Insulating body for detachable mounting on an aircraft outer skin, method for installing the insulating body, mounting device module and mounting device

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to an insulating body for detachable arrangement on an aircraft skin and a method for installing the insulating body. Background of the invention

[0002] During the manufacturing of commercial passenger aircraft, the installation of equipment and fittings includes, among other things, the installation of insulation mats and the laying of air conditioning ducts. Typically, this process begins with the attachment of brackets to a primary structure of the aircraft. The insulation mats are then attached to the primary structure, followed by the installation of the air conditioning ducts. Such equipment installations generally involve a relatively high level of effort. This, in turn, requires considerable lead time, which can be costly.

[0003] FR 3 060 522 A1, according to the translation available at espacenet, describes the need for complex, multifunctional fastening devices for attaching air conditioning ducts to aircraft insulating ceilings. An insulating ceiling for aircraft, with two front and back surfaces and at least four side surfaces connecting the front and back surfaces, is described, characterized in that at least one channel is formed within the thickness of the ceiling between the front and back surfaces to allow the passage of air in the longitudinal direction of the ceiling.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide an alternative to existing insulation mats and air conditioning pipes that eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages and allows for simpler installation. Furthermore, the invention aims to provide a method for installing such an alternative and a device for carrying out such an installation method. Description of the invention

[0005] The problem is solved by an insulating body for detachable mounting on an aircraft's outer skin, comprising a base body for thermal insulation of an interior area of ​​the aircraft, and at least one fluid-carrying air conditioning duct made of a flexible fabric, wherein the base body is flexible, and wherein the at least one air conditioning duct and the base body are integrally formed. In this way, the aircraft can be outfitted simultaneously by installing the insulating body, which integrally includes both the thermal insulation base body and a fluid-carrying air conditioning duct. Consequently, the sequential installation of insulation mats and air conditioning ducts is eliminated. This accelerates the aircraft outfitting process and contributes to cost reduction in manufacturing.According to the invention, "integrally designed" means that the base body and the climate channels are designed as integral components of the insulation body, or in other words, that the base body and the climate channels form the insulation body integrally. In other words, the base body and the climate channels are formed in one piece or irreversibly connected to each other. For this purpose, the base body and the climate channels can also be, for example, glued and / or sewn together. According to the invention, "flexibly designed" further means that the base body is, for example, elastically deformable or reversibly deformable. Because of this, and because of the similarly flexible nature of the fluid-carrying climate channels (since these consist of a flexible fabric), the insulation body can, for example, be rolled up and unrolled.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment of the insulation body according to the invention, the base body has a ribbon-like shape. This allows the insulation body to be advantageously wound up or rolled up for particularly convenient (interim) storage. This facilitates handling. Furthermore, the ribbon-like shape allows the insulation body's spatial configuration to be adapted to the spaces between two adjacent frames of an aircraft fuselage, enabling it to fit particularly well within these spaces. According to the invention, the ribbon-like shape is understood to be rectangular in plan view. In other words, the base body is strip-shaped or essentially rectangular.

[0007] In another preferred embodiment of the insulation body, the at least one climate duct is designed as a riser pipe along a long side of the base body. The long side of the base body refers to the rectangular or strip shape of the base body or the insulation body itself. Thus, the climate duct becomes a riser pipe that typically connects air distribution pipes located below the passenger floor and running longitudinally in the aircraft to the air outlets located overhead in the passenger area.

[0008] A preferred embodiment of the insulation body is one in which the flexible insulation body is designed to be wound and unwound around a winding axis. Because both the base body and the air channels, and thus the entire insulation body, are flexible, the insulation body can be wound and unwound around the winding axis. The winding axis is therefore arranged parallel to a short side of the rectangular base body.

[0009] The problem is also solved by a method for installing an insulating body according to the invention on the outer skin of an aircraft, wherein the aircraft has a plurality of circumferentially formed and radially inwardly projecting frames on an inner side of the outer skin, which are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction of the aircraft, with the following method steps: Inserting the insulating body into a space formed between two adjacent frames by continuously unwinding and simultaneously, continuously applying the insulating body to the inner side of the outer skin, or essentially arranging the insulating body centrally along a frame head of the respective frame and continuously folding and unwinding the insulating body around the frame head on both sides. The method according to the invention allows for the simultaneous installation of a [missing information - likely a specific type of] equipment or...The aircraft can be equipped with both thermally insulating and fluid-carrying insulation components. This eliminates the need for sequential installation steps involving insulation mats and air conditioning ducts. Handling is quick and easy, accelerating the aircraft outfitting process and reducing costs.

