Device for Fixing and Electrical Contacting a Facing Element of an Aircraft on a Support Structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016126684-A1
Application number	US-201514925745-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for fixing and electrical contacting of a facing element of an aircraft on a support structure, which is attached to an aircraft structure including a fixing device for detachable fixation of the facing element on the support structure and a contacting device for providing multiple electrical contacts between facing element leads and connecting leads on the support structure, wherein the fixing device can be placed into positive engagement by a transitory relative movement between the facing element and the support structure, and the contacting device includes at least two first contacts on the facing element and the same number of second contacts on the support structure cooperating therewith, which can be respectively brought into contact with one another electrically during the transitory relative movement, wherein the first contacts are connected with the facing element leads and the second contacts are connected with the connecting leads on the support structure.

First claim

1 . A device for fixing and electrical contacting of a facing element of an aircraft to a support structure, which is attached to an aircraft structure, comprising a fixing device for detachable fixation of the facing element on the support structure and a contacting device for providing multiple electrical contacts between facing element leads and connecting leads on the support structure, wherein the fixing device is enabled to be placed into positive engagement by a transitory relative movement between the facing element and the support structure, and the contacting device comprises at least two first contacts on the facing element and the same number of second contacts on the support structure cooperating therewith, each of which is enabled to be brought to contact one another electrically during the transitory relative movement, wherein the first contacts are connected with the leads on the facing element and the second contacts are connected with the connecting leads on the support structure.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the facing element ( 10 ) is a facing panel, in particular a side panel.

3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the support structure comprises a supporting plate with an undercut vertical groove, and an insertable fixing element with a head that is enabled to be brought into the undercut area is attached on the facing element, the contacting device comprises multiple elastically protruding first contacts disposed on the head, and the contacting device comprises second contacts disposed in the back face of the vertical groove interacting with the first contacts.

4 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the second contacts are shaped in the form of strips.

5 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the second contacts are disposed in longitudinal grooves, which are formed in the back face of the undercut vertical groove.

6 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the first contacts are shaped as bows.

7 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein the first contacts are connected with contact pins, which extend into the innards of the facing element and are detachably connected there with the facing element leads.

8 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the contacting device on the support structure comprises at least one non-conductive sloping element, on which multiple adjacently disposed second contacts are attached, which are connected with the connecting leads on the support structure, the sloping element is enabled to be moved against a retractive force transverse to the translatory motion, furthermore first contacts are disposed on the facing element, which are enabled to be brought into contact with the second contacts during the transitory motion.

9 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the sloping element comprises a return spring for producing the retractive force, which pushes said sloping element in direction of the support structure.

10 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the first contacts are disposed on the projection, which comprises an inclined surface, the surface of which is aligned parallel to the contact surface of the sloping element.

11 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the sloping element comprises a shaft, from the free end of which contact pins connected with the first contacts project, wherein one end of the shaft and the contact pins are enabled to be connected detachably with a connector and the connector is connected with the facing element leads.

12 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein 2-10 second contacts are disposed on the sloping element and the same number of first contacts are disposed on the facing element.

13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the contacting device comprises a number of first contacts on the facing element extending in the direction of translation, which are designed elastically deformable in the shape of a bow, on the support structure the same number of second contacts is disposed extending in the direction of translation, which contacts are disposed in guide ducts.

14 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the bow-shaped first contacts are fixed respectively on one end on the facing element and on the other end bear respectively on the facing element.

15 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein one first contact and one second contact are disposed respectively on the two sides of the fixing device.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Wulfhorst Leonardo
• Ischdonat Nils
• Rollfink Patrick

Classifications

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• H01R13/6275

  Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R13/26

  Pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only {(for modular jack type connectors H01R24/62)} · CPC title

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title