System for automatically unlocking aircraft doors and aircraft comprising the same

Abstract

A system (10) for automatically unlocking a door (1) of an aircraft (100) when the aircraft (100) is subjected to an impact, the system comprising: a door opening (3); a door (1) hinged to the aircraft (100) in the door opening (3); and a locking device (4) designed to lock the door (1) with the aircraft (100) in a closed state of use; wherein the locking device (4) comprises a load transfer device (5) designed and coupled to an impact region (7) of the aircraft (100) in such a way that when the aircraft (100) is subjected to an impact in the impact region (7), the load transfer device (5) transfers a deformation load caused by an inward deformation of the impact region (7) to the locking device (4) and thereby unlocks the door (1). The present disclosure also relates to an aircraft comprising the above-mentioned system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for automatically unlocking an aircraft door when the aircraft is subjected to an impact and an aircraft having such a system. Background Art

[0002] To enable the rapid evacuation of passengers from a passenger aircraft, for example after an emergency landing, multiple passenger aircraft doors are typically used, which are arranged in the fuselage or outer skin of the aircraft. These doors can be conventional boarding or disembarking doors, doors or gates for unloading and loading luggage and / or supplying goods, or escape hatches designed specifically for evacuation, for example, in the wing area of ​​a passenger aircraft. For example, see EP 2 644 495 B1 and EP 2 944 562 A2.

[0003] Typically, passenger aircraft are equipped with an emergency opening system for the corresponding door, which allows the door to be opened as quickly as possible and to deploy a life slide or similar evacuation aid. Such emergency opening of passenger aircraft doors can be achieved, for example, by means of a pneumatic cylinder or actuator (see, for example, EP 2 644 495 B1), wherein gas pressure causes a piston arranged in the cylinder to move along with a piston rod, thereby bringing the passenger aircraft door into an open position.

[0004] The fuselage of a typical passenger aircraft consists of one or two passenger decks arranged in the upper region of the fuselage, and a cargo deck located below. In the event of an aircraft impact or forced landing, the resulting collision energy is directed into the fuselage region below the cargo deck, thereby preventing deformation and damage directly within the passenger cabin. Nevertheless, (escape) doors, and particularly their door frames or surrounding areas, are designed to be as robust and impact-resistant as possible to ensure that they can be unlocked and opened even in the event of a collision and potential fuselage deformation. These and other factors sometimes result in a significant amount of material weight being consumed in the door area.

[0005] In order to further increase the durability and economy of passenger aircraft, it is sometimes considered to provide additional passenger seats in the lower fuselage region which has hitherto been reserved in most cases only for the placement of checked cargo, ie the region which is subject to greater deformation loads. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Against this background, it is a basic object of the present invention to provide a simplified emergency unlocking device for an aircraft door.

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a system for automatically unlocking an aircraft door in the event of an impact on the aircraft and by an aircraft having this system according to the present disclosure.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention provides a system for automatically unlocking an aircraft door when the aircraft is subjected to an impact. The system comprises a door opening; a door hingedly connected to the aircraft in the door opening; and a locking device designed to lock the door to the aircraft in a closed, in-use state. The locking device comprises a load transfer device designed and coupled to an impact region of the aircraft such that, when the aircraft is subjected to an impact in the impact region, the load transfer device transfers a deformation load caused by inward deformation of the impact region to the locking device, thereby unlocking the door.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention provides an aircraft having a system according to the present invention.

[0010] The basic idea of ​​the present invention is to utilize the kinetic energy generated when an aircraft impacts, collides, and / or strikes, for example, a hard surface, to automatically (i.e., automatically) unlock one or more doors of an aircraft. To this end, a load transfer device is coupled to or positioned within the region of the aircraft that is primarily affected by the impact and thus deformed, such as the lower fuselage region and / or the lower wing region. For example, the impact region may be the bottom region of the fuselage, i.e., the lowest region of the fuselage where the aircraft is typically first impacted. The kinetic energy of the impact is converted into deformation energy, i.e., deformation loads are generated in the corresponding region of the fuselage. The load transfer device is now designed and arranged so that these deformation loads can be used to release the locking mechanism. In this regard, the door lock is automatically released when the aircraft deforms in the corresponding region. This advantageously allows the unlocking device to be triggered directly by the impact, thereby enabling rapid evacuation from the aircraft.

