Airbus Operations Gmbh

Anthony John Bryant

Jack Blanchard

Daniel Peachey

David Petit

Paul Douglas

Paul O'Shaughnessy

Benjamin Bishop

Samuel Phillips

Eric Bonte

James Bird

Scott Palmer

Javier Ruiz-De-Pablo

Simon Parker

David Brakes

Eric Wildman

Matt Harding

Chetan Korya

Andrew Gollin

Stuart Quayle

Christopher Bills

Ben Bishop

Christian Folkard

Sergio Campos Diez

Peter Muscat

Callum Johnson

An aircraft pipework assembly is disclosed including an aircraft structure; pipework; a fixture arrangement between the pipework and the aircraft structure; a tie rod connecting the pipework to the aircraft structure; a first tie rod bearing which connects the tie rod to the pipework; and a second tie rod bearing which connects the tie rod to the aircraft structure. The fixture arrangement includes a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing comprising a ball mounted to the pipework, and a housing coupled to the aircraft structure. The ball includes a convex spherical bearing surface; and the housing comprises a concave spherical bearing surface which mates with the convex spherical bearing surface of the ball. The fixture arrangement is configured to enable the pipework to translate relative to the ball in an axial direction aligned with a longitudinal axis of the pipework.

Aircraft pipework assembly

A duct stringer assembly with a bulkhead. The duct stringer assembly has duct walls providing a duct with a closed cross-section. The duct is adapted to transport fluid. A bulkhead is in the duct, and the bulkhead is adapted to block the flow of fluid along the duct. The bulkhead has a bulkhead body, and a gasket sealing a gap between the bulkhead body and the duct walls.

Duct stringer assembly with bulkhead

A coupling for vacuum-insulated piping is disclosed having first and second parts for forming the coupling; each of the first and second parts comprising an inner portion for fluid communication with an inner part of a vacuum-insulated pipe and an outer portion for fluid communication with an outer, low pressure part of a vacuum-insulated pipe; the inner portions of the first and second parts form an inner region for the passage of fluid therethrough; each of the first and second parts comprising an interface portion for forming an interface with interface portion of the other of the first and second parts, the interface portion comprising a flange for connecting the first and second parts; each of the first and second parts comprises a sleeve surrounding the outer portion, the sleeve comprising a thermally-conducting portion that is in thermal communication with the interface portion so as to conduct heat away from the interface portion.

Coupling for insulated piping

An aircraft system has a first structure, and a second structure coupled to the first structure and movable between first and second positions relative to the first structure. The aircraft system has an electrical connector for providing an electrical connection running between respective components housed within the first and second structures. The electrical connector has a cable harness housed within the first structure, and a connector body coupled to an end of the cable harness. The connector body extends through an aperture formed in the first structure, and the connector body is coupled to the second structure such that movement of the second structure between the first and second positions relative to the first structure causes the connector body to move through the aperture.

Aircraft systems and electrical connectors

A connector, a connector assembly, an aircraft fuel breather system and an aircraft wing are disclosed. The connector connects a breather pipe or float valve to a hat section stringer duct attached to an aircraft panel. The connecter has a bridge to bridge over the duct and to cover an aperture in a wall of the duct. The bridge has a flange on either side for attachment of the connector to the panel. The connector has a seal to seal the bridge to the duct, an aperture defined in the bridge and a flow controller connector to connect and provide fluid connection between the connector and pipe or float valve. The assembly comprises the connector, the duct and aircraft panel and the fuel breather system includes one or more fuel tanks, a breather pipe and a vent to atmosphere.

Connector

A pipe joint including an outer pipe assembly having a first outer pipe portion, a second outer pipe portion, and a shroud coupling the first and second outer pipe portions. The outer pipe joint includes an outer securing mechanism securing the shroud to the second outer pipe portion. The inner pipe assembly, within the outer pipe assembly, includes a first inner pipe portion coupled to a second inner pipe portion via an inner pipe joint. The inner pipe assembly provides an inner fluid flow path extending axially and across the inner pipe joint. The shroud is movably mounted to the first outer pipe portion, and the outer securing mechanism is releasable so the shroud can move along the first outer pipe portion and withdrawn from the second outer pipe portion to open a gap between the shroud and the second outer pipe portion for the inner pipe joint.

