Aircraft with inwardly foldable rear door

Abstract

An aircraft comprising a rear opening and a rear door to close such rear opening, wherein the rear door is attached to the fuselage of the aircraft by means of an arrangement having two links due to which the rear door can be displaced longitudinally and in elevation up to a position at the interior of the fuselage.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising: a rear door, a landing gear, a fuselage extending longitudinally between a nose and a rear part, and extending in elevation between a lower part and an upper part, the lower part being the part of the fuselage on which the landing gear is mounted and the rear part in turn comprising a rear opening, at least a portion of the rear opening configured to be closed by the rear door, an auxiliary door pivotally connected to the fuselage and configured to open outwardly with respect to the fuselage, the auxiliary door configured to close at least another portion of the rear opening, wherein the auxiliary door is configured to lock at (i) a first outward position (H) with respect to the fuselage in which the auxiliary door extends along the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and (ii) a second outward position (V) with respect to the fuselage in which the auxiliary door extends along the elevation direction of the aircraft, and an arrangement comprising: a first link comprising: a first main body, a first door attaching means, and a first fuselage attaching means, wherein the first main body extends along a first length (L1) between the first door attaching means and the first fuselage attaching means, and the first link is pivotally attached to the rear door by means of the first door attaching means and is pivotally attached to the fuselage at a first end by means of the first fuselage attaching means, and a second link comprising: a second main body, a second door attaching means, and a second fuselage attaching means, wherein the second main body extends along a second length (L2), greater than the first length (L1), between the second door attaching means and the second fuselage attaching means, and the second link is pivotally attached to the rear door by means of the second door attaching means and is pivotally attached to the fuselage at a first end by means of the second fuselage attaching means, wherein the first and second fuselage attaching means are attached to the fuselage, wherein the second fuselage attaching means is located longitudinally closer to the nose of the fuselage than the first fuselage attaching means, such that when the first and the second links rotate around the first and the second fuselage attaching means, the rear door rotates around the first and the second door attaching means, so that the rear door can be inwardly displaced in the longitudinal direction and in the elevation direction between a first position (F) wherein the rear door closes the at least a portion of the rear opening and at least a second position (S) at the interior of the fuselage wherein the rear door extends along the longitudinal direction, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the first link and a longitudinal axis of the second link intersect at a location within the fuselage and above the first ends of the first and second links with the rear door in the first position (F).

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first fuselage attaching means is located, in elevation, closer to the lower part of the fuselage than the second fuselage attaching means.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein, when the rear door is at the first position (F), the first door attaching means is located longitudinally farther from the nose than the first fuselage attaching means, and the second door attaching means is located longitudinally closer to the nose than the second fuselage attaching means.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein each one of the first and second door attaching means and of the first and second fuselage attaching means comprises a bearing.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the rear door and the auxiliary door cooperate with one another to close the rear opening in a complementary manner, the rear door and the auxiliary door being in contact along a closing boundary when both the rear door and the auxiliary door close the rear opening.

6. The aircraft according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary door is pivotally connected to the fuselage by means of an auxiliary pivoting means.

7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary door is further configured to lock at a third outward position (R) with respect to the fuselage in which the auxiliary door is configured for being used as a cargo ramp door.

8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary door comprises tracks configured for allowing the access of a vehicle to the interior of the fuselage.

9. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary door comprises a step configured for allowing the access of a person to the interior of the fuselage.

10. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the rear door comprises: an integrated storage compartment.

11. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary door comprises: an auxiliary integrated storage compartment.

12. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein, when the rear door is positioned in the first position (F), the first link extends from the fuselage towards the rear part of the fuselage, and the second link extends from the fuselage towards the nose of the fuselage.

13. An aircraft comprising: a fuselage extending in a longitudinal direction between a nose and a rear part, and extending in an elevation direction between a lower part and an upper part, the rear part defining a rear opening; a landing gear mounted on the lower part of the fuselage; a rear door supported by the fuselage and configured to at close at least a portion of the rear opening in a first position (F); a first link member having first and second opposed ends such that the first link member extends along a first length (L1), the first end pivotally connected to the fuselage and the second end pivotally connected to the rear door; a second link member having first and second opposed ends such that the second link member extends along a second length (L2), the second length (L2) being greater than the first length (L1), the first end pivotally connected to the fuselage and the second end pivotally connected to the rear door; an auxiliary door pivotally connected to the fuselage, and configured to close at least another portion of the rear opening, the auxiliary door configured to open outwardly relative to the fuselage; wherein the first end of the second link member is positioned longitudinally closer to the nose of the fuselage than the first end of the first link member; and wherein the first and second link members are configured such that when the first and second link members rotate relative to the fuselage, the rear door rotates relative to the first and second link members, thereby inwardly displacing the rear door in the longitudinal direction and in the elevation direction between the first position (F) and at least a second position (S), the rear door positioned within the interior of the fuselage with the rear door extending along the longitudinal direction in the second position (S); wherein, when the rear door is positioned in the first position (F), the first link member extends from the fuselage towards the rear part of the fuselage, and the second link member extends from the fuselage towards the nose of the fuselage; and wherein the auxiliary door is configured to lock in one of (i) a first outward position (H) with the auxiliary door extending along the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and (ii) a second outward position (V) with respect to the fuselage with the auxiliary door extending along the elevation direction of the aircraft.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein, when the rear door is positioned in the first position (F), the second end of the first link member is positioned longitudinally between the first end of the first link member and the rear part of the fuselage, and the second end of the second link member is positioned longitudinally between the first end of the second link member and the nose of the fuselage.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 wherein, when the rear door is positioned in the first position (F), the first end of the first link member is positioned in elevation between the first end of the second link member and the rear door.

16. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein a longitudinal axis of the first link member and a longitudinal axis of the second link member intersect at a location within the fuselage and above the first ends of the first and second link members.

17. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein the auxiliary door is further configured to lock in a third outward position (R) with respect to the fuselage in which the auxiliary door is configured for use as a cargo ramp door.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, given only by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, in reference to the attached figures:

(2) FIG. 1 is a general view of a rotorcraft comprising a rear door which is able to open inwardly.

(3) FIG. 2 is a view of a longitudinal section of an aircraft whose rear door can be inwardly opened by means of a first and a second link.

(4) FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are more detailed views of the rear door and the first and second links, further representing the movement of the rear door in a first, second, and third position, respectively.

(5) FIG. 4 shows in detail an auxiliary integrated storage compartment of the auxiliary door.

(6) FIG. 5 represents several geometrical features of the rear door and the auxiliary door.

(7) FIG. 6 represents a rear door suitable for being a ramp cargo door, further comprising an extension ramp, the rear door comprising tracks.

(8) FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment as that of FIG. 6, except in that the rear door does not have tracks and in that the extension ramp is not extendable.

(9) FIG. 8 shows an auxiliary door comprising a foldable step.

(10) FIG. 9 also shows a step, but integrated within the body of the auxiliary door.

(11) FIG. 10 shows an embodiment wherein the step is the top part of the auxiliary integrated storage compartment.

(12) FIG. 11 shows a detailed view of an example of a door attaching means.

(13) FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C represent a particular embodiment of an auxiliary locking means in a first, second, and third position, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) FIG. 1 shows a general overview of a rotorcraft 1 in which a rear opening 4 is completely closed by a rear door 11. The dashed lines represent the location of the rear door 11 when placed at a second position S, adjacent to an upper part 3.1 of a fuselage 3 and extending, substantially, along the longitudinal direction of the rotorcraft 1. Although they have not been represented, the embodiment of FIG. 1 comprises a first 27 and a second 26 links pivotally attached to the rear door 11 and to the fuselage 3.

(15) The rotorcraft of FIG. 1 comprises a rotor 2 mounted on the upper part 3.1 of the fuselage 3 and a landing gear 7 mounted on a lower part 3.2 of the fuselage 3, the lower part 3.2 of the fuselage 3 being opposite the upper part 3.1 in the elevation direction, that is, according to the vertical direction of the figure; longitudinallyhorizontally, in the figurethe fuselage 3 extends between a nose 3.4 and a rear part 3.3, the latter comprising the rear opening 4 closable by the rear door 11.

(16) The rotorcraft of FIG. 1, save for the features referring to the way of closing the rear opening 4, is the same as in the embodiment of figures from 2 to 12.

(17) The rear opening 4 of the rotorcraft 1 of FIG. 2 is closed by the rear door 11 and by an auxiliary door 10, the auxiliary door 10 being located lower than the rear door 11 with reference to the figure. In such position, both doors 11, 10 are in contact along a closing boundary 17. The rear door 10 is attached to the fuselage 3 by means of the first link 27 and the second link 26. The first link 27 is pivotally attached to the rear door 11 by means of a first door attaching means 36 and pivotally attached to a frame 22 of the upper part 3.1 of the fuselage 3 by means of a first fuselage attaching means 35.

(18) Likewise, the second link 26 is pivotally attached to the rear door 11 by means of a second door attaching means 33 and pivotally attached to the frame 22 of the upper part 3.1 of the fuselage 3 by means of a second fuselage attaching means 34.

(19) In FIG. 2, the first link 27 comprises a first main body extending along a first length L1 between the first door attaching means 36 and the first fuselage attaching means 35, and the second link 26 comprises a second main body extending along a second length L2, greater than the first length L1, between the second door attaching means 33 and the second fuselage attaching means 34.

