METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE STABILIZER GUIDE FOR VEHICLE DOORS WITH CONNECTING ROD LOCK

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a method for stabilizing a door during its opening / closing, as well as to a system comprising a semi-plug-type aircraft door, a door frame, an opening / closing mechanism, and a stabilizing guide assembly for its operation, for vehicles transporting people and / or goods. More particularly, the present invention relates to semi-plug-type doors, that is, doors capable of passing through their frame during opening and closing. Aircraft, coaches, and truck cabs are specifically designed to be equipped with such doors.

[0002] In aeronautics, stops installed around the perimeter of the door and its frame allow the door to be engaged and held securely in place. These stops are subjected to increased stress during flight due to cabin pressurization. Conversely, when the aircraft is stationary on the ground, the stops are disengaged to allow the doors to open. The doors and their opening / closing mechanisms are designed for quick and easy operation, while preventing damage to the aircraft structure—particularly the fuselage—to which they are attached. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] A classic type of opening mechanism involves keeping the door constantly parallel to the fuselage to prevent it from striking the fuselage in the event of an emergency opening or adverse weather conditions. The stop disengagement step is therefore performed while keeping the door parallel to the fuselage: to achieve this, the door is first raised or lowered to disengage the stops, before a circular translational movement is applied to remove it from its frame; that is, the door remains parallel to itself during its movement while describing a circular trajectory.

[0004] A major drawback of this system is that it places the entire weight of the door on the flight crew during the stop disengagement phase. Improvements to facilitate this task include mass compensation mechanisms and additional articulation arms, but these measures significantly increase the overall weight of the door.

[0005] Another opening system, as described in US patent 2751636A, generates a door opening / closing kinematics that are not parallel to the fuselage. This kinematics consists of first pivoting the door around an axis passing through its vertical midline to disengage the stops, then performing a second circular translational movement, known as "swivelling," of the door around an axis coinciding with a vertical edge of the frame. Such a system, which eliminates the need for a mass mechanism and facilitates door handling, remains highly complex to implement because it involves a combination of numerous connecting rods, linkages, and gears, as well as a release lever located near the door on its frame.

[0006] Furthermore, the initial pivoting action for disengaging the stops can be replaced by another mechanism, as described in patent FR3087189, which has the advantage of being actuated at mid-height of the door directly via the door arm. However, this solution also remains complex to implement.

[0007] In general, regardless of the kinematics, the swivelling phase presents risks of instability which lead to difficulties in handling the door, prolonged opening / closing times, as well as damage resulting from impacts of the door on the aircraft fuselage.

[0008] It is known that this problem of door instability during the swiveling phase has been addressed by using two rotating guide rods positioned at the top of the door. This embodiment implies that the door remains permanently parallel to the fuselage, particularly during the stop disengagement phase, which the invention seeks to avoid in order to prevent having to raise / lower the door or increasing the overall mass. Furthermore, it is necessary to use at least two guide rods at the top of the door because if only one rod is used, during the rotation of the door arm between approximately 110° and 135°, the chord of the door arm and the guide rod coincide, and the kinematics become unstable. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The main objective of the invention is to solve the stability problem during the swivelling phase in the context of an exit or entry kinematic of the door not parallel to the fuselage, having the advantage of freeing oneself from the constraint of vertical lifting / lowering, and therefore offering a door that is easy to handle and has a mass saving.

[0010] To stabilize the door, the invention provides for the use of a guide rod, called a stabilizing rod, this rod being free in translation on the door during the phase of disengagement of the stops and locking when the swivelling phase begins, in order to guide and maintain the door parallel to the fuselage by this guide rod then locked, thus providing the desired stabilization to the door.

[0011] More specifically, the present invention relates to a stabilizing guidance method for a semi-plug type aircraft door during its opening / closing according to claim 1.

[0012] Advantageously, in addition to stabilizing the door during opening, the stabilizing rod does not restrict the clear passage space when the door is fully retracted from its frame because it does not protrude beyond the arm's volume. Similarly, when the door is closed, the stabilizing rod and its locking mechanism do not extend into the cabin.

[0013] In certain preferred forms of implementation: A return means triggers the locking / unlocking of the stabilizing rod between two operating positions corresponding respectively to the locking and unlocking of the stabilizing rod; in the locked position, the stabilizing rod is blocked in translation along the door and, in the unlocked position, the stabilizing rod is released in translation along the door; during the disengagement and re-engagement phases of the stops, the return means is actuated by locking / unlocking bearings of the stabilizing rod, these bearings corresponding to the two operating positions of the return means; during the swivelling and swivelling-return phases, the return means is not actuated by the locking / unlocking bearings.

