Search

US-20260125930-A1 - Door Latch Direct Visual Indication

US20260125930A1US 20260125930 A1US20260125930 A1US 20260125930A1US-20260125930-A1

Abstract

A latch mechanism for a door of an aircraft comprises a striker pin and a catch assembly. The catch assembly includes a housing, which includes a first aperture and a first outboard surface aligned with the first aperture. The catch assembly also includes a catch pivotably coupled to the housing. The catch includes a recess configured to selectively receive the striker pin. The catch also includes a hook extending at least partially through the first aperture. The hook includes a second outboard surface configured to selectively cover the first outboard surface. The catch is pivotable relative to the housing between an open orientation in which the second outboard surface at least partially reveals the first outboard surface, and a lock orientation in which the second outboard surface substantially conceals the first outboard surface. The recess is configured to receive the striker pin when the catch is in the lock orientation.

Inventors

  • Tomy Turcotte
  • Guillaume Noiseux-Boucher

Assignees

  • TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20260102

Claims (20)

  1. 1 - 20 . (canceled)
  2. 21 . A latch mechanism for a door of an aircraft, the latch mechanism comprising: (a) a striker pin configured to be coupled to a doorframe of the aircraft; and (b) a catch assembly, wherein the catch assembly includes: (i) a housing configured to be coupled to the door of the aircraft, wherein the housing includes: (A) an aperture, (B) an indicator strip proximate the aperture, (C) a C-shaped recess configured to selectively receive the striker pin, and (D) an upper support pin extending through the housing, and (ii) a catch pivotably coupled to the housing about the upper support pin, wherein the catch includes: (A) a U-shaped recess configured to selectively receive the striker pin, and (B) a hook configured to extend at least partially through the aperture, wherein the hook includes an outboard surface configured to selectively cover the indicator strip, wherein the catch is pivotable relative to the housing between at least an open orientation and a locked orientation, wherein in the open orientation the indicator strip is revealed and the U-shaped recess is oriented to face at least partially laterally inwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and wherein in the lock orientation the hook conceals the indicator strip and the U-shaped recess is oriented to face upwardly and to coincide with an axis defined by the C-shaped recess, wherein the striker pin is received by the C-shaped recess and the U-shaped recess in the lock orientation.
  3. 22 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the indicator strip is red.
  4. 23 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the outboard surface of the hook is red.
  5. 24 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the outboard surface of the hook has a width substantially equal to or greater than a width of the indicator strip, wherein the outboard surface of the hook has a height substantially equal to or greater than a height of the indicator strip.
  6. 25 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the indicator strip is orange.
  7. 26 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the hook is generally L-shaped.
  8. 27 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the catch assembly further includes a bracket configured to couple the housing to the door, wherein the bracket includes a circular aperture aligned with the indicator strip to permit visual observation of the indicator strip and whether the catch is in the open orientation or lock orientation.
  9. 28 . The latch mechanism of claim 21 , wherein the catch assembly further includes a cam pivotably coupled to the housing, wherein the cam is configured to pivot relative to the housing to thereby urge the catch between the open and lock orientations.
  10. 29 . The latch mechanism of claim 28 , wherein the catch includes a pair of notches, wherein the cam includes a tooth configured to selectively engage the notches.
  11. 30 . An aircraft comprising: (a) a fuselage, wherein the fuselage includes a doorframe; (b) a door movably coupled to the doorframe; and (c) the latch mechanism of claim 21 .
  12. 31 . The aircraft of claim 30 , wherein the door includes a porthole aligned with the indicator strip to permit visual observation of the indicator strip from an exterior of the fuselage through the porthole at least when the catch is in the open orientation.
  13. 32 . The aircraft of claim 31 , wherein the porthole extends from an internal side of the door to an external side of the door.
  14. 33 . The aircraft of claim 31 , wherein the porthole comprises a substantially transparent material.
  15. 34 . The aircraft of claim 31 , wherein the housing is coupled to the door via a bracket, wherein the bracket includes a circular aperture aligned with the porthole and the indicator strip to permit visual observation of the indicator strip through the circular aperture at least when the catch is in the open orientation.
  16. 35 . The aircraft of claim 30 , wherein the door includes a door handle operatively coupled to the catch for actuating pivoting of the catch between the open and lock orientations.
  17. 36 . A catch assembly for a door of an aircraft, comprising: (a) a housing configured to be coupled to the door of the aircraft, wherein the housing includes: (i) an aperture, (ii) an indicator strip proximate the aperture; (iii) a C-shaped recess configured to selectively receive the striker pin, and (iv) an upper support pin extending through the housing, and (b) a catch pivotably coupled to the housing about the upper support pin, wherein the catch includes: (i) a U-shaped recess configured to selectively receive a striker pin of the aircraft, and (ii) a hook configured to extend at least partially through the aperture, wherein the hook includes an outboard surface configured to selectively cover the indicator strip, wherein the catch is pivotable relative to the housing between at least an open orientation and a locked orientation, wherein in the open orientation the indicator strip is revealed and the U-shaped recess is oriented to face at least partially laterally inwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, wherein in the lock orientation the hook conceals the indicator strip and the U-shaped recess is oriented to face upwardly and to coincide with an axis defined by the C-shaped recess, wherein the striker pin is received by the C-shaped recess and the U-shaped recess in the lock orientation.
