초록 ▼

Apparatuses and methods for attaching jet engines and other external structures to aircraft wings are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an aircraft system includes a wing and a unitary fitting fixedly attached to the wing. The unitary fitting can include a first portion having at least a first at

Apparatuses and methods for attaching jet engines and other external structures to aircraft wings are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an aircraft system includes a wing and a unitary fitting fixedly attached to the wing. The unitary fitting can include a first portion having at least a first attach feature and a second portion having at least a second attach feature. The aircraft system can further include an engine or other external structure positioned proximate to the wing and coupled to the unitary fitting. The unitary fitting can be configured to transfer at least approximately all of the flight loads from the external structure to the wing.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft system comprising: a wing; an external structure positioned proximate to the wing; and a unitary fitting attached to the wing to transfer at least approximately all of the primary loads from the external structure to the wing, the primary loads including pit

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft system comprising: a wing; an external structure positioned proximate to the wing; and a unitary fitting attached to the wing to transfer at least approximately all of the primary loads from the external structure to the wing, the primary loads including pitch loads and side loads, the unitary fitting including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having at least a first attach feature and the second portion having at least a second attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature, wherein the first attach feature transfers at least a portion of the pitch loads from the external structure to the wing, and the second attach feature transfers at least a portion of the side loads from the external structure to the wing. 2. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the wing includes a front spar, and wherein the first and second portions of the unitary fitting are fixedly attached at least proximate to the front spar. 3. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the wing includes a front spar and a wing skin portion extending aft from the front spar, wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting is fixedly attached at least proximate to the front spar, and wherein the second portion of the unitary fitting is fixedly attached at least proximate to the wing skin portion. 4. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting further includes a third attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature and coupled to the external structure, and wherein the third attach feature transfers at least a portion of the pitch loads from the external structure to the wing. 5. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting further includes a third attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature, wherein the first attach feature includes a first bore coupled to the external structure and the third attach feature includes a second bore coupled to the external structure, and wherein the second portion of the unitary fitting further includes a fourth attach feature spaced apart from the second attach feature, wherein the second attach feature includes a third bore coupled to the external structure and the fourth attach feature includes a fourth bore coupled to the external structure. 6. The aircraft system of claim 5 wherein the third and fourth bores are at least generally aligned along a common axis. 7. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting further includes a third attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature, wherein the first attach feature includes a first bore coupled to the external structure and the third attach feature includes a second bore coupled to the external structure, and wherein the second portion of the unitary fitting further includes a fourth attach feature spaced apart from the second attach feature, wherein the second attach feature includes a third bore coupled to the external structure and the fourth attach feature includes a fourth bore coupled to the external structure, further wherein the first, second, third and fourth bores are at least generally parallel. 8. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the external structure includes a propulsive engine. 9. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the external structure includes a turbo-fan engine. 10. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the external structure includes a fuel tank. 11. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the external structure includes a weapons system. 12. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the external structure includes a cargo hold. 13. The aircraft system of claim 1, further comprising a fuselage, wherein the wing extends outwardly from the fuselage. 14. A fitting for attaching an external structure to a wing, the external structure transmitting primary loads in flight including pitch loads and side loads, the fitting including: a unitary body that transfers at least approximately all of the primary loads from the external structure to the wing, the unitary body having: a first portion attached to the wing, the first portion having a first attach feature coupled to the external structure to transfer at least a portion of the pitch loads from the external structure to the wing; and a second portion having a second attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature and coupled to the external structure, wherein the second attach feature transfers at least a portion of the side loads from the external structure to the wing. 15. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the wing includes a front spar, a rear spar, and a wing skin portion extending between the front spar and the rear spar, and wherein the first portion of the fitting is attached to the front spar and the second portion of the fitting is at least partially attached to the wing skin portion. 16. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the unitary body is formed from a single piece of metal. 17. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the unitary body is formed by fixedly attaching a first body portion to at least a second body portion. 18. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the first portion of the unitary body further includes a third attach feature coupled to the external structure, and the second portion of the unitary body further includes a fourth attach feature coupled to the external structure, wherein the first attach feature includes a first bore and the third attach feature includes a second bore spaced apart from the first bore, the first and second bores being at least generally parallel, and wherein the second attach feature includes a third bore and the fourth attach feature includes a fourth bore spaced apart from the third bore, the third and fourth bores being at least generally parallel. 19. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the unitary body includes at least one crack inhibiting mechanism positioned adjacent to at least one of the first and second attach features, wherein the crack inhibiting mechanism is configured to arrest crack propagation from proximate to one of the first and second attach features to proximate the other one of the first and second attach features. 20. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting further includes a third attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature, and wherein the aircraft system further comprises: a first structural member extending between the external structure and the first attach feature; and a second structural member spaced apart from the first structural member and extending between the external structure and the third attach feature, wherein the third attach feature transfers at least a portion of the pitch loads from the external structure to the wing. 21. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting further includes a third attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature, and wherein the aircraft system further comprises: a first pitch strut extending between the external structure and the first attach feature; and a second pitch strut positioned parallel to the first pitch strut and extending between the external structure and the third attach feature, wherein the third attach feature transfers at least a portion of the pitch loads from the external structure to the wing. 22. The aircraft system of claim 1: wherein the first portion of the unitary fitting further includes a third attach feature spaced apart from the first attach feature, wherein the first attach feature includes a first bore coupled to the external structure by a first pin, and wherein the third attach feature includes a second bore coupled to the external structure by a second pin; and wherein the second portion of the unitary fitting further includes a fourth attach feature spaced apart from the second attach feature, wherein the second attach feature includes a third bore coupled to the external structure by a third pin, and wherein the fourth attach feature includes a fourth bore coupled to the external structure by a fourth pin. 23. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the first attach feature is attached to a first structural member extending between the first attach feature and the external structure, and wherein the first portion of the unitary body further includes a third attach feature attached to a second structural member extending between the third attach feature and the external structure. 24. The fitting of claim 14 wherein the first attach feature is attached to a first pitch strut by a first pin, and wherein the first portion of the unitary body further includes a third attach feature attached to a second pitch strut by a second pin, wherein the first and second pitch struts extend between the external structure and the first portion of the unitary body.