Handle assist structure for a passenger aircraft boarding door

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of aircraft accessory structure, and particularly relates to a handle boost structure of a boarding door of a civil aircraft, which comprises a boost system composed of an operating handle, a lifting handle, a first rocker arm, a connecting rod, a sliding block, a supporting rod, a second rocker arm and a force amplification rod, the operating handle is rotationally connected with the lifting handle and synchronously drives the first rocker arm, the sliding block is driven to slide along the lifting handle in the axial direction through the connecting rod, and then power is fed back to the lifting handle through the supporting rod, the second rocker arm and the force amplification rod, the stable wrist rotation torque is converted into efficient lifting torque, the boost effect is significantly improved, and the operation burden of the cabin crew is reduced, the flexible adjustment of the amplification coefficient can be realized by replacing the supporting rods with different lengths, the overall component is designed with a weight reduction hole, the stringent lightweight requirement of aviation is met, and the handle boost structure has extremely strong engineering practical value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft accessory structure technology, and in particular to a handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door. Background Technology

[0002] In the civil aviation sector, boarding doors are crucial structures for ensuring the safe entry and exit of passengers and for rapid evacuation in emergencies. To ensure absolute aircraft safety during flight and the pressurized, sealed cabin environment, civil aircraft boarding doors are generally equipped with sophisticated mechanical latches and multi-stage linkage transmission systems. During normal flight operations, flight attendants manually operate a dedicated control handle located inside the door to drive the complex internal transmission mechanism, thereby opening or locking the boarding door. The ease of use and the efficiency of force transmission directly affect the workload of flight attendants and the safe operation of the door.

[0003] Currently, the operation of cabin door handles in most in-service civil aircraft primarily involves personnel directly applying push-pull motions to drive the lifting mechanism inside the door. When executing the opening or closing command, the flight attendant needs to grasp the handle and then apply physical force through a series of relatively large-amplitude limb movements, including elbow flexion, arm extension, shoulder raising, and even shifting body weight. This operating mode is the conventional cabin door control interaction method commonly used in the industry, and the application of force relies entirely on the coordinated force exerted by the crew member's torso and upper arm in a specific direction to complete the handle's operating range. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a handle assist structure for a civil aircraft boarding door, which aims to solve the problem that the large range of motion in existing assist structures can easily cause large fluctuations in operating force.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a handle-assist structure for a boarding door of a civil aircraft, characterized in that the structure includes an operating handle, a lifting handle, a first rocker arm, a connecting rod, a slider, a support rod, a second rocker arm, and a force-applying rod. The operating handle is rotatably connected to the lifting handle; The end of the operating handle is connected to one end of the first rocker arm for synchronous rotation, one end of the connecting rod is connected to the other end of the first rocker arm, and the slider is movably sleeved on the lifting handle; The other end of the connecting rod is movably connected to one end of the support rod via a slider; The second rocker arm includes three connecting ends: the first connecting end is movably connected to the other end of the support rod, the second connecting end is movably connected to the lifting handle, and the third connecting end is connected to one end of the force-applying rod. The other end of the force-adding rod is movably connected to the lifting handle; When the operating handle is rotated under force, the slider is driven to slide along the lifting handle in sequence through the first rocker arm and the connecting rod. The slider drives the second rocker arm to deflect around its connection with the lifting handle through the support rod, so that the second rocker arm applies a rotational torque to the lifting handle through the force-applying rod.

[0006] Optionally, the end of the lifting handle is provided with a bearing fixing hole, the end of the operating handle is provided with a bearing connecting shaft, the bearing connecting shaft passes through the bearing fixing hole, and a bearing is provided between the bearing connecting shaft and the inner wall of the bearing fixing hole.

[0007] Optionally, the end of the bearing connecting shaft is provided with a rocker arm fixing shaft, and the first rocker arm is provided with a handle connecting hole that matches the rocker arm fixing shaft.

[0008] Optionally, the rocker arm fixing shaft is interference-fitted into the handle connection hole.

[0009] Optionally, the end of the operating handle opposite to the lifting handle is a grip portion, the cross-section of the grip portion is elliptical, and the interior of the grip portion is hollow.

[0010] Optionally, the lifting handle is provided with a rocker arm connecting shaft, and the second connecting end of the second rocker arm is movably connected to the rocker arm connecting shaft.

