阅读说明：本技术 用于飞行器机身的改进的门系统 (Improved door system for an aircraft fuselage ) 是由 帕特里克·利芬 劳伦特·拉切 皮埃尔·杜雷尔 于 2019-09-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：为了简化打开飞行器门(6)所涉及的运动学,在门的外周处设置有多个可动止动构件(30),这些可动止动构件意在压靠于设置在门框架上的互补的止动装置(26、29)。门控制设备(54)构造成通过使门朝向舱室(8)的内部移动而使门(6)从其关闭位置进入缩进的中间位置,并且止动装置控制设备(40)构造成当门(6)处于其缩进的中间位置时允许可动止动构件(30)从展开的锁定位置移动至缩回的解锁位置,从而允许门向外移动通过机身中的开口(24)。(In order to simplify the kinematics involved in opening an aircraft door (6), a plurality of movable stop members (30) are provided at the periphery of the door, which are intended to be pressed against complementary stop means (26, 29) provided on the door frame. The door control apparatus (54) is configured to bring the door (6) from its closed position into a retracted intermediate position by moving the door towards the interior of the cabin (8), and the stop control apparatus (40) is configured to allow the movable stop member (30) to move from an extended locked position to a retracted unlocked position when the door (6) is in its retracted intermediate position, thereby allowing the door to move outwardly through the opening (24) in the fuselage.)

1. A door system (4) for an aircraft fuselage, the system comprising:

-a door frame (22), the door frame (22) delimiting an opening (24) in the fuselage (2), the opening providing access to a cabin (8) of the aircraft;

-a door (6), said door (6) being arranged to block said opening (24) when said door is in a closed position, this closed position of said door (6) being intended to be maintained by a pressure difference between the outside of said fuselage (2) and said cabin (8);

-stop means (30), said stop means (30) being arranged at the periphery of the door and intended to press against complementary stop means (26, 29) provided on the door frame,

wherein the system further comprises a door control device (54), the door control device (54) being configured to bring the door (6) from its closed position into a retracted intermediate position by moving the door (6) towards the interior of the cabin (8), and to bring the door (6) from the retracted intermediate position into its closed position by moving the door (6) outwards,

and wherein the stop means comprises a plurality of movable stop members (30) meeting each other along the periphery of the door,

and wherein the system further comprises a detent control apparatus (40), the detent control apparatus (40) being configured to cause the movable detent member (30) to move from a deployed locked position to a retracted unlocked position when the door (6) is in its retracted intermediate position, thereby allowing the door to move outwardly through the opening (24) in the fuselage,

and wherein the system is configured such that in the closed position of the door, the movable stop members (30) are pressed against the complementary stop means (26, 29) of the door frame (22) preventing these movable stop members (30) from moving to their retracted unlocked position,

and wherein the stopping means control device (40) comprises:

-an actuation membrane (42), said actuation membrane (42) being arranged at the periphery of the door and cooperating with the movable stop member (30), said membrane (42) delimiting a control chamber (46);

-a pressure control device (50), said pressure control device (50) being intended for said control chamber (46), the pressure inside said chamber (46) regulating the position of said membrane (42) and of said movable stop member (30) cooperating with it.

2. Door system according to claim 1, wherein each movable stop member (30) has a first end (30a) and a second end (30b), the first end (30a) being hinged on the outer periphery of the door, the second end (30b) being opposite to the first end and forming an end for contacting the door.

3. A door system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second end (30b) defines a rounded contact surface (36).

4. A door system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the actuation membrane (42) is secured to the movable stop member (30).

5. Door system according to claim 4, wherein the stop device control apparatus (40) further comprises an elastic return device (52), the elastic return device (52) returning the movable stop member (30) to the retracted unlocked position by generating a force opposite to the pressure exerted on the actuation membrane (42) within the control chamber (46), the elastic return device (52) preferably being arranged within the control chamber (46).

6. A door system according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the actuation membrane (42) forms a seal (48) between the door (6) and the door frame (22), the seal (48) being continuous along the entire periphery of the door.

7. Door system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the door control device (54) comprises:

-at least one control handle (18);

-at least one control member (56), said at least one control member (56) being driven by said control handle (18) and being mounted to be hinged on said door along a hinge axis (60), each control member defining a guide track (62), said guide track (62) receiving a follower member (64) fastened to said door frame (22).

8. Door system according to claim 7, wherein the door control device (54) is configured such that each control member (56) is rotatable between a holding position and a release position, which rotation of the control member about the hinge axis (60) between its holding position and its release position causes the follower member (64) to move along the guide track (62) guiding the door (6) from its closed position to its retracted intermediate position.