[0011] Compared to conventional solutions for emergency unlocking aircraft doors, the solution according to the present invention offers several advantages. Consequently, significant weight can be saved in the door or doorframe area, particularly by reinforcing this area. In this solution, the door is unlocked virtually instantaneously during the initial impact phase. This occurs regardless of whether further deformation and / or deformation of the aircraft occurs during the subsequent impact. Once the impact impacts one or more door regions, conventional solutions (which do not include an unlocking device that is physically adjusted to the impact) may no longer be able to unlock the corresponding door, as the corresponding mechanism may have already deformed. For this reason, previous solutions have provided the door and / or doorframe with substantial reinforcement to ensure that it can still be unlocked after a collision. With the present invention, this additional weight can be saved, at least to a significant extent. This, in turn, saves fuel and costs. Furthermore, no dedicated actuators, sensors, and / or control devices are required. Specifically, this solution allows for the use of reliable and simple mechanical solutions, such as those for load transmission. For example, a lever or the like can be fixed in an area of ​​the fuselage next to the door, remote from the impact area (i.e., an area that is not immediately and directly deformed), and extend into the impact area and / or be coupled to the impact area in such a way that when the lever is deformed inwardly due to the impact, it moves into the interior of the fuselage and thereby moves other elements of the locking device, thereby unlocking the door.

[0012] In the sense of the present invention, "automatically" is understood to mean that unlocking occurs automatically due to the impact, without the cabin crew having to take any action, for example. In the present invention, unlocking is triggered directly by transferring the kinetic energy of the impact.

[0013] Advantageous embodiments and developments emerge from the description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] According to one refinement, the load transfer device can transfer the deformation load mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, and / or pneumatically. For example, the load transfer device can include a lever that is arranged to be mechanically moved or rotated into the interior of the fuselage when deforming inward. This (rotational) movement can be used, for example, to operate other load transfer elements (e.g., a pull rod and / or a cable coupled to the lever), which in turn can move a plunger of the locking device to release the locking device. In addition, an electric system can be provided, which can include electrical sensors, actuators, controllers, etc.

[0015] According to a refinement, the load transfer device may include a load transfer element. The load transfer element may be designed as a lever, a connecting rod, and / or a mast. For example, a hydraulic and / or pneumatically operated cylinder of a corresponding hydraulic and / or pneumatic system may transfer the deformation energy. Alternatively or in addition, mechanical elements such as levers or pull rods may be used.

[0016] According to a further development, the load transfer device for transferring the deformation load performs a translational movement and / or a rotational movement. In a specific example, the lever can be rotated due to the inward deformation, which in turn can cause the pull rod coupled thereto to translate, thereby now releasing the locking device.

[0017] According to one refinement, the impact zone is adjacent to the door opening. For example, the impact zone can be arranged in the bottom region of the aircraft fuselage, while the door opening is located adjacent to the bottom region in the lower region of the aircraft fuselage. However, in alternative refinements, the impact zone can also be designed at a distance from the door opening. For example, the impact zone can be arranged in the bottom region and / or wing region of the aircraft, while the door opening is located in the upper region of the aircraft fuselage and / or wing, or at least in a region spaced apart therefrom.

[0018] According to a further development, the door opening can be arranged in the fuselage of the aircraft. In principle, however, the door opening can also be arranged in the wing and / or in the wing region of the aircraft.

[0019] According to one refinement, the impact zone can be arranged in a bottom region of the aircraft fuselage. In particular, the lowermost fuselage section can form the impact zone. Accordingly, the load transfer device can be arranged in this region and / or coupled thereto mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, and / or pneumatically.

