Sealing plate for cabin door of aircraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adaptive cabin door pneumatic sealing plate for a cabin door of an aircraft, comprising a fixed portion and a deformable portion, wherein the fixed portion is fixed on the cabin door, and the deformable portion extends from the fixed portion to the fuselage of the aircraft. The sealing plate comprises a temperature control unit, and the temperature control unit can be operated to control the temperature of the deformable portion, so that the deformable portion deforms between an open state and a closed state.

Description

Sealing plate for aircraft cabin door Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aircraft cabin door design, in particular to a sealing plate for an aircraft cabin door. Background Art

[0002] Usually, between the cabin door of aircraft and fuselage, be provided with space, so that the opening and closing of cabin door.For example, space is typically arranged between the upper edge of the cabin door of aircraft and fuselage door frame, for the operator to lift up the cabin door.

[0003] Due to the cold weather at high altitudes, the exposed exterior surfaces of the fuselage and doors during flight can collide with supercooled water droplets in the air, causing ice or snow to accumulate on the fuselage and doors. If there is no shielding in the space between the door and the fuselage, this ice or snow can enter the space, blocking the door and preventing it from opening.

[0004] Therefore, a sealing plate is generally provided on the outer surface of the aircraft door to shield the space between the door and the fuselage structure. The sealing plate usually adopts pneumatic sealing.

[0005] Traditional aerodynamic sealing panels are designed using pre-deformed metal plates that extend beyond the outer skin, with wear-resistant materials with a low coefficient of friction installed on the inner side. This traditional solution, which uses a pre-deformed bend to ensure aerodynamic sealing, can present different challenges depending on the torsional stiffness. High torsional stiffness can reduce vibration and noise when the local structure contacts the fuselage skin, but it can also exacerbate fuselage wear. Low torsional stiffness, while reducing wear, can also produce vibration and whistling at certain flight altitudes and speeds.

[0006] Some current solutions use sealing plates made of materials with different thermal expansion properties. Such sealing plates can be pressed against the fuselage at low temperatures (e.g., below -20°C) to achieve sealing, and can leave the fuselage at higher temperatures (e.g., above 10°C) to facilitate opening the cabin door. However, such sealing plates that deform according to the ambient temperature are difficult to control and do not completely solve the interference, vibration, and howling problems of pneumatic sealing plates. In some cases, insufficient material deformation may even lead to sealing failure. At the same time, due to the low temperature in some areas, such sealing plates cannot leave the fuselage or cannot leave the fuselage quickly after the aircraft lands, resulting in the inability to open the low-temperature cabin door normally.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a sealing plate that can at least partially address some of the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the limitations of existing sealing plates, this invention proposes a sealing plate for aircraft doors. Compared to existing door sealing plates, this design incorporates active deformation control. By applying a temperature load to the shape memory alloy, the deformation of the distal end of the sealing plate is controlled. Furthermore, a piezoelectric element is embedded within the sealing plate to control vibration modes, thereby mitigating vibrations.

[0010] Specifically, this sealing panel for an aircraft door includes a fixed portion and a deformable portion, wherein the fixed portion is fixed to the door and the deformable portion extends from the fixed portion to the aircraft fuselage. The sealing panel includes a temperature control unit operable to control the temperature of the deformable portion so that the deformable portion deforms between an open state and a closed state.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the fixed portion is fixed to a door skin of the door, and the deformable portion extends onto a fuselage skin of the fuselage.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the deformable portion is made of a shape memory alloy. By performing two-way memory training on the shape memory alloy, the sealing plate including the deformable portion can have the ability to generate expansion and contraction deformation with temperature changes.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the temperature control unit is embedded in the deformable portion so as to directly heat or cool the deformable portion.

[0014] Furthermore, the sealing plate of the present invention further comprises a piezoelectric element, which is integrated into the temperature control unit and reduces the mechanical energy of the system by maximizing electromechanical conversion energy, thereby reducing vibration.

[0015] Advantageously, the sealing plate further comprises a sensor configured to feed back the real-time temperature of the sealing plate.

[0016] The present invention also provides an aircraft, comprising any one of the sealing panels for aircraft cabin doors as described above.

[0017] Additional features and advantages of the described sealing panel for an aircraft door will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, including the detailed description that follows and the accompanying drawings, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description or will be recognized by those skilled in the art from practicing the embodiments described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] With reference to the above purposes, the technical features of the present invention are clearly described in the following embodiments, and its advantages are apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example without limiting the scope of the inventive concept.