9. Door system according to claim 8, wherein in the holding position of the control member (56), the control member (56) is prevented from moving relative to the door frame (22) towards the interior of the cabin (8) by the follower member (64), and wherein in the release position of the control member (56), the control member (56) is movable outwards relative to the door frame (22).

10. An aircraft (1), the aircraft (1) comprising a fuselage (2) equipped with at least one door system (4) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of door systems for aircraft fuselages, of the type comprising the following doors: the door is configured to be held in a closed position by a pressure differential applied across the door. This type of door is commonly referred to as a "plug door".

The invention can be applied to any type of aircraft, and preferably to commercial aircraft. The invention is for example used for the production of passenger doors or doors for both passenger and freight use, or even for the production of any other door providing access to a pressurized cabin of an aircraft.

Background

Door systems known from the prior art use the pressure difference between the cabin and the outside of the aircraft to hold the door in a closed position against a door frame defined by the fuselage. For this purpose, the door is usually equipped with stop means arranged at the periphery of the door and cooperating with complementary stop means arranged on the door frame. In flight, the pressure differential applied across the door forces the stop means against the complementary stop means. One particular feature of this type of door, known as a "plug door", is that the pressure difference actually exerted on both sides of the door causes the introduction of a force in the stop means and in the complementary stop means, but little or no force on the control device for moving the door between the various positions of the door and for locking the door.

One of the difficulties encountered in designing these systems is the door opening and closing kinematics. In particular, the opening kinematics needs to allow disengagement of the stop means with respect to the complementary stop means. In the prior art, this disengagement is performed by performing a lifting of the door, that is to say by generating a vertical door movement or a door movement with a very large vertical component.

Although this solution proves satisfactory, specific means are still required to ensure the vertical movement of the door, in particular in the presence of a weight compensation system.

Accordingly, there remains a need to optimize the design of existing door systems to mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Disclosure of Invention

To address this need, the object of the present invention is a door system for an aircraft fuselage according to the features of claim 1.

The present invention therefore represents a significant breakthrough from the prior art designs in that the present invention provides a stop member on the door that can be transitioned from an extended locked position to a retracted unlocked position by moving the door into a retracted intermediate position. This position is obtained by moving the door towards the inside of the cabin and the door is no longer moved vertically as in the prior art.

In particular, the kinematics and the means of opening and closing of the door achieved are simplified by the absence of a weight compensation system for the door.

The invention also proposes at least one of the following optional features, used alone or in combination.

Each movable stop member has a first end portion hinged on the outer periphery of the door and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion and forming an end portion in contact with the door frame.

The second end defines a rounded contact surface.

The actuation membrane is secured to the movable stop member. Other solutions for cooperation between the actuating membrane and the movable stop member are possible, such as simply pressing these members against the membrane.

The stop means control device further comprises elastic return means for returning the movable stop member to the deployed unlocking position by generating a force opposite to the pressure exerted on the actuation membrane inside the control chamber, the elastic return means preferably being arranged inside the control chamber.

The actuating membrane forms a seal between the door and the door frame, the seal being continuous along the entire periphery of the door.

The door control apparatus includes:

-at least one control handle;

at least one control member driven by the control handle and mounted to be hinged on the door along a hinge axis, each control member defining a guide track which receives a follower member fastened to the door frame.

The door control apparatus is configured such that each control member is rotatable between a retaining position and a release position, such rotation of the control member about the hinge axis between its retaining position and its release position causing the follower member to move along the guide track, thereby guiding the door from its closed position to its retracted intermediate position.

In the holding position of the control member, the control member is prevented from moving relative to the door frame towards the interior of the cabin by the follower member, and in the release position of the control member, the control member can move outwards relative to the door frame.

Another object of the invention is an aircraft comprising a fuselage equipped with at least one such door system, such door system preferably being used to form a passenger door or a passenger-cargo door.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will appear from the following non-limiting detailed description.