[0011] Optionally, the lifting handle is further provided with a connecting cam, and the force-applying rod is movably connected to the connecting cam.

[0012] Optionally, the slider has a through groove inside, the cross-sectional shape of the groove matches the outer contour of the lifting handle, the slider is coaxially sleeved on the lifting handle through the groove, and the sliding trajectory of the slider is parallel to the length extension direction of the lifting handle.

[0013] Optionally, the first rocker arm, the connecting rod, the second rocker arm, and the slider are all provided with through-holes for weight reduction.

[0014] Optionally, one end of the rocker arm connecting shaft and the support rod are both provided with threads.

[0015] The beneficial effects that this invention can achieve are as follows: This invention solves the problem that existing civil aircraft boarding door handles are extremely unstable in the force generation process and cannot continuously provide a sufficiently stable output force due to direct pushing and pulling during operation. By setting the operating handle and lifting handle to a rotatable connection and constructing a linkage transmission chain between them, consisting of a first rocker arm, a connecting rod, a movable slider, a support rod, a second rocker arm, and a force-adding rod connected in sequence, this invention achieves the effect of converting the stable rotational input at the operating end into a multiplied end drive torque. When the operating handle of this invention is rotated under force, the initial power is converted by the first rocker arm and connecting rod into a linear thrust that causes the slider to slide along the lifting handle. This eliminates the problem of the force direction easily deviating when relying on the arm to push or pull a large distance in the traditional way. This smooth linear thrust is transmitted to the second rocker arm, which has three connecting ends, via the support rod. Using the connection part of the second rocker arm on the lifting handle as a lever fulcrum, the linear thrust is amplified and converted into deflection power. Finally, it is directly and rigidly applied to the lifting handle through the force-applying rod, ensuring the concentration and efficiency of the force transmission. This allows the operator to obtain excellent mechanical assistance without having to shake their limbs a lot, simply by applying force steadily, fundamentally improving the stability and labor-saving degree of door operation. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assist structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting handle in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the operating handle in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slider structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure label: 1-Operating handle, 2-Lifting handle, 3-First rocker arm, 4-Connecting rod, 5-Slider, 6-Support rod, 7-Second rocker arm, 8-Force bar; 11-Bearing connecting shaft, 12-Rocker arm fixing shaft; 21-Bearing fixing hole, 22-Rocker arm connecting shaft, 23-Connecting cam shaft; 31 - Handle connection hole; 51-Slide groove; 71-First connection end, 72-Second connection end, 73-Third connection end.

[0018] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0023] Example: Please refer to the attached document as well. Figures 1 to 4 This embodiment provides a handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door. The structure includes an operating handle 1, a lifting handle 2, a first rocker arm 3, a connecting rod 4, a slider 5, a support rod 6, a second rocker arm 7, and a force-applying rod 8. The operating handle 1 is rotatably connected to the lifting handle 2; The end of the operating handle 1 is connected to one end of the first rocker arm 3 for synchronous rotation, one end of the connecting rod 4 is connected to the other end of the first rocker arm 3, and the slider 5 is movably sleeved on the lifting handle 2. The other end of the connecting rod 4 is movably connected to one end of the support rod 6 via the slider 5; The second rocker arm 7 includes three connecting ends: the first connecting end 71 is movably connected to the other end of the support rod 6; the second connecting end 72 is movably connected to the lifting handle 2; and the third connecting end 73 is connected to one end of the force-applying rod 8. The other end of the force-adding rod 8 is movably connected to the lifting handle 2; When the operating handle 1 is rotated under force, the slider 5 is driven to slide along the lifting handle 2 in sequence through the first rocker arm 3 and the connecting rod 4. The slider 5 drives the second rocker arm 7 to deflect around its connection with the lifting handle 2 through the support rod 6, so that the second rocker arm 7 applies a rotational torque to the lifting handle 2 through the force-applying rod 8.

[0024] In this embodiment, the end of the lifting handle 2 is provided with a bearing fixing hole 21, and the end of the operating handle 1 is provided with a bearing connecting shaft 11. The bearing connecting shaft 11 passes through the bearing fixing hole 21, and a bearing is provided between the bearing connecting shaft 11 and the inner wall of the bearing fixing hole 21.

[0025] In this embodiment, a rocker arm fixing shaft 12 is provided at the end of the bearing connecting shaft 11, and a handle connecting hole 31 matching the rocker arm fixing shaft 12 is provided on the first rocker arm 3.