[0020] According to one refinement, the impact zone can be arranged in the wing region of the aircraft. The aircraft can be designed, for example, as a flying wing, a wing-body blended aircraft, or a wing-body hybrid aircraft, wherein the aircraft can have a more or less distinct boundary between the fuselage and the wings. In one example, the aircraft can have a flow transition between the fuselage and the wings. In another example, the aircraft can have an airfoil that serves as both a fuselage and a wing. For example, in such a design, the aircraft can first be impacted with one or more wings, so that the impact zone can be arranged in the wing region. In principle, the impact zone can be designed in the fuselage region as well as in the wing region, and in particular, the impact zone can transition from the fuselage region to the wing region.

[0021] According to one refinement, the locking device may further include an unlocking safety device. This unlocking safety device may be designed to prevent and / or release the door from unlocking via the load-transmitting device. In this regard, it may be provided that the corresponding door is not fully unlocked immediately upon impact. It may be provided that additional, for example manual, unlocking of the door is required to open it. This may be achieved, for example, by a simple mechanical lever that can remain in motion even when the fuselage is severely deformed.

[0022] According to a development, the release safety device can be designed for manual operation.

[0023] According to a further development, the release safety device can be designed as a manual lever.

[0024] According to one refinement, the aircraft can be designed with at least one upper passenger deck and a lower passenger deck arranged below the at least one upper passenger deck. The door opening can be designed to face the lower passenger deck in the aircraft. For example, the aircraft can be a wide-body or narrow-body aircraft, which includes one or two continuous upper passenger decks and a lower passenger deck located below them, which is not continuous but extends only over a portion of the fuselage length (for example, the lower fuselage region can be divided longitudinally into a lower passenger deck and an adjacent cargo deck). Thus, the lower passenger deck can be designed, in particular, in the lower half of the fuselage, where typically only the cargo deck is present.

[0025] The above configurations and improvements can be combined with each other arbitrarily when appropriate. Other possible configurations, improvements, and implementations of the present invention also include combinations of features previously or subsequently described with reference to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention that are not explicitly mentioned. In particular, those skilled in the art can also add individual aspects as improvements or supplements to the corresponding basic form of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present invention will be explained in detail below with the aid of the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying schematic drawings. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b A schematic cross-sectional or side view of an aircraft is shown having a system for automatically unlocking an aircraft door when the aircraft is impacted according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 1c A system from FIG. 1 is shown having an alternative embodiment according to the present invention. Figure 1a A schematic side view of an aircraft;

[0029] Figures 2a to 2c Shown from Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b A schematic cross-sectional view of the system during an impact on the aircraft; and

[0030] Figures 3a to 3d Shown from Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b Schematic cross-sectional view of the unlocking process of the system.

[0031] The accompanying drawings should provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. They illustrate embodiments and serve to explain the principles and concepts of the present invention in conjunction with the description. Many of the additional embodiments and advantages described above can be derived from an examination of the accompanying drawings. The elements in the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with respect to each other.

[0032] In the figures, identical elements, features and components which have the same function and act in the same manner are provided with the same reference symbols, unless otherwise specified. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Figure 1a A schematic cross-sectional view of an aircraft 100 is shown having a system 10 for automatically unlocking a door 1 of an aircraft 100 when the aircraft 100 is subjected to an impact according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1b A schematic side view of an aircraft 100 is shown.

[0034] The illustrated aircraft 100 may be, for example, a passenger aircraft (e.g., a wide-body aircraft) comprising a fuselage 2 with a passenger cabin located therein, and two passenger decks 11 and 12 arranged one above the other: an upper passenger deck 11 and a lower passenger deck 12. Unlike typical wide-body aircraft, in the illustrated embodiment, the lower passenger deck 12 is arranged in the lower half of the fuselage 2 near the bottom region 17 of the fuselage 2, an area typically reserved for cargo decks, etc. In this embodiment, the upper passenger deck 11 may extend over the entire longitudinal extent of the fuselage 2. Conversely, the lower passenger deck 12 may, for example, extend longitudinally only over a portion of the fuselage 2, thereby allowing at least one portion of the fuselage 2 to be used as a cargo deck (not shown here). The illustrated embodiment of the aircraft 100 should be understood as purely exemplary. Similarly, other passenger decks, such as two upper passenger decks and a lower passenger deck, may be provided. Furthermore, the aircraft 100 may be designed as a narrow-body aircraft or a conventional passenger aircraft. In principle, embodiments of the invention are also provided in which the aircraft is a flying wing, a blended wing-body aircraft, a wing-body hybrid aircraft or the like.