Drawings

This description is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 represents a side view of an aircraft according to the invention;

figure 2 shows a perspective view of a door system with which the aircraft shown in the above figures is equipped;

figure 3 shows a front view of a door with which the door system shown in the above figure is equipped;

figure 4 represents a side view of the door shown in the previous figure;

figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the door taken along the line V-V of figure 3;

figure 6 is a plan view of a portion of the door shown in the above figures;

figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the door system shown in the above figure, the cut lines corresponding to lines VII-VII of figure 2;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of a part of a door control device, the system shown in the upper figure being equipped with the door control device;

figures 9 and 10 are perspective views from different perspectives of a portion of the control device shown in the above figures; and

figures 11 to 15 show views similar to figures 7 and 8, in which the door system is in different states during the door opening operation.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an aircraft 1 according to the invention, which aircraft 1 comprises a fuselage 2 equipped with door systems 4. The system 4 comprises a door 6 forming a passenger door providing access to a pressurized cabin 8 of the aircraft. For example, the door 6 has an oval type form visible in fig. 2 and preferably extends on both sides of the floor 10 to which passenger seats (not shown) are fixed.

Referring now to fig. 3 to 6, the door 6 is shown in more detail, having a general shape matching that of the fuselage. The door includes a main structural member 12. An external control handle 18 is provided on the outer surface of the main structural member 12.

Referring to fig. 7 to 10, the door system 4 and its control device are described in more detail.

The door system 4 comprises a door frame 22, which door frame 22 defines an opening 24 in the fuselage 2, which opening provides access to the compression chamber 8. The overall shape of this frame 22 corresponds to the overall shape of the door 6, which blocks the opening 24 in a tight sealing manner, as shown in fig. 7, since the door 6 is in its closed position. In this regard, it is indicated that the shape of the cross-section shown in fig. 7 corresponds to the shape of the cross-section that intersects along the entire joint between the frame 22 and the outer periphery of the door 6.

The frame 22 has a seat 26 facing the inside of the cabin 8. The seat 26 is embodied by a widened portion of the channel 24. In practice, the frame has an extension frame 27 following the seat 26 in an outward direction, which extension frame 27 defines a narrow part of the opening 24. Conversely, the door frame 22 has an internal frame 28 following the seat 26 in the direction of the cabin 8, this internal frame 28 defining a widened portion of the opening 24. A radius of curvature 29 may be provided between the seat 26 and the inner frame 28.

The door 6 has a design of the "plug door" type, that is to say the closed position of the door of fig. 7 is maintained in flight by means of a pressure difference across the door. During the flight phase, the pressure inside the cabin 8 is called "Pint", which is actually greater than the external pressure "Pext", which forces the door 6 against the frame 22. To this end, the outer periphery of the door 6 is equipped with stop means in the form of a plurality of movable stop members 30. These members meet each other along the entire periphery of the door 6, leaving a circumferential gap 32 therebetween as shown in fig. 10. Each movable stopper member 30 may be, for example, a flapper having a substantially rectangular shape. The first end 30a of each stop member 30 is hinged on the outer periphery of the door 6 along a hinge axis 34, which hinge axis 34 is preferably substantially locally parallel to the tangential direction of the door. A second end 30b opposite the first end 30a forms an end for contacting the door frame. More specifically, in the closed position of door 6, second end 30b presses on seat 26 of frame 22, which may extend to radius of curvature 29. To improve contact, the second end 30b defines a rounded contact surface 36, the rounded contact surface 36 having a shape complementary to the shape of the radius of curvature 29. Thus, the seat 26 and/or the radius of curvature 29 form complementary stop means against which the member 30 is forced by means of the pressure difference applied on both sides of the door 6 during flight. All or almost all of the forces resulting from the pressure difference exerted on the door are introduced into these members 30 and into the complementary stop means receiving these members.

Here, each movable stopper member 30 adopts an expanded locking position in which the second end portion 30b thereof protrudes from the outer periphery of the door. The opening angle a1 of each member 30 may be set by stops 38 on the outer periphery of the primary door structure 12.

The system 4 also comprises a stop device control apparatus, which is indicated in its entirety by reference numeral 40 in fig. 7. As will be explained later, the device 40 may, in certain circumstances, cause the movable stop member 30 to move from its deployed, locked position to a retracted, unlocked position. When the door is held in the closed position due to the pressure differential prevailing across the door, the device 40 is mechanically stressed little or not at all.

The control device 40 comprises an actuation membrane 42, the actuation membrane 42 being arranged at the outer periphery of the door and preferably being fastened to the movable stop member 30. In practice, the members 30 are fixed to the outer surface of the membrane 42, for example by means of fixing plates 44 arranged on the inner surface of the membrane 42. The membrane 42 defines, together with the periphery of the door 6, a control chamber 46 for the member 30, which extends along the entire periphery. The chamber 46 is intended to be filled with air, and the pressure of the chamber 46, referred to as "Pch", regulates the deployment of the membrane 42, and therefore the opening angle a1 of the movable stop member 30.

