DEVICE FOR DECOUPLING THE MOUNTING AND CONNECTION OF A FUNCTIONAL MODULE

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for decoupling the respective operations of mounting a module on a support structure (S) and its connection to a docking station (A), said module comprising a box (C) containing functional components (B) and having a first handling face (C1) and a second face (C2) provided with at least one connector (12) intended to be connected to a socket (A1) carried by said docking station, characterized in that it comprises at least one longitudinal profile (1), movable in translation inside said box, a first end (1a) of which in the vicinity of the first face (C1) is provided with at least one gripping member (11) and a second end (1b) of which in the vicinity of the second face (C2) carries said connector (12). Abstract figure: Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: DEVICE FOR DECOUPLING THE MOUNTING AND THE CONNECTING A FUNCTIONAL MODULE

[0001] The invention relates to the field of mounting a removable functional module (electrical, optical, mechanical, hydraulic, etc.) on a support structure and is more particularly concerned with the installation of such a module in the architecture of an aircraft and its connection to a stationary docking station.

[0002] There are removable modules which are embedded in vehicles, ships or aircraft, to be mounted on a frame or in a fixed support structure such as a technical cabinet and connected elsewhere or in situ to a stationary functional system.

[0003] These modules are presented in the form of boxes or cases, often heavy and bulky, which contain a set of electrical, mechanical or hydraulic components intended to be connected to the stationary functional system. This connection is made by means of connectors, generally fragile, located at the rear of the module and which plug into a socket on the docking station.

[0004] Such a connection is generally implemented by operators, either by moving the module to connect the connectors blindly to the fixed socket carried by the docking station (so-called "racked" solution), or by mounting the module on the support structure having previously connected the connectors to a mobile socket connected to the docking station and having a sufficient length of conduit or cable.

[0005] Such a connection requires precise handling because the connectors are generally located in the rear part of the module, and therefore opposite the front part of the access for assembly operators. Consequently, the module connection operations are delicate and very laborious.

[0006] Furthermore, both the significant efforts required by operators due to the weight of the modules and their size and the installation tolerances are incompatible with connecting the connectors via blind coupling, in particular when the environment is complex and narrow and leaves little room for maneuver and / or requires specific tools. Under these conditions, there are serious risks of damage or even destruction of the connectors.

[0007] In this problematic context, the invention sought a technical solution consisting, on the one hand, of decoupling the operations of mechanical installation of the module and connection of its connectors to the stationary functional system and allowing, on the other hand, to avoid viewing or access by operators to the rear part of the module.

[0008] This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a device for decoupling the respective operations of mounting a module on a support structure and its connection to a docking station, said module comprising a box containing functional components and having a first handling face and a second face provided with at least one connector intended to be connected to a socket carried by said docking station, characterized in that it comprises at least one longitudinal profile, movable in translation inside said box, a first end of which near the first face is provided with at least one gripping member and a second end of which near the second face carries said connector.

[0009] According to a specific embodiment of the decoupling device of the invention, the profile comprises a deformable element ensuring the connection with the functional components.

[0010] According to an advantageous characteristic of the decoupling device of the invention, the length of the profile is such that, in the transport and assembly position of the module, its second rear end is enclosed in the box and its first end projects outside the box to allow the gripping member to be grasped.

[0011] Jointly, the length of the profile is such that, in the connection position of the module, its second end is in contact with the socket of the docking station.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the decoupling device of the invention, the longitudinal profile is formed of a plate movable in translation in the manner of a drawer between two lateral guide rails.

[0013] According to a specific embodiment, the rails are provided with elastically deformable elements ensuring that play in the board is taken up.

[0014] In an electrotechnical application of the decoupling device of the invention, the rails are made with an electrically conductive material so as to ensure the grounding of the box.

[0015] According to another variant embodiment of the decoupling device of the invention, the docking station carries centering pins intended to cooperate with bores carried opposite said profile.

[0016] Preferably, the longitudinal profile is provided with locking elements in its module connection position.

[0017] In a particular application of the decoupling device of the invention, the first face of the box is the front face and the second face is the rear face.

[0018] Another object of the invention is an electrotechnical module equipped with a decoupling device as defined above.

[0019] Yet another object of the invention is a use of the decoupling device defined above for the installation of an electrotechnical module in the architecture of an aircraft.

[0020] The decoupling device of the invention offers advantageous mobility of the interconnection means inside the module and thus ensures, together with its mounting on the support structure, a precise and almost “automatic” connection to the fixed socket of the docking station.