[0010] In a preferred method, the insulation body is continuously and circumferentially unwound along the frame. This allows the inner surface of the aircraft's outer skin to be gradually fitted with the insulation body. The continuous installation also prevents local detachments from the outer skin that would otherwise require subsequent repair.

[0011] In another preferred method variant, the insulation body is unwound from an upper cabin apex along the cabin sides to a lower cabin apex. This allows the insulation body to be installed on the inside of the outer skin in an ergonomically advantageous manner. If a suitable floor is already present in the aircraft fuselage during installation, the installation can, of course, be stopped upon reaching the floor and continued below the floor along the cabin sides to the lower cabin apex (after the insulation body to be installed has been moved, for example, to the so-called cargo area below the floor).

[0012] A preferred method variant involves using fastening bolts to secure the insulation body, with the fastening bolts being inserted into bushings formed on the frames. This allows for simple and direct on-site fastening of the insulation body to be installed. This simplifies the fitting out or outfitting of the aircraft fuselage during manufacturing. The bushings formed on the frames can, for example, be interface points of a substructure for attaching cabin elements. It is understood that the fastening bolts can be secured by means of a counter-holder or locking element.

[0013] In another preferred method variant, several insulating bodies are inserted successively or simultaneously into adjacent gaps, or arranged centrally at adjacent frame ends. The simultaneous parallel installation of the insulating bodies significantly speeds up the installation process and is therefore particularly advantageous for manufacturing.

[0014] A preferred method variant involves connecting adjacent insulation bodies using adhesive strips and / or reversible hook-and-loop fasteners. This ensures an effective seal for the insulating layer consisting of the numerous insulation bodies. The adhesive strips and / or reversible hook-and-loop fasteners allow adjacent insulation bodies to be connected and prevent thermal bridges.

[0015] In an example not covered by the claims, a mounting device module for an installation method according to the invention is described, comprising: a receiving device for receiving an insulating body according to the invention, a base structure that is movable along a longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and a mounting arm that is rotatably connected at one end to the base structure and at the other end to the receiving device. The mounting device module allows the insulating body according to the invention to be handled particularly easily during the installation method according to the invention. In particular, the mounting device module enables the simultaneous fitting or equipping of the aircraft with the insulating bodies. The aircraft's outfitting process is thus advantageously accelerated.The basic structure of the assembly device module has, for example, rollers or the like, to allow it to be moved along a cabin floor or assembly floor structure.

[0016] In the example of the mounting device module, the receiving device includes a winding axis onto which the insulation body can be wound and unwound. The presence of a winding axis makes winding and unwinding the insulation body particularly easy on the mounting device module. For example, the receiving device can be designed as a roller that is rotatable around the winding axis. The insulation body is then simply wound and unwound onto the roller. This makes handling during installation advantageously simple.

[0017] One example describes a mounting fixture module where the length of the mounting arm is variable. This makes the mounting fixture module particularly advantageous for adapting to different and potentially locally variable fuselage radii. Thus, one and the same mounting fixture module can be used for different fuselage diameters and therefore for different aircraft programs.

[0018] In one example, an assembly device is described comprising a plurality of assembly device modules according to the invention, wherein the longitudinal extent dimension of the basic structure essentially corresponds to the distance between adjacent frames. In this way, the longitudinal extent of the assembly device can advantageously be adapted in a modular manner to the length of a fuselage section or, within a fuselage section, to the length of a specific cabin area. It is conceivable that the assembly device can be individually adapted according to equipment or fitting requirements and thus also adapted to different manufacturing situations (for example, different aircraft configurations).

