Patents Assigned to Airbus Operations
  • Patent number: 8359851
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a trim actuator actuating system having two separate hydraulic power supply systems, through which it is possible for the first time to use a hydraulic linear actuator as a trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator in an aircraft. The at least one hydraulic linear actuator is coupled to the first power supply system in such a way that it applies hydraulic power to the linear actuator during normal operation. In order to ensure the application of pressure to the hydraulic linear actuator in case of breakdown, in such a case, the pressure application to the hydraulic linear actuator is maintained with the aid of the second hydraulic power supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Gunnar Haase
  • Patent number: 8360359
    Abstract: Aircraft horizontal stabilizer surface (8) in which the sweep angle (40) of this surface (8), where this angle (40) is the one formed by the projection of the reference line of points located at 25% of the local chord (19) of the horizontal stabilizer surface (8) on a plane perpendicular to the aircraft plane of symmetry (21), and which also contains this plane to the flight direction of the aircraft with respect to the aircraft plane of symmetry (21), is less than 90 degrees, with this angle (40) being measured in the flight direction of the aircraft. In addition, the structural connection of this horizontal stabilizer surface (8) to the aircraft fuselage (1) is located at a closing frame (13) of this fuselage (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.L.
    Inventors: Raúl Carlos Llamas Sandin, Miguel Luque Buzo
  • Patent number: 8360365
    Abstract: The present invention describes a modular hatrack for an interior of an aircraft, wherein the modular hatrack comprises at least one container and at least one housing to accommodate the container, wherein at least one component from the group comprising a personal supply channel, an electrical line, a light strip, an air duct for an air conditioning system, and an air outlet for an air conditioning system is integrated in the housing. The present invention also describes the use of the modular hatrack in an aircraft or in some other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thimo Rahlff
  • Patent number: 8360357
    Abstract: An aircraft has a fuselage a wing integral with the fuselage at a point on a rigid central wing box. Sections of the wing are located on sides of the central wing box and integral and fixed relative to the wing box to form a rigid wing. The wing is mounted movably in translation relative to the fuselage along a longitudinal direction of the aircraft parallel to an axis of the fuselage between an extreme forward position and an extreme rear position of a point of reference of the wing. The central wing box is determined in the front by a wing box front spar, in the rear by a wing box rear spar, and laterally by root ribs. Sections of the wing include external front and external rear spars integral with and fixed relative to the wing box front spars and wing box rear spars to form the rigid wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Cazals, Thierry Druot
  • Patent number: 8361911
    Abstract: A weaving method that makes it possible to directly produce three-dimensional structures having two-dimensional walls with corners, without requiring sewing or other joining between two edges. The weave is created by turning weft threads (24) into warp threads to create at least one face. The method is particularly suitable for weaving reinforcing pieces for composite structures such as three-dimensional corner reinforcements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Xavier Legrand, Mathieu Piana, Georgi Tsarvarishki, Julien Charles, Philippe Blot, Dominique Guittard
  • Patent number: 8360363
    Abstract: A floor structure in an aircraft includes a plurality of seat rails that extend parallel in relation to each other, and at least one floor panel. The floor panel extends over the seat rails and rests on the individual seat rails. In order to be able to fasten interior equipment components to the seat rails situated underneath the floor panels, the at least one floor panel includes a plurality of through-holes through which the interior equipment components of the aircraft can be locked into place on the seat rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Gonnsen, Manfred Kook, Markus Fokken, Michael Dupont, Norbert Möllers, Ralf Schliwa
  • Patent number: 8360438
    Abstract: A seal (500) comprises a seal body (502) having a mounting portion (504), a first leg (506) and a second leg (508), a first stiffening member (514) and a second stiffening member (516) separated by an arcuate shear seal portion (529) in which the motions of the first leg (506) and second leg (508) are relatively constrained by the second stiffening member (516).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Eric Wildman, Simon John Parker
  • Patent number: 8360360
    Abstract: The undercarriage for aircraft comprises: at least one wheel provided with a rim; a hub carrying the rim; and a motor and gearing for driving the wheel, the motor and the gearing being received, preferably completely, inside the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Airbus, Airbus Operations
    Inventors: Christophe Cros, Debbie Leusink
  • Patent number: 8361609
    Abstract: A composite structure comprising: a first stack comprising a plurality of plies of composite material and at least one ply of self-healing material, the ply of self-healing material comprising a plurality of containers each containing a curable healing liquid; and a second stack comprising a plurality of plies of composite material, the stacks being joined together at a bond line. By placing a ply of self-healing material in one of the stacks (preferably relatively close to the bond line) the ply of self-healing material can resist the propagation of cracks between the first stack and the second stack. Preferably the global strength of the first stack is greater than the global strength of the second stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventor: Enzo Cosentino
  • Patent number: 8356772
    Abstract: A lightweight structure is disclosed, in particular a lightweight structure for an aircraft which is formed from a large number of components which can be joined together by weld joining processes. According to the invention, the lightweight structure has a component thickness which is increased corresponding to the loads in the joint region of the at least one welded joint compared to a thickness of the component outside the joint region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Bense, Steffen Biesek, Robert Alexander Goehlich, Karl-Hinrich Herbst, Michael Kreimeyer, Christian Kulik, Marco Pacchione
  • Patent number: 8356773
    Abstract: A structural wing-fuselage component for connecting two aerofoils to a fuselage section of an aircraft includes: a first wing shell component for the first wing and a second wing shell component for the second wing, with each component being made in a single piece and comprising a shell component on the wing side and a shell component on the fuselage side, where each shell component on the fuselage side comprises coupling parts and recesses in each case situated between the coupling parts, where in the installed state the coupling parts and the recesses of the shell component on the fuselage side for the first wing and of the shell component on the fuselage side for the second wing interlock, and where at least two coupling parts at their ends pointing away from the shell component on the wing side each comprises an extension part, a partially cylindrical fuselage shell component whose supporting rims include recesses which are engaged by the extension parts of the first wing shell components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Claus-Peter Gross