[0014] The invention also relates to a system comprising a semi-plug type aircraft door, a door frame, an opening / closing mechanism and a door stabilizing guide assembly according to claim 6.

[0015] According to certain preferred embodiments: the stabilizing rod locking mechanism is located on a median area of ​​the top edge of the door; the stabilizing rod locking / unlocking mechanism consists of at least two devices, a first device attached to the door and a second attached to the door frame, the first device comprising a lever articulated on an axis and a lever support equipped with a slide in which the movable end of the stabilizing rod can move in horizontal translation relative to the door, and the second comprising the control ramp as well as a follower ramp of the first device during the disengagement / re-engagement phases of the door stops, these two ramps being joined together and positioned in a horizontal plane; the lever has an opening at one end which, in the locked position, is engaged on the stabilizing rod to block its movement along the door and which, in the unlocked position, is able to release the stabilizing rod from moving along the door and, at its other end, a finger which maintains, during the disengagement and re-engagement phases of the stops, the contact of the stabilizing rod on the control ramp; the lever return means is a torsion spring wound around the axis of the lever arranged so that it positions the lever in the locked position when it is released; the control ramp is arranged and dimensioned so that, at the end of the disengagement phase of the stops, the lever passes into the locking position of the stabilizing rod and that, at the beginning of the re-engagement phase of the stops, the lever passes into the unlocking position of the stabilizing rod;The control ramp bearings consist of a first and a second horizontal and parallel bearing, arranged so that, when the door is in the closed position, the first bearing makes contact with the lever finger, the torsion spring maintaining this finger in contact thus placing the lever in the unlocking position of the stabilizing rod and, when the door reaches the end of the disengagement phase of the stops or the beginning of the re-engagement phase of the stops, the second bearing makes contact with the lever finger placing the lever in the locking position of the stabilizing rod; the two bearings of the control ramp are connected to each other by a surface defining a transition slope.

[0016] The stop disengagement phase refers to all the steps that begin with the separation of the frame and door stops, continue until the door exits its frame, and end when the door is once again parallel to the fuselage. Similarly, the stop reengagement phase begins at the end of the swivelling-return phase, when the door is no longer parallel to the fuselage and is about to re-enter its door frame, and ends when the frame and door stops are in contact on both sides at the front and rear of the frame.

[0017] In this text, the term "horizontal" for a flat surface means that this surface is parallel to the ground on which the vehicle rests, particularly an aircraft in taxiing or stationary position. The term "above" one flat surface relative to another means that this surface is located at a greater height than the other relative to said ground. PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed embodiment, without limiting its scope, by reference to the accompanying figures which represent, respectively: there figure 1 is a perspective view of an airplane with its conventional axis system; the figure 2 a front view of an aircraft door in its recess in the closed position; the figure 3 is a front view of an aircraft door in the open position; the figure 4a , there figure 4b , there figure 4c , there figure 4d , there figure 4e , there figure 4f and the figure 4g These are perspective views of the kinematics of the door stop disengagement at the level of the stabilizing rod located in the upper part of the door; the figure 5a and the figure 5b are perspective views of the control ramp in action on the locking lever; the figure 6a is a perspective view of the locking lever in the unlocked position; the figure 6b is a perspective view of the locking lever in the locked position; the figure 7a , there figure 7b , and the figure 7c are perspective views of successive positions of the door by the stabilizing rod during the swivelling phase. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] With reference to the overall view of the figure 1 An aircraft 1 and its conventional right-handed coordinate system (X, YZ) are shown to define the different directions used: the X-axis along the longitudinal direction of aircraft 1, the Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis and defining a plane XY parallel to the ground on which the aircraft rests, and the Z-axis completing the right-handed coordinate system. The fuselage 10 of this aircraft 1 has, in particular, two passenger door openings P, P' on the same fuselage face 10a.

[0020] There figure 2 This specifically shows a semi-plug-type door 2 within its frame 3 in a closed configuration. The door 2 is hinged to its frame 3 by means of a door arm 4 and two connecting rods (5, 6): a connecting rod 5 which assists in the door's operation in conjunction with and in the vicinity of the arm 4, and a stabilizing connecting rod 6 located at the upper edge 2h of the door 2, in this embodiment. This stabilizing connecting rod 6 is movable: in rotation with respect to frame 3, and, in rotation and translation longitudinally between the front and rear of the door, defined with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of aircraft 1, the front of the door being the vertical door edge 2a located on the front side.

