Pressure equalization system and cabin lining

Abstract

Disclosed are a baseboard or a multifunctional foot angle for an aircraft cabin, with an integrated pressure equalization function, in which at least one foam body serves as a cover for a pressure equalization opening, which in the event of rapid pressure equalization releases the pressure equalization opening at least partially, and a cabin lining with such a baseboard.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a baseboard for a cabin of an aircraft cabin and a cabin lining of an aircraft.

[0002] Aviation regulations relevant to certification stipulate that, in the unlikely event of a sudden, large pressure loss within the fuselage of passenger aircraft, rapid decompression must be performed between the passenger cabin and the cargo hold to mitigate the impact of this sudden pressure loss on the passengers and the aircraft structure. A known pressure equalization system is disclosed in German patent DE 10 2009 006 395 B4, filed by the applicant. The system used for pressure equalization in this patent features openings in the foot area of ​​a side panel, which are closed by visible flaps. In the event of rapid pressure equalization, the flaps pivot, creating an airflow cross-section between the cabin and the cargo hold. However, the flaps only pivot when an elastic membrane stretched over the openings ruptures due to the pressure acting upon it.To allow for the exchange of stale cabin air, open ventilation openings are provided in the side panels. An alternative pressure equalization system uses footboards with pivoting flaps located behind a side panel in the area between the side panel and the primary structure, not visible to passengers.

[0003] The object of the invention is to create an alternative pressure equalization system to enable rapid pressure equalization in an aircraft and a cabin lining with an alternative pressure equalization system.

[0004] This problem is solved by a baseboard having the features of claim 1 and by a cabin lining having the features of claim 9.

[0005] A pressure equalization system according to the invention for an aircraft cabin is a skirting board comprising a cover section for covering a longitudinal gap between a side panel and a cabin floor, and a mounting section for attachment to the cabin floor. The cover section incorporates at least one pressure equalization opening, which is hermetically sealed by at least one foam element. The foam element is configured to release at least a cross-section of the pressure equalization opening for pressure equalization when a defined pressure difference between its front and rear surfaces is exceeded.

[0006] Due to the foam core, movable flaps and the like are unnecessary. The footboard can be manufactured as a single injection-molded part to which the foam core is then attached. The foam core, preferably particle foam, offers low weight and is easy to manufacture. It is comparable to standard aviation-grade foam materials. Compared to known pressure equalization systems, the pressure equalization system according to the invention achieves a weight saving of 5-7 kg. Manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance are all significantly simplified compared to conventional pressure equalization systems. Furthermore, because the pressure equalization openings are located behind the side paneling, they are protected against accidental damage by passengers.

[0007] To ensure uniform pressure distribution across the foam body, particularly across its entire front surface, at least one pressure equalization opening is located in a rearward-offset area of ​​the baffle section. Mounting brackets for attaching the footboard to the aircraft's primary structure, such as bulkheads, or for securing the side panels to the footboards, may be provided in the non-offset baffle sections.

[0008] For positioning the foam core vertically on the baffle section, an upper longitudinal groove and a lower longitudinal groove can extend along the at least one pressure equalization opening to accommodate the foam core. The grooves seal the foam core at the top and bottom, preventing any leakage. Simultaneously, the at least one foam core can be inserted lengthwise into the longitudinal grooves or removed from them by a sliding motion. In particular, the brackets for attaching the baseboard to the ribs can be upward extensions of the upper longitudinal grooves.

[0009] In one embodiment, the at least one foam body is held at its head in the upper longitudinal groove in such a way that, in the absence of any active engagement, it is fixed in position between its base and the lower longitudinal groove. This prevents the at least one foam body from being torn away from the aperture section during pressure equalization. During pressure equalization, the foam body is essentially pushed or sucked (pivoted) out of the lower longitudinal groove, but remains securely in place in the upper longitudinal groove on the aperture section.

[0010] For the longitudinal positioning of the foam body on the panel section, a fixed stop and an opposing locking element can be provided. During assembly, the foam body can be pushed against the fixed stop and then secured longitudinally by the locking element, for example, a bent metal strip.

