FR3006412A1 - DEVICE FOR DETECTING EXTENDED SHAPE ELEMENTS OF AN AIRCRAFT TURBOMACHINE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a spacer device (40) for elongated elements (41, 42), such as electrical harnesses (41) or pipes (42) of an aircraft turbine engine, comprising: at least two modules (44), each module (44) comprising: ▪ a holding means (46) adapted to hold an elongated element (41, 42) ▪ an attachment means (47) integral with the holding means ( 46) - a support (43) comprising at least two fixing means (48), each fixing means (48) being adapted to cooperate with a fastening means (47) of a module (44) so as to fix said module (44) to said support (43), characterized in that the support (43) has a corrugated surface formed with concavities (45) juxtaposed, each concavity (45) comprising one of said fixing means (48) so that each module (44) is at least partially insertable into a concavity (45).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the general field of aeronautics. It relates more particularly to devices for bracing electrical cables (also known as electrical harnesses) and / or pipes, in a turbomachine such as a turbojet engine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An aircraft turbine engine comprises a casing, possibly in several parts depending on its structure, which envelopes the various components, rotary or otherwise, such as a blower, a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine.

At the outer surface of this casing, in addition to the fluid transport pipes carrying mainly fuel, oil, air or any other fluid, are disposed many electrical wiring, called electrical harnesses in the field of turbine engines fitted to aircraft. These electrical harnesses supply energy and signals, in particular the various peripheral equipment of the turbine engine, such as a computer or a hydromechanical module such as a fuel pump. The position of the harnesses and pipes and their path along the housing are imposed by many constraints. Indeed, the turbomachines offer little space available to integrate the electrical harnesses and the pipes carrying fluid (such as fuel, oil or air), and the locations for fixing the harnesses and the pipes. are limited. In addition, it is important to avoid any deterioration of the harnesses, in particular by friction of the harnesses between them or against parts of the turbomachine. Such friction can occur due to the vibrations of the turbomachine in operation, relative movements between the turbine engine and the nacelle in which it is mounted, or manufacturing tolerances of the various parts located near the harnesses.

In order to avoid this friction without having to add attachment points for the harnesses to the housing, it is known to equip the harnesses with bracing devices. Such bracing devices are installed between two attachment points, and serve to maintain sufficient space between the harnesses to avoid their friction, especially in areas where it is difficult or impossible to attach harnesses. A first known bracing device 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and detailed in the patent application FR2966651. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment, while Figure 2 shows a second embodiment. The first device 10 comprises a metal support 11 on which are fixed elastic clamping clamps 12, 13, three or five depending on the embodiment, intended to hold harnesses. In particular, a first collar 13 is fixed in a median zone of the support 11, on a first face thereof. The remaining collars 12 are fixed at the lateral ends of the support 11. Half of the remaining collars are fixed on the first face and the other half are fixed on the other face of the support 11. In addition, a bar 14 is mounted on the support 11 around the first collar 13 to close it when a harness has been installed in said first collar 13. However the first device 10 does not allow "flat routing", that is to say to maintain a harness beam in parallel next to each other. Such an arrangement of the harnesses is particularly advantageous if the space around the housing is limited radially, to limit the size of the harnesses. Furthermore, the first device 10 has disadvantages in terms of mass and simplicity of implementation, including the following: first, after installing the first collar 13, it must be closed with a bar 14, which adds the mass to the first device 10 and is binding. Second, the first device 10 comprises three collars of the same size, to which it is possible to add two collars of smaller size in the embodiment of Figure 2. It allows to brace three harnesses of the same size, and possibly also two smaller harnesses. Thus, the first device 10 is not adapted to maintain any number or size of harnesses. Finally, if some collars 12 are not used, then the first device 10 is out of balance and has a useless mass due to unused collars.

A second known spacer device 20 is illustrated in FIG. 3 and detailed in the patent application FR 2 906 336. The second device 20 comprises a metal reinforcement 23 and metal collars 24 intended to hold harnesses, said collars 24 being fixed in line on a lower portion 22 of the reinforcement 23. An upper portion 21 of the reinforcement 23 is mounted on the lower portion 22 around the collars 24 to close them when harnesses have been installed in said collars 24. Unlike the first device 10, the second device 20 allows a flat routing, however it has disadvantages, including the following: first, its use is complicated, since to equip a harness beam with such a second device 20, it is first necessary to attach metal collars 24 to the lower portion 22 of the frame 23, and then clip the harnesses in said collars 24 , and finally close the upper portion 21 of the frame 23 on the lower portion 22. Second, its mass is important because of the metal frame 23.