[0019] The aspects described above, as well as further aspects, features and advantages of the invention, can also be derived from the examples of embodiments, which are described below with reference to the attached drawings. Description of the drawings

[0020] In the figures, the same reference numerals are used for identical or at least similar elements, components, or aspects. It should be noted that the following descriptions detail embodiments, which are merely illustrative and not limiting. In the claims, the word "featuring" does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite article "a" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain features are mentioned in different dependent claims does not limit the subject matter of the invention. Combinations of these features can also be used advantageously. The reference numerals in the claims are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The figures are not to be understood as being to scale but are purely schematic and illustrative. They show Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insulating body according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the insulating body made of Figure 1Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a plurality of insulation bodies arranged between fuselage frames in an installation situation, Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of an aircraft fuselage during the installation of an insulation body, Figure 5 shows a cross-section through part of an aircraft fuselage before the installation of an insulation body, Figure 6 shows a cross-section through part of an aircraft fuselage after the installation of an insulation body, Figure 7 shows a longitudinal section of an aircraft fuselage after the installation of an insulation body, Figure 8 shows a mounting device module with a coiled insulation body in a perspective view, Figure 9 shows an alternative mounting of an insulation body on a mounting device module, and Figure 10 shows an aircraft.

[0021] The Figure 1Figure 1 shows an insulating body 10 for detachable assembly on an outer skin 40 of an aircraft 50. The insulating body 10 comprises a base body 12 for thermal insulation of an interior area of ​​the aircraft 50. The base body can be assembled as shown in the Figure 1 The insulation body 10 is shown to have an opening 15 which, when installed, is located at a cabin window. Furthermore, the insulation body 10 comprises at least one fluid-carrying air duct 14, which is formed from a flexible woven fabric 16. The base body 12 is flexible and has a ribbon-like shape. The at least one air duct 14 and the base body 12 are integral components of the insulation body 10. Figure 1 The insulating body is shown unfolded on a flat surface not depicted.

[0022] In Figure 2The insulating body 10 is shown in a shape adapted to an inner surface 42 of the outer skin 40 of the aircraft 50, i.e., that the insulating body 10 is convex or curved. Due to the flexibility of the insulating body 10, it can be adapted to various radii of curvature of the outer skin 40 of the aircraft 50. The ribbon-like shape of the base body 12 or of the insulating body 10 is shown in the Figure 2 The insulation body 10 is larger in the vertical direction 17 than in the longitudinal direction 60. Due to the flexibility of the base body 12 and the insulation body 10, it can be wound and unwound around a winding axis 20. The two climate channels 14 and the base body 12 are integral components of the insulation body 10.

[0023] The Figure 3Figure 1 shows the outer skin 40 of an aircraft 50, wherein the aircraft 50 has a plurality of circumferentially formed and radially inwardly projecting frames 44 on an inner surface 42 of the outer skin 40. The frames 44 are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction 60 of the aircraft 50. Figure 3 Two frames 44 are shown. It is understood that an aircraft fuselage 50 typically has a large number of frames 44. Gaps 46 are formed between adjacent frames 44. In the Figure 3 Several insulating bodies 10 have been inserted into adjacent spaces 46. This can be done sequentially or simultaneously, as described in more detail below. In the Figure 3 The climate channels 14 of the insulation bodies 10 are designed as a riser pipe along one long side of the base bodies 12.

[0024] In the Figure 4Figure 1 depicts an installation state resulting from a method for installing the insulation body 10. The insulation bodies 10 are arranged on an outer skin 40 of the aircraft 50, more precisely on an inner surface 42 of the outer skin 40. The aircraft 50 has a plurality of circumferentially formed and radially inwardly projecting frames 44, which are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction 60 of the aircraft 50. According to the method, in a first process step, the insulation body 10 to be installed is positioned substantially centrally along a frame head 48 of the respective frame 44 and then, in a second process step, continuously folded and unwound around the frame head 48 on both sides. This can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously for several insulation bodies 10.Because the fluid-carrying air channels 14 are made of flexible fabric 16, and because the base body 12 is also flexible, handling during installation is particularly easy. To fix the insulation bodies 10 to the frames 44 or in the space 46, fastening bolts 30 can be used, whereby the fastening bolts 30 are inserted into bushings 34 formed on the frames 44 and secured by means of a counter-holder 32 (see the situation of the right-hand illustration of the frame in ). Figure 4 Finally, adjacent insulation bodies 10 can be connected to each other using adhesive strips and / or reversible Velcro fasteners 38.