[0011] Preferably, the foam body is formed from a multitude of individual elements. These individual elements can be, in particular, foam strips that are inserted vertically, one after the other, into the longitudinal grooves. Their contacting side surfaces can be designed in such a way as to prevent leakage through two adjacent foam strips. An exemplary division of the foam body into its foam strips is a 1-inch width, which corresponds to a common assembly notch in aircraft cabin construction. In particular, the foam strips allow the baseboards to be routed behind monuments, such as aircraft lavatories, without requiring adjustments to the position or length of the pressure equalization vents. Alternatively, the foam body can be a single piece with predefined fracture lines, along which it then breaks apart into a multitude of individual elements in the event of rapid pressure equalization.This allows for a continuous baseboard 10 running throughout the passenger cabin, or a large number of identical baseboards, which means that if the positioning of monuments is changed, no additional components adapted to the new cabin layout are required, thus reducing the number of parts.

[0012] The individual elements can be connected to each other, for example in the form of "safety lines" (multiple individual film hinges) to secure them against being lost in the event of pressure equalization. Alternatively or additionally, a type of safety net can be provided and / or the individual elements can be suspended in the upper longitudinal groove by their head sections.

[0013] The baseboard can, in particular, have a large number of pressure equalization vents. This simplifies installation, as several pressure equalization vents can be installed simultaneously in the aircraft fuselage. It is preferred that a pressure equalization vent be located between two bulkheads.

[0014] An aircraft cabin lining according to the invention comprises a side panel and a plurality of the inventive baseboards. The baseboards are attached to the cabin floor by their respective mounting sections and arranged behind the side panel by their respective cover sections. Their cover sections conceal a longitudinal gap between the side panel and the cabin floor. A ventilation gap for exhausting cabin air is formed between a rear side of the side panel and an upper edge of the respective cover section. The cabin lining features a lightweight, effective, and low-maintenance pressure equalization system, as it has no moving parts and is located outside the visible cabin area. The ventilation gap allows for the regular removal of used cabin air from the floor.The ventilation gap, the material properties of the foam body and its front and rear effective surfaces (front and back) are coordinated in such a way that rapid pressure equalization via the pressure equalization openings only occurs when a pressure difference prescribed by aviation standards is reached.

[0015] To prevent the side panel from being sucked against the baffle sections in the lower area in the event of rapid pressure equalization (overpressure in the cabin compared to the outside environment or cargo space), and thus partially closing the pressure equalization openings despite the foam bodies being open, the side panel is attached to the baffle section in the lower edge area, so that the airflow path to the pressure equalization openings is always clear.

[0016] Other advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of further dependent claims.

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic illustrations. These show: Fig. 1 a partial front view of a cabin cladding according to the invention in the area of ​​its baseboard, Fig. 2 a partial rear view of the cabin lining in the area of ​​its baseboard, Fig. 3 a section of the footboard according to the invention in detail, Fig. 4 a section of the baseboard in front view, Fig. 5 a rear view of the partial area of ​​the footboard according to the invention with a fixed stop for longitudinal positioning of a foam body and a position lock as a counter element to the fixed stop, Fig. 6 a side view of the footboard according to the invention, Fig. 7 A detailed representation of an upper longitudinal groove and a lower longitudinal groove for the height positioning of the foam body of the baseboard, Fig. 8 a detailed illustration of a fixed stop for longitudinal positioning of the foam body, Fig. 9 an embodiment with a suspension of the foam body in the upper longitudinal groove, and Fig. 10 a segmentation of the foam body into a multitude of individual elements.

[0018] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a cabin lining 1 according to the invention for an aircraft such as a passenger aircraft. The cabin lining 1 has a side panel 2, the lower edge region 4 of which is spaced from the cabin floor 8 by a longitudinal gap 6. The longitudinal gap 6 is covered by a skirting board 10.

[0019] The baseboard 10 forms a rear extension of the side panel 2, wherein the baseboard 10 is arranged behind the side panel in such a way that cabin air in the area of ​​the cabin floor 8 can be extracted through a ventilation gap 28 between the side panel 2 and the baseboard 10.

