Patent Application
20130169130
The invention relates to a sealing system, which is suitable for use in an aircraft device that is to be sealed off from the environment, and to an aircraft device that is equipped with such a sealing system.
Currently, in modern passenger aircraft food and drink that is provided for catering to aircraft passengers during a flight is stored in trolleys or suitably devised storage cabinets in the region of the galleys before being issued to the aircraft passengers by the cabin crew. In order to keep the food and drink cool prior to consumption, it is known for example from DE 41 05 034 A1 to cool trolleys, which are positioned in the region of the galleys of the aircraft for storing food that is to be kept cool, with the aid of autonomous cooling devices that operate with cold air as a cooling medium and are equipped in each case with an individual compression-type refrigerating machine (air chiller). Alternatively, for example DE 43 40 317 C2 describes a central compression-type refrigerating machine, the refrigerating output of which is distributed via a liquid refrigerant circuit to cooling stations disposed in the region of the aircraft galleys. The cooling stations supplied with cooling energy from the central refrigerating machine transfer this cooling energy via cooling air circuits, which are coupled thermally to the liquid refrigerant circuit of the central refrigerating machine by suitable heat exchangers, to trolleys, standard units (SUs), etc., that are positioned in the region of the galleys of the aircraft for storing food that is to be kept cool.
So-called air-over systems, which may be supplied with cooling energy both from an autonomously operating air chiller and from a central liquid cooling system of the aircraft, comprise a thermally insulated and leak-proofed cooling chamber, which is integrated for example into the galley and through which flows cooling air that is provided by the air chiller or the central liquid cooling system. The trolleys, standard units (SUs), etc., that are loaded with the food to be kept cool may be inserted into the cooling chamber. Trolleys that are suitable for use in an air-over system are themselves not insulated and are cooled by the cooling air flowing over them. The cold input through the trolley wall ensures that the food inside is cooled. Air-through systems are moreover known, in which the cooling energy provided by an autonomously operating air chiller or a central liquid cooling system is supplied directly to an insulated trolley. However, these insulated trolleys may also be provided for storage in a closed chamber of an aircraft galley.
Cooling chambers currently used in modern commercial aircraft are conventionally equipped with a brush seal for leak-proofing the cooling chamber doors relative to a floor of the aircraft cabin. These seals, which during opening and closing of the cooling chamber doors sweep over the floor of the aircraft cabin, are however subject to extreme wear. Furthermore, due to the effect of liquids individual groups of bristles may stick together, thereby impairing the sealing action of the brush seal. As defective or worn seals are often not immediately detected by the maintenance crew and the cabin crew, the situation may therefore arise that a considerable amount of the cooling energy has to be expended to compensate leakage losses. The cooling system therefore has to be designed with a correspondingly high capacity, this having a negative impact on the installation space volume and weight of the cooling system. Cold air leaking from a cooling chamber may moreover have an effect on the air conditions in the area of the aircraft galleys that is unpleasant in particular for the cabin crew.
The underlying object of the invention is to provide a sealing system, which is suitable for use in an aircraft device that is to be sealed off from the environment and which makes it possible to minimize leakage losses and at the same time operates with reduced wear and/or a long service life. The invention is further geared to the object of providing an aircraft device that is equipped with such a sealing system.
This object is achieved by a sealing system having features of attached claims and by an aircraft device having features of attached claims.
The sealing system according to the invention is suitable for use in an aircraft device that is to be sealed off from the environment and comprises a door element, which is connectable to a housing of the aircraft device. In its state of connection to the housing of the aircraft device the door element is movable between an open position and a closed position. In its open position the door element clears the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device. In its closed position, on the other hand, the door element closes the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device. For example, the door element may be coupled pivotably to the housing of the aircraft device so that the door element by pivoting relative to the housing of the aircraft device is movable between its open position and its closed position.
The sealing system further comprises a sealing element, on which a sealing surface is formed. The sealing surface of the sealing element is adapted to interact sealingly with a contact surface that lies opposite the sealing face of the sealing element when the door element is situated in its closed position. The sealing element may be fastened to the door element, the housing of the aircraft device or some other aircraft component adjacent to the door element. For example, an arrangement is conceivable, in which a portion of the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device is delimited, not by a portion of the housing of the aircraft device, but by some other aircraft component, for example a cabin floor portion. In such an arrangement the sealing element may be fastened to the other aircraft component formed for example by a cabin floor portion. In a corresponding manner, the contact surface provided for interacting with the sealing surface of the sealing element may be formed on the housing of the aircraft device or on some other aircraft component adjacent to the door element or on the door element.
