Integral door frame unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384513-B2
Application number	US-202418602239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2024
Priority date	Mar 14, 2023
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A door frame unit for integration into a fuselage of an air vehicle includes at least one door frame component, wherein the door frame unit includes an inner frame and an outer frame surrounding the inner frame, wherein the inner frame defines a door frame opening with horizontal edges and vertical edges, in which a door is mountable, wherein a plurality of cross struts extend between the inner frame and the outer frame and are rigidly connected to the inner frame and the outer frame, and wherein the outer frame runs at an angle to the cross struts at least at areas directly neighboring corners of the inner door frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door frame unit for integration into a fuselage of an air vehicle, comprising at least one door frame component,
wherein the door frame unit has an inner frame and an outer frame surrounding the inner frame,
wherein the inner frame defines a door frame opening having horizontal edges and vertical edges in which a door is mountable,
wherein a plurality of cross struts run between the inner frame and the outer frame and are rigidly connected to the inner frame and the outer frame,
wherein the outer frame extends, at least in areas directly neighboring the corners of the inner door frame, at an angle to the cross struts, and
wherein the outer frame is formed circular, elliptical or oval.

2. A door frame unit for integration into a fuselage of an air vehicle, comprising at least one door frame component,
wherein the door frame unit has an inner frame and an outer frame surrounding the inner frame,
wherein the inner frame defines a door frame opening having horizontal edges and vertical edges in which a door is mountable,
wherein a plurality of cross struts run between the inner frame and the outer frame and are rigidly connected to the inner frame and the outer frame,
wherein the outer frame extends, at least in areas directly neighboring the corners of the inner door frame, at an angle to the cross struts, and
wherein the outer frame has a larger width in a vertically central area of the door frame unit than in an upper and a lower neighboring areas vertically facing from the central area.

3. The door frame unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the cross struts extend at least partially from the inner frame to the outer frame and end there.

4. The door frame unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one cross strut on an upper side of the door frame unit has a larger length than a neighboring cross strut, which is spaced further vertically from the upper side and extends in a transverse direction beyond the outer frame, or
wherein at least one cross-unit on a lower side of the door frame unit has a larger length than neighboring cross strut, which is spaced further vertically from the lower side and extends in a transverse direction beyond the outer frame.

5. The door frame unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the cross struts are formed parallel to each other.

6. The door frame unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the door frame unit is configured in several parts and has several interconnected door frame components.

7. The door frame unit according to claim 6 ,
wherein the several parts comprise an upper part, a lower part and two side parts.

8. The door frame unit according to claim 1 , further comprising
several door pins for supporting the door arranged at the inner frame and projecting into the door frame opening.

9. A door frame unit for integration into a fuselage of an air vehicle, comprising at least one door frame component,
wherein the door frame unit has an inner frame and an outer frame surrounding the inner frame,
wherein the inner frame defines a door frame opening having horizontal edges and vertical edges in which a door is mountable,
wherein a plurality of cross struts run between the inner frame and the outer frame and are rigidly connected to the inner frame and the outer frame, and
wherein the outer frame extends, at least in areas directly neighboring the corners of the inner door frame, at an angle to the cross struts,
the door frame unit further comprising a radius closure area at the upper side and the lower side of the door frame unit, and
wherein the radius closure area is formed to cover respectively an upper or a lower part of the door cut-out up to the respective horizontal edge.

10. The door arrangement for an air vehicle, comprising a door frame unit according to claim 1 ; and a doubler for attachment to a fuselage skin of the air vehicle in an area of a door cut-out.

11. The door arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the door frame unit is formed to support loads arising during operation of the air vehicle independently of the fuselage skin of the air vehicle and to guide them around the door cut-out in the fuselage skin.

12. The door arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the doubler comprises first and second doublers, arranged on an upper side and a lower side of the door cut-out on the fuselage skin.

13. The door arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the door cut-out at least in the vertical direction is larger than the door frame opening.

14. An air vehicle, comprising:
at least one door frame unit according to claim 1 ; and/or
at least one door arrangement comprising a door frame unit according to claim 1 ; and a doubler for attachment to a fuselage skin of the air vehicle in an area of a door cut-out.

Assignees

• Premium Aerotec Gmbh

Inventors

• Haack Cord
• Paul Carsten
• Hörger Bernhard

Classifications

• B64C1/1423

  Passenger doors · CPC title

• B64C1/1407 Primary

  Doors; surrounding frames · CPC title

• B64C1/1415

  Cargo doors, e.g. incorporating ramps · CPC title

• B64C1/1461 Primary

  Structures of doors or surrounding frames · CPC title