Mark A., Van Kampen, Benjamin P., Carns, James A., Cutler, Theron L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,293,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/135.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/06 Connecting hose to aircraft; Disconnecting hose therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/00 Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets anchors for holding pipes on or under the ground F16L1/06; sound-damping supports F16L55/035; supports for insulated pipes F16L59/135
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing loads from fluid conduits, including aircraft fuel conduits, are disclosed. An aircraft configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a fuselage portion, a wing portion, and a fuel tank carried by least one of the fuselage portion and the wing portion. The aircraft also includes a spar carried by at least one of the fuselage portion and the wing portion. The spar includes a first spar rib and a second spar rib spaced apart from the first spar rib. The aircraft further includes a fluid conduit proximate to the spar and operably coupled to the fuel tank. A support member carrying the fluid conduit is operably coupled to the spar. The support member can be positioned to transfer at least approximately all of the axial loads from the fluid conduit to at least one of the first spar rib and the second spar rib.

Claims

1. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage portion;

a wing portion;

a spar carried by at least one of the fuselage portion and the wing portion, the spar including a first spar rib and a second spar rib spaced apart from the first spar rib;

a fuel tank carried by at least one of the fuselage portion and the wing portion;

a fluid conduit proximate to the spar and operably coupled to the fuel tank; and

a support member carrying the fluid conduit, the support member being operably coupled to the spar and positioned to transfer at least approximately all of the axial loads from the fluid conduit to at least one of the first spar rib and the second spar rib.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the support member includes:

a first support member portion attached to one side of the fluid conduit, the first support member portion including a first attachment portion operably coupled to the first spar rib and a second attachment portion operably coupled to the second spar rib; and

a second support member portion attached to a generally opposite of the fluid conduit as the first support member portion, the second support member portion including a third attachment portion operably coupled to the first spar rib and a fourth attachment portion operably coupled to the second spar rib, wherein at least a portion of the axial loads from the fluid conduit are transferred from the first and third attachment portions of the support member to the first spar rib, and a remaining portion of the axial loads from the fluid conduit are transferred from the second and fourth attachment portions of the support member to the second spar rib.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein:

the first attachment portion and the third attachment portion are generally aligned with each other along a first alignment axis; and

the second attachment portion and the fourth attachment portion are generally aligned with each other along a second alignment axis.

4. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein:

the first attachment portion includes a first slot and a first fastener slidably received through the first slot to operably couple the first attachment portion to the first spar rib;

the second attachment portion includes a second slot and a second fastener slidably received through the second slot to operably couple the second attachment portion to the second spar rib;

the third attachment portion includes a third slot and a third fastener slidably received through the third slot to operably couple the third attachment portion to the first spar rib; and

the fourth attachment portion includes a fourth slot and a fourth fastener slidably received through the fourth slot to operably couple the fourth attachment portion to the second spar rib.

5. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:

the spar further includes (a) a spar web between the first spar rib and the second spar rib, (b) a fluid passageway extending at least partially through the spar web, and (c) a spar coupling in at least a portion of the fluid passageway and in fluid communication with the fluid conduit; and

the fluid conduit includes a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the first end having a first coupling operably coupled to the spar coupling and the second end having a second coupling positioned for engagement with a corresponding coupling of another fluid conduit to form a removable connection, and wherein the first coupling is positioned to transfer at least approximately all of the shear loads from the fluid conduit to the spar.

6. The aircraft of claim 5 wherein the spar coupling and the first coupling form a locking feature between the fluid conduit and the spar.

7. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the first coupling includes a plurality of teeth, and wherein the individual teeth are engageable with corresponding portions of the spar coupling to releasably secure the fluid conduit to the spar.

8. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the locking feature is positioned to at least temporarily carry all of the axial loads and the shear loads from the fluid conduit.

9. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the support member is positioned to be installed and uninstalled from the spar using common hand tools.

10. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit includes a first wall aligned with a flow direction in the fluid conduit and a second wall disposed annularly around the first wall, the second wall being aligned with the flow direction, and wherein the second wall is isolated from fluid communication with the first wall.

11. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit is positioned to transfer fuel to the fuel tank, and wherein the aircraft further comprises an aerial refueling system coupled to the fuel tank to receive fuel from the fuel tank.

12. A fluid transmission system, comprising:

a first support member having a web portion, a first rib extending outwardly generally normal to the web portion, and a second rib spaced apart from the first rib and extending outwardly generally normal to the web portion;

a fluid conduit having a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the first end including a first coupling positioned for attachment to the first support member and the second end including a second coupling positioned for engagement with a corresponding coupling of another fluid conduit; and

a second support member carrying the fluid conduit, the second support member being operably coupled to the first support member and positioned to transfer (a) at least approximately all the axial loads from the fluid conduit to at least one of the first rib and the second rib of the first support member, and (b) at least approximately all the shear loads from the first coupling to the web portion of the first support member.