If the sealing element is fastened to the door element, for example in the region of an outer peripheral surface of the door element, the contact surface is preferably formed on the housing of the aircraft device, for example in the region of an inner peripheral surface of the door aperture, or on an aircraft component adjacent to the door element, for example a cabin floor portion adjoining the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device. If, on the other hand, the sealing element is fastened to the housing of the aircraft device, for example in the region of an inner peripheral surface of the door aperture, or to an aircraft component adjacent to the door element, for example a cabin floor portion adjoining the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device, the contact surface is preferably formed on the door element, for example in the region of an outer peripheral surface of the door element.
The sealing system according to the invention further comprises a positioning device, which is adapted to move the door element substantially at right angles to the sealing surface of the sealing element or to the contact surface between a first position and a second position. When the door element is situated in its first position, the sealing surface of the sealing element is not movable into sealing contact with the contact surface. In contrast thereto, the sealing surface of the sealing element is movable into sealing contact with the contact surface when the door element is situated in its second position. The sealing contact that may be established between the sealing surface of the sealing element and the contact surface may be a positive contact or a non-positive contact.
In an operating state of the sealing system, in which the door element does not have to sealingly close the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device, a positioning of the door element in its first position enables an arrangement of the sealing surface of the sealing element at a distance from the contact surface and/or a surface adjacent to the contact surface and hence a reduction of the wear of the sealing element. The sealing system according to the invention therefore makes it possible to minimize wear-related leakages. Given a use of the sealing system according to the invention in an aircraft device that is to be cooled, for example a cooling chamber suitable in particular for receiving a trolley, it is therefore possible to reduce the cooling capacity that is to be provided by a corresponding cooling energy generating system. The cooling energy generating system may therefore be of a less powerful and hence more compact and lightweight design. A reduction of the electrical power consumption of the cooling energy generating system is moreover possible. Finally, as a result of minimizing leakages an impairment of the air conditions in the environment of the aircraft device sealed off from the environment by means of the sealing system according to the invention is also minimized.
In a preferred embodiment of the sealing system according to the invention the positioning device is adapted to move the door element, during a movement of the door element between its open position and its closed position, substantially at right angles to the sealing surface of the sealing element or to the contact surface. In other words, the positioning device is preferably adapted to move the door element between its first position and its second position in parallel to its movement between its open position and its closed position. Consequently, the movement of the door element between its first position and its second position and the movement of the door element between its open position and its closed position are substantially synchronized.
It is consequently guaranteed that the sealing surface of the sealing element is movable into sealing contact with the contact surface once the door element has reached its closed position and that the sealing surface of the sealing element is disposed at a distance from the contact surface or from a surface adjacent to the contact surface so long as the door element is situated in its open position. Such a development of the sealing system according to the invention is particularly advantageous if the sealing element is fastened to the door element, for example in the region of an outer peripheral surface of the door element, and is provided for interacting with a contact surface that is formed on an aircraft cabin floor portion adjoining the door aperture formed on the housing of the aircraft device and/or is formed by this aircraft cabin floor portion. It is self-evident that the contact surface may for example also be formed on the housing of the aircraft device.
The positioning device may comprise a spring element, which is adapted to exert on the door element a spring force, by means of which the door element is moved away from the sealing surface of the sealing element or from the contact surface. The spring force of the spring element therefore pushes the door element into the first position thereof, in which the sealing surface of the sealing element is not movable into sealing contact with the contact surface. The spring element may be disposed for example in the region of a hinge element, by means of which the door element is coupled to the housing of the aircraft device so as to be movable between its closed position and its open position. A first end of the spring element may be supported for example against a bearing element connected to the housing of the aircraft device, while a second end of the spring element may be supported against a further bearing element connected to the door element. The spring element by means of its spring force may then bring about a relative movement of the further bearing element connected to the door element relative to the bearing element fastened to the housing of the aircraft device and hence a movement of the door element relative to the housing of the aircraft device. As an alternative to such a configuration, the positioning device may of course also be equipped with some other, for example mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic device that brings about a movement of the door element between the first position and the second position thereof. A positioning device equipped with a spring element is however easy and economical to manufacture and does not entail much maintenance.
The positioning device may further comprise an activating device, which is adapted to exert on the door element a force, by means of which the door element is moved towards the sealing surface of the sealing element or towards the contact surface. The activating device is therefore preferably adapted to exert on the door element a force that for example opposes a spring force exerted on the door element by a spring element of the positioning device. The activating device may be configured in the form of a further spring element or comprise a further spring element. As an alternative to this, an embodiment of the activating device comprising some other to mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic device is of course conceivable, which is capable of exerting on the door element a corresponding force, by means of which the door element is moved from its first position into its second position.