[0021] The movable profile of the decoupling device can be mounted on any face of the module and in any orientation. In addition, and if necessary, the module housing can be equipped with one or more independent decoupling devices and several connectors for connecting to several fixed sockets, if necessary, on different docking stations.

[0022] The connection of the connectors of the decoupling device of the invention can be automated via the triggering of a specific mechanism, for example, a spring, just like the retracted position, which can be maintained automatically, or be secured manually by the operator by means of a lock, or even be left free (the device retracting in particular when the profile encounters an obstacle).

[0023] The decoupling device of the invention can be arranged in the box so as to remain floating and to ensure mobility during the lifetime of the module, which makes it possible to guarantee good damping of vibrations detrimental to the stability of the connections.

[0024] The decoupling device of the invention finds a particularly interesting application in the aeronautical field but its use can be easily extended to functional components to be secured in various electrical boxes. In particular, the device of the invention allows these boxes to be switched off for maintenance, without it being necessary to dismantle them or extract them from the fixed support structure and when their electrical power supply is not accessible at the rear.

[0025] The invention can also be applied to the assembly, connection and maintenance of functional, compact and / or lightweight modules, such as screens, electronic boxes, etc., but also in the mechanical, optical, hydraulic, etc. fields for all types of boxes requiring functional connections or connections. PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0026] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the non-limiting description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0027] [Fig. 1] is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the decoupling device of the invention during mounting of the module on the support structure and before its connection to the docking station.

[0028] [Fig.2] is a schematic diagram of the device of [Fig.l] when moving the module on the support structure towards the docking station.

[0029] [Fig.3] is a block diagram of the device of [Fig.l] when connecting the module to the docking station.

[0030] [Fig.4] is a schematic top and horizontal sectional view of the decoupling device of [Fig.l] during mounting of the module on the support structure and before its connection to the docking station.

[0031] [Fig.5] is a partial side view and vertical section along XX of the decoupling device of [Fig.l].

[0032] For greater clarity, identical or similar elements are indicated by identical reference signs in the following description and in the figures. Naturally, the embodiments of the invention illustrated schematically by the figures presented above and described below are given only as non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided within the scope of the invention that different embodiments can be proposed and combined with each other to propose others. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The invention relates to the mounting of functional modules on board a support structure or frame and their connection to a docking station integrated into this structure.

[0034] The description below of the invention, with reference to the appended figures 1 to 5, relates more particularly to an improved device intended for the decoupling, in aircraft architecture, of the operations of mounting on a support structure and connection to a docking station, of removable and on-board electrical modules.

[0035] However, the decoupling device of the invention can also be applied to other technical fields in which different removable functional modules (mechanical, optical, hydraulic, etc.) are provided and installed, formed from boxes capable of being mounted and connected to fixed systems.

[0036] The boxes of the removable modules containing the functional components are generally heavy and large. Their handling and assembly are therefore laborious and delicate operations due to the fragility of the connections and the lack of visibility of the operators.

[0037] The invention aims to facilitate the operations of installing electrical modules, in particular in the architecture of an aircraft, by allowing, jointly and almost automatically, as illustrated by the steps illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the mounting of a box C on a support structure or frame S and its electrical connection to the docking station A. These modules house an electrical / electronic system B comprising various components (shown schematically in Figures 1 to 3) which are mounted and connected in the workshop inside the boxes C.

[0038] The boxes C delimiting the envelope of these modules generally have a first handling face C1, here located at the front of the box on the side of the handling operator, and a second face C2, here located at the rear of this box. The rear face C2, which is not visible to the operator during assembly, is provided with at least one connector 12 intended to be connected and plugged into a socket A1 carried by the docking station A. In the application described here, the connector 12 and the socket A1 are electrical conductors.

[0039] The improvement provided by the invention consists, in general, in equipping the box C with at least one longitudinal profile 1, movable in translation inside the box, with a large amplitude in the longitudinal direction and a small amplitude in the transverse direction. A first end 1a of this profile 1 is located on the side and close to the first face C1 and is provided with at least one gripping member 11 (and in the embodiment shown in [Fig. 4], two gripping members 11). A second end 1b of this profile is located on the side and close to the second face C2 and carries the connector 12. The gripping member 11 allows the assembly operator to exert a thrust force on the profile 1 in order to move it in translation through the box C (in the direction of the arrows in Figures 2 and 4).

[0040] The length of the profile 1 is determined beforehand according to the dimensions of the box C so that, in the transport and assembly position of the module, its second rear end 1b remains in the box C so as to protect the connector 12 against possible impacts and its first end 1a projects outside the box C to allow manual pressure on the gripping member 11 by the operator. The length of the profile 1 is also determined so that, in the connection position of the module, its second end 1b, and therefore the connector 12, is in contact with the socket A1 of the docking station A ([Fig.3]).