[0025] The Figures 5 and 6This section demonstrates how, for example, insulating bodies 10 can be arranged on the inner surface 42 of the outer skin 40 using a mounting device module 70, which is explained in more detail below. The insulating bodies 10 are arranged on an outer skin 40 of the aircraft 50, more precisely on an inner surface 42 of the outer skin 40. The aircraft 50 has a plurality of circumferentially formed and radially inwardly projecting frames 44, which are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction 60 of the aircraft 50. According to the method, the insulating body 10 is inserted into a space 46 formed between two adjacent frames 44 by continuously unwinding and simultaneously continuously applying the insulating body 10 to the inner surface 42 of the outer skin 40. The insulating body 10 can be unwound continuously and circumferentially along or between adjacent frames 44.The insulation body 10 can be unwound from an upper cabin vertex 52 along the cabin sides 54 to a lower cabin vertex (not shown). In the . Figures 5 and 6 In a sense, only a quarter of the fuselage cross-section of the aircraft 50 is shown, so the lower cabin apex is not depicted. However, it is understood that, for example, if the aircraft floor 64 is missing, a corresponding complete development of the insulation body 10 up to the corresponding lower cabin apex is possible.

[0026] The Figure 7 Figure 1 shows the installed state of two insulation bodies 10 after they have been installed according to the procedure. In addition to the arrangement of the insulation bodies 10, the so-called cabin side wall panels 58 have also been installed, such that a view through the cabin windows 47 is possible. Furthermore, a support structure 49 comprising several struts has been installed.

[0027] In the Figure 8A mounting device module 70 is shown, which accommodates a flexible insulation body 10. The insulation body 10 is wound around a winding axis 20. The insulation body 10 can be unwound around the winding axis 20 as needed. The mounting device module 70 includes a receiving device 72 for receiving the insulation body 10. The receiving device 72 has a winding axis 20 around which the insulation body 10 can be wound and unwound. The mounting device module 70 further includes a base structure 74, which is designed to be movable along a longitudinal direction 60 of the aircraft 50. The longitudinal dimension L of the base structure 74 corresponds essentially to the distance between adjacent frames 44 in the aircraft fuselage. The mounting device module 70 also includes a mounting arm 76, which is rotatably connected at one end to the base structure 74 and at the other end to the receiving device 72.The length of the mounting arm 76 is adjustable to accommodate different fuselage radii or diameters.

[0028] The Figure 9 shows an alternative attachment of insulating bodies 10 to mounting device modules, such that they can be attached by hanging from an upper point of the mounting device module.

[0029] The Figure 10 Finally, an aircraft 50 is shown in which, by means of a mounting device or one or more mounting device modules 70 and by means of a method for installing insulating bodies 10, several insulating bodies 10 were inserted or arranged on the inside 42 of the outer skin 40.

Claims

1. Insulation body (10) for detachable arrangement on an inner side of an outer skin (40) of an aircraft (50), comprising: - a base body (12) for thermal insulation of an interior region of the aircraft (50), and - at least one fluid-carrying climate duct (14), which is formed from a flexible fabric material (16), - wherein the base body (12) is designed to be flexible, and - wherein the at least one climate duct (14) and the base body (12) are integrally formed.

2. Insulation body (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the base body (12) has a ribbon-like basic shape.

3. Insulation body (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one climate duct (14) is designed as a riser duct along a long side of the base body (12).

4. Insulation body (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible insulation body (10) is designed to be windable and unwindable around a winding axis (20).

5. Method for installing an insulation body (10) according to one of the preceding claims on an outer skin (40) of an aircraft (50), wherein the aircraft (50) has, on an inner side (42) of the outer skin (40), a plurality of circumferentially formed and radially inwardly protruding frames (44) which are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction (60) of the aircraft (50), comprising the following method steps: - inserting the insulation body (10) into an intermediate space (46) formed between two adjacent frames (44) by continuous unwinding and simultaneous, continuous application of the insulation body (10) to the inner side (42) of the outer skin (40), or: - substantially central arrangement of the insulation body (10) along a frame head (48) of the respective frame (44) and continuous, double-sided folding and unwinding of the insulation body (10) around the frame head (48).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the insulation body (10) is unwound continuously and circumferentially along the frames (44).

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the insulation body (10) is unwound from an upper cabin apex (52) along the cabin sides (54) down to a lower cabin apex.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 7, wherein fastening bolts (30) are used to fasten the insulation body (10), wherein the fastening bolts (30) are inserted into bushings (34) formed on the frames (44).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 7, wherein sequentially or simultaneously several insulation bodies (10) a. are inserted into adjacent intermediate spaces (46) or b. are arranged centrally on adjacent frame heads (48).

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 9, wherein adjacent insulation bodies (10) are connected to one another by means of adhesive strips and / or reversible hook-and-loop fasteners (38).