Method and apparatus for protection of wiring free ends and connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9774176-B1
Application number	US-201313842477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

An unassembled aircraft segment that has a plurality of wire bundles is disclosed herein. Each of the plurality of wire bundles comprises at least one of (a) a free end, and (b) a connector. The unassembled aircraft segment also has a plurality of wire bundle protectors each having a fire retardant material, an outer surface, an inner surface configured to define an interior portion, a self-securing opening configured to provide access to the interior portion, and at least one tie connected to the outer surface and configured to secure each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors to a structure of the unassembled aircraft segment. Each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors is installed on each free end and each connector of the plurality of wire bundles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an unassembled aircraft segment;
a plurality of wire bundles secured to the unassembled aircraft segment, each of the plurality of wire bundles comprising at least one of (a) a free end, and (b) a connector;
a plurality of wire bundle protectors each comprising a fire retardant material, an outer surface, an inner surface configured to define an interior portion, a self-securing opening configured to provide access to the interior portion, and at least one tie connected to the outer surface and configured to secure each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors to a structure of the unassembled aircraft segment that is external to the wire bundle protector, wherein the self-securing opening is configured to secure the wire bundle protector to the wire bundle apart from the at least one tie; and
wherein each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors is installed on each free end and each connector of the plurality of wire bundles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further wherein each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors installed on each connector of the plurality of wire bundles comprises a fire retardant bubble wrap material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one tie comprises a different material than the plurality of wire bundle protectors.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of wire bundle protectors comprises an anti-static material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the unassembled aircraft segment is a fuselage segment.

6. The apparatus claim 1 further wherein the unassembled aircraft segment comprises at least a portion of an airframe and the at least one tie is connected to the portion of the airframe.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one tie is connected to the portion of the airframe by a zip tie.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of fasteners, each of the plurality of fasteners configured to secure each of the plurality of wire bundles to the unassembled aircraft segment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:
each of the plurality of fasteners has a maximum load value and a minimum bend radius value; and
the plurality of wire bundle protectors are installed on the plurality of wire bundles such that the maximum load value is not exceeded, and a minimum bend radius of the plurality of wire bundles is equal to or greater than the minimum bend radius value of each of the plurality of fasteners.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of wire bundle protectors are configured such that a portion of the self-securing opening is lower than the free end or connector arranged in the interior portion of the plurality of wire bundle protectors.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the self-securing opening comprises an elastic element.

12. A protector comprising:
a fire retardant material;
an outer surface connected to at least one tie securing the outer surface to a structure of an aircraft segment that is external to the protector;
an inner surface configured to provide an interior of the protector; and
a self-securing opening configured to provide access to the interior of the protector, the self-securing opening is configured to secure a wire bundle to the protector apart from the at least one tie.

13. The protector of claim 12 wherein the at least one tie is connected to the outer surface via a heat sealing process.

14. The protector of claim 12 further wherein the fire retardant material is also an anti-static material.

15. The protector of claim 12 further wherein:
the fire retardant material is an anti-static fire retardant polyethylene; and
the self-securing opening comprises a fire retardant elastic element having fibers with fire retardant properties, and wherein the fire retardant elastic element is attached to the fire retardant material with a fire retardant thread.

16. The protector of claim 12 wherein the at least one tie comprises a different material than the outer surface.

17. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of wire bundles, each of the plurality of wire bundles comprising at least one of a free end and a connector;
a plurality of wire bundle protectors each comprising:
a fire retardant material;
an outer surface;
an inner surface configured to define an interior portion;
a self-securing opening configured to provide access to the interior portion;
a first tie connected to the outer surface at a first end of the outer surface; and
a second tie connected to the outer surface at a second end of the outer surface,
wherein the first tie and the second tie are configured to secure each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors to a structure of an unassembled aircraft segment external to the wire bundle protector, wherein the self-securing opening is configured to secure the wire bundle protector to the wire bundle apart from the first and second ties, and wherein each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors is installed on each free end and each connector of the plurality of wire bundles.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further wherein each of the plurality of wire bundle protectors installed on each connector of the plurality of wire bundles comprises a fire retardant bubble wrap material.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the plurality of wire bundle protectors comprises an anti-static material.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising an airframe wherein the unassembled aircraft segment is a fuselage segment of the airframe.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Spishock Karl M
• Corvi Laura J
• Steele Maegahn R

Classifications

• H02G3/04 Primary

  Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs · CPC title

• H02G1/00

  Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines · CPC title

• H02G15/043

  with end caps, e.g. sleeve closed at one end · CPC title

• H02G3/32

  using mounting clamps · CPC title

• H02G1/14 Primary

  for joining or terminating cables · CPC title