(20) Each one of the first 36 and second 33 door attaching means and of the first 35 and second 34 fuselage attaching means may comprise a bearing 39 mounted on a mount 38 by means of which the first 27 and the second 26 links are attached to the fuselage 3 and to the rear door 11. FIG. 11 represents such an attachment between the second link 26 and the rear door 11.

(21) The auxiliary door 10 is in turn attached to the fuselage 3 by means of an auxiliary pivoting means 37. The auxiliary door 10 of this embodiment additionally comprises an auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41 on the side facing the interior of the fuselage 3, with reference to FIG. 2.

(22) In the closed position of the rear door 11 represented in FIG. 2, referred to as first position F, the first 35 and second 34 fuselage attaching means are located in elevation, that is, according to the vertical direction of the figure, farther from the lower part 3.2 of the fuselage 3 than the rear opening 4; besides, the second fuselage attaching means 34 is located longitudinally closer to the nose 3.4 of the fuselage 3 thanwith reference to the figure, the second fuselage attaching means 34 is located at the left hand side ofthe first fuselage attaching means 35.

(23) FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show different positions of both the rear door 11 and the auxiliary door 10. The situation represented in FIG. 3A corresponds to that of FIG. 2, wherein the rear door 11 is in the first position F and both the rear door 11 and the auxiliary door 10 close the rear opening 4, being in contact along the closing boundary 17. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A-3C, the auxiliary pivoting means 37 further comprises an auxiliary damper 40 which smoothes the movement of the auxiliary door 10.

(24) In FIGS. 3A-3C, the rear door 11 opens inwardly, that is, towards the interior of the fuselage 3, as represented in the two positions depicted in FIGS. 3B and 3C. The intermediate position I is shown to illustrate the movement between the first position F and a final position beyond the second position S. The attachment of the rear door 11 to the frame 22 of the fuselage 3 by the first 27 and second 26 links, both of them being pivotally attached to the frame 22 of the fuselage 3 and to the door 11, allows for a displacement of the rear door 11 towards the upper part 3.1 and the nose 3.4 of the fuselage 3, following the reference of FIG. 3A-3C. Such movement is advantageous in that the rear door 11 is not restricted to rotate about a fixed point, as in conventional arrangementsthe longitudinal movement, corresponding, as has been explained, to a movement towards the left hand side of FIG. 3A-3C, drives the rear door 11 up to the final position beyond the second position S, wherein there is more space for being housed, thus eliminating any hindrance in the surroundings of the rear opening 4.

(25) In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the location in elevation of the first fuselage attaching means 35 and the second fuselage attaching means 34 is defined, respectively, by a fourth height Z3 and a fifth height Z4. The fourth height Z3 is the maximum difference in elevation between the first fuselage attaching means 35 and lowermost point of the landing gear 7; the fifth height Z4 is the maximum difference in elevation between the second fuselage attaching means 34 and such lowermost point of the landing gear 7. In an example, the fourth height Z3 ranges between 0.48 and 1.07 times the fuselage width, preferably 0.9 times, and the fifth height Z4 ranges between 0.51 and 1.12 times the fuselage width, preferably 0.926 times.

(26) The fuselage width is defined as the maximum distance in a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal and the elevation directions between points of the fuselage.

(27) The amplitudes of the rotations of the first 27 and second 26 links around the first 35 and second 34 fuselage attaching means are respectively defined, in an embodiment, by a first link angle and by a second link angle . The values of the first link angle and of the second link angle are 0 when the rear door 11 is at the first position F. In an embodiment, the first link angle can vary between such 0 value and 150, more preferably between 0 and 120, when the rear door 11 moves from the first position F to the final, folded position. Likewise, the second link angle can vary between 0 and 120, more preferably between 0 and 85, when the rear door 11 moves from the first position F to the final position.

(28) The auxiliary door 10 of this embodiment is designed to open outwardly, as shown by the lower section of FIGS. 3B and 3C. In a first outward position H, the auxiliary door 10 extends along the longitudinal direction of the rotorcraft 1, that is, horizontally in the reference of FIG. 3B. In a second outward position V, the auxiliary door 10 extends along the elevation direction of the aircraft, i.e. vertically according to the directions of FIG. 3C. To maintain the auxiliary door 10 fixed at any outward position, the auxiliary pivoting means 37 may comprise an auxiliary locking means.

(29) In an example, the auxiliary locking means comprises a tube 45 in which a strap 44 can rolled. The strap 44 is connected, at an end opposite the tube 45, to an auxiliary mount 43 mounted on the fuselage 3. When the auxiliary door 10 is at the desired position, for instance at the first outward position H or at the second outward position V, the strap 44 is locked in the tube 45, thus locking the auxiliary door 10 at such position. When the strap 44 is unlocked, by means of, for example, a release button, the strap 44 can rolled in or released from the tube 45, and therefore the auxiliary door 10 can be moved to a different position. This particular example of locking means is depicted in FIG. 12A-12C.

