Sealing system

• US 20120025679A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Roering, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 9,045,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/236
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0007 Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/04 Galleys
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0629 with subsystems for cooling food, catering or special loads
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2318 by applying over- or under-pressure, e.g. inflatable gasproof doors or windows E06B5/12; for vehicles B60J10/244
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/46 with packing ring expanded or pressed into place by fluid pressure, e.g. inflatable packings connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; for sealing arrangements in vehicles B60J10/244; for sealing arrangements of openings in buildings E06B7/2318; for tube connections F16L
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 19/003 with respect to movable containers

Abstract

A sealing system (38) for use in an aircraft facility to be sealed from the environment comprises a closing element (40) which can be connected to a housing (42) of the aircraft facility in order to seal an opening (44) formed in the housing (42) of the aircraft facility. Furthermore, the sealing system (38) comprises a receiving device (46), and a sealing element (48) received in the receiving device (46). A transfer device (54) is adapted to transfer the sealing element (48) between an inactive state, in which the sealing element (48) is shaped and/or positioned such that it cannot be brought into sealing contact with a sealing surface (64), and an active state, in which the sealing element (48) is shaped and/or positioned such that it can be brought into sealing contact with the sealing surface (64).

Claims

1. Sealing system for use in an aircraft facility to be sealed from the environment having:

a closing element which is connectable to a housing of the aircraft facility in order to seal an opening formed in the housing of the aircraft facility,

a receiving device, and

a sealing element received in the receiving device,

characterised by a transfer device which is adapted to transfer the sealing element between an inactive state, in which the sealing element is shaped and/or positioned such that it cannot be brought into sealing contact with a sealing surface, and an active state, in which the sealing element is shaped and/or positioned such that it can be brought into sealing contact with the sealing surface.

2. Sealing system according to claim 1,

characterised in that the sealing element comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid chamber which is connected to the fluid inlet and into which a fluid is supplyable when the sealing element is transferred from its inactive state into its active state.

3. Sealing system according to claim 1,

characterised in that the transfer device comprises a conveying device which is adapted to supply fluid into the fluid chamber of the sealing element or discharge fluid from the fluid chamber of the sealing element when the sealing element is transferred between its inactive state and its active state.

4. Sealing system according to claim 3,

characterised in that the conveying device comprises a pump, a valve, a fluid reservoir and/or a spring element, the spring element being connectable in particular to the fluid reservoir in order to apply a spring force to the fluid reservoir and thereby supply fluid from the fluid reservoir into the fluid chamber of the sealing element.

5. Sealing system according to claim 1,

characterised in that the transfer device comprises a positioning device which is movable relative to the receiving device and which is adapted to position the sealing element in different positions in the receiving device when the sealing element is transferred between its inactive state and its active state.

6. Sealing system according to claim 5,

characterised in that the positioning device comprises a bearing element for supporting the sealing element, which is displaceable relative to the receiving device in the direction of the sealing surface for transferring the sealing element from its inactive state into its active state and which is displaceable relative to the receiving device in the direction facing away from the sealing surface for transferring the sealing element from its active state into its inactive state.

7. Sealing system according to claim 1,

characterised in that the transfer device is coupled to a locking mechanism in such a manner that the transfer device transfers the sealing element automatically from its inactive state into its active state when the locking mechanism is in a locked position, in which it latches the closing element, in its state connected to the housing of the aircraft facility, in the housing of the aircraft facility, and that the transfer device transfers the sealing element automatically from its active state into its inactive state when the locking mechanism is in an open position, in which it unlatches the closing element, in its state connected to the housing of the aircraft facility, from the housing of the aircraft facility.

8. Sealing system according to claim 1,

characterised by an operating indicator which is adapted to indicate the operating state of the sealing system to a user.

9. Sealing system according to claim 8,

characterised in that the operating indicator comprises:

at least one pressure sensor for sensing the pressure in the fluid chamber of the sealing element and/or in the fluid reservoir of the conveying device, and a pressure indicator accessible to a user, and/or

at least one position sensor for sensing the position of the sealing element and/or the bearing element of the positioning device, and a position indicator accessible to a user, and/or

a viewing window which affords a user visual contact with the sealing element, the fluid reservoir of the conveying device and/or the bearing element of the positioning device for the purpose of checking the operating state of the sealing element, the fluid reservoir of the conveying device and/or the bearing element of the positioning device.

10. Aircraft facility having:

a housing, in which an opening is formed, and

a sealing system according to one of claims 1 to 9, which seals the housing of the aircraft facility from the environment, the aircraft facility preferably being an aircraft facility to be cooled, in particular a cooling chamber or a trolley.