Aircraft fuselage structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517829-B2
Application number	US-201414449543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 2, 2013
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An aircraft fuselage structure is disclosed having an outer skin, a support structure arrangement with frame elements, and a floor structure arrangement with floor support struts, the floor structure arrangement connected to the support structure arrangement via connection parts. A connection exists between the floor structure arrangement and the support structure arrangement, with a clamping element on the connection part and a locking element on the connection part. The clamping element includes a longitudinal section having a first and a second end. The first end is pivotally attached to the connection part. The second end includes a transverse section, the locking element including at least one locking groove, and the clamping element pivotable between an engagement position in which the transverse section engages the locking groove, and a released position, in which the transverse section is disengaged therefrom.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft fuselage structure comprising:
an outer skin which encloses an interior space, includes an inner surface facing the interior space, and extends along an aircraft longitudinal axis;
a support structure arrangement comprising a plurality of frame elements which extend in a circumferential direction along the inner surface of the outer skin and are spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to the aircraft longitudinal axis;
a floor structure arrangement comprising a floor plate which extends in a plane parallel to the aircraft longitudinal axis, a plurality of floor support carriers which extend along a bottom surface of the floor plate and perpendicular to the aircraft longitudinal axis, and a plurality of floor support struts which extend from the plurality of floor support carriers on the bottom surface of the floor plate to the plurality of frame elements;
wherein the floor structure arrangement is connected to the support structure arrangement via connection parts;
wherein the connection parts of the floor structure arrangement or the support structure arrangement include one or more clamping elements and the connection parts of the floor structure arrangement or the support structure arrangement which do not include clamping elements include one or more locking elements;
wherein the one or more clamping elements are configured to engage with the one or more locking elements;
wherein each clamping element includes a longitudinal section having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to a corresponding connection part for pivotable movement about a first pivot axis and the second end including a transverse section which extends away from the longitudinal section;
wherein each locking element includes at least one locking groove configured to engage with the transverse section; and
wherein the one or more clamping elements are pivotable between an engagement position, in which the transverse section is engaged with the locking groove, and a released position, in which the transverse section is disengaged from the locking groove.

2. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal section includes a first segment and a second segment,
the first segment including the first end and the second segment including the second end,
the first and the second segment being pivotally connected about a second pivot axis, and
the second pivot axis being oriented parallel to the first pivot axis.

3. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 2 , wherein an actuation segment on the first segment manually moves the first segment and wherein the actuation segment is rigidly connected to the first segment and extends away therefrom.

4. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of frame elements or the plurality of floor support struts include one or more clamping elements and the plurality of frame elements or the plurality of floor support struts which do not include the clamping element include one or more locking elements.

5. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of frame elements include one or more clamping elements and the plurality of floor support struts include one or more locking elements.

6. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 4 , wherein the first pivot axis extends perpendicular to a direction of extension of the plurality of floor support struts.

7. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one locking groove extends perpendicular to a direction of extension of the plurality of floor support struts.

8. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 4 , wherein a first and a second clamping element are attached, substantially perpendicularly to a direction of extension of the plurality of floor support struts, on opposite sides of the connection parts, wherein the locking element includes locking grooves on opposite sides, and wherein the locking grooves are substantially perpendicular to the direction of extension of the plurality of floor support struts.

9. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more clamping elements include a first longitudinal section and a second longitudinal section, and wherein the transverse section connects the two longitudinal sections.

10. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 9 , wherein the second longitudinal section is oriented parallel to the first longitudinal section.

11. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connection parts of the floor structure arrangement or the support structure arrangement include one or more plug elements and the connection parts of the floor structure arrangement or the support structure arrangement which do not include plug elements include one or more socket elements,
wherein the one or more plug elements include a pin which extends in a direction of engagement, and
wherein the one or more socket elements include a hollow space adapted to receive the pin.

12. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of frame elements or the plurality of floor support struts include one or more plug elements and the plurality of frame elements or the plurality of floor support struts that do not include plug elements include one or more socket elements.

13. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 12 , wherein the plurality of frame elements include one or more socket elements and the plurality of floor support struts include one or more plug elements.

14. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 13 , wherein the clamping elements and/or the one or more socket elements are fastened to the plurality of frame elements by a clamping device which encloses the plurality of frame elements.

15. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more plug elements are attached at an end of the plurality of floor support struts remote from the floor plate in such a way that the pin is disposed as an extension of the plurality of floor support struts.

16. The aircraft fuselage structure according to claim 11 , wherein the pin has a circumferential outer surface, wherein a plurality of circumferential projections are disposed on the outer surface, wherein the plurality of circumferential projections extend away from the outer surface at an angle relative to the direction of engagement and are spaced apart from one another, and
wherein the hollow space is surrounded by a circumferential inner surface of the socket element, the inner surface comprising a plurality of circumferential lugs which extend from the inner surface toward a center of the hollow space and adapted to be received between the plurality of circumferential projections of the pin.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Fink Kai
• Vichniakov Alexei
• Goehlich Robert Alexander

Classifications

• B64C1/18

  Floors · CPC title

• F16B7/0406

  for rods or tubes being coaxial (F16B7/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B7/22

  using hooks or like elements · CPC title

• B64C1/061 Primary

  Frames · CPC title