Method and device for fitting out an aircraft nose compartment in an avionics bay

• US 9,878,790 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Burgunder, Samuel, Guering, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fabula, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US14/620,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20150291281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/02 Undercarriages
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/14 forming slots
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/24 by single flap
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Method of device for installation of avionics cabinets, electrical master boxes and IFE bays includes relocating at least some of the systems cabinets toward the front of the aircraft by making use of the space available in the area around the landing gear compartment. To do so, systems cabinets are used which incorporate a structural function. The use of such system cabinet designs thus allows a reduction in the aerodynamic drag and mass of the aircraft, thereby positively impacting fuel consumption and performance of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A systems cabinet of an aircraft, the systems cabinet comprising:

a cabinet which receives and/or holds components, in particular electronic and electrical components for operation and flight control of the aircraft, and

a mechanical structure fastened by lower mountings and upper mountings in a structure of the aircraft, the lower mountings being on a circumferential stiffener of the aircraft and the upper mountings being on a cross member of the aircraft,

wherein the systems cabinet has a front side, through which the components are accessible and/or removable,

wherein the circumferential stiffener and the cross member to which the systems cabinet is affixed are substantially parallel to each other,

wherein the mechanical structure is configured to provide added stiffness and rigidity to resist deflections under a loading of the circumferential stiffener and the cross member on which the mechanical structure is fastened,

wherein all of the upper mountings of the front side of the systems cabinet are attached to a same cross member of the aircraft and all of the lower mountings of a front side of the systems cabinet are attached to a same circumferential stiffener of the aircraft, such that the systems cabinet is substantially horizontal when in an installed position,

wherein the aircraft comprises a plurality of circumferential stiffeners, including the circumferential stiffener to which the systems cabinet is affixed, that are arranged at regular intervals along a longitudinal axis of a fuselage of the aircraft, and

wherein the aircraft comprises a plurality of cross members, including the cross member to which the systems cabinet is affixed, that are oriented transversally and spaced apart by a longitudinal distribution pitch along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the plurality of cross members being configured to bear a floor of the aircraft.

2. The systems cabinet according to claim 1, comprising:

at least two upper mountings; and

at least two lower mountings,

wherein the upper and lower mountings connect the mechanical structure between the cross member and the circumferential stiffener to which the systems cabinet is affixed.

3. The systems cabinet according to claim 2, wherein a depth of the cabinet is a multiple of the longitudinal distribution pitch.

4. The systems cabinet according to claim 3, wherein each of the upper mountings comprise:

a backplate resting on a surface of the cross member, opposite a contact surface of the upper mountings on the cross member, and

a shim inserted between respective upper mountings and the cross member,

wherein the shim has a thickness adjusted to a space formed during assembly between the backplate and the cross member.

5. A systems cabinet of an aircraft, the systems cabinet comprising:

a cabinet which receives and/or holds components, in particular electronic and electrical components for operation and flight control of the aircraft, and

a mechanical structure fastened by lower mountings and upper mountings in a structure of the aircraft, the lower mountings being on a circumferential stiffener of the aircraft and the upper mountings being on a cross member of the aircraft,

wherein the systems cabinet has a front side, through which the components are accessible and/or removable,

wherein the circumferential stiffener and the cross member to which the systems cabinet is affixed are substantially parallel and to each other,

wherein the mechanical structure is configured to provide added stiffness and rigidity to resist deflections under a loading of the circumferential stiffener and the cross member on which the mechanical structure is fastened,

wherein all of the upper mountings of the front side of the systems cabinet are attached to a same cross member of the aircraft and all of the lower mountings of a front side of the systems cabinet are attached to a same circumferential stiffener of the aircraft, such that the systems cabinet is substantially horizontal when in an installed position,

wherein the aircraft comprises a plurality of circumferential stiffeners, including the circumferential stiffener to which the systems cabinet is affixed, that are arranged at regular intervals along a longitudinal axis of a fuselage of the aircraft,

wherein the aircraft comprises a plurality of cross members, including the cross member to which the systems cabinet is affixed, that are oriented transversally and spaced apart by a longitudinal distribution pitch along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the plurality of cross members being configured to bear a floor of the aircraft, and

wherein the mechanical structure comprises;

struts configured to dissipate forces between the cabinet and the cross member to which the systems cabinet is affixed,

wherein the forces are oriented in a transverse direction of the aircraft.

