Aircraft Cabin Fitting Fastening System with Integrated Electrical Contacts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current aircraft cabin fitting systems require separate mechanical and electrical connectors, leading to unnecessary weight increase and potential damage from excess, unsecured electrical cables during maintenance and installation.

Innovation Solution

Integrating electrical contacts into mechanical bearings, allowing for a single-step fastening process that secures both mechanical and electrical connections through a bush and plug arrangement within the loose and fixed bearings, eliminating the need for check cables and excess cable lengths.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If separate mechanical and electrical connectors are used, then mechanical connection and electrical connection can be established independently, but aircraft weight increases and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent connection establishmentVSAvoidaircraft weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate mechanical connectors and electrical plug connections into an integrated unit connector that performs both functions simultaneously. The unit connector includes mechanical fastening elements (loose and fixed bearings) integrated with electrical contact elements, allowing single-step connection that establishes both mechanical support and electrical connectivity without requiring separate operations or additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If separate mechanical and electrical connectors are used, then independent connection is possible, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent connection establishmentVSAvoidconnector system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate mechanical connectors and electrical plug connections into an integrated unit connector that performs both functions simultaneously. The unit connector includes mechanical fastening elements (loose and fixed bearings) integrated with electrical contact elements, allowing single-step connection that establishes both mechanical support and electrical connectivity without requiring separate operations or additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If check cables are provided to hold loosened panels, then panel suspension during maintenance is ensured, but aircraft weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel suspension during maintenanceVSAvoidaircraft weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate mechanical connectors and electrical plug connections into an integrated unit connector that performs both functions simultaneously. The unit connector includes mechanical fastening elements (loose and fixed bearings) integrated with electrical contact elements, allowing single-step connection that establishes both mechanical support and electrical connectivity without requiring separate operations or additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If electrical cables are installed with excess length for check cable operations, then installation play is ensured, but cable friction damage occurs and aircraft weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation playVSAvoidcable friction damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate mechanical connectors and electrical plug connections into an integrated unit connector that performs both functions simultaneously. The unit connector includes mechanical fastening elements (loose and fixed bearings) integrated with electrical contact elements, allowing single-step connection that establishes both mechanical support and electrical connectivity without requiring separate operations or additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8167624B2Fastening system for fastening a cabin fitting element to a support structure of an aircraft
Publication Date: 2012.05.01 AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • US8167624B2 patent drawing
  • US8167624B2 patent drawing
  • US8167624B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A fastening system for fastening a cabin fitting element with at least one electrical installation on a support structure of an aircraft. During installation into the support structure, the cabin fitting element is fixed in succession by at least one loose bearing in at least one degree of translational freedom and then by at least one fixed bearing in the at least one further degree of translational freedom. In order to ensure an improved installation and dismantling of cabin covering panels with electrical installation and to reduce the weight due to the components and also the installation space which is required, according to the disclosed embodiments a contact device with a bush arrangement and a plug arrangement is integrated in the at least one loose bearing and/or the at least one fixed bearing, by which an electrical connection is produced between the support structure and the electrical installation of the cabin fitting element on fixing at least of one degree of translational freedom.