Interchangeable internal modular avionics platform assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9750162-B2
Application number	US-201514919663-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2015
Priority date	Oct 21, 2015
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

Internal interchangeable modular avionics platform assemblies and methods for removably mounting and interchanging modular avionics platforms within an aircraft. In some embodiments, modular avionics platform assemblies may include a modular avionics platform configured to support various avionics equipment, suitable for removable mounting within a forward fuselage, and interchangeable with a number of alternate platforms. A platform may include a frame structure, and mounting pins and a connector assembly disposed on the frame structure. The mounting pins may project outwardly from the frame structure to align with and detachably secure to corresponding airframe members of an aircraft when the frame structure is in a mounted position. The connector assembly may be disposed on the frame structure and have a plurality of connectors, including connectors for alternating current, direct current, and data. In some embodiments, the platform may also include an environmental cooling system disposed on the frame structure.

First claim

I claim:

1. An interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly, comprising an interchangeable modular avionics platform including:
a frame structure having substantially parallel opposing side portions spaced apart at a predetermined width so that the frame structure fits between opposing airframe members within a forward interior bay of a fuselage of an aircraft with each of the side portions of the frame structure proximate a corresponding one of the airframe members;
at least one pair of mounting pins, each of the mounting pins disposed on and axially aligned with a respective one of the opposing side portions of the frame structure and configured to project outwardly from each respective one of the opposing side portions to align with and detachably secure to the corresponding one of the airframe members when the frame structure is in a mounted position; and
a connector assembly configured to connect to avionics equipment on the frame structure, the connector assembly disposed on the frame structure and having a plurality of connectors, including an alternating current connector of the plurality of connectors configured to connect to a 115-volt alternating current source, a direct current connector of the plurality of connectors configured to connect to a 28-volt direct current source, and a data bus connector of the plurality of connectors configured to connect to a data bus of the aircraft;
wherein the modular avionics platform is one of a number of modular avionics platforms, each of the modular avionics platforms mountable within and non-destructively releasably removable from the forward interior bay of the fuselage, with each of the modular avionics platforms being configured to support one or more of the avionics equipment having different dimensions, and to thereby enable modular installation of selected ones of the avionics equipment into the aircraft to perform a variety of equipment-dependent missions.

2. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a clamp assembly configured to be attached to the corresponding one of the opposing airframe members corresponding to each position of the mounting pins on the frame structure, each clamp assembly having a fixed clamp element configured to be fixedly attached to the corresponding one of the airframe members, and a pivot clamp element configured to pivot between an open position in which the pivot clamp element is spaced apart from the fixed clamp element, and a closed position in which the pivot clamp element is proximate to and secured relative to the fixed clamp element to clamp a corresponding one of mounting pins to the corresponding one of the airframe members and thereby enable removable mounting of the frame structure to the airframe members.

3. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of mounting pins comprises first and second pairs of mounting pins, the second pair of mounting pins spaced apart from the first pair of mounting pins, each of the pairs of mounting pins configured to provide support for the platform on the airframe members.

4. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the modular avionics platform further comprises a first equipment rack having a first equipment station and configured to support and enable detachable securement of the selected ones of the avionics equipment thereon, a second equipment rack having a second equipment station and a third equipment station, and an environmental cooling system, the environmental cooling system including a compressor and a cooling fan mounted in the third equipment station, and a length of flexible cooling tubing that is in fluid communication with the cooling fan and extends to the second equipment station to thereby supply cooling air to the second equipment station.

5. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 4 , wherein the environmental cooling system further comprises a flexible exhaust tubing configured to communicate the cooling air for heat removal from the second equipment station to louvers in the forward interior bay of the fuselage for venting therethrough.

6. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the modular avionics platform further comprises at least one equipment rack having a plurality of equipment stations configured to support and enable detachable securement of the selected ones of the avionics equipment thereon.

7. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 6 , wherein the modular avionics platform further comprises a data link system disposed on the at least one equipment rack and configured to sense and receive data communicated between aircraft communication nodes, the aircraft nodes including at least one airborne aircraft and other airborne aircraft weaponry to enable the at least one airborne aircraft to control firing of the other airborne aircraft weaponry at a designated target by communicating using the data link system.

8. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 6 , wherein the modular avionics platform further comprises an infrared search-and-track sensor system disposed on the at least one equipment rack and configured to enable tracking of other airborne aircraft.

9. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 6 , wherein the modular avionics platform further comprises an Internet-protocol-based mesh-network radio terminal disposed on the at least one equipment rack and configured to enable data communication between multiple airborne aircraft including the aircraft in which the modular avionics platform is mounted.

10. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the modular avionics platform further comprises a pair of pivot pins, each of the pivot pins disposed on and axially aligned with a respective one of the opposing side portions of the frame structure and positioned to align with a corresponding slot on the corresponding one of the airframe members when the frame structure is in the mounted position, and configured to have a stowed position recessed within the respective one of the side portions of the frame structure, and an extended position configured to extend into the corresponding slot on the corresponding one of the airframe members to thereby detachably secure the frame structure to the airframe members.

11. The interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame structure includes a first equipment rack and a second equipment rack with the first equipment rack disposed above the second equipment rack.

12. An interchangeable modular avionics platform assembly, comprising an interchangeable modular avionics platform including:
a frame structure having substantially parallel opposing side portions spaced apart at a predetermined width so that the frame structure fits between opposing airframe members within a forward interior bay of a fuselage of an aircraft with each of the side portions of the frame structure proximate a corresponding one of the airframe members;
at least one pair of mounting pins, each of the mounting pins disposed on and axially aligned with a respective one of the opposing side portions of the frame structure and configured to project outwardly from each respective one of the opposing side portions to align with and detachably secure to the corresponding one of the airframe members when the frame structure is in a mounted position; and
at least one equipment rack supported on the frame structure and having a plurality of equipment stations, the plurality of equipment stations incl

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Szarek Kenneth Alan

Classifications

• H05K7/20145

  Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides · CPC title

• H05K7/1401

  comprising clamping or extracting means (H05K7/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title