Method of using a tower for accessing an interior of a fuselage assembly

• US 10,406,593 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Oberoi, Harinder S., Reese, IV, Richard Griffith, Barrick, Kevin Marion, Do, Quang T., Draper, Alan S., Hu, Yuanxin Charles, Gerosa, Alfredo Jose, Kozak, Michael J., Miller, Jeffrey Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Besler, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US14/559,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/02 Riveting procedures
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/10 Riveting machines electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/142 Aerospace structures
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/28 Control devices specially adapted to riveting machines not restricted to one of the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/32 Devices for inserting or holding rivets in position with or without feeding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/40 for forming rivet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/002 the units stationary whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/00 Indexing scheme relating to the articles being treated, e.g. manufactured, repaired, assembled, connected or other operations covered in the subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/01 Aircraft parts
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/163 Jaws or jaw attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/005 Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/007 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14368 holes with means for anchoring the injected material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0081 before shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/026 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 : incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/123 : Making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/22 : Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 : Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/70 : by moulding using a particular moulding technique, see the relevant technique , e.g. by injection B29C45/14467
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2715/00 : Condition, form or state of preformed parts, e.g. inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/748 : Machines or parts thereof not otherwise provided for conveyor belts B29L2031/7092; driving belts B29L2031/7094; bearings B29L2031/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/143 : on the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 : Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8207 : by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/60 : Vehicles using regenerative power
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/145 : the arm forming the axle housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/001 : Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/008 : Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/025 : the object being a shop, cafeteria or display the object being a theatre or stagethe object being a workshop B60P3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 : Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/06 : Frames; Stringers; Longerons ; Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/068 : Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/069 : Joining arrangements therefor
• 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: F16B 19/06 : Solid rivets made in one piece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 : characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45071 : Aircraft, airplane, ship cleaning manipulator, paint stripping
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/12 : using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 : Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 : Tool

Abstract

A method and apparatus for accessing an interior of a fuselage assembly. A tower having a number of platform levels may be driven into a selected tower position within an assembly area. The interior of the fuselage assembly may be accessed using the number of platform levels.

Claims

1. A method for accessing an interior of a fuselage assembly, the method comprising:

driving a tower having a number of platform levels into a selected tower position within an assembly area;

coupling a number of utilities between the tower and a utility fixture at the selected tower position in the assembly area;

distributing the number of utilities from the utility fixture via the tower to an assembly fixture holding the fuselage assembly;

distributing the number of utilities from the utility fixture via the tower to an internal mobile platform located on one of the number of platform levels by carrying the number of utilities from the utility fixture in a number of utility cables from the tower to the internal mobile platform;

accessing the interior of the fuselage assembly using the number of platform levels by driving the internal mobile platform located on the one of the number of platform levels from the tower into the interior of the fuselage assembly; and

managing the number of utility cables carrying the number of utilities from the utility fixture to the internal mobile platform while driving the internal mobile platform from the tower into the fuselage assembly using a cable management system on the tower.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein driving the tower comprises:

driving the tower autonomously into the selected tower position.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

building the assembly fixture proximate to the tower.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

engaging a plurality of panels with the assembly fixture to build the fuselage assembly.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein

accessing the interior of the fuselage assembly comprises driving the internal mobile platform onto at least one of a number of floors within the interior of the fuselage assembly from the one of the number of platform levels of the tower.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

mating the number of platform levels of the tower to a number of floors of the fuselage assembly.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein mating the number of platform levels of the tower to the number of floors of the fuselage assembly comprises:

aligning a ramp system associated with the one of the number of platform levels to a corresponding one of the number of floors.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein mating the number of platform levels of the tower to the number of floors of the fuselage assembly comprises:

aligning the number of platform levels to the number of floors using a plurality of stabilizing members.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein aligning the number of platform levels to the number of floors comprises:

aligning the number of platform levels to the number of floors autonomously using the plurality of stabilizing members.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the number of utilities between the tower and the utility fixture comprises:

coupling a set of coupling units associated with the tower to a corresponding set of coupling units associated with the utility fixture such that the number of utilities flows from the utility fixture to the tower.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the number of utilities between the tower and the utility fixture comprises:

coupling the tower to the utility fixture autonomously to enable the number of utilities to flow downstream from the utility fixture to the tower.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

coupling the number of utilities between the tower and the assembly fixture.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

coupling the assembly fixture to the tower to enable a flow of the number of utilities from the tower to the assembly fixture.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

coupling the assembly fixture to the tower to form an interface; and

distributing the number of utilities from the tower to the assembly fixture across the interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein coupling the assembly fixture to the tower comprises:

coupling the assembly fixture to the tower autonomously to form the interface.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

driving the assembly fixture into a selected cradle position relative to the tower.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein driving the tower comprises:

driving the tower into the selected tower position relative to the assembly fixture already located within the assembly area.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

decoupling the number of utilities between the tower and the utility fixture.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein decoupling the number of utilities comprises:

decoupling a set of coupling units associated with the tower from a corresponding set of coupling units associated with the utility fixture autonomously to stop a flow of the number of utilities from the utility fixture to the tower.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising

accessing, by a human operator, the interior of the fuselage assembly from one of the number of platform levels.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein managing the number of utility cables comprises:

spooling the number of utility cables using a number of cable wheels in the cable management system on the tower as the internal mobile platform moves through the interior of the fuselage assembly.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein driving the internal mobile platform comprises:

driving the internal mobile platform autonomously onto one of a passenger floor and a cargo floor inside the fuselage assembly from a corresponding one of the number of platform levels.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

driving an autonomous vehicle across a floor into a position underneath the tower; and

coupling the autonomous vehicle with the tower.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein coupling the autonomous vehicle with the tower comprises:

transferring a load of the tower onto the autonomous vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein transferring the load comprises:

lifting the tower vertically off of the floor using a number of lift devices associated with the autonomous vehicle.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein driving the tower comprises:

driving the tower autonomously across the floor into the selected tower position using the autonomous vehicle with the autonomous vehicle coupled to the tower.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

lowering the tower back onto the floor; and

stabilizing the tower relative to the floor using a plurality of stabilizing members.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an assembly process on the fuselage assembly by an internal robotic device on the internal mobile platform in the interior of the fuselage assembly to assemble a portion of an aircraft.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein managing the number of utility cables comprises keeping the number of utility cables in tension to prevent the number of utility cables from dragging on the one of the number of platform levels or a floor of the fuselage assembly.