Aircraft external part with inflatable panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10196124-B2
Application number	US-201615201762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2016
Priority date	Jul 3, 2015
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

An external part of an aircraft (such as a fairing) comprising a skin made with flexible materials attached to rigid supporting elements (such as longerons and frames) arranged in, at least, two directions. The skin comprises inner inflatable panels in all bays delimited by the rigid supporting elements and/or an external inflatable panel. The skin is joined to the supporting elements so that its external surface complies with aerodynamic requirements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft external part comprising:
a skin and
inner supporting elements made with a rigid material and arranged in, at least, two directions, wherein:
the skin is made of a flexible material and comprises inner inflatable panels in all bays delimited by the inner supporting elements;
the skin is joined to the inner supporting elements so that its external surface complies with aerodynamic requirements.

2. The aircraft external part according to claim 1 , wherein:
the skin comprises a continuous external layer and e inner inflatable panels made with a drop stitching technique to control that their shape fit the space of the bays and provide the required out of plane inertia, when they are inflated, for backing the continuous external layer;
the ends of the continuous external layer are joined to two inner supporting elements by suitable joining devices that allow applying a pretension to the continuous external layer for complying with aerodynamic requirements;
the inner inflatable panels are joined to the inner supporting elements by suitable joining means.

3. The aircraft external part according to claim 2 , wherein the ends of the continuous external layer are configured with a rigid plate disposed within a fold of the continuous external layer for cooperating with fastening means of said joining devices.

4. The aircraft external part according to claim 2 , further comprising concave and convex areas, the continuous external layer also being joined by suitable joining means to intermediate inner supporting elements located in transition zones between a concave and a convex area.

5. The aircraft external part according to claim 1 , wherein the skin is a single piece comprising an external continuous layer joined to two supporting elements by suitable joining devices and inner inflatable panels integrated into the external continuous layer.

6. The aircraft external part according to claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises an external inflatable panel joined to two inner supporting elements by suitable joining devices and an internal backup.

7. The aircraft external part according to claim 6 , wherein the internal backup is formed by the inner inflatable panels in all bays delimited by the inner supporting elements joined to the inner supporting elements.

8. The aircraft external part according to claim 6 , wherein the internal backup is a lattice structure joined to the inner supporting elements.

9. The aircraft external part according to claim 1 , wherein the skin is formed by an inflatable structure comprising an external inflatable panel joined to two inner supporting elements and the inner inflatable panels in all bays delimited by the inner supporting elements bonded to the external inflatable panel.

10. The aircraft external part according to claim 1 , comprising an aircraft fairing.

11. The aircraft external part according to claim 10 , the aircraft fairing comprising an aircraft belly fairing.

12. The aircraft external part according to claim 11 , wherein the inner supporting elements comprise longerons and frames.

13. The aircraft external part wherein the skin further comprises an external inflatable panel.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sl
• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Vazquez Castro Jesús Javier
• Pereira Mosqueira Fernando
• Gutierrez Santiago Juan José
• Langley Anthony
• Tothill Guy
• Sarchamy Davood
• Marín Muñoz Miguel

Classifications

• B64C1/061

  Frames · CPC title

• B64C1/12 Primary

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B64C7/00

  Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C1/064

  Stringers; Longerons · CPC title

• B64C3/26

  Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels · CPC title