Abstract: A wall element has a noise attenuating characteristic and is suitable for use as an aircraft cabin interior panel element that is mounted directly on the aircraft fuselage structure. The wall element includes a rigid lightweight composite panel having a core arranged between two cover layers, and an outer layer arranged adjacent and spaced away from one of the cover layers. The core and the cover layers of the composite panel are air permeable in a direction through the thickness of the panel, while the outer layer is non-air-permeable and is relatively soft and flexible. The outer layer is connected to the composite panel preferably only along the perimeter edge thereof. The non-permeable outer layer faces the aircraft cabin space, while the permeable composite panel is mounted on the fuselage structure. With this structure, acoustic vibrations of the fuselage, to which the wall element is attached, are attenuated and do not result in substantial noise radiation from the outer layer into the cabin.

Abstract: In order to reuse dishes, cutlery, glassware and other food service utensils onboard an aircraft, a washing apparatus is provided as a part of the food service system onboard the aircraft. The apparatus includes a service trolley and a washing unit that may be coupled together to form a washing chamber within the trolley. The washing unit is installed within a trolley parking bay in a galley of the aircraft and is connected to a water supply and a power supply. The trolley is equipped with racks for receiving the dirty utensils, and the washing unit is equipped with water spray arms that reach into the trolley into clearance spaces between the racks. The dirty utensils are collected from passengers directly into the service trolley, which is then wheeled into position in the trolley parking bay, and coupled to the washing unit. Thereby, the utensils may be collected, cleaned, stored, and reused, with only minimal handling, cost, and space requirements.

Abstract: A cable binder includes a cable binder head (1) and a cable binder band (3) extending therefrom. The cable binder head includes first and second planar contact surfaces (11, 18) that intersect each other at a contact angle (.alpha.) in the range from 145.degree. to 160.degree., and are adapted to establish a substantially uniform and continuous contact of the cable binder head (1) with the substantially circular outer contour of a cable or other elongate component (6) that is to be secured. The cable binder head has an opening (2) extending at an incline therethrough and adjoining an edge of the contact surface (11). This arrangement ensures the maximum contact of the binder band (3) and contact surfaces (11, 18) of the head (1) with the outer contour of the component (6) being secured, and minimizes or eliminates the formation of a triangular open gap (4) between the binder head and the component (6).

Abstract: A leading edge structure for an aerodynamic surface includes a support structure made of fiber-reinforced synthetic material and a skin structure made of metal mounted on the support structure. The support structure includes an inner laminate, an outer laminate, and longitudinally extending tubes and channels arranged between the inner and outer laminates, as well as a synthetic foam filler material in the spaces between the tubes, channels, and laminates. The skin structure includes an outer skin having perforations, especially in the form of suction holes, an inner skin, and spacer members interconnected therebetween so as to form a substantially form-stable metal skin structure. Respective holes pass through the inner skin, the outer laminate, and the walls of the tubes and channels in order to communicate the suction hole perforations of the outer skin with the interior spaces within the tubes and channels. The skin structure is adhesively bonded to the support structure.

Abstract: A phased-array antenna, particularly for the radar frequency range, comprising at least a predetermined number of transmit/receive radiator elements arranged linearly and/or matrix-shaped, a power distribution as well as a phase shifter network and a transmit/receive change-over arrangement. The transmit/receive change-over arrangement includes a serial feed comprising a waveguide with coupling in/coupling out locations disposed along its length and to which the phase shifter network, and possibly a further power distribution network, is coupled and also the transmitting/receiving arrangements are coupled. With this arrangement, an otherwise needed transmit/receive switch, for example, a circulator, is not necessary.

Abstract: An injector air outlet includes a temperature sensor and a smoke sensor to simultaneously carry out the functions of air recirculation and temperature and smoke monitoring within a closed interior space, such as a passenger cabin or a freight or cargo hold in an aircraft. The injector air outlet includes a housing wall (2) with an injector mixing chamber (3) therein. A primary supply air inlet (4) receives primary supply air (5) from the aircraft's air distribution duct network, and blows the primary supply air through an injection nozzle (7) into the mixing chamber (3) so as to create a reduced or negative pressure in the mixing chamber. Cabin exhaust air (10) is sucked through a secondary air inlet (9) and a secondary air channel (8) into the mixing chamber (3), due to the reduced pressure or suction effect therein. The primary air and secondary air are mixed together and then ejected forcefully back into the cabin or cargo hold.

