Aircraft Interior Bushing
An aircraft interior bushing is disclosed comprising in one form interoperating bushing portions. Each bushing portion in one form comprising a recessing portion, a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, a perimeter portion wherein the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, a support arm receiver, and a support arm. Each support arm comprises a first end coupled to the bushing, and a second end comprising a conduit receiver. In one form, the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the interoperating bushings to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the bushing assembly once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver.
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This application claims priority benefit of and is a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/845,257. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/845,257 claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/229,687, filed Jul. 29, 2009. Each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREa) Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure generally regards the field of bushings or grommets which provide safe and secure pass-through of electric cables, wires, wire bundles, conduits and other structures through panels. The apparatus disclosed herein is especially suited for use in aircraft, specifically in aircraft interiors.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREAn aircraft interior bushing assembly is herein disclosed in one form comprising a pair of interoperating bushings, each bushing comprising a recessing portion, a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, a support arm receiver, and a support arm which may be removably coupled to each bushing. In one example, each support arm comprises a first end coupled to the bushing, a second end comprising a conduit receiver, a clamp receiver, and at least one connector portion provided on the first end of the support arm operatively configured to removably engage the support arm receiver. In one form, the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the interoperating bushings to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the bushing assembly once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver.
The aircraft bushing assembly described above may further comprise a plurality of fastener receivers in each bushing operatively configured, such that the first bushing may be positioned in a different rotational orientation than the second bushing. In one form, the connector portion of the support arm is dovetail or t-shaped in cross section. The aircraft bushing assembly may also be operably configured to support a conduit at a radially inward distance from the radially inner surface of the interoperating bushings, and transversely outward from the plane defining the outer surface of the bushing, to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the bushing assembly once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver. In one form, the pair of interoperating bushings are each substantially identical to each other.
The aircraft bushing assembly may be formed such that the connector portion of the support arm is dovetail or t-shaped in cross section, although angled dovetail embodiments, v-shaped embodiments, or other shapes may alternatively be used.
The aircraft bushing assembly can be arranged with at least one offset ring operably configured to be positioned between an inner surface of the recessing portion of one of the bushings and the panel. In one form, the offset ring comprises a tapered portion operably configured to interoperate with a flared portion of the surface defining a void in the panel.
The aircraft bushing assembly may utilize at least one connector portion provided on the first end of the support arm comprises a first connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially parallel to and substantially concentric with an central axis of the bushing perpendicular to an outer surface of the bushing and a second connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the bushing parallel to the outer surface of the bushing.
The aircraft bushing assembly may further comprise a plural saddle for attachment of a plurality of conduits, the plural saddle using at least two receiving surfaces operably configured to independently receive and hold a conduit, at least one clamp receiver operably configured to receive a conduit clamp and retain the conduit in contact with the clamp receiver wherein the plural saddle is operably configured to be removably coupled to the second end of the support arm.
The aircraft bushing assembly may also include a conduit offset clamp removably coupled to the second end of the support arm and operably configured to maintain the conduit at an offset distance from the conduit receiver.
In general, disclosed herein is a combined bushing assembly 22. In one form the bushing assembly comprises a plurality of substantially identical bushing sub-assemblies 20. Each of the bushing sub-assemblies 20 may comprise a bushing 24 coupled to a support arm 26. The support arms 26 have a first end 28 which is coupled to the outer surface 30 of the bushing 24 and furthermore have a second end 32 which is operatively configured to couple to a cable/bundle/tubing or similar conduit.
Before continuing a detailed description, an axis system 10 is shown in
The term conduit will be used herein to disclose not only a plurality of substantially parallel wires held together in some manner, but it will be obvious one of ordinary skill in the art that a single wire, cable, wire bundle, tubing, conduit, or other structure could be equally utilized. The term conduit will be utilized to encompass all of these and equivalents, for ease of understanding.
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Coupled to the bushing 24 is a support arm 26. In one form, the support arm 26 comprises a first end 28 coupled to the bushing 24 and a second end 32 comprising a conduit receiver 48 and a clamp receiver 50. The clamp receiver 50, in one form, comprises in turn a void 51 and a bridge or solid portion 53, as shown in
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In one form, the combined bushing assembly 22 may be formed by way of injection molding, they may also be machined from solid stock, or may be produced by other production methods. The individual parts may be comprised of plastics, polymers or metals. Parts made from nylon 66, or specifically glass-filled nylon, have been found to work especially well. In one form, a product comprising 30% glass is utilized to allow for substantial rigidity and ease of manufacture. This composition also provides an electrically and thermally insulating barrier between the wire bundle and the panel. Additionally, this composition fulfills the flammability and toxicity standards of aircraft manufacturers.