[0026] In this embodiment, the rocker arm fixing shaft 12 is interference-fitted into the handle connection hole 31.

[0027] In this embodiment, the end of the operating handle 1 that is away from the lifting handle 2 is a grip portion. The grip portion has an elliptical cross-section and a hollow interior.

[0028] In this embodiment, a rocker arm connecting shaft 22 is provided on the lifting handle 2, and the second connecting end 72 of the second rocker arm 7 is movably connected to the rocker arm connecting shaft 22.

[0029] In this embodiment, the lifting handle 2 is also provided with a connecting cam 23, and the force-adding rod 8 is movably connected to the connecting cam 23.

[0030] In this embodiment, the slider 5 has a through groove 51 inside, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 51 matches the outer contour of the lifting handle 2, the slider 5 is coaxially sleeved on the lifting handle 2 through the groove 51, and the sliding trajectory of the slider 5 is parallel to the length extension direction of the lifting handle 2.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first rocker arm 3, the connecting rod 4, the second rocker arm 7, and the slider 5 are all provided with through-holes for weight reduction.

[0032] In this embodiment, both the rocker arm connecting shaft 22 and the support rod 6 are threaded at one end.

[0033] Currently, the operation of cabin door handles in most in-service civil aircraft primarily involves personnel directly applying push-pull motions to drive the lifting mechanism inside the door. When executing the opening or closing command, the flight attendant needs to grasp the handle and then apply physical force to the handle through a series of relatively large-amplitude limb movements, including elbow flexion, arm extension, shoulder raising, and even shifting body weight. This operating mode is the conventional cabin door control interaction method commonly used in the industry, and the application of force relies entirely on the coordinated force exerted by the crew member's torso and upper arm in a specific direction to complete the handle's operating range.

[0034] Based on the above structure, it can be understood that the main components of the assist structure in this embodiment include an operating handle 1, a lifting handle 2, a first rocker arm 3, a connecting rod 4, a slider 5, a support rod 6, a second rocker arm 7, and a force-applying rod 8. The operating handle 1 and the lifting handle 2 are connected by a rotating structure, breaking through the limitation of traditional boarding door handles often being rigid integrated levers. This allows the operating handle 1, when acting as a power input end, to generate independent angular displacement relative to the lifting handle 2 at the load-bearing end. In actual civil aircraft door operation scenarios, the lifting handle 2 is usually directly connected to the door's locking or lifting shaft system, bearing significant resistance from the return spring, sealing friction, and the resistance torque generated by the mechanism's own weight. By designing the operating handle 1 as a rotating connection, a mechanical interface is created for introducing additional assist ratios.

[0035] It is understandable that the end of the operating handle 1 serves as a power output node, and is fixedly connected to one end of the first rocker arm 3 to achieve synchronous rotation. To ensure the reliability of the connection in the high-frequency aviation environment, this connection is specifically implemented as follows: a bearing connecting shaft 11 protrudes from the end of the operating handle 1, and this shaft passes through the bearing fixing hole 21 opened at the end of the lifting handle 2. At the end of the bearing connecting shaft 11, a rocker arm fixing shaft 12 extends further. This shaft is specifically machined into a structure with a polygonal cross-section, such as a square shaft structure. Correspondingly, the first rocker arm 3 has a handle connecting hole 31 that matches the height of the outer contour of the square shaft structure. By inserting the rocker arm fixing shaft 12 into the handle connecting hole 31 with an interference fit, not only can possible radial movement be eliminated, but also the planar force characteristics of the square shaft can avoid the risk of shear failure common in flat key or round shaft connections during high torque transmission, thereby achieving a stable power transmission between the operating handle 1 and the first rocker arm 3.

[0036] At the rotation interface between the lifting handle 2 and the operating handle 1, to reduce the extra power consumption for the flight attendant to overcome internal friction, a bearing assembly is embedded between the bearing connecting shaft 11 and the inner wall of the bearing fixing hole 21. In actual civil aircraft engineering applications, considering that boarding door operation is a low-speed, high-load action with extremely high reliability requirements, the bearing used here can preferably be a deep groove ball bearing or a radial needle roller bearing to ensure that the rotational resistance of the operating handle 1 remains at an extremely low level throughout its long service life. The gripping part of the operating handle 1 away from the lifting handle 2 is given a scientific geometric shape with an elliptical cross-section and a hollow weight-reduction design inside. This elliptical major axis arrangement can naturally induce the operator's palm pressure distribution, providing a longer lever arm support when the wrist twists, so that the relatively stable wrist rotation torque of the human body can be fully stimulated. The hollow structure minimizes the static mass of the cantilever end while ensuring grip strength and bending stiffness.

