Aircraft having a cockpit with optimized outside visibility and a method of optimizing the outside visibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9394053-B2
Application number	US-201414224423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 26, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

An aircraft having a cockpit, said cockpit including a canopy provided with transparent surfaces fastened to bars, a central console, and two seats arranged transversely on either side of the central console. The aircraft includes at least one support ( 31, 33 ) connected to the central console and at least one display unit for displaying multiple indications for assisting piloting, each display unit being carried by at least one support ( 31, 32, 33, 34 ) interposed between a bar and a theoretical position of the eye of a person sitting on one of said two seats, each support ( 31, 32, 33, 34 ) visually masking a bar at least in part, in order to optimize the visibility to the outside of the cockpit as made available to that person, the theoretical position being defined by the manufacturer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft having a cockpit extending longitudinally from a rear portion towards a front portion and transversely from a left side towards a right side, and in elevation from a base towards a top, the cockpit comprising a canopy having transparent surfaces fastened to bars, the cockpit including a central console and two seats arranged transversely on either side of the central console, wherein the aircraft includes at least one support connected to the central console and at least one display unit for displaying multiple indications for assisting piloting, the at least one display unit being carried by the at least one support, the at least one support being interposed between one of the bars and a theoretical position for the eye of a person sitting on one of the two seats, the at least one support visually masking of one of the bars at least in part in order to optimize the outside visibility made available to that person, the theoretical position being defined by the manufacturer, the bars comprising at least one transverse bar extending transversely in a direction from the right side to the left side, the at least one support including at least one transverse support that masks the at least one transverse bar at least in part, at least two plane transverse supports jointly forming a V-shaped tray.

2. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft has at least two supports for carrying one display unit per seat.

3. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the V-shaped tray is a horizontal tray.

4. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft includes a leg fastened to the central console, the at least one transverse support being carried by the leg.

5. An aircraft according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one transverse support is stationary relative to the leg.

6. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the bars comprise at least one bar in elevation extending in a direction going from the base towards the top, the aircraft including at least one support in elevation masking the at least one bar in elevation at least in part.

7. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one display unit is hinged to the at least one support by a hinge allowing the display unit to turn about an axis in elevation.

8. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft includes one reversible fastener means per display unit for temporarily fastening the at least one display unit to the at least one support.

9. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support is extendible in order to place the at least one display unit in a first position (POS 1 ) laterally offsetting the display unit from a forward vision axis (AX 1 ) of a person sitting on one of the seats, or else in a second position (POS 2 ) positioning the display unit on the forward vision axis (AX 1 ).

10. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support is hollow.

11. An aircraft according to claim 10 , wherein the aircraft includes wired connections passing inside the at least one support.

12. An aircraft according to claim 10 , wherein the aircraft includes at least one air conditioning duct passing inside the at least one support.

13. An aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one support includes at least one ventilation nozzle connected to the least one air conditioning duct.

14. An aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one display unit includes at least one ventilation nozzle connected to the at least one air conditioning duct.

15. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft includes at least one on-board instrument arranged on the central console.

16. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one display unit includes at least two independent screens.

17. A method of optimizing outside visibility made available to a person in an aircraft having a cockpit extending longitudinally from a rear portion towards a front portion, and transversely from a left side to a right side, and extending in elevation from a base to a top, the cockpit having a canopy including transparent surfaces connected together by bars, the cockpit including a central console and two seats arranged transversely on either side of the central console, the bars comprising at least one transverse bar extending transversely in a direction from the left side to the right side, the method being characterized by the following steps:
arranging at least one support in the cockpit, the support being connected to the central console and the support being interposed between one of the bars and a theoretical position for the eye of a person sitting on one of the seats in order to optimize the outside visibility offered to that person, the theoretical position being defined by the manufacturer, the support including at least one transverse support masking the at least one transverse bar, at least in part, at least two plane transverse supports together forming a V-shaped tray; and
suspending a display unit from at least one support in order to display multiple indications for assisting piloting.

Assignees

• Airbus Helicopters

Inventors

• Baudry Jean-Pierre
• Certain Nicolas

Classifications

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• B64C1/00 Primary

  Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C1/14

  Windows; Doors; Hatch covers or access panels; Surrounding frame structures; Canopies; Windscreens {accessories therefor, e.g. pressure sensors, water deflectors, hinges, seals, handles, latches, windscreen wipers}(fairings movable in conjunction with undercarriage elements B64C25/16; bomb doors B64D1/06) · CPC title