[0021] In this closing configuration, the frame stops 7 and the door stops 8 are engaged at twelve points of contact, six of which are positioned at the front and six at the rear.

[0022] There figure 3 illustrates the door 2 in its open configuration and the elements which are integral with the door frame 3, namely: the frame stops 7, the attachment 6A of the upper guide rod 6 on the frame 3, as well as the guide rail 12 and the control rail 14 of the locking / unlocking system 9 of the guide rod 6.

[0023] The locking mechanism for the upper guide rod 9 is installed in the middle area 2m from the top of the door.

[0024] THE figures 4a à 4g present a view from below of the locking / unlocking mechanism 9 of the stabilizing guide rod 6 during the disengagement kinematics of the frame stops 7 and the door stops 8, according to the different phases that follow.

[0025] There figure 4a The diagram first shows the position of the upper guide rod 6, as well as that of its movable axis 6C in translation within its slide 6B relative to the door 2, when the door is in the closed position. The frame stops 7 and the door stops 8 are engaged on each side of the door 2. The locking / unlocking mechanism 9 comprises two devices, the first consisting of a lever 15 and a lever support 11, and the second consisting of a guide rail 12 and a control rail 14.

[0026] The support ramp 12 and the control ramp 14 are joined together and fixed to the door frame 3. The lever support 11 is fixed to the upper edge 2h of the door 2. This support 11 consists of a triangular plate having at its base a slide 6B allowing the translational movement of the stabilizing guide rod 6, and a horizontal axis 15C around which a torsion spring 16 is wound (cf. figures 6a Or 6b ).

[0027] The lever 15 is integral with the torsion spring 16 so that this lever 15 pivots in return around this spring 16 and the horizontal axis 15C of the lever support 11, defining two operating positions: a locking position and an unlocking position of the stabilizing rod 6. In addition, the lever 15 has at one of its ends a finger 15A making contact with the control ramp 14 and, at its other end, an opening 15B (cf. figures 6a Or 6b ) which, when it engages in the moving axis 6C in translation of the stabilizing guide rod 6, causes the said translation to be blocked.

[0028] As for the control ramp 14, its function is to activate or deactivate the locking of the movable stabilizing guide rod 6 by blocking the translation of said rod. To this end, the control ramp 14 has two horizontal bearings (14B, 14C) parallel to each other, connected by a transition slope 14A. A first bearing 14B is positioned at a height such that when the finger of lever 15A makes contact with it, the torsion spring 16 maintains contact, placing the lever 15 in the unlocked position. The stabilizing rod 6 is then unlocked and free to move in translation.

[0029] The lever finger 15A moves along this first bearing 14B during the initial phase of the disengagement of the stops (7, 8) until it reaches the transition slope 14A. Since this disengagement phase of the stops (7, 8) occurs in a horizontal plane, the torsion spring 16 maintains constant contact between the lever finger 15A and the transition slope 14A until it reaches the second bearing 14C, positioned at a higher height than the first bearing. Under these conditions, when the lever finger 15A makes contact with this second bearing, the torsion spring 16 then holds the other end 15B of the lever in the locking position of the movable axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6.

[0030] Indeed, when the finger of lever 15A, under the action of the torsion spring 16, slides on the transition slope 14A to move from one bearing to the other, the lever 15 pivots around its axis 15C. At the end of the second bearing 14C, the finger of lever 15A then loses contact and the torsion spring 16 keeps the movable axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6 locked for the remainder of the door opening.

[0031] During the return phase of re-engagement of the stops (7, 8), the reverse process is observed: initially the finger of lever 15A is free and the mobile axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6 is locked, then the finger of lever 15A comes into contact with the second bearing 14C until it reaches the transition slope 14A. The contact being maintained on this slope, the lever 15 will pivot around its axis 15C and release the mobile axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6 when the finger of lever 15A reaches the first bearing 14B: the stabilizing rod 6 being mobile again, the door closing kinematics can be carried out.

[0032] There figure 4b shows the beginning of the opening phase of door 2 with in particular the disengagement of the door stops 8 and the frame stops 7. The guide ramp 12 allows the lever support 11 to follow the disengagement / re-engagement kinematics of the stops via its guide rod 13.

[0033] In the kinematics, door 2 underwent a translational movement backwards and inwards towards the cabin, as initiated by the first step of the process. The guide rail 12 is specifically designed for this initial kinematic movement to avoid obstructing the movement of door 2. Consequently, the stabilizing rod 6 is subjected to a forward translation of door 2 within its slide 6B.