6. A method for fitting out an avionics bay in a nose compartment of an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage forming, in at least a nose compartment, a hull structure, which includes a plurality of circumferential stiffeners, and a floor laid over a plurality of cross members that extend transversally in the hull structure and are distributed in the fuselage, the method comprising:

transversally installing one or more systems cabinets according to claim 5, such that each of the one or more systems cabinets is oriented so that the front side faces in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft and the one or more systems cabinets are installed side-by-side in the transverse direction of the aircraft, and

installing connection harnesses for the one or more systems cabinets according to a determined path in the avionics bay.

7. The method according to claim 6,

wherein the cross members are distributed according to the longitudinal distribution pitch,

wherein the one or more transversally installed systems cabinets comprise at least two transversally installed system cabinets that are installed in more than one row, each row being transversally oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and separated by the longitudinal distribution pitch.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein each transversally oriented row comprises one or more systems cabinets.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the one or more systems cabinets are at least two systems cabinets which are distributed along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft according to a first group comprising main systems cabinets and a second group comprising backup systems cabinets.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second group is installed substantially underneath a cockpit of the aircraft, the cockpit being disposed within the nose compartment of the aircraft.

11. An aircraft comprising:

a nose compartment,

wherein the nose compartment comprises;

an avionics bay,

cross members oriented transversally and spaced one pitch apart along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft,

a floor laid over the cross members,

circumferential stiffeners arranged at regular intervals along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and

systems cabinets, each comprising;

a cabinet which receives and/or holds components, in particular electronic and electrical components for operation and flight control of the aircraft, and

a mechanical structure fastened by lower mountings and upper mountings in a structure of the aircraft, the lower mountings being on one of the circumferential stiffeners of the aircraft and the upper mountings being on one of the cross members of the aircraft,

wherein the systems cabinet has a front side, through which the components are accessible and/or removable,

wherein the mechanical structure comprises;

struts configured to dissipate forces between the cabinet and the cross members, the forces being oriented in a transverse direction of the aircraft,

wherein the circumferential stiffeners and the cross members are substantially parallel to each other,

wherein the mechanical structure is configured to provide added stiffness and rigidity to resist deflections under a loading of the circumferential stiffener and the cross member on which the mechanical structure is fastened,

wherein the systems cabinets are installed in a transverse direction of the aircraft, such that the front side is oriented to face in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft,

wherein all of the upper mountings of the front side of the systems cabinet are attached to a same cross member of the aircraft and all of the lower mountings of a front side of the systems cabinet are attached to a same circumferential stiffener of the aircraft, such that the systems cabinet is substantially horizontal when in an installed position,

wherein the systems cabinets are installed in more than one row,

wherein each row of the more than one row is transversally oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft,

wherein each transversally oriented row comprises one or more of the systems cabinets, and

wherein connection harnesses for the systems cabinets are installed according to a determined path in the avionics bay.

12. The aircraft according to claim 11, wherein the systems cabinets are separated by a longitudinal distribution pitch of the cross members.

13. The aircraft according to claim 11, wherein the aircraft comprises front landing gear, which is retractable into a landing gear compartment disposed in the nose compartment, and

wherein at least one of the systems cabinets is disposed in an immediate vicinity of the landing gear compartment.

14. The aircraft according to claim 13, comprising at least one further systems cabinet fastened onto a side of the landing gear compartment.

15. The aircraft according to claim 14, wherein the at least one further systems cabinet is in an area having a same pressure as a pressure external to an external surface of the aircraft during flight.

16. The aircraft according to claim 13, wherein the at least one of the systems cabinets in the immediate vicinity of the landing gear compartment is in an area having a same pressure as a pressure external to an external surface of the aircraft during flight.