[0020] The footboard 10 is preferably an injection-molded part. It has a mounting leg 12 for attachment to the cabin floor 8, in particular for mounting in a seat rail, and a cover section 14 for covering the longitudinal gap 6. The cover section 14 has a plurality of front mountings 16 (on the side facing the side panel 1) for connecting the side panel 2. At the rear, the cover section 14 has a plurality of rear mountings 18 (on the side facing away from the side panel 1) for attaching the footboard 10 to bulkheads 20 of the fuselage. For this purpose, retaining arms 22 can extend from the bulkheads 20 and connect to the rear mountings.Similar retaining arms can be provided in the area of ​​the mounting of the side panel 2 on the brackets 16 of the baseboards 10 in order to optimally position the baseboard 10 between the frames 20 and the side panel 2, in particular also to adjust the ventilation gap 28.

[0021] Each aperture section 14 has a pressure equalization opening 24, which is closed by a foam body 26 in the resting state. The pressure equalization opening 24 has an elongated shape and, in this embodiment, extends almost completely between two frames 20 or a frame bay. As shown in Fig. As indicated in Figure 3, the baseboard 10 can have several pressure equalization openings 24. The baseboard 10 can therefore extend over several trim elements of a side panel 2.

[0022] The pressure equalization openings 26 enable rapid pressure equalization between the passenger cabin and a cargo hold. In the resting state (before rapid pressure equalization), the pressure equalization openings are gas-tightly sealed by the foam bodies 26. Used cabin air is extracted via the rear ventilation gap 28 (gap in the space between side panel 1 and fuselage skin) and between the side panel 2 and an upper edge 30 of the toe board 10. In the unlikely event that rapid pressure equalization is required, the foam body 26 is at least partially expanded by the pressure difference between its front 27 and its rear 29 (see figure). Fig. 4 and Fig. 5) moved out of its holder so that the pressure equalization openings 24 are opened and pressure equalization can take place.

[0023] As in the Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. As shown in Figure 8, the rectangular pressure equalization openings 24 are arranged in rearwardly offset areas of the aperture section 14. This creates a pressure chamber 32 in front of the foam bodies 26, which evens out the pressure applied to the front 27 of the foam body 26. The front brackets 16 for receiving the side panel 2 are arranged in the non-recessed aperture areas.

[0024] The foam bodies 26 are plate-like and arranged at the rear of the baffle section 14. For this purpose, an upper longitudinal groove 34 and a lower longitudinal groove 36 are formed on the baffle section along the pressure equalization openings 26. The upper longitudinal groove 34 is formed by a rearward "flanging" of the upper edge 30. In their end regions, i.e., in the longitudinal direction in front of and behind the pressure equalization openings 26, the upper longitudinal grooves 34 extend upwards and form the rear supports 18 for connection to the frames 20.

[0025] The longitudinal grooves 24, 36 enable the foam bodies 26 to be positioned vertically and simultaneously mounted by a sliding movement in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal grooves 34, 36 are designed in such a way as to prevent leakage around the foam bodies 26 in the area of ​​their upper and lower edges.

[0026] For longitudinal positioning, a fixed stop 40 is provided laterally to each of the pressure equalization openings 26, extending vertically between the longitudinal grooves 34, 36. Additionally, an actuable position lock 42 is provided as a counter element to each fixed stop 40 for longitudinal positioning. An example of a position lock 42 is a metal strip that is bent after the foam body 26 is inserted and then rests against the foam body 26, preventing it from slipping longitudinally.

[0027] To prevent the foam bodies 26 from being torn away from the baseboards 10 by the suction created during rapid pressure equalization, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the foam bodies 26 are suspended by their head region 44 in the upper longitudinal grooves 34. For this purpose, opposing longitudinal ribs 46a, b can be provided in the upper longitudinal grooves 34, into which the foam body 26 engages with a neck region 48. In the event of pressure equalization, the foam bodies 26 are moved by their foot regions out of the lower longitudinal grooves 36 and simultaneously fixed to the aperture section 14 via their head region 44. The response behavior of the foam bodies 26 can be adjusted via longitudinal grooves 49a, b in the front 27 and back 29, in addition to the material properties, density, and the like.