[0034] THE figures 4c, 4d And 4eThey detail the release of door 2 until its complete extension parallel to the frame 3 on the outside of the fuselage, achieved by a rotational movement of the door around its rear section followed by an inclined translation forwards and outwards. During this first step of the process, the finger of lever 15A remains in contact with the first bearing 14B of the control rail 14: the locking system remains deactivated and the stabilizing rod 6 retains its translational mobility during these steps and travels the entire length of the slide 6B.

[0035] There figure 4f illustrates the finger of lever 15A at the entrance of the transition slope 14A of the control ramp 14: the torsion spring 16 being configured so that the finger of lever 15A is permanently in contact with the control ramp 14 as long as it is accessible, the change of slope causing the activation of the locking mechanism of the movable axis 6C of the stabilizing link 6.

[0036] In the figure 4g , the finger of lever 15A is on the second bearing 14C of the control ramp 14 and the stabilizing rod 6 is blocked in translation relative to the door 2 by the locking of the movable axis 6C according to the second step of the process.

[0037] THE figures 5a et 5b represent a perspective view of the locking mechanism 9, and more specifically the lever 15 during the activation of the locking mechanism of the movable axis 6C of the stabilizing link 6. In the figure 5a The finger of lever 15A is still on the first bearing 14B and the other end 15B of lever 15 is raised and the stabilizing rod 6 is movable in translation according to the first step of the process. In the figure 5b , the finger of lever 15A, under the action of the torsion spring 16, keeps in contact with the control ramp 14. The transition slope 14A of the control ramp 14 then causes a change of position of the lever 15 which pivots on its axis 15C and engages on the mobile axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6 in order to lock its translation in accordance with the second step of the process.

[0038] THE figures 6a And 6b illustrate top views of lever 15 in locked and unlocked positions: in figure 6a , the movable axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6 is free and the latter can move in translation within its slide 6B relative to the door 2 in accordance with the first step of the method; and in figure 6b , the lever 15 came to engage - by its other end 15B - the mobile axis 6C of the stabilizing rod 6, thus making it immobile and locking the translational movements of the stabilizing rod 6 in accordance with the second step of the process.

[0039] THE figures 7a, 7b And 7c show the initiation of the door's swiveling stage. In the figure 7a The finger of lever 15A is in contact with the second bearing 14C of the control ramp 14, which has caused the stabilizing rod 6 to lock. In the figures 7b And 7c, the door 2 opens progressively and the lever 15 has lost contact with the control ramp 14. The stabilizing rod 6 is blocked in translation and thus provides a stabilizing function to the door 2 when it opens according to the third step of the process.

[0040] Thus, the guide rail 12 for the locking / unlocking mechanism can be offset from the central area of ​​the door and therefore be separate from the control rail. Furthermore, the door may have several rails to assist its opening / closing movement: it is then possible to use one of these to form the guide rail 12 for the locking / unlocking mechanism and to connect it to the control rail 14.

[0041] Furthermore, the stabilizing rod could be fixed to the door and move along its axis at its attachment point on the door frame: the locking mechanism is then offset to the door frame. Finally, the invention applies to any vehicle with a semi-plug-type door that moves during opening / closing.

Claims

1. Method for stabilizing a semi-plug type aircraft door during its opening / closing, said door (2) being arranged in an aircraft opening (P, P') defining a door frame structure (3), comprising front and rear parts, defined in relation to a longitudinal axis (X axis) of the aircraft oriented conventionally between a rear and a front, the aircraft defining interior and exterior spaces, the kinematics of the movements of disengagement of the door (2) relative to its frame (3) and of its complete opening by circular translation, known as swivelling, taking place in the same horizontal plane, the method comprising the following steps, in door opening mode: - a phase of disengagement of the stops (7, 8) by a first movement of the door (2) rearward and inward of the aircraft according to a rotation and a translation, followed by a second movement of the door (2) by rotation about its rear part, then a forward and outward inclined translation of the door, leading to the exit of the door (2) parallel to its frame (3) outside the aircraft, during which a stabilizing connecting rod (6) moves, characterized in that the stabilizing connecting rod is located at the edge of the door (2h) and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and one of whose ends (6c) is freely movable in horizontal translation parallel to a horizontal section of the door (2); - locking of said movable end (6c) on the door (2) at the end of this stop disengagement phase, this end (6c) then being adapted so that it no longer moves freely while remaining articulated on the door (2); and - stabilized guidance of the door (2) by said stabilizing connecting rod (6) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft during the swiveling phase; and in closing mode according to reverse kinematics: - the stabilizing connecting rod (6) is kept locked, stabilizing the guidance of the door (2) during a return swivelling phase; - one of the ends (6c) of the stabilizing connecting rod (6) is unlocked and free to move horizontally relative to the door (2); and - a phase of re-engagement of the stops (7, 8).