[0035] exist Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b In the illustrated embodiment, the upper passenger deck 11 includes a plurality of seats 13 secured to an upper cabin floor 14a, which in turn rests on upper crossbeams 16a in a conventional manner. The entire structure is maintained by upper struts 15a. Similarly, the lower passenger deck 12 also includes a plurality of seats 13, which rest on lower cabin floor 14b resting on lower crossbeams 16b. Below lower crossbeams 16b are located a plurality of lower struts 15b, which serve to reinforce or stiffen the entire lower fuselage 2. Furthermore, further reinforcements and / or damping systems (not shown) may be provided in this lowermost region of the fuselage 2 to achieve the most rigid possible configuration for the lower fuselage 2.

[0036] The fuselage 2 is provided with a plurality of door openings 3. Figure 1b One of the door openings is shown by way of example in FIG. The door opening 3 is designed in the fuselage 2 towards the lower passenger deck 12. In each door opening 3, a door 1 is hinged to the fuselage 2. The door 1 shown has a locking device 4 designed to lock the door 1 to the fuselage 2 in the closed state of use (e.g. during flight). Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b In the specific embodiment, a total of five locking points 8 are provided, by which the door 1 is locked to the fuselage 2 (two lateral and three lower locking points 8). It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that various specific configurations of the locking device 4 and the locking points 8 can be realized according to requirements and application conditions.

[0037] As an alternative example, Figure 1c A corresponding system 10 is shown in a slightly modified embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a total of five locking points 8 are also provided, by which door 1 is locked to fuselage 2. However, in this case, three upper locking points 8 are provided in addition to the two lateral locking points 8. For example, door 1 can be hinged to fuselage 2 at the bottom side of door opening 3, so that after unlocking, door 1 automatically swings downward or moves into the open position due to its own weight.

[0038] Such a fuselage 2 is naturally subject to considerable loads and stresses during flight. Various forces and moments, such as shear forces, torques and bending moments, etc., must be taken into account. In addition, forces are also exerted due to the considerable internal pressure. In this regard, all openings in the fuselage structure, such as door openings, in principle weaken the load-bearing capacity of the structure. For this reason, it is usually necessary to provide the fuselage 2 with thickenings and other reinforcements around the opening area, i.e. in the area around the corresponding cutouts in the fuselage. In a weight-optimized fuselage, the loads are in particular also borne or transmitted by the doors to the upper and lower edges and the side boundaries through or by the doors. In order to ensure emergency unlocking of the doors even after the door structure or the door mechanism has been subjected to impacts or shocks, etc., which may have caused deformations, the doors are sometimes reinforced at the expense of considerable material weight. In one embodiment, as Figure 1a 、 Figure 1bAs shown, when aircraft 100 is subjected to an impact or collision in floor area 17, the lower passenger deck 12 is subjected to significantly greater loads than the upper passenger deck 11. Accordingly, doors 1 located in the lower passenger deck 12 are also subject to greater forces and moments than doors located in higher areas of fuselage 2. Under such impacts, floor area 17 located below lower deck cross member 16b is deformed first by the impact forces, while more distal areas of fuselage 2 (e.g., the area surrounding door 1) remain unaffected, at least initially. This fact is exploited by the present solution for the locking mechanism of door 1.

