Patent Grant
8016327
This disclosure relates generally to latches for use in aerospace applications such as those used on aircraft to hold structures or other portions of a housing in a secured or closed position.
Many latches are available in the aerospace industry for holding structures or other portions of a housing or the like of an aircraft in a closed position even when the structures are subjected to significant forces. Aerospace industry latches may be used, for example, to hold the housing portions of an engine nacelle in the closed position around the engine mechanisms. The latches undergo significant forces and must be designed to hold the portions of the nacelle in a closed position during operation. Additionally, the latches must be operable so that the nacelles can be opened for access to the engine mechanism or engine component.
Features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and the accompanying drawings described below, wherein an embodiment of the disclosure is described and shown, and in part will become apparent upon examination of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A bifurcated latching system for securing together first and second portions of an aircraft comprising a pin latch assembly and a pawl latch assembly. The pin latch assembly may comprise a pin latch receptacle and a pin matingly engageable with each other. The pawl latch assembly may comprise a pawl latch receptacle, a pawl latch pin matingly engageable with each other, and one or more pawls for releasably securing the mating engagement of the pawl latch receptacle and the pawl latch pin.
The present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings which are given as a non-limiting example only, in which:
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
While the present disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, an embodiment with the understanding that the present description is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the details of construction, methods and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.
The present disclosure is directed to a bifurcated latching system for holding structures or other portions of a vehicle, such as, by way of example and not limitation an aircraft in a secured or closed position. The vehicle may be in the form of an aircraft including, but not limited to, a plane, jet, helicopter or any other aerospace vehicle. Other vehicles may benefit from use of this system such as, but not limited to, marine, land, mining and other space vehicles. The structures held in the secured position may include any suitable structures configured to be closed or otherwise secured together.
In the illustrative embodiment, the pin latch assembly 10 includes a pin latch receptacle 20, a pin member 22 matingly engageable with the pin latch receptacle 20, and a pin rod 24 matingly engageable with the pin latch receptacle 20 and the pin member 22 to secure in mating engagement the pin latch receptacle 20 and the pin member 22. The pin latch receptacle 20 comprises a body 30 including a generally conical-shaped guide member 32 defining a guide bore 34. The body 30 of the pin latch receptacle 20 defines a cylindrical chamber 36 contiguous with the guide bore 34. The guide member 32 directs the pin member 22 from the guide bore 34 toward the cylindrical chamber 36 for mating engagement with the pin latch receptacle 20. The pin latch receptacle 20 defines an annular recess 38. The pin latch receptacle 20 also defines a pin rod channel 40 contiguous with the cylindrical chamber 36 but generally extending almost perpendicular to the cylindrical chamber. The pin latch receptacle 20 also includes a shear pin guide 42 disposed about the body 30, fasteners, such as rivets 46 for securing the shear pin guide about the body 30, and a spherical bearing 44 for securement of the pin latch receptacle 20 to the cowling or other structure. The shear pin guide 42 defines a hole 48 adapted to align with the pin rod channel 40.
The pin rod 24 includes a generally ridged pin end 43 which is attached to a generally flexible rod structure 45. The pin end 43 provides a ridged structure which can extend through the hole 48 and pin rod channel 40, and 70 for engaging and retaining the pin latch assembly 10 with the pin latched receptacle 20. The generally flexible rod structure allows this mechanism to be extended to another location with the rod structure being relatively flexible for accommodating somewhat non-linear paths. Operation of the pin rod 24 is achieved by manipulating the rod structure 45 to affect a movement of the pin end 43 for engaging and disengaging the corresponding holes and channels 48, 40, and 70.
