Adjustable fittings for attaching support members to fluid conduits, including aircraft fuel conduits, and associated systems and methods

• US 20060278763A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• 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 7,581,700 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 3/1226 elongated supports, e.g. to support a curved pipe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Adjustable fittings for attaching support members to fluid conduits, including aircraft fuel conduits, are disclosed herein. An aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a fluid conduit carried by an aircraft and a housing fixedly attached to the fluid conduit. The housing can include a first attachment feature having one of a projection extending outwardly from the housing or an aperture extending at least partially through the housing. The system further includes a support member having an attachment portion positioned proximate to the attachment feature. The attachment portion includes a support member aperture positioned over at least a portion of the first attachment feature. An adjustable fitting couples the support member to the housing. The adjustable fitting can include a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and an engagement portion at the second side positioned within at least a portion of the support member aperture. The fitting can also include a second attachment feature mated with the first attachment feature. The second attachment feature includes the other one of the projection or the aperture. The second attachment feature has a center point eccentrically offset from a center point of the fitting.

Claims

1. An aircraft system, comprising:

a fluid conduit carried by an aircraft;

a housing fixedly attached to the fluid conduit, the housing including a first attachment feature having one of a projection extending outwardly from the housing or an aperture extending at least partially through the housing;

a support member having an attachment portion positioned proximate to the housing, the attachment portion including a support member aperture positioned over at least a portion of the first attachment feature; and

an adjustable fitting coupling the support member to the housing, the fitting including—

a first side;

a second side opposite the first side, the second side including an engagement portion positioned within at least a portion of the support member aperture; and

a second attachment feature mated with the first attachment feature, the second attachment feature having the other one of the projection or the aperture, and wherein the second attachment feature has a center point eccentrically offset from a center point of the adjustable fitting.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the adjustable fitting is rotatable with respect to the first attachment feature to secure the fitting in place against the support member and the housing.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first attachment feature comprises the projection extending outwardly from the housing and the second attachment feature comprises the aperture configured to receive the projection, and wherein:

the projection includes a generally arcuate end portion with a first center point defined at least in part by the end portion; and

the aperture includes a second center point, and wherein the second center point is at least partially eccentrically offset from the first center point when the fitting is secured in place against the housing.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the attachment portion of the support member has a first diameter; and

the fitting includes a generally annular fitting having an outer diameter generally corresponding to the first diameter of the attachment portion.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first attachment feature comprises the projection extending outwardly from the housing and the second attachment feature comprises the aperture configured to receive the projection, and wherein the system further comprises:

one or more first fasteners releasably coupling the adjustable fitting to the attachment portion of the support member; and

a second fastener extending through the aperture and releasably coupling the adjustable fitting to the attachment feature.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first attachment feature comprises the projection extending outwardly from the housing and the second attachment feature comprises the aperture configured to receive the projection, and wherein the fitting aperture extends completely through the fitting from the second side to the first side.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first attachment feature comprises the projection extending outwardly from the housing and the second attachment feature comprises the aperture configured to receive the projection, and wherein the fitting aperture extends partially through the fitting from the second side to an intermediate depth between the first side and the second side.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first side of the fitting comprises a first annular portion having a first dimension and a second annular portion having a second dimension less than the first dimension.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the housing is a first housing including a first attachment feature, and wherein the system further comprises a second housing fixedly attached to the fluid conduit and spaced apart from the first housing, the second housing including another first attachment feature;

the attachment portion is a first attachment portion and the support member aperture is a first support member aperture, and wherein the support member further comprises a second attachment portion spaced apart from the first attachment portion, the second attachment portion including a second support member aperture positioned over at least a portion of the second attachment feature; and

the fitting is a first adjustable fitting coupling the first attachment portion of the support member to the first housing, and wherein the system further comprises a second adjustable fitting coupling the second attachment portion to the second housing, the first adjustable fitting having a first eccentric orientation relative to the first attachment feature and the second adjustable fitting having a second eccentric orientation different than the first orientation relative to the other one of the first attachment features.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the support member is configured to receive imposed surge loads and pressure loads from the fluid conduit.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the adjustable fitting is configured to be installed with and uninstalled from the housing and the support member using common hand tools.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising the aircraft, and wherein the aircraft comprises:

a fuselage portion;

a wing portion; and

a fuel tank carried by at least one of the fuselage portion and the wing portion, and wherein the fluid conduit is operably coupled to the fuel tank.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of fluid conduits operably coupled to the fuel tank;

a plurality of housings fixedly attached to corresponding fluid conduits, the individual housings including first attachment features;

a plurality of support members positioned proximate to corresponding housings, the individual support members including attachment portions having support member apertures positioned over at least a portion of corresponding attachment features, and wherein the individual support members are generally identical; and

a plurality of adjustable fittings coupling the attachment portions of the support members to corresponding first attachment features on each housing, wherein two or more adjustable fittings have different eccentric orientations relative to the corresponding first attachment features.