(30) The amplitude of the rotation of the auxiliary door 11 around the auxiliary pivoting means 37 is, in an embodiment, represented by an auxiliary door angle , as shown in FIG. 3. In an example, the auxiliary door angle can range between 0, when the auxiliary door 10 closes partially or complementarily with the rear door 10 the rear opening 4, and 200, when the auxiliary door is at the second outward position V.

(31) The rear door 11 of FIG. 3 comprises an integrated storage compartment 42, and the auxiliary door 10 comprises the auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41, represented in more detail in the embodiment of FIG. 4. Apart from depicting the auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41, FIG. 4 also shows the auxiliary pivoting means 37 being located at the side of the auxiliary door 11 in contact with the fuselage 3. The auxiliary door of FIG. 4 is locked at the first outward position H in which it extends along the longitudinal direction of the fuselage 3.

(32) FIG. 5 shows particular examples of the geometry of the rear door 11 and of the auxiliary door 10. A first height Z0 is defined as the maximum elevation difference between the points of the landing gear 7 and the points of the rear opening 4. In a preferred embodiment, Z0 ranges between 0.5 and 1.2 times the fuselage width; more preferably 0.925 times.

(33) A second height Z1 is defined as the maximum elevation difference between points of the rear door 11 when the rear door 11 is at the first position F. Z1 ranges, in an embodiment, between 0.2 and 0.85 times the fuselage width; more preferably 0.4 times.

(34) A third height Z2 is defined as the maximum elevation difference between points of the auxiliary door 10 when the auxiliary door 10 is at a position in which the rear door 11 and the auxiliary door 10 complementary close the rear opening 4. Z2 ranges, in an example, between 0 and 0.5 times the fuselage width; more preferably 0.16 times. The zero value corresponds to the embodiments wherein there is no auxiliary door 11.

(35) Taking advantage of the lack of obstacles at the rear opening 4, the auxiliary door 10 may include further features to improve, even more, the access to the interior of the fuselage 3.

(36) In some embodiments, the locking means locks the auxiliary door 11 at a third outward position R suitable for being used as a cargo ramp door, as represented in FIGS. 6 and 7.

(37) Such position can be combined with the provision of any load assisting means, such as extension ramps 49 suitable for linking the auxiliary door 10 and the ground. The embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 both comprise an extension ramp 49, thanks to which a wheeled vehicle 51 can easily access the floor 24 of the interior of the fuselage 3.

(38) In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the extension ramp 49 is extendable, and tracks 48 are provided on the auxiliary door 10, concretely, on a surface of the auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41, to help guide the wheeled vehicle 51 towards the floor 24 of the fuselage 3. The extension ramp 49 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 is of fixed length and the auxiliary door 10 does not comprise tracks 48.

(39) FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show another example of load assisting meansthe auxiliary door 11 comprises a step 53, 54, 55 suitable for allowing the access of a person 16 to the interior of the fuselage 3. In these embodiments, the provision of the step 53, 54, 55 is associated to an auxiliary door 10 lockable when in vertical position, i.e. at the second outward position V.

(40) In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the step 53 is of foldable typein its folded position, the step 53 extends on the auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41, and in the unfolded position, the step 53 is substantially horizontal, according to the reference of the figure.

(41) In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the step 54 is formed within the body of the auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41.

(42) In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the top surface of the auxiliary integrated storage compartment 41 forms the step 55.

REFERENCES

(43) 1.Rotorcraft 2.Rotor 3.Fuselage 3.1.Upper part of the fuselage 3.2.Lower part of the fuselage 3.3.Rear part of the fuselage 3.4.Nose of the fuselage 4.Rear opening 7.Landing gear 10.Auxiliary door 11.Rear door 16.Person 17.Closing boundary 22.Frame of the fuselage 24.Floor of the fuselage 26.Second link 27.First link 33.Second door attaching means 34.Second fuselage attaching means 35.First fuselage attaching means 36.First door attaching means 37.Auxiliary pivoting means 38.Mount 39.Bearing 40.Auxiliary damper 41.Auxiliary integrated storage compartment 42.Integrated storage compartment 43.Auxiliary mount 44.Strap 45.Tube 48.Tracks 49.Extension ramps 51.Wheeled vehicle 53.Step 54.Step 55.Step F.First position I.Intermediate position S.Second position H.First outward position V.Second outward position R.Third outward position Z0.First height Z1.Second height Z2Third height Z3.Fourth height Z4.Fifth height .First link angle .Second link angle .Auxiliary door angle