Abstract: A bi-directional power conversion system interconnects hydraulic and electrical power systems on-board a vehicle such as an air-craft, whereby the power conversion system can selectively convert available electrical power to needed hydraulic power or vice versa. The power conversion system includes a hydraulic machine (15) connected to the hydraulic system (10) of the vehicle, an electrical machine (20) connected to the electrical system (3) of the vehicle through a power converter and control unit (22), a rotational drive shaft (14) mechanically interconnecting the hydraulic machine (15) and the electrical machine (20), and a priority and safety control unit (26) that controls the operation of the system.

Abstract: A door and its frame especially in an aircraft are constructed for circulating air through the structure for preventing cold air from forming near the door in an aircraft cabin. For this purpose at least one air flow channel is provided in the door construction. The air flow channel communicates with at least one inlet port with at least one outlet port so positioned that air circulation is maintained through the door structure. The outlet port passes preferably through a cabin floor for discharging cold air into a space below the cabin floor.

Abstract: A system of interconnected heating conductors, suitable for preventing freezing of water lines in an aircraft for example, includes a plurality of heater units (1, 12, 14) electrically coupled together by respective extension cables (3) and electrical coupling elements (42). Each heater unit comprises one or more heating conductor bands, tapes or strips (2, 21, 22) connected to respective connection modules (5, 51, 52, 52', 53) at the ends thereof. The connection modules may connect together several heater bands within one heater unit, and may connect the terminal ends of the heater bands of one heater unit to the extension cables by which several respective heater units may be connected together. Each connection module includes a housing (6) enclosing an inner chamber (61) therein, and at least one electrical connector element (7) such as a crimpable connector fixed within the housing (6).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a rate of rotation uses a fiber-optic gyro which has a 3.times.3-coupler. A first channel of the coupler is optically connected on one side with a light source and on the other side with a first photo element; and the two other channels are optically connected on one side with a fiber coil and on the other side with a second and third photo element respectively. A depolarizer is arranged at least between the light source and the 3.times.3-coupler or at one end of the fiber coil; alternatively, the fiber coil has a polarization-maintaining fiber. An electronic signal processing system is used to determine a temperature-related value, independent of the rate of rotation, for damping of the fiber coil and of the 3.times.3-coupler, based on the signals of the three photo elements and from temperature-dependent coefficients determined by calibration.

Abstract: A window for an aircraft cabin has a first pane (3) with a high fatigue strength on the inside facing the cabin and a second pane (4) with a lower fatigue strength smaller than the first fatigue strength on the outside facing the atmosphere. The space (3A) between the window panes (3, 4) is sealed but connected through a pipe to an air pressure controller responsive to the atmospheric pressure. The pressure controller may be an air pump (12) or variable volume chambers (19, 20) for keeping the pressure in the space between the panes at the prevailing atmospheric pressure without actually venting the space to the atmosphere.

Abstract: In a passenger service unit, particularly in a passenger cabin of an aircraft, comfort and service elements such as a reading lamp, a flight attendant call button, a loudspeaker, an air nozzle, an oxygen mask and generator, optical display elements, are integrated into a service column. Feeder lines between a main supply line and the passenger service columns are flexible to facilitate the mounting or placement of the columns as a complement to a passenger seat. The column is positioned in the lateral area of a seat to which the column is allocated.

Abstract: In a method for drying coating films on coated components, microwaves are generated by at least one magnetron (3A) in at least one microwave generator module (3) and introduced into a drying chamber (2A) through one or more waveguides (4). Air or another gas is blown from a blower (5) into the drying chamber (2A). An additive agent comprising a dipolar or polarizable molecular composition is mixed into the gas to form a gas mixture within the drying chamber (2A). The coated components (9) are placed into the drying chamber (2A) in a batch or continuous flow-through process. The microwave energy vibrationally excites and heats the additive agent in the gas mixture, which in turn heats the coating film (9') on the components (9). Alternatively, the additive agent may be mixed or applied directly in the coating film substance, so as to achieve direct heating of the coating film, or so as to evaporate from the coating film into the gas to form the gas mixture.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting high frequency interference radiation signals, such as radio frequency emissions, on board a passenger aircraft includes at least two receiver units for receiving and measuring the interference radiation signal, and a monitoring unit for evaluating the signal measurement results. Each receiver unit respectively includes at least one antenna, the monitoring unit includes an interference computer, and a digital data signal transmission path connects the receiver units to the monitoring unit. The interference computer evaluates the data signals received from the receiver units to determine the location of an interference radiation source within the aircraft, and indicates corresponding location and warning information on a display unit connected to the interference computer.

