Step handhold and support

• US 10,745,106 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Scannell, Brent, Mast, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US15/958,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20190322353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1446 Inspection hatches for engine cowls B64D29/08
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/24 Steps mounted on, and retractable within, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 7/00 Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/08 Inspection panels for power plants

Abstract

A fairing is provided in one example embodiment and may include an apparatus to receive at least one of a foot traffic load and a hand traffic load, wherein the apparatus can include: a step portion that is to receive at least a portion of the foot traffic load; a handhold portion that is to receive at least a portion of the hand traffic load, wherein the handhold portion extends downward from the step portion; and a support structure, wherein the support structure extends downward from of the step portion. The apparatus can include an outer flange attached to the fairing. At least a portion of the step portion the apparatus can be recessed within the fairing at a distance between one inch and three inches from a top surface of the fairing. The handhold portion can include one or more drain holes.

Claims

1. A fairing comprising:

an apparatus to receive at least one of a foot traffic load and a hand traffic load, wherein the apparatus comprises;

a step portion that is to receive at least a portion of the foot traffic load;

a handhold portion that is to receive at least a portion of the hand traffic load, wherein the handhold portion extends downward from the step portion; and

a support structure, wherein the support structure extends downward from of the step portion;

wherein the support structure further comprises a compressive material attached along a side of the support structure that is opposite from the step portion of the step handhold.

2. The fairing of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises an outer flange attached to the fairing.

3. The fairing of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the step portion of the apparatus is recessed within the fairing at a distance between one inch and three inches from a top surface of the fairing.

4. The fairing of claim 1, wherein the support structure of the apparatus comprises a top side, a bottom side, a front side, and a back side, the top side being attached to the step portion of the apparatus and the front side being attached to the handhold portion of the apparatus.

5. The fairing of claim 1, wherein the compressive material attached along the bottom side of the support structure is not in contact with a fixed element below the fairing when no foot traffic load or hand traffic load is received by the apparatus.

6. The fairing of claim 1, wherein the compressive material attached along the bottom side of the support structure is in contact with a fixed element below the fairing when at least one of the foot traffic load and the hand traffic load is received by the apparatus.

7. The fairing of claim 1, wherein the handhold portion extends downward at a distance between 2 inches and 4 inches.

8. The fairing of claim 1, wherein a first horizontal surface portion of the step portion extends between a back side recessed portion of the apparatus and the handhold portion and a second horizontal surface portion of the step portion extends between the handhold portion and an outer flange along the front side of the apparatus.

9. The fairing of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more of aluminum, steel, a metal alloy, fiberglass, reinforced fiberglass, plastic, reinforced plastic, and a carbon composite.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the support structure further comprises a compressive material attached along a side of the support structure that is opposite from the step portion of the step handhold.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 10, wherein the compressive material is in contact with the contact element when at least one of the foot traffic load and the hand traffic load is received by the step handhold.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 10, wherein the compressive material is separated from the contact element by a distance when no foot traffic load or hand traffic load is received by the step handhold.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 12, wherein the distance is between 0.020 inches and 0.080 inches.

14. A rotorcraft comprising:

a fairing, the fairing comprising a step handhold, wherein the step handhold comprises;

a step portion that is to receive at least a portion of a foot traffic load;

a handhold portion that is to receive at least a portion of a hand traffic load, wherein the handhold portion extends downward from the step portion; and

a support structure attached to the step portion and the handhold portion, wherein the support structure extends downward from of the step portion; and

a contact element, wherein the support structure is aligned with the contact element;

wherein the contact element is a transmission mount for the rotorcraft.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 14, wherein the step handhold comprises one or more of aluminum, steel, a metal alloy, fiberglass, reinforced fiberglass, plastic, reinforced plastic, and a carbon composite.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 14, wherein the support structure comprises one or more of aluminum, steel, a metal alloy, fiberglass, reinforced fiberglass, plastic, reinforced plastic, and a carbon composite.

17. The rotorcraft of claim 14, wherein the step handhold is a first step handhold on a first side of the fairing, the rotorcraft further comprising a second step handhold on a second side of the fairing.

18. The rotorcraft of claim 17, wherein the first step handhold and the second step handhold are aft of at least a portion of one or more rotor components of the rotorcraft.

19. A fairing comprising:

an apparatus to receive at least one of a foot traffic load and a hand traffic load, wherein the apparatus comprises;

a step portion that is to receive at least a portion of the foot traffic load;

a handhold portion that is to receive at least a portion of the hand traffic load, wherein the handhold portion extends downward from the step portion; and

a support structure, wherein the support structure extends downward from of the step portion;

wherein a first horizontal surface portion of the step portion extends between a back side recessed portion of the apparatus and the handhold portion and a second horizontal surface portion of the step portion extends between the handhold portion and an outer flange along the front side of the apparatus.