In a preferred, particularly simply designed configuration of the activating device, the activating device comprises a wedge element, which is fastened to an outer peripheral surface of the door element and adapted to interact with an inner peripheral surface of the door aperture that lies opposite the outer peripheral surface of the door element when the door element is situated in its closed position. A wedge surface of the wedge element fastened to the outer peripheral surface of the door element that is provided for interacting with the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture is preferably inclined in such a way that in an outer region of the outer peripheral surface of the door element the wedge surface is at a greater distance from the outer peripheral surface of the door element than in an inner region of the outer peripheral surface of the door element. In other words, the wedge surface of the wedge element is preferably inclined in such a way that, viewed from an outer region of the outer peripheral surface of the door element, it slopes down in the direction of an inner region of the outer peripheral surface of the door element.
When the door element is moved from its open position into its closed position, the wedge surface of the wedge element interacts with the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture that lies opposite the outer peripheral surface of the door element, with the result that the door element is moved from its first position into its second position. The movement of the door element from its first position into its second position is in this case effected in parallel to the movement of the door element from its open position into its closed position, i.e. the door element is moved from its first position progressively in the direction of its second position, the closer the door element gets to its closed position. For this purpose, during a movement of the door element from its open position into its closed position the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture that lies opposite the outer peripheral surface of the door element interacts initially with a portion of the wedge surface of the wedge element that is at a smaller distance from outer peripheral surface of the door element. It is only when the door element is situated almost in its closed position that the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture that lies opposite the outer peripheral surface of the door element interacts with a portion of the wedge surface of the wedge element that is at a greater and/or maximum distance from the outer peripheral surface of the door element. The door element therefore reaches its second position when it is situated in its closed position.
Alternatively or in addition thereto, the activating device may also comprise a wedge element, which is fastened to an inner peripheral surface of the door aperture and adapted to interact with an outer peripheral surface of the door element that lies is opposite the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture when the door element is situated in its closed position. A wedge surface of the wedge element fastened to the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture that is provided for interacting with the outer peripheral surface of the door element is then preferably inclined in such a way that in an outer region of the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture the wedge surface is at a smaller distance from the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture than in an inner region of the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture.
During a movement of the door element from its open position into its closed position the outer peripheral surface of the door aperture then interacts initially with a portion of the wedge surface of the wedge element that is at a smaller distance from the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture, before the outer peripheral surface comes into contact with a portion of the wedge surface of the wedge element that is at a greater distance from the inner peripheral surface of the door aperture. This similarly guarantees that the door element during its movement from its open position into its closed position is moved progressively from its first position into its second position and the door element reaches its second position when it is situated in its closed position.
The sealing element is preferably configured in the form of a profile seal. The sealing element is moreover preferably made of an elastomer material that is suitable for manufacturing sealing elements.
An aircraft device according to the invention comprises a housing, in which a door aperture is formed. A sealing system as described above seals off the door aperture formed in the housing of the aircraft device from the environment. The aircraft device is preferably an aircraft device that is to be cooled, in particular a cooling chamber. The cooling chamber may be suitable for receiving a trolley, SUs, etc., and may be provided for arrangement in the region of an aircraft galley. The aircraft device to be cooled may be connectable for example to a cooling energy generating device in the form of an air chiller or a cooling energy generating device in the form of a central liquid cooling system. The aircraft device may moreover be provided for integration into an air-over system or an air-through system.
Although the sealing system according to the invention has been described here substantially in connection with an aircraft device that is to be cooled, in particular a cooling chamber that is suitable for receiving a trolley, SUs, etc., the sealing system according to the invention may be used also in other aircraft devices, for example aircraft devices that are to be heated or aircraft devices that are to be sealed in a liquid-tight manner.
