Modular element for a hybrid network of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10971948-B2
Application number	US-201816050547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2018
Priority date	Aug 2, 2017
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

The modular element for a hybrid electrical power distribution and data communication network of an aircraft comprises a section of a bus and a set of data links extending substantially parallel along a length of the modular element. The bus section comprises connection points at different locations distributed along its length. The set of data links comprises connection points at different locations distributed along its length, each arranged in proximity to a connection point of the bus section. It also comprises a data link between each of the connection points and a cross-connect point. The bus section and the set of data links comprise interconnection points making it possible to link the modular element to first and second, other, modular elements arranged longitudinally in series with the modular element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular element for a hybrid electrical power distribution and data communication network of an aircraft, comprising:
a section of an electrical power distribution bus, extending along a length of the modular element; and
a set of data links, this set of data links extending along said length of the modular element, substantially parallel to the bus section,
wherein
the bus section comprises connection points at different locations distributed along its length;
the set of data links comprises connection points at different locations distributed along its length and each arranged in proximity to a connection point of the bus section;
the set of data links comprises a connection point as a cross-connect point, provided to receive a cross-connect rack;
the set of data links comprises at least one data link between each of the connection points distributed along a length of the set of data links and the cross-connect point;
the bus section and the set of data links each comprise a first interconnection point provided to link the bus section and the set of data links respectively to a bus section and to a set of data links of a first other modular element arranged longitudinally in series with the modular element, at a first longitudinal end of the modular element; and
the bus section and the set of data links each comprise a second interconnection point provided to link the bus section and the set of data links respectively to a bus section and to a set of data links of a second other modular element arranged longitudinally in series with the modular element, at a second longitudinal end of the modular element opposite the first longitudinal end.

2. The modular element according to claim 1 , wherein the data links comprise optical fibers.

3. The modular element according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-connect point comprises a subset of data links terminated by at least one cross-connect connector provided to be incorporated in the cross-connect rack.

4. The modular element according to claim 3 , wherein the cross-connect point further comprises at least one fixing provided to allow the fixing of the cross-connect rack to the modular element.

5. The modular element according to claim 3 , wherein:
the cross-connect point and the first interconnection point of the set of data links are situated in proximity to the first longitudinal end of the modular element;
the first interconnection point of the set of data links comprises a subset of data links terminated by at least one first interconnection connector; and
an arrangement of the cross-connect point and of the first interconnection point is provided to allow an incorporation of the cross-connect connector and of the first interconnection connector in the cross-connect rack, so as to make it possible to link the set of data links to the set of data links of the first other modular element, in the cross-connect rack.

6. The modular element according to claim 1 , wherein:
the connection points distributed along the bus section and the connection points distributed along the set of data links, each arranged in proximity to a connection point of the bus section, form pairs of connection points distributed along the modular element; and
each pair of connection points is provided to receive a hybrid electrical power distribution and data communication junction box configured to allow a connection of at least one of one or more local electrical power distribution or data distribution links to one or more electrical equipment items of the aircraft.

7. The modular element according to claim 1 , wherein the bus section comprises at least one flexible part provided to allow deformations of the modular element in response to deformations of a fuselage of an aircraft when the modular element is installed in said fuselage of an aircraft.

8. An aircraft, comprising
a fuselage; and
a set of electrical equipment items distributed in the fuselage, wherein:
the aircraft comprises a hybrid electrical power distribution and data communication network comprising a set of modular elements according to claim 1 ; and
each electrical equipment item of the set of electrical equipment items is linked to at least one of a connection point of the bus section of a modular element via a local electrical power supply link or a connection point of the set of data links of said modular element by a local data link.

9. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein:
modular elements of a first subset of the set of modular elements are assembled together so as to form a first hybrid electrical power distribution and data communication subnetwork extending, at least partly, longitudinally in the fuselage of the aircraft;
modular elements of a second subset of the set of modular elements are assembled together so as to form a second hybrid electrical power distribution and data communication subnetwork extending, at least partly, longitudinally in the fuselage of the aircraft; and
the first subnetwork and the second subnetwork follow segregated paths in the fuselage.

10. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein two consecutive modular elements are linked together electrically by means of:
at least one flexible connection; or
at least one connection element configured to slide over the section of a bus of at least one of the two modular elements.

11. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein:
the cross-connect point comprises a subset of data links terminated by at least one cross-connect connector provided to be incorporated in the cross-connect rack;
the cross-connect point and the first interconnection point of the set of data links are situated in proximity to the first longitudinal end of the modular element;
the first interconnection point of the set of data links comprises a subset of data links terminated by at least one first interconnection connector; and
an arrangement of the cross-connect point and of the first interconnection point is provided to allow an incorporation of the cross-connect connector and of the first interconnection connector in the cross-connect rack, so as to make it possible to link the set of data links to the set of data links of the first other modular element, in the cross-connect rack; and further,
wherein the cross-connect rack of a modular element receives:
an interconnection connector of the first other modular element; and
a set of links between the first interconnection connector of the modular element and the interconnection connector of the first other modular element.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas
• Airbus Operations Gmbh
• Airbus Operaitons Gmbh

Inventors

• Jacquemoud-Collet Jonathan
• Morin Thomas
• Brownjohn Nicholas
• Hintze Hartmut

Classifications

• H04L12/40006 Primary

  Architecture of a communication node (current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90) · CPC title

• H02J13/00

  Circuit arrangements for providing remote monitoring or remote control of equipment in a power distribution network · CPC title

• H04L2012/4028

  the transportation system being an aircraft · CPC title

• H04L12/4625

  Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge · CPC title

• B64D47/00 Primary

  Equipment not otherwise provided for · CPC title