Bistable mechanism for an aircraft door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338667-B2
Application number	US-202118003323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

Aircraft door designed to assume a first configuration and a second configuration, having a bistable mechanism biasing the aircraft door towards either the first or second configuration, the bistable mechanism including: a first yoke having a base attached to the first member and a first pivot rotatably mounted on the base; a second yoke having: a base attached to the first member; a lever a first end of which is mounted so as to pivot on the base; a second pivot mounted so as to rotate on the second end of the lever; a coupling device for coupling the lever to the second member of the door; an arch which can be elastically deformed by bending and a first end of which is attached to the first pivot and a second end attached to the second pivot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft door designed to assume a first configuration in which a first element of the door assumes a first position with respect to a second element of the door, and a second configuration in which the first element assumes a second position with respect to the second element, the aircraft door comprising:
a bistable mechanism urging the aircraft door toward one or the other of the first and the second configurations,
the bistable mechanism comprises:
a first end-fitting ( 8 ) comprising a first base ( 10 ) fixed to the first element and a first pivot ( 13 ) mounted with the ability to rotate on the first base ( 10 );
a second end-fitting ( 9 ) comprising: a second base ( 11 ) fixed to the first element; a lever ( 18 ), of which a first end is mounted with the ability to pivot on the second base ( 11 );
a second pivot ( 14 ) mounted with the ability to rotate on the second end of the lever ( 18 ); a coupling device for coupling the lever ( 18 ) to the second element of the door, the coupling device comprising a rotational-driving device ( 19 ) centered on an axis of rotation of the lever ( 18 ) with respect to the second base ( 11 );
at least one bow ( 15 ) that is elastically deformable in bending and of which a first end ( 16 ) is fixed to the first pivot ( 13 ) and of which a second end ( 17 ) is fixed to the second pivot ( 14 );
wherein the bistable mechanism has an unstable switchover position in which an axis of rotation of the first pivot ( 13 ), the axis of rotation of the lever ( 18 ) on the second base ( 11 ), and an axis of rotation of the second pivot ( 14 ) are aligned; and

wherein in the unstable switchover position, the lever ( 18 ) is positioned between the two ends ( 16 , 17 ) of the bow ( 15 ).

2. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bow ( 15 ) is made of a laminated composite material.

3. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bow ( 15 ) has a constant width (L 1 ).

4. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bow ( 15 ) has a variable width (L 2 ) which is greater in a central portion ( 22 ) of the bow ( 15 ) than at the ends ( 16 , 17 ) thereof.

5. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bow ( 15 ) has a variable thickness (E) that is greater in a central portion ( 22 ) of the bow ( 15 ) than at the ends ( 16 , 17 ) thereof.

6. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein between the first configuration and the second configuration, the bow ( 15 ) is elastically deformed by moving its ends ( 16 , 17 ) further apart.

7. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein between the first configuration and the second configuration, the bow ( 15 ) is elastically deformed by moving its ends ( 16 , 17 ) closer together.

8. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotational-driving device rotationally couples the lever ( 18 ) and the second element of the door.

9. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bow ( 15 ) is elastically deformed and urges the first pivot ( 13 ) and the second pivot ( 14 ) toward one another.

10. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lever ( 18 ) is:
in a first angular position when the aircraft door is in the first configuration;
in a second angular position when the aircraft door is in the second configuration.

11. The aircraft door as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the second end ( 17 ) of the bow ( 15 ) passes around the second base ( 11 ) when the lever ( 18 ) pivots toward its second angular position.

Assignees

• Latecoere

Inventors

• Devillez Sebastien

Classifications

• B64C1/1407 Primary

  Doors; surrounding frames · CPC title

• E05Y2201/47

  Springs · CPC title

• E05Y2201/488

  Traction springs · CPC title

• E05Y2900/502

  for aircraft or spacecraft · CPC title

• E05D11/105 Primary

  the maintaining means acting perpendicularly to the pivot axis · CPC title