BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Field

The present disclosure relates generally to transport elements for aircraft applications. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a transport element support system that maintains electrical isolation between a transport element and a single support structure and secures the transport element to the support structure.

2. Background

Various transport systems are used during operation of an aircraft. These transport systems may run throughout the aircraft and may be used to move fluid or electricity from one place to another. For example, transport elements may run between two support structures in the wing of the aircraft. When these transport elements contain fluid, the fluid may be fuel, hydraulic fluid, or gas.

During operation, the aircraft may be exposed to electromagnetic events. To protect systems from combustion and damage, Federal Aviation Administration regulations require aircraft manufacturers to ensure that no sparking occurs in flammable zones of the aircraft. To comply with these regulations, aircraft manufacturers must ground or isolate metal objects in the flammable zones. In many cases, assemblies having electrically isolating material are installed around transport elements to prevent sparking.

These assemblies are also used to support and restrain the transport elements as they flex under the conditions of aircraft operation. Hundreds of these assemblies are installed in an aircraft.

A single supportive assembly may contain multiple parts, including at least one metal bracket and metal fasteners. Each of these parts must adhere to predetermined electromagnetic effect requirements. For instance, when metal fasteners are used to secure a metal bridge, sparking and arcing at the joint may occur during an electromagnetic event. To protect against this occurrence, aircraft manufacturers install cap seals over each of the fasteners in the assembly. Positioning, alignment, processing, and sealing fasteners for each assembly takes innumerable hours of manpower.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.

SUMMARY

An illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a transport element support system comprising a first portion, a second portion, and a channel formed by the first portion and the second portion. The first portion has a hinge pin. The second portion has a receiving element configured to engage with the hinge pin to couple the first portion to the second portion. The channel is configured to receive a transport element when the first portion and the second portion are coupled to each other. The transport element support system electrically isolates the transport element from a support structure in an aircraft.

Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for stabilizing a transport element in an aircraft. An insert is positioned around a periphery of the transport element. A receiving element on a second portion of a transport element support system is engaged with a hinge pin in a first portion of the transport element support structure to couple the first portion to the second portion. The insert with the transport element is positioned onto an engagement surface of the second portion. The first portion is rotated about the hinge pin and over the transport element to interface with the second portion such that the transport element sits within a channel formed by the first portion and the second portion.

A further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides an aircraft comprising a support structure, a transport element running parallel to the support structure, and a transport element support system. The transport element support system comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a channel. The first portion has a hinge pin. The second portion has a receiving element configured to engage with the hinge pin. The channel is formed by the first portion and the second portion when the hinge pin is engaged with the receiving element. The channel is configured to receive the transport element when the first portion and the second portion are coupled to each other. The transport element support system electrically isolates the transport element from the support structure.

The features and functions can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present disclosure or may be combined in yet other embodiments in which further details can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings.