2. Door stabilizing guide method according to claim 1, in which a return means (16) triggers the locking / unlocking of the stabilizing connecting rod (6) between two operating positions corresponding respectively to the locking and unlocking of the stabilizing connecting rod (6).

3. Door stabilizing guide method according to claim 2, wherein in the locking position the stabilizing connecting rod (6) is blocked from translating along the door (2) and in the unlocking position, the stabilizing connecting rod (6) is free to translate along the door (2).

4. Method for stabilizing door guidance according to claim 3, wherein during the disengagement and reengagement phases of the stops (7, 8), the return means (16) is actuated by locking / unlocking bearings of the stabilizing connecting rod (6), these bearings corresponding to the two operating positions of the return means (16).

5. Door stabilizing guide method according to claim 4, wherein during the swiveling and reverse swiveling phases, the return means (16) is not actuated by the locking / unlocking bearings.

6. System comprising a semi-plug type aircraft door (2), a door frame (3), an opening / closing mechanism and a door stabilizing guide assembly for implementing the method according to any of the preceding claims, said door (2) being engaged in the door frame (3) by stops (7, 8), the guide assembly comprising a stabilizing connecting rod (6) with a fastener (6a) on the door frame (3) and an end (6c), characterized in that the stabilizing connecting rod (6), located on a door edge (2h) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, is movable in translation at one of its ends (6C) relative to the door in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft during the disengagement and re-engagement phases of the stops (7, 8), and is locked to the door (2) during the swivelling and return swivelling phases by a lever locking mechanism (15) capable of being actuated by the return means (16) between its two operating positions and held, during the disengagement and re-engagement phases of the stops (7, 8), in conjunction with a control ramp (14) integral with the door frame (3) and comprising the locking / unlocking bearings.

7. System according to the previous claim, characterized in that a locking / unlocking mechanism (9) is located in a middle area (2m) at the edge (2h) of the top of the door.

8. System according to claim 7, characterized in that the locking / unlocking mechanism (9) of the stabilizing connecting rod (6) is composed of at least two devices, a first device (11, 15) being integral with the door (2) and a second device (12, 14) being integral with the door frame (3), the first device (11, 15) comprising a lever (15) articulated on an axis (15C) and a lever support (11) provided with a slide (6B) in which the movable end (6C) of the stabilizing connecting rod (6) can move horizontally relative to the door (2), and the second device (12, 14) comprising the control ramp (14) and a tracking ramp (12) for the first device (11, 15) during the disengagement / reengagement phases of the stops (7, 8) of the door (2), these two ramps (12, 14) being attached to each other and positioned in a horizontal plane;9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the lever (15) has an opening at one of its ends (15B) which, in the locked position, is engaged on the stabilizing connecting rod (6) in order to block its translation along the door (2) and which, in the unlocked position, is capable of releasing the stabilizing connecting rod (6) from translating along the door (2) and, at its other end, a finger (15A) which, during the disengagement and reengagement phases of the stops (7, 8), maintains contact between the stabilizing connecting rod (6) and the control ramp (14).

10. System according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the return means is a torsion spring (16) wound around the axis (15C) of the lever and arranged so that it positions the lever (15) in the locked position when released.

11. System according to any of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the control ramp (14) is arranged and dimensioned such that at the end of the disengagement phase of the stops (7, 8), the lever (15) moves into the locking position of the stabilizing connecting rod (6) and that, at the beginning of the re-engagement phase of the stops (7, 8), the lever (15) moves into the unlocking position of the stabilizing connecting rod (6). (7, 8) the lever (15) moves into the locking position of the stabilizing rod (6) and that, at the beginning of the re-engagement phase of the stops (7, 8), the lever moves into the unlocking position of the stabilizing rod (6).

12. System according to any of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the bearings of the control ramp (14) consist of a first and a second bearing (14B, 14C), which are horizontal and parallel, arranged so that, when the door (2) is in the closed position, the first bearing (14B) makes contact with the lever finger (15A) and when the door (2) reaches the end of the disengagement phase of the stops (7, 8) or the beginning of the re-engagement phase of the stops (7, 8), the second bearing (14C) makes contact with the lever finger (15A).

13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the two control bearings (14B, 14C) are connected to each other by a surface defining a transition slope (14A).