Pressure bulkhead for purposes of arrangement in an aircraft fuselage

• US 8,596,578 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Noebel, Torsten, Ehrhardt, Boris, Quintana-Ruiz, Diego
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Rob
• Application Number:
  US13/097,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20110290940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 244/119, 244/121, 244/129.4, 220/89.1, 220/592, 220/609, 114/78, 114/116, 114/361
• US Class Current: 244/121
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/10 Bulkheads

Abstract

A pressure bulkhead for a fuselage of an aircraft is configured for bounding a fuselage interior relative to an external environment. The pressure bulkhead includes a flat skin configured to span a cross-section of the fuselage and having a cavity disposed at a core region of the skin. The core region is radially bounded by a ring element. A plurality of radial stiffeners extend on the skin and provide stabilization of the skin. Each radial stiffener is fixed at an end to the ring element. A reinforcement element extends over the ring element.

Claims

1. A pressure bulkhead for a fuselage of an aircraft configured for bounding a fuselage interior relative to an external environment, the pressure bulkhead comprising:

a flat skin configured to span a cross-section of the fuselage and including a cavity disposed at a core region of the skin, the core region being radially bounded by a ring element;

a plurality of radial stiffeners extending on the skin and providing stabilization of the skin, each radial stiffener being fixed at an end to the ring element; and

at least one reinforcement element extending over the ring element, wherein the at least one reinforcement element forms a surface element and the cavity is bounded in an axial direction by a skin section and by the at least one reinforcement element, and wherein the at least one reinforcement element includes fingers that engage the radial stiffeners.

2. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein the aircraft is an aeroplane.

3. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein the cavity has a circular cross-section.

4. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to be in fluid communication with the fuselage interior so as to provide pressure relief to the cavity of any pressure loading relative to the fuselage interior.

5. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein a height of the radial stiffeners is configured to match an anticipated force distribution.

6. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein an end of each radial stiffener is attached to a respective longitudinal beam, the longitudinal beams being configured to connect with the fuselage.

7. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 6, wherein the longitudinal beams have a length configured to correspond to at least one frame field of the aircraft.

8. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein the skin includes a peripheral surface section configured for connection with a pressure frame.

9. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein the skin is monolithic.

10. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 1, wherein the pressure bulkhead is configured to be integrated into a butt joint connection between two fuselage barrels that are configured to be joined together.

11. A pressure bulkhead for a fuselage of an aircraft configured for bounding a fuselage interior relative to an external environment, the pressure bulkhead comprising:

a flat skin configured to span a cross-section of the fuselage and including a cavity disposed at a core region of the skin, the core region being radially bounded by a ring element;

a plurality of radial stiffeners extending on the skin and providing stabilization of the skin, each radial stiffener being fixed at a first end to the ring element and attached at a second end to a respective longitudinal beam, the longitudinal beams being configured to connect with the fuselage; and

at least one reinforcement element extending over the ring element.

12. The pressure bulkhead recited in claim 11, wherein the longitudinal beams have a length configured to correspond to at least one frame field of the aircraft.