Aircraft assembly
An aircraft assembly is disclosed including a rib of a wing, an aperture in the rib, and a pipe assembly extending through the aperture. The pipe assembly includes a first rigid pipe section, a second rigid pipe section and a flexible pipe section between the first and second rigid pipe sections; and a fixture arrangement that couples one of the pipe sections to the wing rib. The flexible pipe section is located at a plane of the rib and configured to allow relative movement between the first rigid pipe section and the second rigid pipe section.
1 . An aircraft assembly comprising:
a rib of a wing;
an aperture in the rib;
a pipe assembly extending through the aperture, the pipe assembly comprising a first rigid pipe section, a second rigid pipe section and a flexible pipe section between the first and second rigid pipe sections;
wherein the flexible pipe section comprises a bellows pipe; and,
a fixture arrangement that couples one of the pipe sections to the rib, wherein the bellows pipe is located at a plane of the rib and configured to allow relative movement between the first rigid pipe section and the second rigid pipe section.
2 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first rigid pipe section is configured to be fixed relative to the rib and the second rigid pipe section is configured to be moveable relative to the rib.
3 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fixture arrangement comprises a first joint section fixedly attached to the first rigid pipe section and a second joint section fixedly attached to the second rigid pipe section, and wherein the first joint section is configured to contact the second joint section and maintain said contact during relative movement between the first rigid pipe section and the second rigid pipe section.
4 . The aircraft assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first joint section and the second joint section overlap at the plane of the rib.
5 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first joint section comprises a planar profile and the second joint section comprises a curved profile, wherein the first and second joint sections contact at a bearing surface between the planar profile and the curved profile.
6 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pipe assembly is an outer pipe assembly, and the aircraft assembly comprises an inner pipe assembly enveloping the outer pipe assembly.
7 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pipe assembly is configured to convey hydrogen fuel.
8 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fixture arrangement is configured to allow rotation of the pipe assembly, relative to the rib, about a longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction.
9 . The aircraft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fixture arrangement comprising a spherical bearing surface which allows rotation of the one of the pipe sections relative to the rib.
10 . The aircraft assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fixture arrangement comprises a ball-and-socket joint.
11 . The aircraft assembly of claim 10 , wherein the ball-and-socket joint comprises a ball in a socket, and the one of the pipe sections is coupled to the ball.
12 . An aircraft wing comprising the aircraft assembly of claim 1 .
13 . An aircraft assembly comprising:
an aircraft structure;
a pipe assembly comprising a first rigid pipe section, a second rigid pipe section and a flexible pipe section extending between the first and second rigid pipe sections, wherein the flexible pipe section is configured to allow relative movement between the first rigid pipe section and the second rigid pipe section;
a fixture arrangement that couples the first rigid pipe section to the aircraft structure, the fixture arrangement comprising a spherical bearing surface which allows rotation of the first rigid pipe section relative to the aircraft structure;
wherein the fixture arrangement comprises a ball-and-socket joint; and,
wherein the flexible pipe section is inside the ball-and-socket joint.
14 . The aircraft assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fixture arrangement comprises a ball-and-socket joint.
15 . The aircraft assembly of claim 14 , wherein the ball-and-socket joint comprises a ball in a socket, and the first rigid pipe section is coupled to the ball.
16 . The aircraft assembly of claim 14 , wherein the flexible pipe section is inside the ball-and-socket joint.
17 . The aircraft assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a first clevis which couples the first rigid pipe section to the fixture arrangement and allows rotation of the first rigid pipe section relative to the fixture arrangement about a first gimbal axis; and a second clevis which couples the second rigid pipe section to the fixture arrangement and allows rotation of the second rigid pipe section relative to the fixture arrangement about a second gimbal axis, wherein the second gimbal axis is perpendicular to the first gimbal axis.
18 . The aircraft assembly of claim 13 , wherein the flexible pipe section comprises a bellows pipe.
19 . An aircraft wing comprising the aircraft assembly of claim 13 .