[0019] FIG1 shows a partial view of an aircraft fuselage, illustrating the position of a sealing panel for a cabin door of the aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing a sealing plate for an aircraft cabin door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG3 shows a sealing panel for a cabin door of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sealing panel is in an open state; and

[0022] FIG4 shows a sealing panel for a cabin door of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sealing panel is in a closed state.

[0023] Reference numerals: 1 fuselage 2 cabin door 3 sealing plate 11 fixed portion 12 deformable portion 13 temperature control element 14 cabin door skin 15 fuselage door frame 16 fuselage skin DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings so as to provide a clearer understanding of the objectives, features and advantages of the present invention.

[0025] The term "open state" used in this article refers to a state in which the sealing panel does not contact the fuselage of the aircraft or at least does not affect the movement of the cabin door; the term "closed state" refers to a state in which the sealing panel abuts the fuselage of the aircraft. In the closed state, the sealing panel seals the space between the cabin door and the fuselage.

[0026] As used herein, the term "outboard" refers to the side of the containment panel that faces the external environment, while the opposite "inboard" refers to the side of the containment panel that faces the space between the door and the fuselage of the aircraft.

[0027] The present invention is applicable to the fields of civil aviation, general aviation, aerospace, etc. Although the sealing panel of the present invention is explained as being used for a cabin door of an aircraft, the sealing panel of the present invention can also be used for doors of various other aircraft.

[0028] Figure 1 shows a partial view of an aircraft fuselage 1, illustrating the position of a sealing panel 3 for an aircraft door 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown, sealing panel 3 is configured to cover the space (not shown) between the upper edge of door 2 (here, the upper edge of the door frame is defined based on the position and orientation of the door frame during normal flight) and the door frame of fuselage 1. It should be understood that sealing panel 3 can cover not only the space between the upper edge of door 2 and the door frame, but also the space between portions of other edges of the door and the door frame, or even along the entire perimeter of the door, as long as the sealing panel 3 does not interfere with the opening and closing of door 2 (in which case the sealing panel can be formed as a sealing strip). A portion of sealing panel 3 is fixed to door 2 (hereinafter referred to as the "fixed portion"), while a non-fixed portion of sealing panel 3 extends beyond door 2 and at least partially overlaps fuselage 1.

[0029] FIG2 shows a schematic diagram of a sealing plate 3 for a cabin door of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the sealing plate 3 includes a fixed portion 11 and a deformable portion 12, wherein the fixed portion 11 is fixed to the cabin door, and the deformable portion 12 extends from the fixed portion 11 to the fuselage of the aircraft. In a preferred embodiment, the deformable portion 12 is made of a shape memory alloy. By performing two-way memory training on the shape memory alloy, the sealing plate 3 including the deformable portion 12 can have the ability to produce telescopic deformation with temperature changes. Alternatively, the deformable portion 12 can be made of other materials that can be deformed according to temperature changes, such as fiber reinforced plastic or aluminum. In addition, although the deformable portion 12 is shown to have a flat edge in the figure, the edge of the deformable portion 12 can have other shapes, such as a zigzag shape, a wavy shape, etc.

[0030] In this embodiment, the sealing plate 3 further includes a temperature control unit 13. The temperature control unit 13 can be operated to control the temperature of the deformable portion 12 (for example, heating the deformable portion 12) so that the deformable portion 12 is deformed between an open state and a closed state as described below. The sealing plate 3 may also include a sensor (not shown) to feedback the real-time temperature of the sealing plate 3 (specifically, the deformable portion 12). In the case where the deformable portion 12 is made of a shape memory alloy, the operator can heat the shape memory alloy by heating and cooling it, and the real-time temperature is fed back by the sensor, thereby achieving controllable expansion and contraction of the shape memory alloy strip, and ultimately changing the distal displacement of the sealing plate 3 to achieve bending deformation.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the operator can heat the deformable portion 12 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 20° C.) with the aid of the temperature control unit 13, causing the deformable portion 12 to expand and bend, and can cool the deformable portion 12 to contract and deform. In another embodiment, the operator can heat the deformable portion 12 with the aid of the temperature control unit 13, causing the deformable portion 12 to contract and deform, and can cool the deformable portion 12, causing the deformable portion 12 to expand and deform.

[0032] In this embodiment, the temperature control unit 13 is embedded in the deformable portion 12, so that the temperature control unit 13 facilitates the temperature control unit 13 to actively control the temperature of the deformable portion 12. It should be understood that although the temperature control unit 13 is configured to be embedded in the deformable portion 12 in this embodiment, the temperature control unit 13 can also be located in other locations as long as the temperature control unit 13 can be controlled. For example, in some cases, the temperature control unit 13 can be located on the inner side of the deformable portion 12 (i.e., in the space between the door edge and the door frame). In other embodiments, the temperature control unit 13 can even be located on the door without directly engaging the deformable portion 12.