[0037] When power flows from the operating handle 1 to the first rocker arm 3, the assist structure enters the first stage of motion conversion. One end of the connecting rod 4 is movably connected to the other end of the first rocker arm 3 via a hinge shaft, while the other end of the connecting rod 4 is linked to one end of the support rod 6 via the slider 5, forming a compact rocker arm slider 5 transmission structure. The slider 5 is movably fitted onto the long axis of the lifting handle 2. To ensure that the slider 5 maintains smooth linear guidance when subjected to lateral force, a groove 51 is machined inside the slider 5 to run the entire length. The cross-sectional shape of this groove 51 is designed to match the external contour of the lifting handle 2. Specifically, if the rod body of the lifting handle 2 adopts a cross-section with specific planar features (such as a flat shape or a circle with guide grooves), the groove 51 of the slider 5 will also be made into a non-circular cross-section accordingly. This coaxial and shape-fitting design ensures that when the slider 5 is pushed or pulled by the first rocker arm 3 and the connecting rod 4, it can only perform pure translational motion along the length extension direction of the lifting handle 2. Its sliding trajectory remains absolutely parallel to the axis of the lifting handle 2. This precise linear guidance transforms the original circular motion displacement into a controlled linear motion component, providing a stable displacement reference for the subsequent angle-changing drive of the support rod 6.

[0038] Subsequently, the other end of the support rod 6 is movably connected to the first connecting end 71 of the second rocker arm 7 via a hinge pin. The second rocker arm 7 has a multi-stage lever function in the entire assist structure, including three specific connecting ends. Its second connecting end 72 is movably connected to the lifting handle 2, specifically through the rocker arm connecting shaft 22 provided on the side of the lifting handle 2 to achieve fulcrum positioning, so that the second rocker arm 7 can deflect around the shaft on the lifting handle 2. The third connecting end 73 of the second rocker arm 7 is connected to the power output through one end of the force-applying rod 8, and the other end of the force-applying rod 8 is finally movably connected to the connecting cam 23 on the lifting handle 2. The relative positional relationship between the support rod 6 and the second rocker arm 7 directly determines the power transmission efficiency of the entire mechanism. From the perspective of mechanical principles, the translational motion of the slider 5 is converted into a thrust on the second rocker arm 7 through the support rod 6. Since there is a transmission angle between the support rod 6 and the second rocker arm 7 that dynamically changes with the position of the slider 5, this thrust is significantly amplified by the leverage ratio of the second rocker arm 7 and is finally applied to the lifting handle 2 through the force-applying rod 8.

[0039] The aforementioned structure not only achieves static force amplification, but also addresses the issue of varying resistance torques caused by accumulated assembly errors in boarding doors of different aircraft models or hardening of sealing strips during actual production or long-term maintenance. Technicians do not need to redesign the entire assist system; they can simply replace the support rod 6 with one of specific lengths to change the swing angle of the second rocker arm 7 in its initial position and the direction of the thrust of the support rod 6. This convenient adjustment of the transmission ratio allows the assist structure to flexibly adapt to doors with various resistance characteristics, greatly expanding the product's versatility. Furthermore, to ensure connection stability under extreme vibration conditions, the rocker arm connecting shaft 22 and the hinged ends of the support rod 6 are threaded and fitted with anti-loosening nuts for axial restraint, ensuring that the transmission chain will not fail due to loosening throughout its service life.

[0040] To further pursue weight reduction in aerospace applications, this embodiment, while meeting strength design criteria, features extensive structural optimization of all core moving components. Through-hole weight-reduction features are machined into the bodies of the first rocker arm 3, connecting rod 4, second rocker arm 7, and slider 5 using high-precision CNC machine tools. The position and dimensions of these weight-reduction holes have undergone rigorous finite element mechanical simulation analysis to ensure that stress concentration points of each component remain within the material's yield strength limits when bearing the maximum design load. Furthermore, the side edges of the connecting rod 4 and the second rocker arm 7 are machined into an inwardly concave waist-shaped structure. This hollow design not only gives the components a streamlined appearance with a strong industrial aesthetic but, more importantly, removes inefficient material near the neutral axis without reducing the flexural modulus, resulting in a relatively small increase in mass for the entire assist structure while providing powerful assistance.