  • Patent number: 8356451
    Abstract: The invention relates to a structural component for an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising a component core extended across a component area, a first and second cover layer, which are formed on two opposite bounding surfaces of the component core and extend across the component area, a plurality of braces, which are distributed across the component area and connect the first and second cover layers to each other through the component core, and a stiffening belt, which extends between the cover layers along a stiffening line that extends substantially parallel to the component area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Weber, Gregor Christian Endres
  • Patent number: 8356776
    Abstract: A device for automatically controlling a system of high-lift elements of an aircraft, which high-lift elements can be set to a retracted and to several extended configurations for cruising, holding flight, takeoff or landing; comprising a flap control unit that by way of a control connection is connected, so as to be functionally effective, to a drive system of the high-lift elements; and an operating unit, connected to the flap control unit, for entering operating instructions that influence the setting of the high-lift elements, where the flap control unit is provided for calculating switching speeds that are associated with the respective configurations of the high-lift elements, where the direction of the configuration change and the operating modes of the automatic system for adjusting the high-lift elements, depending on flight state data and further flight-operation-relevant data; and where, in addition, the flap control unit can also automatically carry out switchover of the operating modes for takeof
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Berens, Juergen Quell, August Kroeger
  • Patent number: 8356477
    Abstract: An actuator having two or more interconnected movement components, wherein the movement components are designed as linear actuators with substantially coaxial longitudinal axes or longitudinal axes that are parallel to each other and that are interconnected in longitudinal direction such that their linear movements are superimposed on one another, and such that at least one of the linear actuators can be stopped at one or several predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Schlipf, Mark Heintjes
  • Patent number: 8356771
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coupling for joining two frame segments within a fuselage cabin structure of an aircraft. The frame segments may comprise a Z-shaped or I-shaped cross-sectional geometry, optionally including a recess. Towards the top and the bottom, respectively, the frame segments are equipped with a header flange and a footer flange. According to the invention, at least one side plate is arranged in the area of one side of the web, and at least one counter plate is fitted in the area of an opposing side of the web. Because of the side plates and counter plates butted and riveted symmetrically on both sides against the webs of the frame segments to be joined, the coupling is moment-free and can be configured in a weight-optimized way. For further increase of rigidity, the header flanges may additionally be riveted with the side plates and/or counter plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Barbara Kern, Hermann Benthien
  • Patent number: 8356769
    Abstract: An aircraft engine assembly including an engine, an engine mounting structure, and a nacelle surrounding the engine and including fan cowls. The mounting structure includes a rigid structure and a forward aerodynamic structure on which the fan cowls are hinged, the forward aerodynamic structure including a cradle provided with an aft mounting mechanism mounted on the rigid structure. The cradle also includes a forward mounting mechanism mounted on a fan case of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Frederic Roche, Jean-Marc Martinou
  • Patent number: 8359129
    Abstract: A method and device control the thrust of a multi-engine aircraft. At least one engine command is determined by a command determining unit, with the determined command commanding each engine that has not failed to deliver a thrust substantially equal to a reduced thrust value. A command application unit is configured to apply the determined command to each aircraft engine that has not failed. The reduced thrust value is determined, by a weight determining device, according to the current weight of the aircraft and according to a reduced thrust value FOEI, which is calculated by a thrust calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Benoît Lemaignan, Gérard Mathieu
  • Patent number: 8359130
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for attenuating vertical turbulence encountered by an aircraft during flight. Incorporated into the method and device is a wind determination device, which is used to determine a vertical wind component existing outside the aircraft. A severity level determination unit is used to determine a severity level of the vertical wind component determined by the wind determination device. A control unit calculates at least one control order based on the vertical wind component determined by the wind determination device. In addition, the control unit determines the actual existence of activation conditions determined according to the severity level determined by the severity level determination unit. Upon verifying the activation conditions, the control unit transmits the control order to at least one actuator of the at least one controllable movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Alexandre Colomer, Xavier Dal Santo
  • Patent number: 8356616
    Abstract: Some water drain valves tend to fill with water which may freeze, thereby jamming the valve. This invention provides an aircraft water drain valve comprising a passageway, a shaft, a first sealing member and a second sealing member. The shaft is moveable between an open position in which the first and second sealing members are arranged to allow free passage of fluid through the passageway, and a closed position in which both the first and second sealing members are arranged to prevent free passage of fluid through the passageway thereby preventing ingress of fluid into the region between the first and second sealing members. Thus water may be hindered from collecting and freezing in the part of the valve close to the cold wall of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventor: Alistair David Richfield Wyatt
  • Patent number: 8353721
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cable connection device for connecting a cable to a housing that is to be electromagnetically shielded, comprising a sheath, which serves to surround the cable in the region of a cable feedthrough opening in the housing and is designed to be electrically conductive at least at its surface. In order to achieve a cable connection device with a simple design which can be used for different cables and has improved shielding, the invention proposes that the sheath completely covers a cable feedthrough opening, which is associated with the housing, when viewed in a direction axial to the cable feedthrough opening, the sheath being provided with shielding structures for damping electromagnetic radiation on an inner surface, which points towards the cable to be accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Deimel, Nicholas E. Brownjohn