Third, beyond two or three collars 24 the lower portion 22 of the frame 23 may bend. Fourthly, the collars 24 are not isolated from each other: indeed, they are elastic to allow the clipping of harnesses, and can therefore possibly come into contact with each other under the effect of harness movements. GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention offers a solution to the problems mentioned above, by proposing a device for bracing elements of elongated shape, such as electrical harnesses or pipes, for maintaining said elements in parallel with one another. by guaranteeing spacing and isolation of said elements between them, simple to implement, lightweight, and adaptable to all diameters of elements. The invention therefore essentially concerns a device for bracing elements of elongate shape, such as electrical harnesses or ducts of an aircraft turbomachine, comprising: at least two modules, each module comprising: holding adapted to maintain an elongated element o a fastening means integral with the holding means - a support comprising at least two fixing means, each fastening means being adapted to cooperate with a fastening means of a module of so as to fix said module to said support. In addition, the support comprises a corrugated surface formed of concavities juxtaposed, each concavity comprising one of said fixing means so that each module is at least partly insertable into a concavity. For convenience of presentation, it will be considered that the corrugated surface has a lower face and an upper face, and extends generally in a left / right direction. These designations do not prejudge the orientation according to which the corrugated surface can be oriented on the housing: this orientation is arbitrary. The notions of superior, inferior, left, right, low or high are all related to a predefined position of the undulating surface when it extends globally in the left / right direction.

In this predefined position, it is noted that the juxtaposed concavities are alternately turned upwards and downwards. It will be said that the concavities are alternated. According to another formulation, the lower face has an alternation of hollows and juxtaposed bumps, and the upper face also has an alternation of juxtaposed hollows and bumps. A hollow of the lower face then corresponds to a bump of the upper face, and a hollow of the upper face corresponds to a bump of the lower face. Each hollow of the lower face and each hollow of the upper face corresponds to a concavity described above.

According to another formulation, it will be said that the profile of the corrugated surface has a set of upper cavities and a set of lower cavities such that each upper cavity is alternated with a lower cavity. Each upper cavity and each lower cavity corresponds to a concavity described above.

Since each module is at least partly insertable into a concavity, and the cavities are juxtaposed, a "parallel" holding of the elongated elements is possible. Indeed, the modules are alternately fixed on the lower side and the upper side of the support.

In addition, by this arrangement, the structure of the bracing device is balanced in terms of force distribution. Since the modules holding the elongated elements are alternately distributed on the lower side and on the upper side of the support, the support is not likely to bend, which would be the case if all the elements of elongated shape were arranged in a only side of the support.

By the shape of the corrugated surface, the modules are spaced apart and isolated from each other when they are fixed to the support. Indeed, each module is at least partly inserted in a concavity. As a result, the elongated elements are also kept apart and isolated. It is noted that the elongated elements are isolated from each other in that they can not be in physical contact, at least in an area around the bracing device. This insulation is advantageous, especially when an elongated element is an electrical harness. This makes it possible to guarantee electrical insulation of said harness.

It is noted that thanks to the arrangement of the modules fixed in the concavities, the walls of the concavities act as supports limiting unwanted deviations of the modules. The modules can indeed be deviated from their fixing position when the elongated elements they maintain are subject to inadvertent movements.

The modularity of the device according to the invention is emphasized: if several elements of elongated shape are to be maintained, it suffices to choose modules whose sizes of the holding means are dimensioned to the diameters of said elements to be maintained, provided of course that the concavities have been made in lengths sufficient to accommodate large diameter harnesses.

In addition to the characteristics that have just been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the spacer device according to the invention may have one or more additional characteristics among the following, considered individually or in any technically possible combination.

Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, all the concavities are of substantially similar lengths. Length means the dimension of a concavity in the overall direction along which the corrugated surface extends, that is to say the left / right direction. Thus, the manufacture of the support is simplified. In addition, the modularity of the bracing device is optimal: by choosing a sufficiently large concavities length, any module can be fixed in any concavity, regardless of its size. In a non-limiting embodiment, the corrugated surface is of rectangular constant section. Thus, the manufacture of the support is simplified: the corrugated surface is a band to which is given a corrugated profile. In a non-limiting embodiment, each fastening means is disposed at the bottom of a concavity. The bottom of a cavity corresponds to a maximum or a local minimum of a corrugation of the corrugated surface. Thus, each module can be fixed in a cavity at the bottom of said cavity. This balances the overall structure of the bracing device in terms of the forces exerted by the modules on the support. In addition, the walls of the cavities act as supports for retaining the modules when they are deviated to the left or to the right because of inadvertent movements of elongated elements. These supports in particular make it possible to reduce the forces at the fixing points of the modules on the support. In a non-limiting embodiment, the cooperation between a means for attaching a module and a fixing means causes a definitive fixing of said module and the support. Therefore, when a module is attached to the support, it can not be disassembled; this avoids a fortuitous module disengagement. In a non-limiting embodiment, each attachment means comprises a split stud, and each fastening means comprises an opening, a split stud being adapted to be inserted into an opening without possible return. This makes it possible to fix the modules simply and quickly to the support. In addition, this fastening system is lightweight. In a non-limiting embodiment, each holding means comprises two branches facing each other, the holding of an elongated element being formed by gripping said elongated element between said branches. This is a quick and easy way to maintain an elongated element. The branches are semi-rigid: the branches are spread apart, an element of elongated shape is inserted between said branches, and the branches which then hold the element are released. In a non-limiting embodiment, the branches of the holding elements are made of a semi-flexible material such as polyetherimide (PEI) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

In a non-limiting embodiment, the corrugated surface is made of an insulating material such as polyetherimide (PEI) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Indeed, the elongated elements to maintain are generally electrical harnesses, so it is advantageous that the support is made of insulating material.

The invention also relates to a turbomachine comprising a casing on which are fixed elongate elements such as electrical harnesses or pipes, characterized in that the elongate elements are equipped with a spacer device according to one of the preceding claims.

The invention and its various applications will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the figures that accompany it. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The figures are presented only as an indication and in no way limitative of the invention. The figures show: In Figure 1, a schematic representation of a harness bracing device according to a first prior art; In Figure 2, a schematic representation of a harness bracing device according to a second prior art; In Figure 3, a schematic representation of a harness bracing device according to a third prior art; In Figure 4, a schematic representation of a spacer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the invention; In Figure 5, a schematic representation of a spacer device according to another non-limiting embodiment of the invention; - In Figure 6, a schematic representation of a support according to the invention; - In Figure 7, a schematic representation of a module according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Unless otherwise specified, the same element appearing in different figures has a unique reference. A turbomachine comprises a housing enclosing its various components. This housing extends generally peripherally around the axis of the turbomachine. At the periphery of the housing are harnesses and fluid transport lines. The bracing device according to the invention aims to locally space harnesses and / or pipes, and more generally any element of elongated shape. In the remainder of the description, the term "elongate shaped element" or "element" will be referred to as a harness or a pipe intended to be equipped by the bracing device. FIG. 4 schematically represents a spacer device 40 with five elongated elements 41, 42, fitted to a turbomachine (not shown), according to one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention. Among these five elements 41, 42, four are harnesses 41, and the fifth is a pipe 42. It is understood that the bracing device 40 can maintain a different number of harnesses 41 and pipes 42, or maintain only harness 41. It is understood that any combination of pipes and harness is included in the invention.

Figure 4 shows the bracing device 40 in a sectional view. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the five elements 41, 42 are of the same diameter. In practice, the harnesses 41 and pipes 42 are often of different diameters. FIG. 5 thus illustrates a second embodiment of the invention, in which the elements of elongate shape 41, 42 are of various diameters.

