Improved joint for an aircraft opening leaf

Abstract

The invention relates to a hinge joint for an aircraft opening leaf (P), said joint comprising a first series of knuckles (C1) borne by the fuselage (F) and a second series of knuckles (C2) borne by the opening leaf, the knuckles of one of the series being nested coaxially between the knuckles of the other series, trapping a longitudinal shaft (A) ensuring the pivoting of the opening leaf, characterized in that the first series of knuckles (C1) is extended, at each of the ends of the longitudinal shaft (A), by a lateral bracket (B) bearing an intermediate connecting rod (1) providing rotary connections, respectively, with said bracket (B) and with a deflector (2) mounted pivotably on the opening leaf (P) and intended to cover, at least in the closed position, the two series of knuckles (C1, C2) flush with the fuselage

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] ADVANCED HINGE FOR AIRCRAFT OPENING

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The invention relates to the field of aeronautics and, more particularly, to so-called "piano" hinge joints integrated into the architecture of aircraft openings and concerns an improvement of joints of this type.

[0005] Generally speaking, aircraft openings, and in particular doors that open outwards and upwards (known as "outward"), offer the possibility of controlled clearance and structural strength. This type of architecture makes it possible to limit structural reinforcements because the opening contributes to the overall rigidity of the aircraft fuselage.

[0006] In document US 2019 / 300142 A1, such openings are equipped, in a traditional manner, with a hinged joint mounted in the upper part of the opening and comprising a pivot shaft engaged between hinges.

[0007] This hinge projects, at least partially, outside the skin of the fuselage and also has gaps which are necessary to allow the mounting of the knuckles and their free relative movement. In the absence of additional means to supplement this type of hinge, it is found that the more the hinge protrudes outwards, the more the gaps are reduced, and vice versa.

[0008] It therefore appears that this architecture creates aerodynamic disturbances at the connection between the opening and the fuselage of the aircraft, whether caused mainly by the protrusion of the hinge or by the gaps. However, these disturbances produce drag likely to lead to both excess fuel consumption and noise pollution detrimental to passenger comfort.

[0009] In this problematic context, a technical solution was sought to eliminate the protrusions and gaps between the knuckles, or at least reduce their impact, while maintaining the smallest possible constant play. In order to achieve this objective, the invention proposes automatic and autonomous means for positioning the hinge inside the aerodynamic surface of the fuselage while closing the gaps.

[0010] This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a hinged joint for an aircraft opening, said joint comprising a first series of knuckles carried by the fuselage and a second series of knuckles carried by the opening, the knuckles of one of the series being coaxially interlocked between the knuckles of the other series by trapping a longitudinal shaft ensuring the pivoting of the opening, characterized in that the first series of knuckles is extended, at each end of the longitudinal shaft, by a lateral bracket carrying an intermediate connecting rod ensuring rotary connections, respectively, with said bracket and with a deflector pivotally mounted on the opening and intended to cover, at least in the closed position, the two series of knuckles by being flush with the fuselage.

[0011] According to an advantageous characteristic of the articulation of the invention, the first series of knuckles is mounted on a plate projecting inside the fuselage.

[0012] According to a specific embodiment variant of the articulation of the invention, the bracket extends in the extension of the projecting plate and is provided, at its free end, with an axis ensuring the rotary connection with the connecting rod.

[0013] According to another advantageous characteristic of the articulation of the invention, the second series of hinges is carried by a plate projecting from the inner face of the opening.

[0014] Preferably, the deflector has side legs and the width of the plates is less than the width of the opening so as to delimit a passage for the legs of the deflector when it pivots towards the outside of the fuselage.

[0015] According to yet another characteristic of the articulation of the invention, the plate of the opening is provided with lateral orifices receiving the axes ensuring, respectively, the pivoting of the deflector relative to the opening and the rotation of the opening relative to the fuselage. According to yet another variant embodiment of the invention, the deflector comprises two lateral arms framing the opening and each carrying an axis ensuring the rotary connection with the connecting rod.

