Aircraft Lavatory Door Joining Structure for Light Leakage and Operability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing door joining structure for aircraft lavatory units faces challenges in operability, durability, and light leakage prevention, with covers folding and deforming during opening and closing, leading to resistance and suboptimal appearance.
Innovation Solution
A joining structure featuring a pair of brackets with swingable connections, torsion springs, and arc-shaped covers that cover the brackets' joining shafts, allowing smooth folding and extension without resistance, while preventing light leakage and enhancing appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible cover is provided between the end portions of two doors to prevent light leakage, then light leakage prevention is improved, but the cover becomes a resistance when the two door members are folded, worsening opening and closing operability
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position according to the door's opening/closing state. The cover can rotate about the bracket joining shaft and be positioned to avoid interfering with the folding operation, eliminating resistance while maintaining light leakage prevention when the door is closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is divided into a pair of separate covers, each attached to one door member. This segmentation allows each cover to move independently and be positioned optimally for both light leakage prevention and smooth door operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible cover is used to prevent light leakage, then light leakage prevention is improved, but the appearance is worsened due to folding and deformation of the cover
Solution Approach 1:
The cover can be dynamically positioned to achieve a neat, flush appearance when the door is closed, covering the gap between door members. When the door opens, the cover rotates out of the way, avoiding the unsightly folding and deformation that would occur with a fixed flexible cover.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover is positioned to prevent light leakage at the bracket joining shaft section, then light leakage prevention is improved, but the cover interferes with the folding motion, worsening operability
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed to rotate about the bracket joining shaft, allowing it to maintain coverage of the joining shaft section for light leakage prevention while simultaneously being able to move out of the folding path during door operation, eliminating interference with the folding motion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves the operability and durability of the door by eliminating resistance during folding and extension, effectively preventing light leakage and enhancing the appearance of the aircraft lavatory unit's door.
Implementation Method 1
a torsion spring for applying a bias force to the first door member and the second door member in an extended state
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a joining structure of two door members forming a door member for entrance opening and closing of an aircraft lavatory unit having excellent opening and closing operability and is able to satisfy requirements of durability performance, light leakage, and appearance. A joining structure (24) for two door members (20, 22) forming a door member for entrance opening and closing (18) of an aircraft lavatory unit (10) is configured so that a pair of brackets (26) provided on the pair of door members (20, 22) are joined swingably by a bracket joining shaft (28); and one ends of a pair of covers (30) are joined to the pair of brackets (26) by bracket cover joining shafts 34A, 34B, and the other ends of the pair of covers (30) are joined swingably by a cover joining shaft(32), at a section farther away from the lavatory (1002) than the bracket joining shaft (28).