There now follows a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, which show
a and 2b three-dimensional representations of a cooling chamber equipped with a sealing system and usable in an air-over cooling system according to
a to 5c three-dimensional detail representations of a first embodiment of an activating device, equipped with a wedge element, of the positioning device of the cooling chamber according to
a and 6b detail representations of a second embodiment: of an activating device, equipped with a wedge element, of the positioning device of the cooling chamber according to
In the embodiment of a cooling chamber 12 shown in
The sealing system 26 comprises a door element 28, which is coupled by two hinge elements 30a, 30b pivotably to the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12 and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. In the region of a bottom peripheral edge portion the door element 28 adjoins a floor 32 of an aircraft cabin (see
In the region of its bottom peripheral edge portion adjoining the floor 32 of an aircraft cabin the door element 28 comprises a receiving device 38 that is represented in
The sealing system 26 further comprises a positioning device 46, a detailed description of which now follows. The positioning device 46 is used to move the door element 28 substantially at right angles to the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 and to the contact surface 44 formed by a corresponding portion of the aircraft cabin floor 32, between a first position and a second position. When the door element 28 is situated in its first position, the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 is disposed at a distance from the cabin floor 32 and is consequently not movable into sealing contact with the contact surface 44. When, on the other hand; the door element 28 is situated in its second position, the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 may interact sealingly with the contact surface 44 and hence effect a sealing-off of the air-cooled interior of the cooling chamber 12 from the environment.
The positioning device 46 comprises a spring element 48, which is represented in detail in
In principle, it is possible to provide only one of the hinge elements 30a, 30b with a spring element 48. Preferably, however, both hinge elements 30a, 30b are equipped with a spring element 48. As an alternative to the spring element 48, however, any other suitable device, for example a mechanical device, such as for example a rising butt hinge or a pneumatic or a hydraulic device may be used to bring about the previously described lifting movement of the door element 28 relative to the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12.
The positioning device 46 further comprises an activating device 54. The activating device 54, which is represented in detail in
In a first embodiment that is represented in
There now follows a description of the mode of operation of the positioning device 46. So long as the door element 28 is situated in its open position, in which the door element 28 clears the door aperture 24 formed in the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12, the door element 28 is held by the force of the spring element 48 in its first position, in which it is raised relative to the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12. When the door element 28 is situated in its first position, the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 is also raised relative to the floor 32 of the aircraft cabin, i.e. the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 is situated at a distance from the floor 32 of the aircraft cabin that is defined by the spring excursion of the spring 48. The establishment of a sealing contact between the sealing surface 42 of the sealing is element 40 and the contact surface 44 formed by a sub-portion of the aircraft cabin floor 32 is therefore not possible. Instead, during a movement of the door element 28 the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 is prevented from sweeping over the aircraft cabin floor 32. As a result, the wear of the sealing element 40 during operation of the cooling chamber 12 may be significantly reduced.
When the door element 28 moves from its open position into its closed position, in which the door element 28 closes the door aperture 24 formed in the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12, the wedge element 56 fastened to the outer peripheral surface 34 of the door element 28 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24 formed in the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12. In particular, the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24 comes into contact initially with a portion of the wedge surface 58 of the wedge element 56 that is situated at a smaller distance from the outer peripheral surface 34 of the door element 28. During a further movement of the door element 28 into its closed position, the wedge surface 58 of the wedge element 56 slides along the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24.
As a result of the interacting of the wedge surface 58 of the wedge element 56 with the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24, on the door element 28 a force oriented in the direction of the arrow P2 in
When the door element 28 is situated in its second position, the sealing element 40 is pressed against the floor 32 of the aircraft cabin. In other words, the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40 is situated in sealing contact with the contact surface 44 that is formed by a portion of the aircraft cabin floor 32 that lies opposite the sealing surface 42 of the sealing element 40. A proper sealing of the air-cooled interior of the cooling chamber 12 is therefore guaranteed.
a and 6b show a further embodiment of an activating device 54, which likewise comprises a wedge element 56 with an, at least in sections, inclined wedge surface 58. Here, however, the wedge element 56 is fastened, not to the outer peripheral surface 34 of the door element 28, but to the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24 formed in the housing 22 of the cooling chamber 12. The wedge surface 58 of the wedge element 56 is inclined in such a way that in an outer region of the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24 the wedge surface 58 is at a smaller distance from the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24 than in an inner region of the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24. The wedge surface 58 of the wedge element 56 moreover likewise comprises a portion that extends substantially parallel to the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24. Here, however, this portion lies opposite an inner region of the inner peripheral surface 36 of the door aperture 24.
When the door element 28 is moved from its open position into its closed position, as represented diagrammatically in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2010 035 372.8 | Aug 2010 | DE | national |
This application is a bypass continuation of PCT/EP2011/004081 filed Aug. 12, 2011, which is based on and claims priority of German Application No. DE 10 2010 035 372.8 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/376,714, both filed Aug. 25, 2010, the disclosures of which, including the specification, drawings and abstract, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2011/004081 | Aug 2011 | US |
| Child | 13775456 | US |