[0028] In Fig. Figure 10 shows an embodiment, in particular of a foam body 26, which is segmented into a plurality of individual elements 50a, 50b of the same size. The individual elements 50a, 50b are foam strips that are individually inserted into the longitudinal grooves 34, 36 and suspended at their end regions (see thin vertical lines 51 in Figure 10). Fig. 9) The surface properties of their touching side surfaces 52, 54 prevent leakage between two adjacent individual elements 50a, 50b.

[0029] The segmentation of the foam body 26 into individual elements, in particular foam strips, is also advantageous insofar as it allows the mounting of the baseboard 10 behind a monument such as an aircraft lavatory. This is because the individual elements 50a, 50b of a foam body 26, which are not concealed by the monument, can fully exert their effect in the event of pressure equalization. The individual elements 50a, 50b have a width that corresponds to a standard mounting grid in the aircraft fuselage. A preferred width for common aircraft is 1 inch. Thus, a baseboard 10 running continuously throughout the passenger cabin, or a multitude of identical baseboards 10, is possible. If the positioning of monuments is changed, no additional components adapted to the new cabin layout are required, thereby reducing the number of parts. A baseboard or...a multifunctional footboard for an aircraft cabin, with an integrated pressure equalization function, wherein at least one foam body serves as a cover for a pressure equalization opening, which in the event of rapid pressure equalization releases the pressure equalization opening at least partially, and a cabin lining with such a footboard. Reference symbol list 1 Cabin lining 2 side panels 4 lower edge area side panel 6 Longitudinal gap 8 cabin floor 10 skirting board 12 fastening legs 14 aperture section 16 front bracket for side panel 18 rear brackets for attachment to frames 20 frames 22 Support arm 24 Pressure equalization opening 26 foam bodies 27 Front side foam body 28 Ventilation gap 29 Back of foam body 30 Upper edge aperture section 32 Printing chamber 34 upper longitudinal groove 36 lower longitudinal groove 40 Fixed stop 42 Securing the position 44 Head area 46a, b Longitudinal webs 48 Neck area 49a, b longitudinal groove 50a, b Single element 51 Vertical line QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2009 006 395 B4

[0002]

Claims

Footboard (10) for an aircraft cabin, comprising a baffle section (14) for covering a longitudinal gap (6) between a side panel (2) and a cabin floor (8), a fastening section (12) for fastening to the cabin floor (8) and comprising at least one pressure equalization opening (24) in the baffle section (14) which is hermetically sealed with at least one foam body (26) which is designed to release at least a cross-section of the pressure equalization opening (24) for pressure equalization when a specified pressure difference between its front (27) and its rear (29) is exceeded. Footboard according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure equalization opening (24) is arranged in a rearwardly offset area of ​​the aperture section (14). Footboard according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an upper longitudinal groove (34) and a lower longitudinal groove (36) for receiving the foam body (26) extend along the pressure equalization opening (24) for the height positioning of the foam body (26) on the panel section (14). Skirting board according to claim 3, wherein the at least one foam body (26) is held at its head area (44) in the upper longitudinal groove (34) such that it is fixed in place between its foot area and the lower longitudinal groove (36) when there is no effective engagement. Footboard according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a fixed stop (40) and an opposing position lock (42) are formed for longitudinal positioning of the foam body (26) on the panel section. skirting board according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the foam body (26) is formed from a plurality of individual elements (50a, 50b). Skirting board according to claim 6, wherein adjacent individual elements (50a, 50b) are connected to each other. skirting board according to claim 6, wherein the skirting board (10) has a plurality of pressure equalization openings (24). Cabin lining of an aircraft, comprising a side panel (2), and a plurality of baseboards (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the baseboards (10) are attached to the cabin floor (8) with their fastening section (12) and are arranged behind the side panel (2) with their baffle section (14), covering a longitudinal gap (6) between the side panel (2) and the cabin floor (8), wherein a ventilation gap (28) for the removal of cabin air is formed between a rear side (29) of the side panel (2) and an upper edge (30) of the baffle section (14). Cabin paneling according to claim 9, wherein the side paneling (2) is attached to the panel section (14) in the area of ​​its lower edge region (4).

Images