Assembly apparatus and method for the assembly of a fuselage section

• US 20080256776A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Neuhaus, Frank, Schildt, Rainer, Meiz, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/446
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53961 with work-holder for assembly

Abstract

The present invention provides an assembly apparatus for supporting a fuselage section of an aircraft or spacecraft in an adjustable assembly position, with at least one stiffening bow for detachably stiffening the fuselage section and a rotational support, which rotatably supports the at least one stiffening bow. Also provided is a method for the assembly of a fuselage section of an aircraft or spacecraft in which an assembly position of the fuselage section is prescribed. In further steps, the fuselage section is reinforced with a stiffening bow and the stiffening bow is rotatably supported. The stiffening bow is then turned in such a way that the fuselage section rotates into the assembly position.

Claims

1. Assembly apparatus for supporting a fuselage section of an aircraft or spacecraft in an adjustable assembly position, comprising:

at least one stiffening bow for detachably stiffening the fuselage section; and

a rotational support, which rotatably supports the at least one stiffening bow.

2. Assembly apparatus according to claim 1, the at least one stiffening bow comprising a fastening side for detachable fastening along at least a sub-portion of the cross-sectional contour of the fuselage section, the fastening side being formed in a way that substantially corresponds to a peripheral cross-sectional contour of the fuselage section.

3. Assembly apparatus according to claim 2, the fastening side comprising a multiplicity of pressing elements for pressing against the fuselage section along the cross-sectional contour.

4. Assembly apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of a respective pressing force and a respective height of the pressing elements is adjustable.

5. Assembly apparatus according to claim 1, the rotational support comprising at least one roller for supporting the stiffening bow, the stiffening bow comprising a rolling surface for rolling on the at least one roller.

6. Assembly apparatus according to claim 5, the rolling surface being curved substantially in the form of a portion of the lateral surface of a cylinder or cone.

7. Assembly apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a rotary drive for driving the at least one roller.

8. Assembly apparatus according to claim 5, at least one of the rolling surface and the at least one roller comprising a serration.

9. Assembly apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

an angle-of-rotation determining device for continuously determining an angle of rotation of the fuselage section, and

a control device for activating the rotary drive in such a way that the determined angle of rotation coincides with an assembly-position angle of rotation corresponding to the assembly position.

10. Assembly apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one working platform for arrangement at least one of inside and outside the fuselage between 1 and 2 m lower than the height of an axis of rotation of the fuselage section.

11. Method for the assembly of a fuselage section of an aircraft or spacecraft, the method comprising:

prescribing a first assembly position of the fuselage section;

stiffening the fuselage section using a detachable stiffening bow;

rotatably supporting the stiffening bow; and

turning the stiffening bow in such a way that the fuselage section rotates into the first assembly position.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the stiffening bow is supported on rollers and the turning of the stiffening bow is performed by rolling of a rolling surface of the stiffening bow on the rollers.

13. Method according to claim 11, further comprising attaching a first frame element in the fuselage section after the turning into the first assembly position.

14. Method according to claim 11, further comprising:

prescribing a second assembly position of the fuselage section;

turning the stiffening bow in such a way that the fuselage section rotates into the second assembly position; and

attaching a second frame element in the fuselage section after the turning into the second assembly position.

15. Method according to claim 11, further comprising detaching the stiffening bow from the fuselage section