[0039] Figures 2a to 2c Shown from Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b A schematic cross-sectional view of the system 10 during an impact of an aircraft 100 is provided for explanation. The present solution provides a locking device 4 with a load transfer device 5 (see Figure 1a as well as Figures 2a to 2c Load transfer device 5 is designed and coupled to impact region 7 in bottom region 17 of fuselage 2 in such a way that, when aircraft 100 is subjected to an impact in impact region 7, load transfer device 5 transfers the deformation load caused by the inward deformation of impact region 7 from fuselage 2 to locking device 4, thereby unlocking door 1. In this case, impact region 7 may be adjacent to door opening 3. However, in principle, impact region 7 may also be arranged at a distance from the door opening.

[0040] Specifically, in the present invention, the load transfer device 5 is mechanically designed with a load transfer element 19 that acts as a lever, which is connected to the load transfer element 19 via the connecting element 18 (see Figures 2a to 2c ) is coupled to one or more of the locking points 8 of the locking device 4. The load transfer element 19 is arranged at a pivot point 21 in an area of ​​the fuselage 2 that is remote from the bottom area 17 (i.e. an area that does not directly deform) and protrudes into the bottom area 17, so that the load transfer element moves into the interior of the fuselage 2 when deformed inwardly by an impact, wherein the load transfer element rotates about the pivot point. The connecting element 18 (e.g. a tie rod or a cable) is coupled to the load transfer element 19 in an offset manner relative to the pivot point 21, so that the connecting element 18 is pulled downwards towards the bottom area 17 due to the rotation of the load transfer element 19. This movement can in turn be used to release the plunger mechanism of the locking device 4, as described below in combination with Figures 3a to 3d Explained.

[0041] Figures 3a to 3d Shown from Figure 1a 、 Figure 1bSchematic cross-sectional view of the unlocking process of the system 10 of FIG. By way of example, the locking point 8 of the door 1, which is hinged to the fuselage 2, can be seen, wherein the outer side of the aircraft 100 is indicated by the aircraft skin 20 shown, along which the main loads are distributed during flight. A detail of the locking device 4 can be seen in the cross-sectional view along the line AA. First, the door 1 is securely locked to the fuselage 2 via the plunger 9 supported in the retaining mechanism 22 (see FIG. Figure 3a ). The plunger 9 and the Figures 2a to 2c The connecting element 18 of the load transfer device 5 is connected in such a way that when the load transfer device 5 is operated due to deformation of the fuselage 2 in the impact area 7, the plunger 9 is pulled out of the locking device 4 (see Figure 3b and Figure 3c ).

[0042] As a result, door 1 is unlocked early in the first phase of an impact, with the unlocking being driven directly by the kinetic energy of the impact. This allows for significantly less door reinforcement than with conventional solutions, as the door is already unlocked during the first phase of the impact, regardless of any further deformation. Furthermore, no dedicated actuators, sensors, and / or control devices are required. Specifically, the illustrated solution provides an extremely simple and robust, purely mechanical solution for automatically unlocking a door during an impact.

[0043] In this embodiment, the locking device 4 further comprises an unlocking safety device 6. The unlocking safety device 6 is designed as a mechanical lever for releasing or blocking the unlocking of the door 1 by the load transfer device 5. Figures 3a to 3c In the unlocking safety device 6, the door 1 is blocked from unlocking. Figure 3d Only in the case of a vehicle 100 is the unlocking device 6 released by manually operating the unlocking safety device 6, for example by a crew member of the aircraft 100. Unexpected, premature opening of the door 1 can be avoided in this way.

[0044] In the detailed description above, various features for improving the rigor of the illustrations are summarized in one or more examples. However, it should be understood that the above description is merely illustrative and in no way restrictive. This description is intended to encompass all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the various features and embodiments. Numerous other examples will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art based on their expertise upon reviewing the above description.

[0045] In one example, the load transfer device may not be a purely mechanical design, but may alternatively or additionally be an electric, hydraulic and / or pneumatic design. For example, the inward deformation may drive a hydraulic cylinder, thereby operating a plunger mechanism of the locking device.

