Avionics cargo hold module having an upper integrated floor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9359084-B2
Application number	US-201314138588-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

An integral avionics bay module. The module has a structure that has an integral cabin floor on top that closes the structure. Installing such an integral avionics bay structure in a single operation inside a primary fuselage structure considerably reduces the integration time on the final assembly line for the aircraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An avionics bay module, comprising an avionics bay structure with a longitudinal axis for installing in a single operation in a primary fuselage structure of an aircraft, the avionics bay structure having an integral floor in an upper portion of the avionics bay structure, wherein the floor has a top portion forming a surface for walking on and a bottom portion that is structural.

2. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the floor forms an integral portion of the upper portion of the structure of the avionics bay.

3. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the avionics bay structure has the floor integrated with its upper portion prior to being installed in the primary fuselage structure.

4. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the avionics bay structure comprises a plurality of elements fastened to one another so as to form an assembly that is suitable for being moved as a unit.

5. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the structural bottom portion comprises a set of cross-members, at least some of which that extend in a horizontal transverse direction are for connecting to the primary fuselage structure.

6. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the avionics bay structure incorporates an assembly of avionics racks receiving at least one of electrical and electronic equipment.

7. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the avionics bay structure presents a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension perpendicular to its height, the floor having in cross-section a plurality of floor segments including a central segment and two lateral segments arranged on either side of a horizontal central segment, each of the lateral segments being suitable for being hinged relative to the central segment in such a manner as to be capable of adopting firstly a horizontal, deployed position in which all of the segments are in alignment, and secondly a folded position in which each lateral segment forms an angle other than 180° with the central segment.

8. The avionics bay module according to claim 7 wherein the floor is fastened to each of the vertical transverse uprights of the two rows of racks via two support elements that are transversely spaced apart from each other, and wherein the floor is mounted to be supported on each of the vertical transverse uprights of the two rows of racks via its central segment.

9. The avionics bay module according to claim 1 , wherein the avionics bay structure comprises two submodules supporting the floor and arranged on either side of a vertical midplane including the longitudinal axis of the avionics bay structure.

10. The avionics bay module according to claim 9 , wherein the two submodules are separated from each other by a central passage with a longitudinal axis for access to the submodules.

11. The avionics bay module according to claim 9 , wherein the avionics bay structure incorporates a vertical transverse partition fastened to the two submodules at one end of the two opposite longitudinal ends of said structure.

12. The avionics bay module according to claim 9 , wherein each submodule comprises a row of avionics racks receiving at least one of electrical and electronic equipment in alignment along the longitudinal axis of the avionics bay structure, the two rows of racks being disposed facing each other and spaced apart from each other.

13. The avionics bay module according to claim 12 , wherein each row of racks comprises a plurality of racks arranged side by side and spaced apart in pairs by structural vertical transverse support uprights, the transverse uprights of the two rows being respectively arranged facing one another.

14. The avionics bay module according to claim 13 , wherein the floor is mounted to be supported on each of the vertical transverse uprights of the two rows of racks.

15. The avionics bay module according to claim 14 , wherein the floor is fastened to each of the vertical transverse uprights of the two rows of racks via two support elements that are transversely spaced apart from each other.

16. The avionics bay module according to claim 15 , wherein one of the two support elements is of the flexible support type and, of the two support elements, constitutes the support element that is closer to the flexible support element of the transverse upright facing the opposite row of racks.

17. An aircraft nose comprising a primary fuselage structure, the aircraft nose including an avionics bay module comprising an avionics bay structure incorporated inside the primary fuselage structure, the avionics bay structure having an integral floor in its top portion, wherein the floor has a top portion forming a surface for walking on and a bottom portion that is structural.

18. The aircraft nose according to claim 17 , wherein the floor is integral with the top portion of the avionics bay structure.

19. The aircraft nose according to claim 17 , wherein the floor is already integral with the avionics bay structure before that structure is installed in the primary fuselage structure.

20. The aircraft nose according claim 17 , wherein inside the primary fuselage structure, there is an aircraft cabin floor that is locally interrupted, the avionics bay structure being incorporated in the primary fuselage structure in such a manner that the floor integral with said avionics bay structure locally extends the aircraft cabin floor.

21. The aircraft nose according to claim 17 , wherein the avionics bay structure presents a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension perpendicular to its height, the floor integral with the avionics bay structure having in cross-section a plurality of floor segments including a central segment and two lateral segments arranged on either side of the central segment, each of the lateral segments being hinged relative to the central segment in such as a manner as to be capable of adopting firstly a horizontal deployed position in which all of the segments are in alignment, and secondly a folded position in which each lateral segment forms relative to the central segment an angle that is not equal to 180°.

22. The aircraft nose according to claim 17 , wherein the primary fuselage structure has a plurality of fuselage frames arranged parallel to one another in cross-sections that are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the nose, the floor integral with the avionics bay structure including at least one cross-member in correspondence with a plurality of frames and, for each of the frames in the plurality of frames, at least one cross-member that extends in the same transverse direction as the frame and that connects together two opposite points of said frame.

23. The aircraft nose according to claim 22 , wherein the avionics bay structure incorporates a set of avionics racks for receiving at least one of electrical and electronic equipment, said at least one cross-member in correspondence with each frame being fastened to one or more racks of the set of avionics racks.

24. The aircraft nose according to claim 23 , wherein the set of avionics racks comprises a plurality of vertical transverse uprights each lying between two racks arranged side by side and each extending in the same transverse cross-section as one of the frames of the plurality of frames, said at least one cross-member in correspondence with said frame being fastened to the associated vertical tran

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas
• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Durand Yves
• Guering Bernard

Classifications

• B64C1/18

  Floors · CPC title

• B64F5/0009

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B64D43/00 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• B64C2001/009

  comprising decompression panels or valves for pressure equalisation in fuselages or floors · CPC title