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EP-4431384-B1 - ARTICULATED HINGE ASSEMBLY FOR AN AIRCRAFT DOOR

EP4431384B1EP 4431384 B1EP4431384 B1EP 4431384B1EP-4431384-B1

Inventors

  • MORTLAND, MICHAEL T.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240301

Claims (15)

  1. An articulated hinge assembly (200) for connecting a door (120) to a fuselage (106) of an aircraft (100), the articulated hinge assembly (200) comprising: an articulated hinge arm (202) having a first hinge member (210) and a second hinge member (250) pivotably coupled to the first hinge member (210) at an elbow (204), the first hinge member (210) including a fuselage fitting (220) configured to be pivotably coupled to a fuselage bracket (130) mounted to the fuselage (106) adjacent a door opening (132) of the aircraft (100), the second hinge member (250) including a door fitting (260) configured to be pivotably coupled to a door bracket (126) of the door (120), the articulated hinge arm (202) movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position to move the door (120) from a door closed position to a door open position, wherein the second hinge member (250) is folded in on the first hinge member (210) in the collapsed position, and wherein the second hinge member (250) is moved away from the first hinge member (210) in the expanded position; and a linkage assembly (300) coupled to the articulated hinge arm (202), the fuselage fitting (220) and the door fitting (260), the linkage assembly (300) including a hinge linkage assembly (310) coupled to the articulated hinge arm (202) and the fuselage fitting (220), the hinge linkage assembly (310) controlling movement of the first hinge member (210) and the second hinge member (250) relative to each other and relative to the fuselage fitting (220) as the articulated hinge arm (202) is moved from the collapsed position to the expanded position, the linkage assembly (300) including a door linkage assembly (410) coupled to the articulated hinge arm (202) and configured to be coupled to the door (120) to control positioning of the door (120) relative to the second hinge member (250) when the door (120) is moved from the door closed position to the door open position, the linkage assembly (300) configured to cause the door (120) to move along a programed path relative to the fuselage (106) as the door (120) moves from the door closed position to the door open position, wherein the linkage assembly (300) is configured to cause the door (120) to swing outward along the programed path relative to the fuselage (106) such that an exterior of the door (120) faces an exterior (218) of the fuselage (106) in the door open position.
  2. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of claim 1, wherein the second hinge member (250) extends parallel to the first hinge member (210) in the door closed position and wherein the first hinge member (210) is oriented at an angle between 85 and 105 degrees with the second hinge member (250) in the door open position.
  3. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the second hinge member (250) is located between the first hinge member (210) and the door (120) in the door closed position.
  4. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the articulated hinge arm (202) includes a connecting shaft (206) at the elbow (204), the first and second hinge members (210, 250) being pivotably coupled to the connecting shaft (206).
  5. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the hinge linkage assembly (310) is coupled to both the first hinge member (210) and the second hinge member (250) and wherein the door linkage assembly (410) is coupled to both the first hinge member (210) and the second hinge member (250).
  6. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the hinge linkage assembly (310) includes a hinge pivot arm (320) pivotably coupled to the first hinge member (210), a hinge connecting arm (330) between the hinge pivot arm (320) and a drive input (522) and coupled thereto, and a hinge link arm (340) between the hinge pivot arm (320) and the second hinge member (250) and coupled thereto.
  7. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of claim 6, wherein the hinge pivot arm (320) includes a pivot axis at a first end (322) of the hinge pivot arm (320), the hinge connecting arm (330) coupled to a central portion (326) of the hinge pivot arm (320), the hinge link arm (340) coupled to the hinge pivot arm (320) at a second end (324) of the hinge pivot arm (320).
  8. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the door linkage assembly (410) includes a drive assembly (500), a door pivot assembly (412), and a door link assembly (414), the drive assembly (500) including a door crank (520) coupled to a drive shaft (510) and being operably coupled to the door pivot assembly (412), the door pivot assembly (412) being pivotably coupled to the articulated hinge arm (202), the door link assembly (414) between the door pivot assembly (412) and the door bracket (126) and connected thereto.
  9. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of claim 8, wherein the door pivot assembly (412) includes at least one door pivot arm (420) pivotably coupled to the articulated hinge arm (202), the door link assembly (414) including a door link arm (450) connected to the door bracket (126), a first door link connecting arm (460) connected between the door link arm (450) and the at least one door pivot arm (420), and a second door link connecting arm (470) connected between the second hinge member (250) and the door link arm (450).
  10. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the linkage assembly (300) includes a drive shaft (510) rotatably coupled to the first hinge member (210), the hinge linkage assembly (310) including a hinge crank coupled to and rotatably with the drive shaft (510) to drive the hinge linkage assembly (310), the door linkage assembly (410) including a door crank (520) coupled to and rotatable with the drive shaft (510) to drive the door linkage assembly (410).
  11. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of claim 10, further comprising an emergency power assist assembly (610) coupled to the first hinge member (210) and coupled to the drive shaft (510) to control rotation of the drive shaft (510).
  12. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-10, further comprising an emergency power assist assembly (610) attached between the linkage assembly (300) and the articulated hinge arm (202) so as to drive the door open in an emergency and to limit the speed of the motion of the articulated hinge arm (202) when the articulated hinge arm (202) is moved between the door closed position to the door open position.
  13. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-12, further comprising a bumper (134) coupled to the fuselage bracket (130), the bumper (134) configured to stop the first hinge member (210) in the door open position.
  14. The articulated hinge assembly (200) of any one of claims 1-13, further wherein the first hinge member (210) extends between a forward end and an aft end, the aft end of the first hinge member (210) being coupled to the connecting shaft (206) and the fuselage fitting (220) being at the forward end of the first hinge member (210), and wherein the second hinge member (250) includes an aft end and a forward end, the aft end of the second hinge member (250) being coupled to the connecting shaft (206) and the door fitting (260) being at the forward end of the second hinge member (250).
  15. An aircraft (100), comprising: a fuselage (106) and a fuselage bracket (130) mounted to the fuselage (106); a passenger cabin in the fuselage (106), the passenger cabin being part of a pressure-controlled interior in fuselage (106); doors (120) in the fuselage (106) to provide access to the passenger cabin for loading and unloading passengers, wherein one or more of the doors (120) comprise a door bracket (126) and are attached to the fuselage (106) using the articulated hinge assembly (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