[0016] Preferably, the rotary connection axis of the deflector with the connecting rod is transversely spaced from its pivot axis on the opening.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the articulation of the invention, the connecting rod has a right-angled profile with two branches, each of which has an orifice forming a bearing for a rotary connection axis.

[0018] According to the invention, it is provided that the deflector extends in the plane of the opening in the closed position and in a substantially perpendicular plane in the open position.

[0019] Another object of the invention is an aircraft opening equipped with an articulation as defined above allowing it to be flush with the fuselage in the closed position and to be oriented upwards and towards the outside of the fuselage in the fully open position.

[0020] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, this opening is provided with a deflector intended to cover the series of hinges while being flush with the fuselage in the closed position of the opening.

[0021] PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the non-limiting description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0023] [Fig.l] is a perspective view of the interior face of an aircraft opening equipped with a preferred embodiment of the articulation of the invention, in the closed position.

[0024] [Fig.2] is an exploded perspective view of the outer face of the opening of Figure 1. [Fig.3] is a side view of the opening of Figure 1 in the intermediate position of opening towards the outside of the fuselage and upwards.

[0025] [Fig. 4] is a detail and side view of the opening of Figure 1 in the fully open position.

[0026] [Fig. 5] is a detailed perspective view from the outside of the opening of Figure 1 in the fully open position.

[0027] [Fig. 6] is a detailed view from below from the outside of the opening of Figure 1 in the fully open position.

[0028] 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.

[0029] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The invention relates to aircraft openings and is more particularly concerned with the articulation of openings whose opening is upwards and outwards from the fuselage. Such openings are traditionally equipped with a hinged joint mounted in the upper part of the opening.

[0031] As illustrated by figures 1 and 2, this known hinge comprises a first series of knuckles C1 carried by the fuselage F and a second series of knuckles C2 carried by the opening P. The respective knuckles of each series are coaxially nested within each other, trapping a longitudinal shaft A ensuring the pivoting of the opening P.

[0032] However, this hinge generally protrudes outside the fuselage skin and also has gaps between the hinges C1, C2. Consequently, this hinge architecture generates aerodynamic disturbances that are detrimental to the connection between the opening P and the fuselage F of the aircraft.

[0033] The invention aims to modify the architecture of these hinges to eliminate, or at least reduce, the phenomena of aerodynamic disturbances.

[0034] To this end and as illustrated, in particular, by figures 2 and 5, the invention consists in that the first series of knuckles C1 is extended, at each of the ends of the longitudinal shaft A, by a lateral bracket B. The bracket B carries an intermediate connecting rod 1 ensuring rotary connections, respectively, with the bracket B and with a deflector 2 pivotally mounted on the opening P. This deflector 2 is intended to cover, at least in the closed position of the opening P (figure 1), the two series of knuckles C1, C2 while being flush with the fuselage F.

[0035] In order to move the hinge towards the inside of the fuselage to avoid disturbances, the two series of hinges C1, C2 are mounted, respectively, on a first plate F1 projecting carried by the internal wall of the fuselage and on a second plate P1 projecting on the internal face of the opening P.

[0036] The bracket B thus extends in the extension of the plate F1 and is provided, at its free end, with an axis 10 ensuring the rotary connection with the connecting rod 1. The plate PI of the opening P is provided, for its part, with lateral orifices receiving the pivot axes 20 of the deflector 2.

[0037] Preferably, the deflector 2 comprises lateral legs 2a (figure 5) and, consequently, the width of the plates F1, P1 is less than the width of the opening P so as to delimit a passage for these legs when the deflector 2 pivots towards the outside of the fuselage, as illustrated by figures 3, 4 and 5.