The outer portion of the membrane 42 forms a seal 48 between the door 6 and the door frame 22, which extends continuously along the entire periphery of the door 6. When the actuation membrane 42 is deployed as in fig. 7, the outer surface of the outer membrane portion is actually positioned to press against the extension frame 27 of the frame 22.

The control device 40 further comprises means 50 for controlling the pressure in the control chamber 46. These devices 50 may be coupled to an air compressor so that they can pressurize and/or depressurize the chamber 46, thereby driving the position of the membrane 42 and the position of the member 30 connected thereto.

Finally, the control device 40 comprises elastic return means in the form of a tension spring 52 joining the main door structure 12 to the fixing plate 44. The springs 52 apply a force that returns the movable stop member 30 to the retracted unlocked position, as this force opposes the air pressure exerted on the actuation membrane 42 within the chamber 46. The spring 52 is arranged inside the control chamber 46 and when the pressure in the chamber 46 drops below a determined value, the spring 52 may actually pull the membrane 42 towards the main structural part 12. However, the presence of these springs is not mandatory, as the movement of the actuation membrane 42 may be performed solely by controlling the pressurization/depressurization of the control chamber 46 via the device 50.

Further, the door system 4 includes a door control apparatus, which is indicated generally by reference numeral 54 in fig. 8-10.

The door control apparatus includes an external control handle 18 as shown in fig. 3 to 6, but also includes an internal control handle (not shown). These two handles are embedded in the door 6 and can be actuated from the outside of the aircraft and from the pressurized cabin 8, respectively. Each of the two handles drives one or more control members 56 independently of each other, said one or more control members 56 being arranged at the periphery of the door and being linked to the handle by a transmission device (not shown). The control members are for example 4 control members 56 arranged at the outer periphery of the door.

More specifically, each control member 56 is mounted to be hinged on the outer periphery of the main door structure 12 about a hinge member 58 extending along a hinge axis 60. This axis 60 is preferably locally orthogonal to the peripheral edge of the door 6.

Thus, the control member 56 is designed to be driven in rotation simultaneously from the outside or from the inside of the cabin 8 by one of the two handles. Each control member defines a guide track 62, which guide track 62 receives a follower member 64 secured to the door frame. The follower member 64, preferably in the form of a pin, is substantially parallel to the hinge member 58 provided on the door 6.

The guide track 62 is preferably a guide rail along which the follower member 64 can move. The guide rail includes a blocked first end 66 and an opposite second end 68, the second end 68 being open and flared. The guide rail 62 defines a first path 70a and a second path 70b, the first path 70a beginning at the first end 66 and the second path 70b continuing the first path 70a and terminating at the second end 68.

The operation of the door system 4 will now be described. In the flight phase, the door 6 is in the closed position, with its movable stop member 30 in the deployed locked position. The pressure Pint in the chamber 8 is greater than the external pressure Pext so that the door 6 and its stop member 30 are forced outwards against the door frame 22. More specifically, these members 30 are forced against the seats 26 of the frame. The angle a1 shown in fig. 7 cannot be increased because the stop 38 and member 30 are pressed against the inner frame 28 of the frame 22. The angle a1 cannot be reduced either because the second end 30b of the member 30 is pressed against the seat 26, which prevents the member 30 from rotating in this direction. In the closed position of the door, the member 30 is held in its deployed, locked position and is therefore prevented from moving to its retracted, unlocked position. Such a blocking of the rotation of the movable stop member 30 can be achieved irrespective of the pressure Pch in the control chamber 46, which pressure Pch is set, for example, during flight to the same value as the pressure Pint or, even more preferably, to a higher pressure.

It is also noted that during flight, the control member 56 adopts the holding position shown in fig. 8. In the holding position, the follower member 64 is located at the first end 66 of the first path 70a in the guide rail 62. The first path 70a is generally circular in shape and concentric with the hinge axis 60. The follower member 64 is then radially clamped between two rail flanks located on either side of the member 64. Thus, by retaining the follower members 64 in the guide rails 62, the control member 56 is prevented from moving in the lateral direction Y relative to the frame 22. In particular, the control member 56 is prevented from moving in the transverse direction Y towards the inside of the cabin 8. This involves a mechanical stop that adds an air pressure differential to prevent the door 6 from moving laterally towards the interior of the cabin 8. Therefore, the movable stopper member 30 cannot be retracted to its retracted unlocked position.

After landing on the ground, the pressure Pint inside the chamber 8 is substantially the same as the external pressure Pext, which corresponds to the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the differential pressure phenomenon is no longer applied and the closed position of the door 6 is ensured only by the mechanical abutment of the follower member 64 in the first end 66 of the first path 70a of the guide rail 62. Thus, this closed position of the door 6 is maintained as long as one of the control handles 18 is not actuated by an authorized person.