In the remainder of the description, the notions of superior, inferior, left, right, low or high are all relative to FIGS. 4 and 5, and do not prejudge the orientation according to which the bracing device is installed relative to the casing. The bracing device 40 is generally composed of two types of parts: - A support 43 - Modules 44 intended to keep apart the elongated elements 41, 42, and to be fixed to said support 43. In addition, each module 44 comprises: - A holding means 46 for holding an elongated element 41, 42 - A fastening means 47 secured to the holding means 46 for fixing the module 44 to the support 43. The support 43 extends generally according to a X longitudinal axis. The X axis extends in the left / right direction. The support 43 is shaped such that it has concavities 45 adapted to receive the modules 44. Indeed, the support 43 has a corrugated surface formed of concavities 45 juxtaposed along the axis X. The concavities 45 are alternated: means that a concavity 45 out of two is turned down, and a concavity 45 out of two is turned upwards. Each module 44 is fixed to the support 43 at the bottom of a concavity 45. Concave bottom is understood to mean the point situated on the axial axis of symmetry of the concavity and on the wall of said concavity 45. This is the preferred attachment position, but the attachment point may be shifted slightly to the left or right from the bottom of the concavity 45 without departing from the scope of the invention. The shape of the support 43 and the arrangement of the modules 44 on this support 43 is advantageous because it allows the support not to bend: indeed the forces exerted by the modules 44 are balanced. This would not have been the case for a flat support. In the embodiment described, the concavities 45 are all of the same length L. The term "length" refers to the dimension of the concavity 45 along the X axis. In other embodiments, the concavities 45 are not all of the same length. The interest of equal lengths is to be able to fix a module of any size in any concavity, provided to size the length of the concavities 45 to the maximum dimension of a module 44. The spacer device 40 is then completely flexible.

Each module 44 is fixed to the support 43 by cooperation between its attachment means 47 and a fastening means 48 of the support 43. The support 43 is illustrated in FIG. 6 in a view from above. The support 43 is of constant width M, which is the easiest to achieve. In the embodiment described, the fastening means 48 are holes through the support 43, made at each bottom of each concavity 45. In addition, in the embodiment described, the attachment means 47 are studs. slotted semi-flexible material as shown in Figure 7. The slotted studs are adapted to be inserted into the holes and can not be removed: thus, the attachment of the modules 44 on the support 43 is solid.

The holding means 46 of the modules 44 comprises two branches facing each other, the holding of an elongated element 41, 42 being made by pinching said element between said branches. Finally, it is noted that the modules 44 and the support 43 are made of a semi-flexible material such as polyetherimide (PEI) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device for bracing (40) elongated elements (41, 42), such as electrical harnesses (41) or ducts (42) of an aircraft turbomachine, comprising: - at least two modules (44) ), each module (44) comprising: - a holding means (46) adapted to hold an elongated element (41, 42) - a fastening means (47) integral with the holding means (46) - a support Device (43) comprising at least two fixing means (48), each fastening means (48) being adapted to cooperate with a fastening means (47) of a module (44) so as to fix said module (44) said support (43), characterized in that the support (43) comprises a corrugated surface formed with concavities (45) juxtaposed, each concavity (45) comprising one of said fixing means (48) so that each module (44) ) at least partly insertable into a concavity (45). 2. spacer device (40) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that all the concavities (45) are of lengths (L) substantially similar. 3. spacer device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the corrugated surface is of rectangular constant section. 4. spacer device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each fastening means (48) is disposed at the bottom of a concavity (45). 5. spacer device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooperation between a fastening means (47) of a module (44) and a fixing means (48) causes a fixation definitive of said module (44) and the support (43). 6. spacer device (40) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each attachment means (47) comprises a split stud, and each fastening means (48) comprises an opening, a split stud being adapted to be inserted in an opening without possible return. 7. spacer device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each holding means (46) comprises two branches facing each other, holding an elongated element (41, 42) being made by pinching said elongate member (41, 42) between said legs. 8. spacer device (40) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the modules (44) are made of a semi-flexible material such as polyetherimide (PEI) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK). 9. spacing device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the corrugated surface of the support (43) is made of an insulating material such as polyetherimide (PEI) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Turbomachine comprising a casing on which are fixed elongate elements (41, 42) such as electrical harnesses (41) or pipes (42), characterized in that the elongated elements (41, 42) are equipped with a spacer device (40) according to one of the preceding claims.