The pin member 22 of the pin latch assembly 10 includes an engagement member 50 and a support member 52. The engagement member 50 includes a pin 60, a flange 62, and a support leg 64 coupled to the support member 52. The pin 60 defines a pin rod channel 70 extending generally almost perpendicular to the pin. The pin 60 is configured to matingly engage the pin latch receptacle 20, by receipt of the pin into the cylindrical chamber 36 of the pin latch receptacle 20. Upon such mating engagement, the flange 62 is engaged with the guide member 32 of the pin latch receptacle 20, and the pin rod 24 channel is aligned with the pin rod channel 40 of the pin latch receptacle 20. The pin rod 24 is inserted through the pin rod channels 40 and 70 and the hole 66 of the shear pin guide 42 to releasably secure together in mating engagement the pin latch receptacle 20 and the pin member 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the pin rod channel 70 of the pin member 22 is generally oval shaped and has a cross section or inside diameter that is greater than the cross section or outside diameter of the pin rod channel 40 of the pin latch receptacle 20 to accommodate engagement, manufacturing tolerances, and stress conditions.
The pin member 22 further includes a spherical bearing 80 engaged with the support member 52 for securement to a keeper or other aircraft structure, an adjustment nut 82 retained in a slot 84 defined by the support member 52, a step pin 86 to secure together the pin 60 and the support member 52, and securement pins 90 for securing together various components of the pin member 22. The support leg 64 of the pin member 22 is received by a bore 92 defined by the support member 52, and the step pin 86 extends through a slot 94 defined by the support member and the holes 96 defined by the support leg 64 of the pin member 22 to couple the engagement member 50 and the support member 52.
As shown in
The pin rod 24 may have any suitable structure and configuration. The pin rod 24 is configured to releasably lock in mating engagement the pin latch receptacle 20 and the pin member 22 by extending through the hole 48 of the shear pin guide 42, the channel 40 of the pin latch receptacle 20, and the channel 70 of the pin member 22. The pin rod 24 may be selectively removed from the pin rod channels 40 and 70 to thereby release the pin member 22 from the pin latch receptacle 20. The pin latch assembly 10 may have any other suitable construction and the pin latch receptacle 20 and the pin member 22 may be matingly engageable or otherwise engageable with each other in any other suitable manner in accordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure.
In the illustrative embodiment of
The pawl latch receptacle 100 further includes a receiver 120; a sleeve member 122 disposed about the receiver and slidable relative to the receiver and the pawls 112; a housing 124 comprised of three housing members 130 secured together by fasteners, such as step rivets 132; and a latch cam 134 coupled to the sleeve 122. One of the rivets 132 (e.g., the forward rivet associated with each housing member 130,
Rotation of the latch cam 134 causes the sleeve 122 to slide or shift generally coaxially relative to the pawl 112 and along the receiver 120 (along and within void 158) of the pawl latch receptacle 100. The sleeve 122 contacts and pivots or otherwise rotates or moves the pawls 112 from their locked or engaged positions such that the pawls disengage the pawl latch pin member 102 and pivot outside the chamber 110 of the pawl latch receptacle 100.
The latch cam 134 is received in a slot 140 defined by the receiver 120 and is coupled to the receiver by a spacer 142 and a spherical bearing 144. The latch cam 134 also includes a spherical bearing 150 for coupling to a push-pull cable 148 (
The pawl latch pin member 102 has a pin 200 that includes a generally, at least partially arcuate or conical hemispherical head 202, a flange 204, and a support leg 206. The pin 200 defines an annular groove 210 for receiving and engaging the pawls 112 when the pin member 102 is engaged with the latch receptacle 100. The pawl latch pin member 102 also includes a support member 220, a spherical bearing 222 engaged with the support member 220 for securement to a keeper, an adjustment nut 224 retained in a slot 226 defined by the support member 220 and a step pin 228 to secure together the pin and the support member, and securement pins 220. The step pin 228 extends through an elongated slot 232 defined by the support member 220 and holes 234 defined by the support leg 206 of the pawl latch pin member 102.
The adjustment nut 224 includes a threaded surface 225 on the inside opening thereof. Corresponding threads are formed on an exterior surface of the pin 200 along the support leg 206. Threaded engagement of the nut 224 with the leg 206 allows for some degree of axial displacement for adjusting the position of the pin 200 relative to the support member 220. Movement is limited by engagement of the step pin 228 with the holes 234 and elongated slot 232.