On the ground, when the door 6 has to be opened, one of the two handles 18 is actuated, which causes the control member 56 to start pivoting about the hinge axis 60. During an initial phase of the pivoting of the member 56, the follower member 64 moves along the first path 70a in the guide rail 62. In this initial stage shown in fig. 11, no relative movement occurs between the door 6 and the door frame to which the follower member 64 is fastened in the transverse direction Y. This initial phase may be used to trigger the pressure loss Pch in the actuation chamber, so as to achieve the result that will be described hereinafter.

During the second stage of pivoting of member 56 about axis 60, relative movement of follower member 64 along the second portion of first path 70a in guide rail 62 is also observed. In this second portion, the first path 70a is no longer concentric with the axis 60, and the distance from the path 70a to the axis 60 decreases by approaching the second path 70 b. As a result of this reduction in distance, a lateral movement of the door 6 relative to the door frame towards the interior of the cabin 8 occurs.

The end of the pivoting of the control mechanism 56, that is to say after a rotation amplitude of the order of 30 ° to 60 ° of the member 56, is represented schematically in fig. 12, the member 56 then adopting a release position in which the follower member 64 is at the junction between the two paths 70a, 70b of the guide rail 62. Thus, the member 56, in movement from its retaining position of fig. 8 to its releasing position of fig. 12, causes movement of the follower member 64 along the first path 70a, causing the door 6 to move towards the inside. The door 6 then enters a retracted intermediate position, schematically represented in figure 13, in which the door 6 is effectively retracted in the Y direction by a value "D" of, for example, between 5mm and 10 mm. No displacement occurs in the vertical direction Z.

Once the door has been retracted and the pressure Pch in the control chamber 46 has been adjusted to a desired value, for example to atmospheric pressure or to a lower pressure, the second end 30a of the stop member 30 is sufficiently offset from the seat 26 to allow the member 30 to pivot about the axis 34. This pivoting is performed under the action of a spring 52, which spring 52 can force the actuating membrane 42 and the member 30 towards the periphery of the door 6 in combination with a decompression performed in the chamber 46 by suitable adjustment of the pressure Pch.

Thus, these extension springs 52 cause the movable stop member 30 to move from its deployed locked position of fig. 7 to its retracted unlocked position of fig. 13. In this regard, as schematically represented in fig. 13, it should be noted that as the membrane 42 approaches the outer periphery of the door structure 12, a fold 42' is formed in the space formed between the fixing plates 44. These film folds 42' can inhibit the reduction in the perimeter of the film 42 as the film 42 approaches the door periphery under the action of the spring 52.

Finally, once the retracted position is adopted by the movable stop member 30, the door 6 can be moved laterally outwards through the opening 24 of the frame 22, passing through the narrow portion formed by the extension frame 27. This movement, which is schematically represented in fig. 15, which is preferably only transverse and has no vertical component, is allowed by the release position of the control member 56 shown in fig. 14. Then, in effect, the second path 70b is oriented substantially laterally, which means that the control member 56 can move in the Y direction relative to the frame 22 without being impeded by the follower member 64. As represented in fig. 14, the follower member 64 then follows the outward lateral movement of the door 6 to disengage from the second rail end 68.

Once the door has passed through the door frame, the opening movement of the door is kept conventional, preferably parallel to the fuselage, so that the door can rest against the fuselage alongside the door frame. This movement depends on known devices (not shown) of the type having guides and hinge arms arranged at the joint between the door frame and the door.

During a door closing operation, the above steps are performed in the opposite direction. However, before the door 6 is moved from its retracted intermediate position to its closed position, it is preferably provided that the transition of the movable stop member 30 from its retracted unlocked position to its deployed locked position is performed. This movement of the member 30, which is performed by increasing the pressure Pch in the chamber 46 via the device 50, may alternatively be performed during the lateral movement of the door 6 to its closed position. In this case, the deployment of the members 30 is performed early during the movement of the door 6, so that these members 30 can reach their deployed unlocked positions without abutting against the extension frame 27 of the door frame 22.

In view of the above, when the force caused by the pressure Pch applied in the chamber 46 on the membrane 42 is greater than the force caused by the pressure Pint and the spring 52, deployment of the movable stopper member 30 is thus obtained.

It is clear that a person skilled in the art may make various modifications to the invention as described, purely by way of non-limiting example, and with the scope defined by the appended claims.