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In one form, a plurality of detents 122, as shown in
While the present invention is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants' general concept.
Claims
1. An aircraft interior bushing comprising:
- a. a recessing portion,
- b. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel,
- c. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the radial dimension of the recessing portion,
- d. a first support arm receiver positioned at a first radial position;
- e. a second support arm receiver positioned at a second radial position;
- f. a support arm comprising i. a first end coupled to the bushing at either of the support arm receivers, ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, iii. a surface defining a clamp receiver, and
- g. wherein the bushing is operably configured to support a conduit offset a distance from the surface defining the void in the panel to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the surface defining the void in the panel once the conduit is affixed to the conduit receiver.
2. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein:
- a. the first support arm receiver is positioned at the first radial position wherein the support arm receiver is aligned tangential to the radially inner surface of the bushing; and
- b. the second support arm receiver is positioned at the second radial position and is aligned in the second direction tangential to the radially inner surface of the bushing.
3. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein the conduit receiver supports a conduit at a radially inward distance from the surface defining a void in a panel, and transversely outward from the plane defining the outer surface of the bushing, to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the surface defining the void in the panel once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver.
4. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein the bushing comprises a transversely opposing pair of interoperating portions, and each interoperating portion is substantially identical.
5. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one offset ring operably configured to be positioned between an inner surface of the recessing portion of one of the bushings and the panel.
6. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 5 wherein the offset ring comprises a tapered portion operably configured to interoperate with a flared portion of the surface defining a void in the panel.
7. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one connector portion provided on the first end of the support arm comprises:
- a. a first connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially parallel to and substantially concentric with an central axis of the bushing perpendicular to an outer surface of the bushing; and
- b. a second connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the bushing parallel to the outer surface of the bushing.
8. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plural saddle comprising:
- a. at least two receiving surfaces operably configured to independently receive and hold a conduit;
- b. at least one clamp receiver operably configured to receive a conduit clamp and retain the conduit in contact with the clamp receiver; and
- c. wherein the plural saddle is operably configured to be removably coupled to the support arm.
9. The aircraft bushing as recited in claim 1 further comprising a conduit offset clamp removably coupled to the second end of the support arm and operably configured to maintain the conduit at an offset distance from the conduit receiver.
10. An aircraft interior bushing assembly comprising:
- a. a first bushing comprising i. a recessing portion, ii. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, iii. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, iv. a support arm receiver;
- b. a support arm coupled the first bushing, the support arm comprising i. a first end coupled to the first bushing, ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, iii. a clamp receiver, and
- c. wherein the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the void in the panel to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the panel once the conduit is installed and fixed to the support arm.
11. The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in claim 10 further comprising:
- a. a second bushing comprising i. a recessing portion, ii. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact the surface defining the void in the panel, iii. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, iv. a support arm receiver;
- b. a support arm coupled the second bushing, the support arm comprising i. a first end coupled to the second bushing, ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, iii. a clamp receiver, and
- c. a plurality of fastener receivers in the second bushing operatively configured such that the first bushing may be positioned different rotational orientation than the second bushing.
12. The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the pair of interoperating bushings are each substantially identical to each other.
13. The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in claim 10 further comprising at least one offset ring operably configured to be positioned between an inner surface of the recessing portion of one of the bushings and the panel.
14. The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein the offset ring comprises a tapered portion operably configured to interoperate with a flared portion of the surface defining a void in the panel.
15. The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one connector portion provided on the first end of the support arm comprises:
- a. a first connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially parallel to and substantially concentric with an central axis of the bushing perpendicular to an outer surface of the bushing; and
- b. a second connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the bushing parallel to the outer surface of the bushing.
16. The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in claim 10 further comprising a conduit offset clamp removably coupled to the second end of the support arm and operably configured to maintain the conduit at an offset distance from the conduit receiver.
17. An aircraft interior bushing assembly comprising:
- a. a first bushing comprising i. a recessing portion, ii. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, iii. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, iv. a first support arm receiver at a first circumferential position of the first bushing; v. a second support arm receiver at a second circumferential position of the first bushing;
- b. a support arm coupled to the first bushing at either the first or second support arm receivers, the support arm comprising i. a first end coupled to the first bushing, ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, iii. a clamp receiver, and
- c. wherein the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the void in the panel to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the panel once the conduit is installed and fixed to the support arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 14, 2013
Publication Date: Jun 20, 2013
Applicant: HEATH TECNA INC. (Bellingham, WA)
Inventor: Heath Tecna Inc. (Bellingham, WA)
Application Number: 13/767,050
International Classification: H02G 3/08 (20060101); F16L 5/00 (20060101); H02B 1/40 (20060101);