13. The fluid transmission system of claim 12 wherein the second support member includes:

a first support member portion attached to one side of the fluid conduit, the first support member portion including a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion, and

a second support member portion attached to a generally opposite side of the fluid conduit as the first portion, the second support member portion including a third attachment portion and a fourth attachment portion.

14. The fluid transmission system of claim 13 wherein:

the first attachment portion and third attachment portion are generally aligned with each other along a first alignment axis; and

the second attachment portion and fourth attachment portion are generally aligned with each other along a second alignment axis.

15. The fluid transmission system of claim 13 wherein:

the first attachment portion and third attachment portion are operably coupled to the first rib of the first support member;

the second attachment portion and fourth attachment portion and operably coupled to the second rib of the first support member; and

at least a portion of the axial loads from the fluid conduit are transferred from the first and third attachment portions of the second support member to the first rib of the first support member, and a remaining portion of the axial loads from the fluid conduit are transferred from the second and fourth attachment portions of the second support member to the second rib of the first support member.

16. The fluid transmission system of claim 12 wherein:

the first support member further includes (a) a fluid passageway extending at least partially through the web portion; and

(b) a third coupling at least proximate to the fluid passageway and in fluid communication with the fluid conduit; and

the first coupling of the fluid conduit is operably coupled to the third coupling, and wherein the first coupling is positioned to transfer at least approximately all of the shear loads from the fluid conduit to the first support member.

17. The fluid transmission system of claim 12 wherein the first coupling and the third coupling form a locking feature between the fluid conduit and the first support member, the locking feature being positioned to at least temporarily carry all of the axial loads and the shear loads from the fluid conduit if at least a portion of the second support member becomes detached from the first support member during operation.

18. The fluid transmission system of claim 12 wherein the fluid conduit includes a first wall aligned with a flow direction in the fluid conduit and a second wall disposed annularly around the first wall, the second wall being aligned with the flow direction, and wherein the second wall is isolated from fluid communication with the first wall.

19. A method for distributing loads from a fluid conduit, the method comprising:

attaching a support member to a fluid conduit;

attaching the support member and fluid conduit to a spar, the spar including a first spar rib and a second spar rib spaced apart from the first spar rib; and

transferring at least approximately all the axial loads of the fluid conduit from the support member to at least one of the first spar rib and the second spar rib.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

attaching a support member to a spar includes attaching (a) a first support member portion to one side of the fluid conduit, the first support member including a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion, and (b) a second support member portion to a generally opposite side of the fluid conduit as the first support member portion, the second support member portion including a third attachment portion and a fourth attachment portion; and

attaching a support member and fluid conduit to a spar includes attaching the first attachment portion and third attachment portion to the first spar rib, and attaching the second attachment portion and fourth attachment portion to the second spar rib.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein:

attaching the first attachment portion to the first spar rib comprises inserting a first fastener through a first slot in the first attachment portion and a first bracket on the first spar rib to operably couple the first attachment portion to the first spar rib;

attaching the second attachment portion to the second spar rib comprises inserting a second fastener through a second slot in the second attachment portion and a second bracket on the second spar rib to operably couple the second attachment portion to the second spar rib;

attaching the third attachment portion to the first spar rib comprises inserting a third fastener through a third slot in the third attachment portion and a third bracket on the first spar rib to operably couple the third attachment portion to the first spar rib; and

attaching the fourth attachment portion to the second spar rib comprises inserting a fourth fastener through a fourth slot in the fourth attachment portion and a fourth bracket on the second spar rib to operably couple the fourth attachment portion to the second spar rib.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the spar further includes (a) a spar web between the first spar rib and the second spar rib, and (b) a fluid passageway extending at least partially through the spar web, and wherein the method further comprises:

attaching a first coupling at a first end of the fluid conduit to a spar coupling at least proximate to the fluid passageway so that the fluid conduit is in fluid communication with the fluid passageway; and

transferring at least approximately all the shear loads from the fluid conduit to the spar web.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein attaching a first coupling at the first end of the fluid conduit to a spar coupling comprises forming a bayonet fitting between the first coupling and spar coupling.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein:

transferring at least approximately all the axial loads of the fluid conduit from the support member comprises transferring the axial loads in at least one of a first direction generally normal to the spar and a second direction generally opposite the first direction; and

transferring at least approximately all the shear loads from the fluid conduit to the spar web comprises transferring the shear loads in a third direction generally normal to at least one of the first and second directions.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein attaching a support member to a fluid conduit includes attaching a support member to a fluid conduit having a first wall aligned with a flow direction in the fluid conduit and a second wall disposed annularly around the first wall, the second wall being aligned with the flow direction.