Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
  • B64C1/00—Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
  • B64C1/14—Windows; Doors; Hatch covers or access panels; Surrounding frame structures; Canopies; Windscreens accessories therefor, e.g. pressure sensors, water deflectors, hinges, seals, handles, latches, windscreen wipers
  • B64C1/1407—Doors; surrounding frames
  • B64C1/1423—Passenger doors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
  • B64C1/00—Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
  • B64C1/00—Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
  • B64C1/14—Windows; Doors; Hatch covers or access panels; Surrounding frame structures; Canopies; Windscreens accessories therefor, e.g. pressure sensors, water deflectors, hinges, seals, handles, latches, windscreen wipers
  • B64C1/1407—Doors; surrounding frames
  • B64C1/1415—Cargo doors, e.g. incorporating ramps

Definitions

• This invention relates to fuselages for aircraft and in particular to fuselages for transport aircraft, ie aircraft adapted to carry passengers, baggage and/or cargo in a cabin or cargo hold defined within the fuselage of the aircraft.
• the fuselage has a structure supporting an aerodynamic profile-defining skin and defining a cabin therein.
• the fuselage comprises front and rear end portions each with a tapered aerodynamic skin profile and a central portion which is a tube of substantially parallel-sided aerodynamic skin profile with the cabin extending through the central portion and into at least one end portion of the fuselage.
• the fuselage will normally include at least two, and usually at least four, entry doors into the end portions of the fuselage.
• an aircraft fuselage having a structure supporting an aerodynamic profile-defining skin and defining a cabin therein, the fuselage comprising front and rear end portions each having a tapered aerodynamic skin profile and a central portion having a substantially parallel-sided aerodynamic skin profile, the cabin extending into at least one end portion of the fuselage and having at least one entry door in that end portion, wherein the said door has a substantially single curvature aerodynamic skin profile.
• the said door may be set into a first area of fuselage skin of substantially single curvature.
• This first area of skin may provide a surround for the door of no more than substantially 10cm width.
• the first area of fuselage skin may comprise a continuation of the substantially parallel-sided aerodynamic skin profile of the central portion of the fuselage.
• the said first area of fuselage skin may then be blended in with the otherwise tapered aerodynamic skin profile of the end portion of the fuselage.
• an aircraft including a fuselage according to the first aspect of the invention.
• Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an aircraft fuselage according to the prior art
• Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of an aircraft fuselage according to the invention
• Figure 3 is a schematic side detail view of an aircraft fuselage according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 4 is a plan view of the fuselage of Figure 3
• Figure 5 is a view on the arrows V - V of Figure 3
• Figure 6 is a similar view of an aircraft fuselage to Figure 3 according to a further embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 7 is a plan view of the fuselage of Figure 6
• Figure 1 shows a conventional aircraft fuselage having 112 seats.
• the fuselage has front and rear tapered end portions 1, 2, each
• a crew cockpit 8 and a passenger cabin 9.
• a passenger cabin 9 Below the passenger cabin 9 is a cargo hold (not shown) in which
• passenger baggage and separately contracted cargo may be carried.
• the cabin 9 has front and rear extremities in the form of front and rear vestibules 10, 11.
• the front and rear vestibules each have toilets 12, 13 respectively and galley areas. It will be observed that the two rearmost rows of seats 14, 15 on the starboard side and the three rearmost rows of seats 16, 17, 18 on the port side have been reduced to two each from the otherwise standard three. This reduction has of course been caused by the tapering of the rear portion 2 of the fuselage. Five seats are lost compared to what would be available if the fuselage section were not tapered.
• Doors 4, 5, 6, 7 are set into tapered portions 1,2 of the fuselage. Each has a double curvature skin and is to a unique design.
• Vestibules 10, 11 are now constant width throughout with the result that the front vestibule 10 has considerably more working space in the galley area and that the toilet 12 is somewhat deeper.
• the rear vestibule 11 has considerably enhanced floor space over the prior art vestibule shown in Figure 1. More importantly however the revenue earning capacity of the aircraft is considerably enhanced because five extra seats in rows 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 are now allowed.
• the cargo carrying capacity of that portion of the cargo hold in the rear tapered portion 2 of the fuselage is now constant width throughout at the horizontal centreline of the aircraft. This additional width may mean that a further one or two standard cargo containers can be fitted within the hold rather than reduced size cargo containers. This provides the benefit that not only can more baggage or cargo be carried but further standardisation of cargo containers may be possible with all the consequential benefits thereof.
• FIGs 3, 4 and 5 front and rear tapered portions 1 and 2 and single curvature central portion 3 of the fuselage are again shown.
• Figure 3 in particular shows first skin areas 19, 20 of single curvature which surround doors 5 and 6. these skin areas are extended from the central portion 3 of the fuselage into the front and rear tapered portions 1 and 2 to create fuselage portions which have skin sections partially tapered in areas 21, 22 and partially single curvature in areas 19, 20.
• Parallel dotted lines 23, 24 indicate the conventional extent of central portion 3 of the fuselage.
• Dotted lines 25, 26 in Figure 4 indicate conventional fuselage taper.
• marking 20 indicates the extent of the single curvature skin section in rear tapered portion 2 of the fuselage.
• the central single curvature portion of the fuselage 3 has not been extended into the tapered portions 1, 2 in this embodiment.
• the doors 5, 6 which have single curvature skin are each set into first areas of single curvature skin 27, 28 of some 10cm width which immediately surround the door.
• the significance of thelOcm width is that it should be sufficient to accommodate a standardised door frame to sit behind this sidth of skin. More or less than 10cm may be
• This embodiment of the invention will not provide the advantage of increased floor and ceiling space of the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 5, however all the cabin entry doors can be standardised with a single set of parts being held as spares and with only one door design being required.
• the frame for the door can be standardised as this too will be in abutment with the single curvature first areas of skin 27, 28. Complex door shimming to ensure a pressure-tight fit is thus avoided.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10787149

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1996
  • 1996-01-17 GB GB9600924A patent/GB2309214A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 1997
  • 1997-01-16 CA CA002243422A patent/CA2243422A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-01-16 JP JP09525780A patent/JP2000511844A/ja active Pending
  • 1997-01-16 KR KR1019980705502A patent/KR19990077355A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-01-16 WO PCT/GB1997/000111 patent/WO1997026184A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-01-16 EP EP97900358A patent/EP0876276A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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