Emergency opening device for an aircraft door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327820-B2
Application number	US-201214119901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2012
Priority date	May 31, 2011
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to an emergency opening device for an aircraft door provided with an opening mechanism ( 10, 11, 17 ), said device comprising (i) a mobile maneuvering member ( 21 - 23, 35 ) urged by elastic compression means ( 20 ) and provided with an end piece ( 35 ) connecting to the opening mechanism of the door, and an opposing resetting end segment; and (ii) a member ( 26 ) for retaining the resetting segment ( 23 ) of the maneuvering member, comprising jaws ( 26 a, 26 b ) that can move between a closed position in which the resetting segment is locked, in a maneuvering member position in which the elastic means ( 20 ) are compressed, and an open position in which the resetting segment is released, thereby allowing the movement of the maneuvering member under the resultant force from the expansion of the elastic means ( 20 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An emergency opening device for an aircraft door having an opening mechanism ( 10 - 19 ), the opening mechanism comprising:
an actuating device ( 20 - 26 ) for actuating the opening mechanism, wherein the actuating device is switched between a passive state and an active state of activation of said opening mechanism, and
an activating device ( 27 , 28 ) for the actuating device:
the actuating device comprises:
a movable operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) having an end-piece ( 35 ), for connecting to the opening mechanism ( 10 - 19 ) of the door, and at the opposite end a tubular segment ( 23 ) termed a rearming segment,
an elastic compression device ( 20 ) arranged between a stationary end-stop element ( 31 ) and the connecting end-piece ( 35 ) of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ),
a member ( 26 ) for retaining the rearming segment ( 23 ) of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) comprising at least two jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ) which can be moved between a closed position locking the rearming segment ( 23 ), the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) being in a position which corresponds to the passive state of the actuating device in which the elastic compression device ( 20 ) are held in a compressed state, and an open position freeing said rearming segment, allowing the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) to be moved, by the force resulting from the expansion of the elastic compression device ( 20 ), toward a position corresponding to the active state of the actuating device,
the activation device ( 27 , 28 ) is designed to drive a triggering element which, from an arrangement to engage a latching element of a linking device which holds the two jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ) in their closed position against the elastic compression device, frees the latching element from this arrangement to release the opening of the jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ) of the retaining member ( 26 ) to their open position.

2. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ) of the retaining member ( 26 ) are held in their closed position, against the force exerted by elastic compression device, by a brace which surrounds said jaws, the activation device comprises a holding device ( 27 ) for holding the brace in a position wrapped around the jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ), the holding device is designed to release said brace on command.

3. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the holding device comprises an electromagnet ( 27 ) having a trigger arranged so as to engage with a latching element formed at one of the free ends of said brace, and electrical supply device ( 28 ) to energize said electromagnet on command so as to free the latching element of the brace.

4. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rearming segment ( 23 ) of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) comprises an operating end-piece ( 25 ) designed such that said operating member can be gripped using a tool designed to engage with said operating end-piece in order to rearm the actuation device.

5. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein:
the rearming segment of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) comprises a threaded rod ( 23 ) mounted so as to be able to rotate about its axis of revolution and having an operating end-piece ( 25 ) designed to allow said rod to be driven in rotation,
the jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ) of the retaining member ( 26 ) delimit, in their closed position, a tapped bore which mates with the threaded rod ( 23 ) of the rearming segment of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ),
the retaining member ( 26 ) and the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) being arranged and designed such that at least one segment of the threaded rod ( 23 ) extends into the bore of the retaining member ( 26 ) for every position of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ).

6. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the operating end-piece ( 25 ) of the rearming segment ( 23 ) of the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) consists of a blind bore forming a predetermined imprint.

7. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the retaining member ( 26 ) features jaws ( 26 a , 26 b ) which are designed such that said retaining member has the general shape of a nut.

8. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operating member ( 21 - 23 , 35 ) includes a piston ( 22 ), around which extend the elastic compression device ( 20 ), wherein said piston has a connecting end-piece ( 35 ) constituting an end-stop for said elastic compression device and wherein, at the other end from said connecting end-piece, the rearming section ( 23 ) extends from said piston.

9. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the stationary end-stop element of the elastic compression device ( 20 ) includes a tubular spacer ( 31 ), the retaining member ( 26 ) being attached in a line with said spacer.

10. The emergency opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein it is designed to be integrated into an arm ( 1 ) of an aircraft door, which arm is articulated about two shafts ( 3 , 4 ) which are respectively mounted on said aircraft and said door, to provide for the actuation of an opening mechanism designed to force said arm to pivot.

Assignees

• Lamat Patrick
• Latecoere

Inventors

• Lamat Patrick

Classifications

• E05B65/10

  for panic or emergency doors · CPC title

• B64C1/1407 Primary

  Doors; surrounding frames · CPC title

• B64C1/1423 Primary

  Passenger doors · CPC title

• Y10T292/0908

  Emergency operating means · CPC title