Pipe joint

A coupling for connecting vacuum-insulated piping is disclosed. The coupling facilitates the detection of unwanted fluid ingress into the low pressure insulating outer portion of the vacuum-insulated piping and the detection of a leak from the central portion of the vacuum-insulated piping that is used to carry cold fluids. This is achieved by providing a first leak path from the central portion of the vacuum-insulated piping to a sensor outlet and a second leak path from the outer portion of the vacuum-insulated piping to the sensor outlet. One sensor may be used to detect unwanted fluid ingress into the low pressure insulating outer portion and also detect a leak from the central portion of the vacuum-insulated piping.

Coupling for vacuum-insulated piping

A fuel pipe assembly is disclosed including a connector having a socket and a lug arrangement extending from the socket, a pipe having a first end portion adapted to fit within the socket, and a retainer having first and second parts which together form a collar configured to retain a pipe. The retainer has an open condition in which a pipe is insertable, and a closed condition. The retainer also has a channel arranged, in the closed condition, to capture the lug arrangement.

Fuel pipe assembly

A pipe joint with a socket, and a pipe fitted into the socket. An annular seal is compressed between the socket and the pipe. The seal is electrically conductive and resiliently flexible. The socket or the pipe has a recess which houses the seal. The recess has a ridge in a base of the recess and the seal has a groove which extends around a radial periphery of the seal. The ridge fits into the groove to fool proof the installation, such that a standard non-conductive O-ring seal is more difficult to install in error.

Pipe joint with conductive seal

A duct stringer forms at least part of a duct with a closed cross-section which is adapted to transport fluid. The duct stringer has a duct wall and a female bayonet fitting in the duct wall. The female bayonet fitting is configured to engage with a male bayonet fitting on a fluid transporting conduit to connect the fluid transporting conduit with the duct.

Duct stringer

A spoiler for an aircraft wing is movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration in a 'pop-up' manner. The spoiler includes a hinged top flap movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the hinged top flap is constrained by an actuator, and in the second position the hinged top flap is unconstrained by the actuator. When the hinged top flap is in the second position, airflow over the top surface of the aircraft wing acts to pull the spoiler into the deployed position.

Aircraft spoiler and actuation apparatus

An aircraft wing with a wing structure and a spoiler movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration are disclosed. The spoiler includes an actuator configurable between an engaged mode and a disengaged mode. When the actuator is in the engaged mode, the actuator can restrict movement of the spoiler and move the spoiler between the stowed configuration and deployed configuration. In the disengaged mode, the actuator allows free movement of the spoiler, such that the spoiler may pop up due to reduced air pressure on the aircraft wing.

A cable routing system is disclosed including a routing fixture and an exit fitting. The routing fixture defines a channel for a cable. The channel is engaged by the exit fitting and a cable in the channels exits through an exit channel defined by the exit fitting. The exit channel is directed away from the channel in the routing fixture. The resulting assembly allows low profile cable runs that can conform to a structural surface and in which cables can be broken out easily, without a requirement to cut the cable. A clamp may be provided to further secure the exit fitting to the routing fixture. A method of installation involves installing a cable into a routing channel before installing the exit fitting. The cable routing system can be used in an aircraft, including space constrained areas such as within an aircraft wing.

Aircraft cable routing system and method of installation thereof

A duct stringer is disclosed including a structural member with a hat-shaped cross-section. The structural member has a crown, a pair of webs and a pair of feet. A channel member with a U-shaped cross-section has a base and a pair of flanges. The flanges of the channel member are co-cured to opposed inner faces of the webs of the structural member. The structural member and the channel member together provide a duct with a closed cross-section which is adapted to transport fluid, for instance in an aircraft wing to provide a vent function in an aircraft fuel system.

Method of manufacturing duct stringer

A cable routing system is disclosed having dielectric, or insulating, liner which is installed within a cable routing channel, or raceway, to subdivide the channel into at least two secondary channels. This can achieve more efficient use of space and enable more flexible placement of cables within the channels while meeting safety requirements. Installation of cables into the channel can include inserting the cables into the dielectric liner before the installation of the dielectric liner into the cable routing channel. The cable routing system can be used in an aircraft, including within space-constrained areas of the aircraft such as inside a wing.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Anthony John Bryant