Liner segment for a frame bay of a fuel tank structure and system for a tank structure, comprising such a liner segment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565329-B2
Application number	US-202418641967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2024
Priority date	Apr 24, 2023
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A liner segment for a frame bay of a fuel tank structure includes a liner segment base body adapted to float on fuel in the fuel tank structure, a liner segment side wall extending from the liner segment base body, a multitude of drainage holes arranged in the liner segment base body, and adapted to provide a bidirectional fluid connection from an upper side to a bottom side of the liner segment facing the fuel tank structure, a valve, arranged in a cut out of the liner segment and adapted to provide an unidirectional fluid connection from the bottom side of the liner segment to the upper side of the liner segment, such that the unidirectional fluid connection is blocked in the opposite direction, such that a remaining portion of fuel within the fuel tank structure is reduced.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A liner segment for a frame bay of a fuel tank structure, comprising:
a liner segment base body, wherein the liner segment base body is adapted to float on fuel in the fuel tank structure, at least one liner segment side wall, wherein the at least one liner segment side wall extends from the liner segment base body, a multitude of drainage holes, wherein the multitude of drainage holes is arranged in the liner segment base body, and wherein the multitude of drainage holes is configured to provide a bidirectional fluid connection from an upper side of the liner segment to a bottom side of the liner segment facing the fuel tank structure, at least four valves, each arranged in a cut out of the liner segment, wherein the at least one valve is configured to provide an unidirectional fluid connection from the bottom side of the liner segment to the upper side of the liner segment, such that the unidirectional fluid connection is blocked in the opposite direction.

2 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the at least four valves is a flap valve.

3 . The liner segment according to claim 2 ,
wherein each of the flap valves comprises:
a clamping plate with an integrated valve-flap stop,
a valve-flap with reinforcement at a feedthrough area, or
a valve backplate.

4 . The liner segment according to claim 3 ,
wherein each of the flap valves comprises a flexible material.

5 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the at least four valves is arranged in a cut out in the liner segment base body.

6 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the at least four valves is arranged in a cut out in the at least one liner segment side wall.

7 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein the liner segment comprises aramid fiber with fluorosilicone plies with dissipative properties.

8 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the at least four valves comprises a diameter of at least 10 mm and at most 75 mm.

9 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein each one of the multitude of the drainage holes comprises a diameter of at most 2 mm.

10 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a multitude of longitudinal elevations,
wherein the multitude of longitudinal elevations are adapted to incorporate longitudinal stringers of a fuselage structure.

11 . The liner segment according to claim 1 ,
wherein the frame bay is configured to be connectable to a fuel pump at fuel pump picking points.

12 . A system for a tank structure, comprising a liner segment for a frame bay of a fuel tank structure, the system comprising:
a liner segment base body, wherein the liner segment base body is adapted to float on fuel in the fuel tank structure, at least one liner segment side wall, wherein the at least one liner segment side wall extends from the liner segment base body, a multitude of drainage holes, wherein the multitude of drainage holes is arranged in the liner segment base body, and wherein the multitude of drainage holes is configured to provide a bidirectional fluid connection from an upper side of the liner segment to a bottom side of the liner segment facing the fuel tank structure, at least one valve, arranged in a cut out of the liner segment, wherein the at least one valve is configured to provide an unidirectional fluid connection from the bottom side of the liner segment to the upper side of the liner segment, such that the unidirectional fluid connection is blocked in the opposite direction, and wherein the system further comprises:
a multitude of frame bays,
a multitude of liner segments configured to float on fuel in the tank structure,
wherein each liner segment is configured to float on fuel in one of the multitude of frame bays,
wherein each liner segment comprises a liner segment base body and at least one liner segment sidewall,
wherein the liner segment sidewall extends from the liner segment base body and comprises a connection area,
a multitude of connection profiles,
wherein the multitude of connection profiles are configured to connect the multitude of liner segments and the liner segment of the frame bay,
a fuel pump, wherein the fuel pump is configured to pump fuel out of the tank structure at fuel pump picking points.

13 . The system according to claim 12 ,
wherein the system is arranged in an aircraft, wherein the aircraft is selected of a group consisting of: airplane, helicopter or drone.

14 . An airplane comprising a liner segment for a frame bay of a fuel tank structure, the line segment comprising:
a liner segment base body, wherein the liner segment base body is adapted to float on fuel in the fuel tank structure, at least one liner segment side wall, wherein the at least one liner segment side wall extends from the liner segment base body, a multitude of drainage holes, wherein the multitude of drainage holes is arranged in the liner segment base body, and wherein the multitude of drainage holes is configured to provide a bidirectional fluid connection from an upper side of the liner segment to a bottom side of the liner segment facing the fuel tank structure, at least one valve, arranged in a cut out of the liner segment, wherein the at least one valve is configured to provide an unidirectional fluid connection from the bottom side of the liner segment to the upper side of the liner segment, such that the unidirectional fluid connection is blocked in the opposite direction.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh
• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Wriede Stefan
• Vollmer Malte
• Gobin Frederic
• Slack Christopher

Classifications

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B64D37/32

  Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions · CPC title

• B64D37/04

  Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft · CPC title

• B64D37/08 Primary

  Internal partitioning · CPC title

• B64D37/06 Primary

  Constructional adaptations thereof · CPC title