[0041] The profile 1 further comprises a deformable element 10 ensuring the mechanical and electrical connections with the functional components of the system B housed inside the box C. In this way and thanks to the flexibility of the element 10, the transverse movement of the profile 1 in the box C does not cause any degradation or rupture of the mechanical and electrical connections of the internal functional system B.

[0042] In the embodiment of the decoupling device of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, the longitudinal profile 1 is here formed of a movable plate 13 in translation in the manner of a drawer between two lateral guide rails 30a, 30b (Figures 4 and 5) forming a slide.

[0043] Preferably, these rails forming a slide are provided with elastically deformable elements 31 (spring blades, elastic bands, etc.) ensuring the compensation of the play of the plate 13. This embodiment allows a pre-centered positioning of the plate 13 during the approach phase between the bores 14 and the pins A2 and authorizes the use of pins of small dimensions while avoiding harmful and noisy movements of the plate 13 in the box C during its transport before its assembly and locking.

[0044] In an electrotechnical application of the decoupling device of the invention, the rails 30a, 30b are made with an electrically conductive material so as to ensure the grounding of the box C.

[0045] According to a first variant embodiment of the invention, no part is added to the slide and sufficient play is left to allow the plate 13 to move freely during the approach and during the centering phase on the pins A2. Then, at the end of the stroke, the plate 13 loses its mobility by a play-free adjustment between the pins A2 and the bores 14 at the rear completed by an activation of the locking members at the front of the plate 13. The technical interest of this variant lies in the simplicity of the assembly but requires the use of large diameter pins to compensate for a possible transverse displacement of the plate 13.

[0046] The docking station A carries centering pins A2 intended to cooperate with bores 14 carried opposite by the profile 1. Preferably, the profile 1 is provided with elements (not shown here) ensuring locking in the connection position of the module.

[0047] The centering pins A2 being integral with the docking station A which is fixed and the bores 14 being arranged on the plate 13 and housed in the connector 12, this arrangement makes it possible to avoid any deformation of a pin which would protrude from the box or injure the operators.

[0048] The tray 3 is pushed manually by the operator to the front C1 of the box C of the module and acts directly on the connectors located at the rear C2, thus creating a new kinematics for connecting and locking the interconnection means. Conversely, the tray 13 can be moved back by the operator and retracted during the module handling phases, which ensures protection of the connectors against impacts.

[0049] Thanks to the flexibility of the connecting element 10, the mechanical decoupling carried out during the movement of the plate 13 preserves the internal functional system B and the handling the module no longer involves any stress on the electrical connections and, conversely, the electrical connections no longer involve any stress on handling the module.

[0050] Thanks to the invention, the guidance and locking of the connectors are independent of the structural characteristics of the module, which makes it possible to overcome the constraints and mechanical tolerances between the module, its support structure and the docking station.

Claims

Claims

1. Device for decoupling the respective operations of mounting a module on a support structure (S) and its connection to a docking station (A), said module comprising a box (C) containing functional components (B) and having a first handling face (Cl) and a second face (C2) provided with at least one connector (12) intended to be connected to a socket (Al) carried by said docking station, characterized in that it comprises at least one longitudinal profile (1), movable in translation inside said box, a first end (la) of which near the first face (Cl) is provided with at least one gripping member (11) and a second end (1b) of which near the second face (C2) carries said connector (12).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said profile (1) comprises a deformable element (10) ensuring the connection with the functional components (B).

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the profile (1) is such that, in the transport and assembly position of the module, its second rear end (1b) is enclosed in the box (C) and its first end (1a) projects outside the box to allow the gripping member (11) to be grasped.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the profile (1) is such that, in the connection position of the module, its second end (1b) is in contact with the socket (Al) of the docking station (A).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said longitudinal profile (1) is formed of a plate (13) movable in translation in the manner of a drawer between two lateral guide rails (30a, 30b).

6. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said rails (30a, 30b) are provided with elastically deformable elements (31) ensuring the compensation of the play of the plate (13).

7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said rails (30a, 30b) are made with an electrically conductive material so as to ensure the grounding of the box (C).

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the docking station (A) carries centering pins (A2) intended to cooperate with bores (14) carried opposite said profile (1).

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal profile (1) is provided with locking elements in its module connection position.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first face (Cl) of the box (C) is the front face and the second face (C2) is the rear face.

11. Electrotechnical module equipped with a decoupling device according to one of the preceding claims.

12. Use of the device according to one of the preceding claims for the installation of an electrotechnical module in the architecture of an aircraft.

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