  18. 37 . The catch assembly of claim 36 , further comprising a bracket configured to couple the housing to the door of the aircraft, wherein the bracket includes a circular aperture aligned with the indicator strip to permit visual observation of the indicator strip through the circular aperture at least when the catch is in the open orientation.
  19. 38 . The catch assembly of claim 36 , further comprising a cam pivotably coupled to the housing, wherein the cam is configured to pivot relative to the housing to thereby urge the catch between the open and lock orientations.
  20. 39 . The catch assembly of claim 36 , wherein the outboard surface of the hook has a width substantially equal to or greater than a width of the indicator strip, wherein the outboard surface of the hook has a height substantially equal to or greater than a height of the indicator strip.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure directed to a door latch mechanism for an aircraft and, more particularly, to a rotary lock-style door latch mechanism configured to provide a direct visual indication of a state of the latch mechanism (e.g., open state, security state, and/or lock state). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Rotorcraft, such as helicopters and tiltrotors, and other types of aircraft typically include one or more external doors for facilitating access to an interior portion of the fuselage of the aircraft. Such external doors may include, for example, one or more passenger doors for facilitating access to a cabin of the aircraft; one or more crew doors for facilitating access to a cockpit or flight deck of the aircraft; one or more cargo doors for facilitating access to a cargo hold of the aircraft; and/or one or more service doors for facilitating access to a service compartment of the aircraft. Each door may be equipped with at least one corresponding latch mechanism for selectively securing the door in a closed position to prevent inadvertent opening of the door. Various types of latch mechanisms may be used, such as a rotary lock-style latch mechanism or a deadbolt-style latch mechanism. In some instances, such as prior to takeoff, crew members (e.g., ground crew members and/or flight crew members) may be required to confirm that a latch mechanism is in the lock state from a position exterior to the aircraft. For example, a crew member may push firmly against the region(s) of the door at which each latch mechanism is located in order to obtain a tactile indication of whether each latch mechanism is in the lock state. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a latch mechanism for a door of an aircraft, comprising: (a) a striker pin configured to be coupled to one of the door or a doorframe of the aircraft; and (b) a catch assembly, wherein the catch assembly includes: (i) a housing configured to be coupled to the other of the door or the doorframe of the aircraft, wherein the housing includes: (A) a first aperture, and (B) a first outboard surface aligned with the first aperture, and (ii) a catch pivotably coupled to the housing, wherein the catch includes: (A) a recess configured to selectively receive the striker pin, and (B) a hook extending at least partially through the first aperture, wherein the hook includes a second outboard surface configured to selectively cover the first outboard surface of the housing, wherein the catch is pivotable relative to the housing between an open orientation in which the second outboard surface of the hook at least partially reveals the first outboard surface of the housing, and a lock orientation in which the second outboard surface of the hook substantially conceals the first outboard surface of the housing, wherein the recess is configured to receive the striker pin when the catch is in the lock orientation. In some embodiments, the first outboard surface of the housing includes an indicator strip. In other embodiments, the second outboard surface of the hook includes an indicator strip. The second outboard surface of the hook may have a width substantially equal to or greater than a width of the first outboard surface of the housing, and may have a height substantially equal to or greater than a height of the first outboard surface of the housing. In some embodiments, the second outboard surface is configured to provide a visual contrast relative to the first outboard surface. In addition or alternatively, the hook may be generally L-shaped. In some embodiments, the catch assembly further includes a bracket configured to couple the housing to the other of the door or the doorframe of the aircraft, wherein the bracket includes a second aperture aligned with the first outboard surface to permit visual observation of the first outboard surface through the second aperture at least when the catch is in the open orientation. In addition or alternatively, the catch assembly may further include a cam pivotably coupled to the housing, wherein the cam is configured to pivot relative to the housing to thereby urge the catch between the open and lock orientations. For example, the catch may include a pair of notches, and the cam may include a tooth configured to selectively engage the notches. In a second aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an aircraft comprising: (a) a fuselage, wherein the fuselage includes a doorframe; (b) a door movably coupled to the doorframe; and (c) the latch mechanism of the first aspect, wherein the striker pin is coupled to the doorframe, wherein the housing is coupled to the door. In some embodiments, the door includes a porthole aligned with the first outboard surface to permit visual observation of the first outboard surface from an exterior of the fuselage through the porthole at least when the catch is in the open orientation. The porthole may extend from an internal side