Interface between fire suppressant conduit and cargo compartment of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016008641-A1
Application number	US-201414771924-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 6, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatus and methods related to fire suppression in cargo compartments of aircraft are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus provides an interface ( 38 ) between a fire suppressant conduit ( 18 ) and a cargo panel ( 28 ) of a cargo compartment ( 12 ) of an aircraft ( 10 ). The apparatus comprises an adaptor ( 40 ) configured to provide the fire suppressant conduit ( 18 ) access to the cargo compartment ( 12 ) through the cargo panel ( 28 ) and a sealing member ( 42 ) configured to provide a seal between the adaptor ( 40 ) and the fire suppressant conduit ( 18 ). The adaptor ( 40 ) comprises an aperture ( 56 ) for receiving the fire suppressant conduit ( 18 ) where the aperture ( 56 ) is sized to permit passage of a nozzle ( 36 ) of the fire suppressant conduit ( 18 ) therethrough. Associated methods ( 600, 700 ) for removing the cargo panel ( 28 ) of the cargo compartment ( 12 ) of the aircraft ( 10 ) without disassembly of the nozzle ( 36 ) of the fire suppressant conduit ( 18 ) are also disclosed.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for delivering a fire suppressant to a cargo compartment of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
a fire suppressant conduit accessing the cargo compartment through a cargo panel; and a flexible interface between the fire suppressant conduit and the cargo panel, the flexible interface being configured to absorb at least some relative movement between the cargo panel and the fire suppressant conduit.

2 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fire suppressant conduit is rigidly secured to aircraft structure.

3 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexible interface comprises a compressible sealing member.

4 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexible interface comprises:
an adaptor comprising an aperture for receiving the fire suppressant conduit, the aperture being sized to permit passage of a nozzle of the fire suppressant conduit therethrough; and a sealing member configured to provide a seal between the adaptor and the fire suppressant conduit.

5 . The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the sealing member is rigidly secured to aircraft structure and flexibly biased against the adaptor.

6 . The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the sealing member is flexibly biased against a portion of the adaptor surrounding the aperture.

7 . The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fire suppressant conduit comprises a delivery tube extending between the nozzle and a main line, the delivery tube extending substantially perpendicular to the cargo panel and to the main line.

8 . An apparatus for providing an interface between a fire suppressant conduit and a cargo panel of a cargo compartment of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
an adaptor configured to provide the fire suppressant conduit access to the cargo compartment through the cargo panel, the adaptor comprising an aperture for receiving the fire suppressant conduit, the aperture being sized to permit passage of a nozzle of the fire suppressant conduit therethrough; and a sealing member configured to provide a seal between the adaptor and the fire suppressant conduit.

9 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing member is compressible.

10 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the sealing member is configured to be flexibly biased against the adaptor.

11 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the sealing member is configured to provide the seal between the fire suppressant conduit and a portion of the adaptor surrounding the aperture.

12 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing member is annular and is configured to receive the fire suppressant conduit therethrough.

13 . The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing member is compressible along a central axis of the sealing member.

14 . The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the annular portion of the sealing member is configured to be biased against the adaptor and form an annular sealing interface surrounding the aperture of the adaptor.

15 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the sealing member is configured to substantially prevent hazardous quantities of smoke, flames, and fire suppressant from leaving the cargo compartment.

16 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein:
the adaptor is configured to be secured to the cargo panel and extend across an aperture in the cargo panel; the adaptor comprises a back side opposite the cargo compartment during use; and the sealing member is configured to form the seal with the back side of the adaptor.

17 . The apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein the sealing member is configured to be biased against the back side of the adaptor and provide an annular sealing interface surrounding the aperture of the adaptor.

18 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the sealing member is secured to aircraft structure.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the sealing member comprises a plate and a compressible member.

21 .- 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method for removing a cargo panel of a cargo compartment of an aircraft where a fire suppressant conduit accesses the cargo compartment through the cargo panel via an aperture sized to permit passage of a nozzle of the fire suppressant conduit therethrough, the method comprising:
releasing the cargo panel from aircraft structure; and removing the cargo panel without disassembly of the nozzle of the fire suppressant conduit.

32 . The method as defined in claim 31 , comprising:
releasing an adaptor, through which the aperture is formed, from the cargo panel prior to releasing the cargo panel from the aircraft structure; and removing the adaptor while allowing the nozzle of the fire suppressant conduit to pass through the aperture of the adaptor.

33 . The method as defined in claim 32 , wherein removing the adaptor comprises moving the adaptor away from the cargo panel and decompressing a sealing member flexibly biased against the adaptor.

Assignees

• Bombardier Inc

Inventors

• El Haddad Anthony
• Desy Philippe
• Gaudreau Jean-Guy

Classifications

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A62C35/68

  Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• A62C3/08 Primary

  in aircraft {(A62C3/0207 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B64D2045/009

  Fire detection or protection; Erosion protection, e.g. from airborne particles · CPC title