Abstract: An emergency evacuation slide has an internal energy dissipation characteristic so that the slide is especially suitable for evacuation of persons from a relatively great height. By dissipating the energy internally in the slide rather than by frictional heating of the clothing and skin of the evacuating persons, the danger of skin burns and other injuries to the persons is reduced or avoided. The slide surface of the slide is made up of a plurality of slide modules that each include an elastically elongatable segment, an interconnecting segment, and an anti-slip segment, which are respectively connected together one after another. The anti-slip segment has an upper anti-slip surface with a high coefficient of friction so that the anti-slip segment remains in static frictional contact and moves along with the evacuating person. The bottom surface of the anti-slip segment has a predefined coefficient of friction.

Abstract: In order to facilitate and reduce the time necessary for clamping together and boring a hole through at least two workpieces that are to be joined together, for example by rivets or bolts, a portable clamping and boring apparatus carries out all necessary operating steps once it is manually positioned at the intended location of the bored hole. The clamping and boring apparatus includes a tool body with a clamp device and a boring device mounted thereon. The clamp device includes a clamping yoke with a clamp jaw element at an end thereof, and a clamping cylinder that drives the clamping yoke in an axial direction toward the boring location, from an open starting position into a clamping position. The boring device includes a pneumatic boring machine adapted to receive a boring bit, and a boring feed advance drive connected to the boring machine to drive the boring bit in a feed advance direction opposed to and coaxial with the clamping direction of the clamp jaw element.

Abstract: An inert gas for fighting a fire occurring in an enclosed space is produced by the reaction of ammonia with atmospheric air to produce nitrogen mixed with water vapor which is introduced into the fire in the enclosed space. This fire fighting gas mixture is produced in a small gas turbine having a combustion chamber into which ammonia, preferably liquid ammonia, is sprayed. Additionally, water may be sprayed into the combustion chamber to cool the combustion gas to a desired temperature and supplied to the turbine which feeds its exhaust gas to a mixing chamber where a further temperature control may be performed by spraying water into the mixing chamber. The gas output of the mixing chamber is used for the fire fighting.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for mounting and providing a safety support of cabin fixtures such as baggage compartments in a passenger cabin, especially in an aircraft, includes substantially rigid mounting hardware and substantially non-rigid safety support elements. The mounting hardware mounts the baggage compartments to the aircraft fuselage structure in a substantially rigid manner, with adequate strength for normal operating conditions and certain overload conditions. The safety support elements provide an additional connection between the baggage compartments and the fuselage structure, and are installed in such a manner that they are not load bearing under normal conditions, but rather only come into play under extreme load conditions in which at least one of the substantially rigid mounting hardware elements has failed.

Abstract: The flow volume of used air to be discharged from an aircraft cabin is controlled in a valve control system in which each outflow valve has at least two slave controllers responsive to any one of at least two master controllers in a closed loop control system. For this purpose the slave controllers and the master controllers are interconnected by an intermeshed conductor network including a plurality of conductor sections interconnected by electrical conductor junctions or optical conductor couplers forming interfaces between the conductor sections to provide a redundant number of communication paths to keep the system operable even if failures or faults occur.

Abstract: A pressure bulkhead especially for closing the tail end of the pressurized interior of an aircraft fuselage includes a curved or cupped disk, a peripheral rim, and a transition portion joining the rim to the disk. All the components of the bulkhead are integrally formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material. The peripheral rim and the transition portion together form a circumferential frame that supports circumferential forces and transfers forces into the aircraft fuselage, to which the rim is connected. The transition portion has a curved cross-section that curves in the opposite direction relative to the curvature of the cupped disk, whereby the rim bends or flares back toward the convex side of the cupped disk. The curvature of the transition portion is relatively tight so that an acute angle is formed between the rim and the cupped disk, and the rim extends in contact with the inner surface of the fuselage structure over a contact range at which the rim may be rivet-connected to the fuselage.