Compact cabin door interface to increase visibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875622-B2
Application number	US-201815878329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Jan 23, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods include providing an aircraft with a fuselage, an airframe that provides structural rigidity to the fuselage, and at least one door that allows access to an interior of the fuselage through an opening in the fuselage. The aircraft includes an overlapping, tongue and groove door interface formed between a frame of the door and a portion of the airframe that at least partially borders the opening in the fuselage. At least a portion of the airframe includes a concavity. At least a portion of the door frame includes a complementary shaped profile to the concavity of the airframe. The complementary profile of the door frame and the concavity of the airframe form a seal between the door frame and the airframe when the complementary portion is at least partially received within the concavity by selectively rotating the door to its closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft door interface, comprising:
a structural component configured to provide rigidity to an aircraft, wherein the structural component at least partially borders an opening into an interior of the aircraft, and wherein the structural component comprises a concavity adjacent to the opening; and
a door comprising a door frame and a window secured to the door frame, wherein at least a portion of the door frame comprises a complementary profile to the concavity, and wherein the complementary profile is configured to form a seal between the structural component and the door frame when the complementary portion is at least partially received within the concavity, the door frame comprising a hollow channel formed between the complementary profile and an outer surface of the door frame.

2. The aircraft door interface of claim 1 , wherein the concavity and the complementary profile are disposed along a pillar of the aircraft.

3. The aircraft door interface of claim 2 , wherein the concavity and the complementary profile are further disposed along at least a portion of one of the top, bottom, and rearward sides of the portion of the structural component that borders the opening.

4. The aircraft door interface of claim 1 , wherein the complementary profile comprises at least one of a protruding convex profile, a V-shaped profile, and a rectangular shaped profile.

5. The aircraft door interface of claim 1 , further comprising: a door mechanism comprising a door latch coupled to a plurality of locking pins, wherein selective operation of the door latch causes the plurality of locking pins to engage and disengage a plurality of associated locking pin holes disposed in the door frame.

6. The aircraft door interface of claim 1 , wherein the complementary profile and the concavity form an overlapping, tongue-and-groove configuration.

7. The aircraft door interface of claim 1 , wherein fasteners securing the window to the door frame extend through the window and the outer surface of the door frame and at least partially into the hollow channel.

8. The aircraft door interface of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft door interface further comprises a flexible seal.

9. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage; and
an aircraft door interface, comprising:
an airframe configured to provide structural rigidity to the fuselage, wherein the airframe at least partially borders an opening into the fuselage, and wherein at least a portion of the airframe comprises a concavity adjacent to the opening; and
a door comprising a door frame and a window secured to the door frame, wherein at least a portion of the door frame comprises a complementary profile to the concavity of the airframe, and wherein the complementary profile is configured to form a seal between the airframe and the door frame when the complementary portion is at least partially received within the concavity, the door frame comprising a hollow channel formed between the complementary profile and an outer surface of the door frame.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the concavity and the complementary profile are disposed along a pillar of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the concavity and the complementary profile are further disposed along at least a portion of one of the top, bottom, and rearward sides of the portion of the frame that borders the opening into the fuselage.

12. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the complementary profile comprises at least one of a protruding convex profile, a V-shaped profile, and a rectangular shaped profile.

13. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein fasteners securing the window to the door frame extend through the window and the outer surface of the door frame and at least partially into the hollow channel.

14. The aircraft of claim 9 , further comprising: a plurality of hinge supports disposed on the airframe and a plurality of hinges disposed on the door frame, wherein the hinge supports are configured to interface with the hinges to attach the door to the airframe while allowing the door to open outward.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the aircraft door interface further comprises a flexible seal.

16. The aircraft of claim 9 , further comprising: a door mechanism comprising a door latch coupled to a plurality of locking pins, wherein selective operation of the door latch causes the plurality of locking pins to engage and disengage a plurality of associated locking pin holes disposed in the door frame.

17. The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the door frame comprises a slot formed in a portion of the door frame that allows access to the door latch of the door mechanism.

18. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the complementary profile and the concavity form an overlapping, tongue-and-groove configuration.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Lavallee Yann

Classifications

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C1/1492

  Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen · CPC title

• B64C1/1423

  Passenger doors · CPC title

• B64C1/1461 Primary

  Structures of doors or surrounding frames · CPC title

• B64C1/143

  of the plug type · CPC title