[0041] In summary, the working principle and complete power transmission process of the handle assist structure of the present invention can be summarized as follows: When the flight attendant holds the elliptical hollow grip part of the operating handle 1 and applies a wrist rotation torque, the operating handle 1 rotates around the bearing centerline. Through the square shaft interference fit structure, the first rocker arm 3 is driven to deflect synchronously. The deflection of the first rocker arm 3 pulls the connecting rod 4, thereby driving the slider 5 to make a smooth linear displacement along the non-circular guide surface of the lifting handle 2. The translational displacement of the slider 5 is transmitted to the first connecting end 71 of the second rocker arm 7 via the support rod 6, forcing the second rocker arm 7 to undergo angular displacement around the rocker arm connecting shaft 22 fulcrum on the lifting handle 2. According to the lever balance principle, this displacement generates an amplified driving force at the third connecting end 73 of the second rocker arm 7. This force is finally applied to the connecting cam shaft 23 of the lifting handle 2 through the force-applying rod 8.

[0042] The aforementioned mechanical motion conversion successfully amplifies the relatively small and stable torque of the human wrist into a powerful opening torque acting on the lifting handle 2 through layer-by-layer superposition. Because the entire process utilizes a rigid connection with a purely mechanical linkage 4 structure, it avoids the lag and failure risks that may arise from flexible transmission, ensuring direct and clear operational feedback. This not only cleverly solves the problems of excessive door operating force and unstable upper limb force exertion by flight attendants, but also achieves precise adaptation to different working conditions through the replaceability of the support rod 6. Coupled with a comprehensive lightweight and highly reliable structural design, it fully meets the stringent standards of both equipment performance and safety in the civil aviation field.

[0043] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handle assist structure for a civil aircraft boarding door, characterized in that, The structure includes an operating handle, a lifting handle, a first rocker arm, a connecting rod, a slider, a support rod, a second rocker arm, and a force-applying rod. The operating handle is rotatably connected to the lifting handle; The end of the operating handle is connected to one end of the first rocker arm for synchronous rotation, one end of the connecting rod is connected to the other end of the first rocker arm, and the slider is movably sleeved on the lifting handle; The other end of the connecting rod is movably connected to one end of the support rod via a slider; The second rocker arm includes three connecting ends: the first connecting end is movably connected to the other end of the support rod, the second connecting end is movably connected to the lifting handle, and the third connecting end is connected to one end of the force-applying rod. The other end of the force-adding rod is movably connected to the lifting handle; When the operating handle is rotated under force, the slider is driven to slide along the lifting handle in sequence through the first rocker arm and the connecting rod. The slider drives the second rocker arm to deflect around its connection with the lifting handle through the support rod, so that the second rocker arm applies a rotational torque to the lifting handle through the force-applying rod.

2. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting handle has a bearing fixing hole at its end, and the operating handle has a bearing connecting shaft at its end. The bearing connecting shaft passes through the bearing fixing hole, and a bearing is provided between the bearing connecting shaft and the inner wall of the bearing fixing hole.

3. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The bearing connecting shaft is provided with a rocker arm fixing shaft at its end, and the first rocker arm is provided with a handle connecting hole that matches the rocker arm fixing shaft.

4. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The rocker arm fixing shaft is interference-fitted into the handle connection hole.

5. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The end of the operating handle opposite to the lifting handle is a grip portion, the cross-section of which is elliptical and the interior of which is hollow.

6. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting handle is provided with a rocker arm connecting shaft, and the second connecting end of the second rocker arm is movably connected to the rocker arm connecting shaft.

7. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The lifting handle is also provided with a connecting cam, and the force-applying rod is movably connected to the connecting cam.

8. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slider has a through groove inside, the cross-sectional shape of which matches the outer contour of the lifting handle. The slider is coaxially sleeved on the lifting handle through the groove, and the sliding trajectory of the slider is parallel to the length extension direction of the lifting handle.

9. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first rocker arm, the connecting rod, the second rocker arm, and the slider are all provided with through-holes for weight reduction.

10. The handle assistance structure for a civil aircraft boarding door as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Both the rocker arm connecting shaft and the support rod have threads at one end.

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