The receiver 120 defines a slot 240 contiguous with one of the three apertures 152 of the receiver for receiving the arm 198 of the sensor arm 170. The sleeve 122 defines an aperture 242 adjacent one of the three apertures 156 for receiving the arm 198 into the receiver 120. Thus, the sensor arm 170 is received within the voids 136 of the housing member, and the arm 198 of the sensor arm 170 extends into the aperture 242 of the sleeve 122 and into the slot 240 of the receiver 120.
In the illustrated embodiment, as the pin 200 of the pawl latch pin member 102 is inserted into the chamber 110 of the pawl latch receptacle 100, the head of the pin 202 pivots or otherwise moves the pawls 112 from the locked or engaged position toward an unlocked position whereby the pawls are outside the chamber 110. Once the pin 200 is fully inserted into the chamber 110, the pawls 112 rotate to their locked or engaged positions and are received by the annular groove 210 of the pin due to the biasing action of the springs 114. The pawls 112 engaged in the groove 210 prevent unintentional removal of the pin 200 from the pawl latch receptacle 100.
The pawl latch pin member 102 can be disengaged from the pawl latch pin receptacle by rotating the latch cam 134. Such rotation causes the sleeve 122 to axially shift or slide relative to the pawls and along the receiver 120 of the pawl latch receptacle 100, and to contact and pivot the pawls 112 from their locked or engaged positions such that the pawls disengage the pin 200 of the pawl latch pin member 22 and pivot outside the chamber 110 of the pawl latch receptacle 100. The arm 198 of the sensor arm 170 may slide or otherwise move into the slot 190 of one of the pawls 112 as the pawls pivot outside the chamber.
The pawl latch assembly 12 may have any other suitable construction in accordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, the pawl latch receptacle 100 and the pawl latch pin member 102 may be matingly engageable, and the pawls 112 may be biased by any other means or be assembled or constructed in any other suitable manner in accordance with other embodiments.
While embodiments have been illustrated and described in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions are considered to be exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. The description and figures are intended as illustrations of embodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to be construed as containing or implying limitation of the disclosure to those embodiments. There are a plurality of advantages of the present disclosure arising from various features set forth in the description. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of the disclosure and associated methods, without undue experimentation, that incorporate one or more of the features of the disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims.
This patent application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/836,502, filed Aug. 9, 2006. The disclosure set forth in the referenced provisional application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including all information as originally submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1768021 | Bauerband | Jun 1930 | A |
| 2216367 | Hoblick | Oct 1940 | A |
| 2752183 | Doll | Jun 1956 | A |
| 3754224 | Roy et al. | Aug 1973 | A |
| 3765196 | Balicki | Oct 1973 | A |
| 4075878 | Best | Feb 1978 | A |
| 4421349 | Greiert | Dec 1983 | A |
| 5096236 | Thony | Mar 1992 | A |
| 5172945 | Doherty et al. | Dec 1992 | A |
| 5560232 | Chen | Oct 1996 | A |
| 5568740 | Lin | Oct 1996 | A |
| 5992187 | Derman | Nov 1999 | A |
| 6026664 | Lin | Feb 2000 | A |
| 6068305 | Myers et al. | May 2000 | A |
| 6116663 | Robert | Sep 2000 | A |
| 6457336 | Bremicker | Oct 2002 | B1 |
| 6508086 | Chen | Jan 2003 | B2 |
| 6923027 | Kuo | Aug 2005 | B1 |
| 7513133 | Muerza | Apr 2009 | B2 |
| 20020073747 | Chen | Jun 2002 | A1 |
| 20050235710 | Ling | Oct 2005 | A1 |
| 20060038410 | Pratt et al. | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| 20070169523 | Lu | Jul 2007 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 676832 | Mar 1991 | CH |
| 3707323 | Sep 1988 | DE |
| 29514280 | Nov 1995 | DE |
| 2161532 | Jan 1986 | GB |
| WO 2006004942 | Jan 2006 | WO |
| WO 2006033929 | Mar 2006 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080067818 A1 | Mar 2008 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60836502 | Aug 2006 | US |