[0046] The aircraft can be designed as a flying wing, a wing-body blended aircraft or a wing-body hybrid aircraft, wherein the impact region can be arranged in the fuselage region and / or the wing region. For example, the door opening can also be arranged in the wing and / or the wing region of the aircraft.

[0047] In the embodiment of the invention shown, the inward deformation of the impact region is utilized to operate the load transfer device arranged inside the fuselage. In principle, it is alternatively possible to arrange the load transfer device at least partially outside the fuselage.

[0048] For example, the load transfer device may include a lever extending outwardly from the fuselage impact zone of the fuselage. The load transfer device may be oriented and designed such that, when the aircraft is impacted in the impact zone, the lever moves directly due to contact with the ground, etc. For example, such a lever or a corresponding device may move upward and thereby unlock the door.

[0049] These exemplary embodiments have been selected and described to best illustrate the principles underlying the invention and its practical application. A person skilled in the art can thereby optimally modify and utilize the invention and its various exemplary embodiments with reference to the intended purpose. In the claims and the specification, the terms "comprising" and "having" are used as neutral language conceptualizations (neutralsprachliche Begrifflichkeiten) for the term "including." Furthermore, the use of the term "a" or "an" should not, in principle, exclude a plurality of the described features or components.

[0050] List of Reference Numerals

[0051] 1 door

[0052] 2 Body

[0053] 3 door openings

[0054] 4 Locking device

[0055] 5 Load transfer device

[0056] 6 Unlock the safety device

[0057] 7 Impact Zone

[0058] 8 Lock Points

[0059] 9 Plunger

[0060] 10 System

[0061] 11 Upper Passenger Deck

[0062] 12 Lower Passenger Deck

[0063] 13 seats

[0064] 14a Upper cabin floor

[0065] 14b Lower cabin floor

[0066] 15a Upper pole

[0067] 15b Lower pole

[0068] 16a Upper beam

[0069] 16b Lower beam

[0070] 17 Bottom area

[0071] 18 Connecting elements

[0072] 19 Load transfer elements

[0073] 20 Aircraft Skin

[0074] 21 Pivot Points

[0075] 22 Holding mechanism

[0076] 100 aircraft

Claims

1. An aircraft (100), comprising: fuselage (2); a door opening (3) of the fuselage (2); a door (1) hinged to the aircraft (100) in the door opening (3); Wings; as well as A locking device (4) designed to lock the door (1) with the fuselage in a closed state of use; The locking device (4) includes a load transfer element (19) coupled to an impact area (7) of the aircraft (100), the impact area (7) being a lower area of ​​the fuselage of the aircraft and / or a lower area of ​​the wing of the aircraft, wherein the load transfer element (19) is configured to transfer a deformation load caused by inward deformation of the impact area (7) to a plunger mechanism of the locking device (4) when the aircraft (100) is impacted in the impact area (7) to automatically unlock the door (1).

2. The aircraft (100) of claim 1, wherein the deformation load is transmitted in at least one of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic ways.

3. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the load transfer element (19) is designed as at least one of a lever, a connecting rod and a strut.

4. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the load transmitting element (19) for transmitting deformation loads performs at least one of a translational movement and a rotational movement.

5. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the impact area (7) is adjacent to the door opening (3).

6. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door opening (3) is provided in a region of the aircraft (100) that is not directly deformed by inward deformation of the impact region caused by an impact of the aircraft in the impact region.

7. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the impact area (7) is spaced apart from the door opening (3).

8. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking device (4) further comprises an unlocking safety device (6) designed to achieve at least one of blocking and releasing the unlocking of the door (1) by the load transfer element (19).

9. Aircraft (100) according to claim 8, wherein the release safety device (6) is designed for manual operation.

10. The aircraft (100) according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft (100) comprises at least one upper passenger deck (11) and a lower passenger deck (12) arranged below the at least one upper passenger deck (11), wherein the door opening (3) is formed in the aircraft (100) towards the lower passenger deck (12).

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