[0033] 3 and 4 , the deformable portion 12 is shown in its open and closed states. As shown, the fixed portion 11 is fixed to a door skin 14 of a door (not shown), and the deformable portion 12 extends over a fuselage skin 16 of a fuselage door frame 15 of a fuselage (not shown). The fuselage skin 16 is fixedly attached to the fuselage door frame 15.

[0034] FIG3 shows sealing panel 3 in an open position. In this position, the temperature of sealing panel 3 is regulated by a temperature control unit (not shown; see FIG2 ), causing deformable portion 12 of sealing panel 3 to move away from fuselage skin 16 (as indicated by circle A). Typically, sealing panel 3 is placed in the open position when the door is opened. Because deformable portion 12 of sealing panel 3 can avoid contact with the fuselage during door opening by maintaining a certain gap, friction does not occur during movement, potentially damaging fuselage skin 16.

[0035] Figure 4 shows the sealing panel 3 in a closed position. In this position, the temperature of the sealing panel 3 is regulated by a temperature control unit (not shown; see Figure 2 ) so that the deformable portion 12 of the sealing panel 3 overlaps the fuselage skin 16. Typically, the sealing panel 3 is placed in the closed position after the cabin door is closed. After the cabin door is closed, the temperature control unit controls the sealing panel 3 to maintain a close contact with the fuselage, maintaining a favorable aerodynamic shape.

[0036] Taking the structure shown in Figures 3 and 4 as an example, when the door is closed, the deformable portion 12 of the sealing plate 3, which is fixed to the door skin 14, does not deform, leaving a gap between the mutually connected fuselage skin 16 and fuselage door frame 15, facilitating the door opening and closing and avoiding interference and friction. The shape memory alloy is controllably heated by a temperature control unit 13 (see Figure 2), and the real-time temperature is fed back by a sensor. The shape memory alloy's two-way memory effect causes the material strain to change with temperature, causing the edge of the deformable portion 12 near the fuselage skin 16 to shift, thereby achieving the purpose of telescopic deformation of the sealing plate 3, so as to overlap or move away from the fuselage skin 16 and the fuselage door frame 15, achieving the purpose of driven deformation, and then sealing the overlapping area of ​​the door and fuselage, enhancing the aerodynamic sealing effect. In addition, the heated sealing plate 3 can solve the anti-icing and anti-snow functions required for door opening and closing in low-temperature environments, solving the problem of the door being frozen and unable to open normally at low temperatures.

[0037] Furthermore, the sealing plate 3 further includes a piezoelectric element (not shown), which is integrated into the temperature control unit and can reduce the mechanical energy of the system by maximizing the electromechanical conversion energy, thereby reducing vibration.

[0038] The sealing plate of the present invention can be used to eliminate noise and vibration, reduce wear caused by the mutual movement of structures, and solve the problem of ice and snow protection in active areas. Specifically, the technical advantages of the sealing plate of the present invention are:

[0039] The temperature control unit actively controls the sealing plate to overlap or move away from the fuselage, solving the problem of the cabin door being frozen and unable to open normally.

[0040] The piezoelectric element integrated in the temperature control unit reduces the mechanical energy of the system and thus the vibrations.

[0041] Although the structure of the present invention has been described above in conjunction with preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, modifications and variations may be made to the present invention, and such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A sealing plate for a cabin door of an aircraft, the sealing plate comprising a fixed portion and a deformable portion, the fixed portion being fixed to the cabin door, and the deformable portion extending from the fixed portion to the fuselage of the aircraft, It is characterized in that The sealing plate includes a temperature control unit operable to control a temperature of the deformable portion such that the deformable portion deforms between an open state and a closed state.

2. The sealing plate for an aircraft door according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed portion is fixed to a door skin of the door, and the deformable portion extends onto a fuselage skin of the fuselage.

3. The sealing plate for an aircraft door according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deformable portion is made of shape memory alloy.

4. The sealing plate for an aircraft door according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature control unit is embedded in the deformable portion.

5. The sealing plate for an aircraft door according to claim 1, characterized in that: A piezoelectric element is also included, and the piezoelectric element is integrated into the temperature control unit.

6. The sealing plate for an aircraft door according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sensor is also included, the sensor being configured to feedback the real-time temperature of the sealing plate.

7. An aircraft, comprising the sealing panel for a cabin door of the aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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