14. An assembly, comprising:

a first member having a first attachment feature, the first attachment feature including one of a projection extending outwardly from the first member or an aperture extending at least partially through the first member;

a second member positioned proximate to the first member, the second member including a second member aperture positioned over at least a portion of the first attachment feature; and

an adjustable fitting coupling the first member to the second member, the fitting including—

a first side facing away from the first member;

a second side facing toward the first member, the second side including an engagement portion positioned within at least a portion of the second member aperture; and

a second attachment feature mated with the first attachment feature, the second attachment feature having the other one of the projection or the aperture, and wherein the second attachment feature has a center point eccentrically offset from a center point of the adjustable fitting.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the adjustable fitting is rotatable in a generally clockwise and/or counterclockwise direction to secure the fitting against at least a portion of the first attachment feature.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the first attachment feature comprises the projection extending outwardly from the first member and the second attachment feature comprises the aperture configured to receive the projection, and wherein:

the projection includes a generally arcuate end portion and a first center point defined at least in part by the end portion; and

the aperture includes a second center point, the second center point being eccentrically offset from the first center point when the fitting is secured against at least a portion of the first attachment feature.

17. The assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a plurality of first fasteners coupling the adjustable fitting to the first member; and

a second fastener extending through at least a portion of the second attachment feature and releasably coupling the adjustable fitting to the first attachment feature.

18. The assembly of claim 14 wherein:

the first member further comprises one or more additional first attachment features;

the second member further comprises one or more additional second member apertures, and wherein the second member apertures are positioned over at least a portion of the corresponding first attachment features; and

the assembly further comprises a plurality of adjustable fittings received within corresponding second member apertures and engaged with corresponding first attachment features to couple the second member to the first member, wherein two or more adjustable fittings have different eccentric orientations relative to the corresponding first attachment features.

19. A method for installing a support member with a fluid conduit, the method comprising:

positioning a support member proximate to a fluid conduit, the support member including a support member aperture positioned over at least a portion of a first attachment feature carried by the fluid conduit;

inserting at least a portion of an adjustable fitting having a second attachment feature through the support member aperture and mating the first and second attachment features, wherein the second attachment feature is eccentrically offset from a center point of the adjustable fitting; and

rotating the fitting with respect to the first attachment feature until the second attachment feature fixedly engages at least a portion of the first attachment feature to secure the support member in place with respect to the fluid conduit.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein (a) the first attachment feature comprises a projection extending outwardly from a housing fixedly attached to the fluid conduit, the projection including a generally arcuate end portion with a center point defined at least in part by the end portion, and (b) the second attachment feature comprises an aperture extending at least partially through the fitting and configured to receive the projection, and wherein:

inserting at least a portion of an adjustable fitting having a second attachment feature through the support member aperture and mating the first and second attachment features comprises inserting the aperture over at least a portion of the projection; and

rotating the fitting with respect to the first attachment feature comprises rotating the fitting such that the aperture maintains a generally eccentric orbit about the center point until the aperture engages at least a portion of the projection to secure the fitting in place against the support member and fluid conduit.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein (a) the second attachment feature comprises a projection extending outwardly from the fitting, and (b) the first attachment feature comprises an aperture extending through at least a portion of a housing fixedly attached to the conduit, and wherein:

inserting at least a portion of an adjustable fitting having a second attachment feature through the support member aperture and mating the first and second attachment features comprises inserting the projection into at least a portion of the aperture in the housing; and

rotating the fitting with respect to the first attachment feature comprises rotating the fitting such that the projection maintains a generally eccentric orbit about the aperture in the housing until the projection engages at least a portion of the aperture to secure the fitting in place against the support member and fluid conduit.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

releasably attaching the fitting to the support member with one or more first fasteners extending through the fitting and at least a portion of the support member; and

releasably coupling the fitting to the attachment feature with a second fastener extending through the second attachment feature and at least a portion of the first attachment feature.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein inserting an adjustable fitting through the support member and rotating the fitting with respect to the first attachment feature comprises using common hand tools to install the fitting.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising transferring at least approximately all the surge loads and the pressure loads from the fluid conduit to the support member after attachment.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the support member aperture is a first support member aperture and the adjustable fitting is a first adjustable fitting, and wherein the method further comprises:

positioning a second support member aperture over at least a portion of another first attachment feature carried by the fluid conduit;

inserting at least a portion of a second adjustable fitting having a second attachment feature through the second support member aperture and mating the corresponding first and second attachment features, wherein the second attachment feature of the second adjustable fitting is eccentrically offset from a center point of the second adjustable fitting; and

rotating the second fitting with respect to the corresponding first attachment feature until the second attachment feature fixedly engages at least a portion of the corresponding first attachment feature to secure the support member in place with respect to the fluid conduit, and wherein the first and second fittings have different eccentric orientations relative to the corresponding first attachment features.