Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Details
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-15
2001-02-13
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3643)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Details
C160S118000, C160S214000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186444
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sliding pocket door for use in the interior of a cabin class aircraft, which door is capable of nondestructive blow-out and, more particularly, a pocket door with extensible hinges that are capable of allowing the pocket door segments to drop vertically on their axes of rotation as the door segments rotate out of their sliding plane.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Aircraft interiors, especially those of large corporate jets, are often subject to extensive modifications of their interior to fit the needs of individual corporate clients. Aircraft interior designers often prefer to use doors which slide into pockets in the bulkhead because such doors are more aesthetically pleasing and will allow greater latitude of design. These doors are called “pocket doors” and consist of two segments which slide horizontally in a common sliding plane, which sliding plane is perpendicular to the floor of the aircraft interior. When the door is in a closed position, the door segments present a uniform plane parallel to the bulkhead into which they recess (the “pockets”), thereby giving the interior designer an unbroken plane on which to create designs. When the pocket door is in an open position, the door segments are recessed into the bulkhead pockets and the passengers can pass through.
However, Federal Aviation Administration regulations require doors of an aircraft interior to be capable of withstanding nondestructive blow-out. That is, if there is sudden decompression in one portion of the aircraft interior, the aircraft door must be capable of blowing out without shattering. The purpose of such nondestructive blow-out is to avoid injury to aircraft occupants by flying debris.
Presently, aircraft utilizing pocket doors contain blow-out panels whereby sections of the door segments are releasably retained to the door segments by means of lanyards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The pocket door of the present invention represents an inprovement over the previous blow-out doors in that it is capable of nondestructive blow-out when in a closed position by means of a unique extensible hinge. The extensible hinge allows rotation of the door segments out of their sliding plane during blow-out.
More specifically, the present invention relates to door segments that articulate about their axes of rotation during blow-out while their axes are simultaneously moving parallel to the sliding plane. This combination of rotation simultaneous with movement of their axes allows the door segments to clear the bulkhead and to clear the hinges.
It is also the purpose of this invention to allow the pocket door segments to move vertically along their axes of rotation as their axes are moving parallel to the sliding plane, the purpose of such vertical movement of the pocket door segments being to allow the door segments to clear curved headliners. Retractable footers at the base of the door segments allow the bottom portion of the door segments to retract, allowing the door to drop vertically and clear curved headliners.
It is the further purpose of this invention to provide for aircraft doors recessible into bulkhead pockets, which doors, when in a closed position, allow a clean plane to be presented to the aircraft occupants and, in particular, allow the hinges to be hidden from view.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide in a sliding door a means to remove the entire door from the bulkhead of the aircraft without the necessity of removing the decorative partition, ceiling panels, valance, chairs, cabinets, and carpet, etc., going through the bulkhead and valance of the aircraft.
It is a further object of this invention to provide for installation of a pocket door to an aircraft interior by fasteners accessible from the aisle of the aircraft interior without removing any major elements of the interior.
REFERENCES:
patent: 961726 (1910-06-01), Mayr
patent: 2565383 (1951-08-01), Linebaugh
patent: 2584874 (1952-02-01), Haas
patent: 3136538 (1964-06-01), Dimmitt et al.
patent: 4911219 (1990-03-01), Dairymple
Jackson & Walker, LLP
Swiatek Robert P.
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