[0038] The deflector 2 further comprises two lateral arms 22 framing the opening P and each carrying an axis 21 ensuring the rotary connection with the connecting rod 1. The axis 21 of rotary connection of the deflector 2 with the connecting rod 1 is transversely spaced from its axis 20 of pivoting on the opening P. The two axes 21 located on either side only ensure the rotation between the arms 22 and the connecting rod 1 and are not connected to the opening P. The two axes 20 also located on either side, ensure the pivoting of the deflector 2 relative to the opening P. The shaft A allows, for its part, the rotation of the opening P relative to the plate PI and to the bracket F1 secured to the fuselage F.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment of the articulation of the invention, the connecting rod 1 has a right-angled profile with two branches 1a, 1b, each of which has an orifice forming a bearing for the axes 10, 21 ensuring the rotary connections, respectively, with the bracket B and with the deflector 2.

[0040] The invention provides that the deflector 2 extends in the plane of the opening P in the closed position (figure 1) and in a substantially perpendicular plane in the open position (figures 4 and 6).

[0041] When the opening P is opened outwards, the hinges C1, C2 pivot around the shaft A and the movement of the plate PI causes the connecting rod 1 to rotate towards the outside of the fuselage. At the same time, this rotation of the connecting rod 1 causes the deflector 2 to pivot around its axis 20 relative to the plate PI.

[0042] Thanks to the combination between the plates Fl, PI and the deflector 2, the invention makes it possible to offset the knuckles Cl, C2 of the hinge towards the interior of the fuselage and to cover them flush with the fuselage by closing the intermediate spaces and thus avoiding aerodynamic disturbances.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Hinged joint of an opening (P) of an aircraft fuselage (F), said joint comprising a first series of knuckles (Cl) carried by the fuselage (F) and a second series of knuckles (C2) carried by the opening, the knuckles of one of the series being coaxially nested between the knuckles of the other series by trapping a longitudinal shaft (A) ensuring the pivoting of the opening, characterized in that the first series of knuckles (Cl) is extended, at each of the ends of the longitudinal shaft (A), by a lateral bracket (B) carrying an intermediate connecting rod (1) ensuring rotary connections, respectively, with said bracket (B) and with a deflector (2) pivotally mounted on the opening (P) and intended to cover, at least in the closed position, the two series of knuckles (Cl, C2) by being flush with the fuselage.

2. Articulation according to claim 1, characterized in that the first series of knuckles (Cl) is mounted on a plate (Fl) projecting inside the fuselage.

3. Articulation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bracket (B) extends in the extension of the projecting plate (Fl) and is provided, at its free end, with an axis (10) ensuring the rotary connection with the connecting rod (1).

4. Articulation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second series of hinges (C2) is carried by a plate (PI) projecting from the inner face of the opening (P).

5. Articulation according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the deflector comprises lateral legs (2a) and the width of said plates (Fl, PI) is less than the width of the opening (P) so as to delimit a passage for said legs of the deflector when it pivots towards the outside of the fuselage.

6. Articulation according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the plate (PI) of the opening (P) is provided with lateral orifices receiving the axes (20, A) ensuring, respectively, the pivoting of the deflector (2) relative to the opening (P) and the rotation of the opening (P) relative to the fuselage (F).

7. Articulation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflector (2) comprises two lateral arms (22) framing the opening (P) and each carrying an axis (21) ensuring the rotary connection with the connecting rod (1).

8. Articulation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the axis (21) of rotary connection of the deflector (2) with the connecting rod (1) is transversely spaced from its axis (20) of pivoting on the opening (P).

9. Joint according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting rod (1) has a right-angled profile with two branches (1a, 1b), each of which has an orifice forming a bearing for a rotary connection axis (10, 21).

10. Articulation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflector (2) extends in the plane of the opening (P) in the closed position and in a substantially perpendicular plane in the open position.

11. Aircraft opening (P) equipped with an articulation according to one of the preceding claims allowing it to be flush with the fuselage (F) in the closed position and to be oriented upwards and towards the outside of the fuselage in the fully open position.

12. Aircraft opening according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said deflector (2) is intended to cover the series of hinges (Cl, C2) while being flush with the fuselage (F) in the closed position of the opening (P).

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