Description

BACKGROUND The subject matter herein relates generally to aircraft doors. An important part of any door assembly is the hinge assembly that connects the door to the adjacent aircraft fuselage structure. One particular type of hinge assembly is arranged so that, when the door is opened, the door physically separates from the surrounding structure and is translated out and away from the body while the door itself maintains a relatively parallel orientation to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage. The hinge also translates the door forward to provide a clear opening into the aircraft as the door swings away from the body. When the door is completely open, the inside face of the door is adjacent the outer skin of the aircraft. Many hinge assemblies used with translating-motion-type aircraft doors include both a structural hinge for securing the door to the aircraft and a mechanical linkage that provides a second door-to-fuselage connection. The mechanical linkage is employed to control the rotational orientation of the door along its vertical axis so that, as the door is moved away from the fuselage, the door is moved to an open position, such as along the outer skin of the aircraft. If the movement of the door was not controlled, the door would swing free at the end of the hinge and be difficult to maneuver and/or strike the outer skin of the fuselage. The mechanical linkage used in conventional door assemblies is typically bulky and extends a considerable distance into the interior of the fuselage. The space occupied by the mechanical linkage limits availability of such space for other purposes, such as for stowage, seating, or other purposes. Document US 2020/070947 A1, in accordance with its abstract, states an aircraft door arrangement, comprising a door pivotable between closed and open positions, a frame section in a door opening region, and an articulation arrangement connecting the door and frame section. Document US 2020/070947 A1, in accordance with its abstract, states an aircraft door arrangement, comprising a door pivotable between closed and open positions, a frame section in a door opening region, and an articulation arrangement connecting the door and frame section. First and second arms are mounted on the frame section, rotatable about first and second axes, respectively. Third and fourth arms are mounted on the door, rotatable about third and fourth axes, respectively. The second arm, at a first position, is rotatably coupled to the fourth arm about a fifth axis, and at a second position, closer to the second axis, is rotatably coupled to the third arm about a sixth axis. The third arm, at a third position, is rotatably coupled to the first arm about a seventh axis, and at a fourth position, closer to the third axis, is rotatably coupled to the second arm about the sixth axis. All axes are oriented substantially parallel. Document US 2013/227819 A1, in accordance with its abstract, states an articulating assembly for an adjustable hinge assembly, the articulating assembly comprising a height control arm supporting a mounting element at its distal end and pivotable about its proximal end for height adjustment, a convex member at the distal region of the height control arm defining a distinct pair of convex surfaces, the convex member having a passageway therethrough, a pair of concave members engaged with the convex surfaces of the convex member in a cupping manner, the concave members each having a passageway therethrough, and a pin located through the aligned passageways of the convex member and concave members, the pin also being engaged with the mounting element to couple the mounting element to the height control arm, wherein the pin is dimensioned such that there is a clearance with respect to the passageway of the convex member to allow limited articulating movement of the mounting element relative to the height control arm. First and second arms are mounted on the frame section, rotatable about first and second axes, respectively. Third and fourth arms are mounted on the door, rotatable about third and fourth axes, respectively. The second arm, at a first position, is rotatably coupled to the fourth arm about a fifth axis, and at a second position, closer to the second axis, is rotatably coupled to the third arm about a sixth axis. The third arm, at a third position, is rotatably coupled to the first arm about a seventh axis, and at a fourth position, closer to the third axis, is rotatably coupled to the second arm about the sixth axis. All axes are oriented substantially parallel. Document US 2013/227819 A1, in accordance with its abstract, states an articulating assembly for an adjustable hinge assembly, the articulating assembly comprising a height control arm supporting a mounting element at its distal end and pivotable about its proximal end for height adjustment, a convex member at the distal region of the height control arm defining a distinct pair of convex surfaces,