Reduced volume latch, lock, vent and handle mechanism for an apparatus door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12297677-B2
Application number	US-202218145429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2022
Priority date	Dec 22, 2022
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods provide for technology that moves a vent panel into a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow an apparatus to be pressurized. In the pressurization position, a first protrusion abuts a door structure. The vent panel is coupled with the first protrusion. The technology moves the vent panel to a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to depressurize the apparatus. In the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure. The technology moves the vent panel to an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position. In the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a door structure; and
a first protrusion that is positionable to abut the door structure; and
a vent panel coupled with the first protrusion, wherein the vent panel is movable between
a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow the apparatus to be pressurized, wherein in the pressurization position the first protrusion abuts the door structure,
a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to prevent pressurization of the apparatus, wherein in the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure, and
an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position, wherein in the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure,
wherein the first protrusion prevents the vent panel from moving from the intermediate position to the depressurization position when the first protrusion abuts the door structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a wall, wherein the intermediate position includes intermediate positions, and the vent panel is configured to slide along the wall when moving between the intermediate positions.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the vent panel is configured to slide along a wall surface of the wall, and the first protrusion is configured to abut a door surface of the door structure, wherein the wall surface is parallel to the door surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a handle that is coupled with the vent panel to control the vent panel to move between the pressurization position, the depressurization position, and the intermediate position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate position includes a plurality of intermediate positions and a rotational axis of the vent panel has an eccentric rotation when moving the vent panel among the plurality of intermediate positions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
when the first protrusion moves out of an abutment position with the door structure, the vent panel is movable from the intermediate position to the depressurization position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vent panel closing interlock that contacts the vent panel and is rotatable from a first position to a second position as the vent panel moves from the intermediate position to the depressurization position, and is rotatable from the second position to the first position when the vent panel is in the depressurization position to lock the vent panel in the depressurization position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the vent panel forms an exterior wall of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the door structure overhangs the vent panel.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a door structure;
a first protrusion that is positionable to abut the door structure;
a vent panel coupled with the first protrusion, wherein the vent panel is movable between
a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow the apparatus to be pressurized, wherein in the pressurization position the first protrusion abuts the door structure,
a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to prevent pressurization of the apparatus, wherein in the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure, and
an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position, wherein in the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure;

a handle that is coupled with the vent panel to control the vent panel to move between the pressurization position, the depressurization position, and the intermediate position; and
a second protrusion coupled with the vent panel to be movable into a position to abut a portion of the handle when the vent panel moves from the pressurization position to the depressurization position.

11. A method comprising:
moving a vent panel into a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow an apparatus to be pressurized, wherein in the pressurization position a first protrusion abuts a door structure, wherein the vent panel is coupled with the first protrusion;
moving the vent panel to a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to depressurize the apparatus, wherein in the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure;
moving the vent panel to an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position, wherein in the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure; and
preventing, with the first protrusion, the vent panel from moving from the intermediate position to the depressurization position when the first protrusion abuts the door structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate position includes intermediate positions, and
the method further comprises sliding the vent panel along a wall when moving between the intermediate positions.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein further comprising:
sliding the vent panel along a wall surface of the wall; and
abutting the first protrusion against a door surface of the door structure, wherein the wall surface is parallel to the door surface.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein further comprising:
moving a handle coupled with the vent panel to control the vent panel to move between the pressurization position, the depressurization position, and the intermediate position.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
moving a second protrusion coupled with the vent panel to a position to abut a portion of the handle when the vent panel moves from the pressurization position to the depressurization position.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate position includes a plurality of intermediate positions, and
the method further comprises moving a rotational axis of the vent panel along an eccentric rotation when moving the vent panel among the plurality of intermediate positions.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
moving, when the first protrusion moves out of an abutment position with the door structure, the vent panel from the intermediate position to the depressurization position.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
contacting the vent panel with a vent panel closing interlock that rotates from a first position to a second position as the vent panel moves from the intermediate position to the depressurization position; and
rotating the vent panel closing interlock from the second position to the first position when the vent panel is in the depressurization position to lock the vent panel in the depressurization position.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the vent panel forms an exterior wall of an apparatus.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising overhanging the door structure over the vent panel.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Fleming Michael Anthony
• Hummer David

Classifications

• B64C2001/009

  comprising decompression panels or valves for pressure equalisation in fuselages or floors · CPC title

• E05C1/06

  with operating handle or equivalent member moving otherwise than rigidly with the bolt · CPC title

• B64C1/1407

  Doors; surrounding frames · CPC title

• E05C1/004 Primary

  parallel to the surface on which the fastener is mounted · CPC title