SPACE FRAME FUSELAGE STRUCTURE AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20080272236A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rawdon, Blaine K., Grip, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/08 Geodetic or other open-frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/22 Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading , e.g. cargo bays, cranes

Abstract

An aircraft for carrying cargo in one or more containers. The aircraft includes a fuselage structure having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of elements connecting the nodes to form a space frame in which to carry cargo. At least some of the nodes are positioned in the space frame based on dimensions of the one or more containers. The fuselage structure is more compact, lighter and less expensive compared to conventional semi-monocoque fuselages.

Claims

1. An aircraft for carrying containerized cargo, the aircraft comprising a fuselage structure including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of elements connecting the nodes to form a space frame in which to carry one or more containers, at least some of the nodes positioned in the space frame based on dimensions of the one or more containers.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least some of the nodes are configured to engage a plurality of corners of the one or more containers to restrain the one or more containers.

3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein at least some of the dimensions of the one or more containers are modular.

4. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the space frame is configured to resolve loading by the one or more containers independent of a skin of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the space frame comprises a plurality of trusses providing a plurality of redundant load paths in the frame for the one or more containers.

6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein rotation of a given node about a given axis is opposed by at least one element connected at the given node and substantially orthogonal to the axis.

7. The aircraft of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of diagonal elements connected to one or more of the nodes.

8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein at least some of the nodes prevent transfer of moment to the elements.

9. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein one of the at least some of the nodes restrains more than one container.

10. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a wing connected with one or more nodes of the fuselage structure.

11. A method of making an aircraft for transporting cargo in one or more containers, the method comprising:

connecting a plurality of trusses at a plurality of nodes to provide a space frame;

positioning at least some of the nodes in the space frame based on dimensions of the one or more containers; and

including the space frame in a fuselage of the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting a plurality of trusses at a plurality of nodes comprises using a first plurality of trusses and a second plurality of trusses generally orthogonal to the first plurality of trusses to define one or more bays for holding one or more cargo containers.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a plurality of parts of the space frame in a kit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting a plurality of trusses at a plurality of nodes comprises providing a plurality of redundant load paths in the space frame for the one or more containers.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning at least some of the nodes in the space frame based on dimensions of one or more cargo containers comprises spacing the at least some of the nodes based on one or more modular container dimensions.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring the trusses to resolve loading in the space frame without transferring the loading to a skin of the aircraft.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting a wing with the fuselage at one or more of the space frame nodes.

18. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage structure including a plurality of elements and a plurality of nodes at which the elements are connected to form a space frame;

a wing connected with the fuselage structure via at least some of the nodes of the space frame; and

a plurality of links movably connecting the wing with the at least some of the nodes.

19. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein the links are configured to transfer loads and moments between the wing and the fuselage structure.

20. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein at least two of the links are configured to transfer different loads to resolve a moment.

21. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein at least two of the links are redundant.

22. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein at least some of the nodes are positioned in the space frame based on dimensions of one or more containers.

23. A method of loading and/or unloading containerized cargo relative to an aircraft, the method comprising:

moving one or more containers of the cargo into a space frame of a fuselage of the aircraft; and

fastening a plurality of corners of the one or more containers to a plurality of nodes of the space frame.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the fastening is performed using a plurality of movable pins of the nodes.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising supporting the cargo as it is loaded into the aircraft, the supporting performed using the space frame.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

unfastening the container corners from the space frame; and

using the space frame to support the cargo as the cargo is unloaded from the aircraft.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

placing the one or more containers on one or more pallets;

using a plurality of wheels provided at at least some of the nodes to move the pallets into the space frame;

fastening bottom corners of the one or more containers to the space frame; and

removing the one or more pallets from beneath the fastened bottom corners.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising moving a plurality of containers in parallel into the space frame.

29. The method of claim 23, performed to provide a plurality of redundant load paths for supporting the one or more containers.