Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Gmbh

Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus Gmbh

Daimlerchrysler Aerospace Airbus Gmbh

Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft MIT Beschraenkter Haftung

Deutsche Airbus Gmbh

Mbb Gmbh

Safa Kirma

Wolfgang Erdmann

Heinz Stoever

Joachim Pfeiff

Hans-Peter Guthke

Hans-Georg Plate

Uwe Soltow

Johann Lechner

Gundolf Paul

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) electrically coupled together by respective coupling plugs (9, 10). Each heater unit comprises one or more heating conductor bands or cables (2, 21, 22), with a respective socket contact plug (9) connected to one end thereof and a respective pin contact plug (10) connected to the other end thereof. Each plug (9, 10) includes a housing (6) wherein the conductors of the heater band (2) are crimp-connected to electrical connectors (7), which include pin contacts (723) in the case of the pin contact plug (10) and socket contacts (77) in the case of the socket contact plug (9). The housing (6) is completely filled with a sealing compound (19) which is injected through a fill hole in the housing wall. The pin contacts (723) extend outwardly through contact chambers into a female cavity (411) of the plug (10), while the socket contacts (77) extend outwardly through contact chambers in a male plug member (412) of the plug (9). The two plugs may be matingly plugged together, and mechanically secured by locking bails (23) engaging retaining catches (24). This achieves a very effective seal against moisture penetration, and eliminates capillary action even when subjected to vibrations, shock, temperature variations, and low pressure conditions.

Interconnect system for heating conductors in an aircraft

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). The respective conductors of the heater bands (2) and of the extension cables (3) extend into the housing through lead-in openings (64) and are connected together within the housing (6) by the respective connector elements (7). A complete and reliable seal against moisture penetration is achieved by injecting a sealing compound (19) into a fill hole through the housing wall, so that the inner chamber (61) of the housing (6) is completely filled with the sealing compound (19). The sealing effect eliminates capillary action even when subjected to vibrations, shock, temperature variations, and low pressure conditions. The assembly of the connection modules is simple and economical.

Interconnect system for heating conductors

A conductor channel is used for the laying of insulated electrical conductors (3) in an air- or spacecraft, whereby the channel can be integrated into a conductor channel system. The conductor channel is made of at least one open hollow section (2), wherein the conductors (3) are held by a retaining strip (8) held in place by edges (7) of the hollow section (2). The strip (8) closes the hollow section. A tension relief element (11) for the conductors (3) is arranged at each channel end. A mounting (13) having upper and lower parts (20, 20') for electrically grounding the hollow section (2) is installed to hold the hollow section (2) next to each tension relief element (11). Spacers (14) may be distributed between the two mountings (13) along the length of the hollow section (2). The mountings (13) are fastened to a support (23). The hollow section (2) is fixed in and fastened to the mountings (13), whereby the free ends of the hollow section .(2) may engage a projection (22) of an upper mounting part (20) which snaps in between the edges (7). The projection (22) projects into the hollow section (2) to provide a sufficient stability. Electrically conducting material is used for channel components for including these channels into a protective system against electrical dangers with a mass or ground connector, which is connected to the grounding mounting (13). Transition pieces (12) mounted to the hollow section (2) allow the further connection to another electrical and/or protective conductor system.

Conductor channel for installing insulated electrical conductors

A cable end with its terminal or connector is maintained in a curved installed position with the aid of a bent retaining jacket (25A). The jacket is preferably a corrugated metal hose having one end formed into a bushing that is clamped in place on a support body of the connector or terminal together with other cable components such as a protective hose system. The bend maintaining jacket has an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the protection hose system of the cable so that the jacket may be freely pushed over the cable end prior to the installation of the terminal or connector. The opposite end of the jacket remains open or rather unconnected, thus enabling the jacket to accommodate any twists that result from bending the cable end. Although the jacket is bendable, it has a bend retaining characteristic that will not change its curved configuration in response to impacts, vibrations, or the like. Only an intentional renewed bending can bring the jacket into a new curved shape.

Electrical cable with a bend retaining jacket capable of conforming to a

An electrical and mechanical cable connector is constructed for maintaining an electrical grounding circuit in electrical installations on board of an aircraft. For this purpose the connector has two bodies positioned coaxially to each other and rotatable to each other but restrained against relative axial movement by a spring ring. One of the two bodies has a plurality of contact springs formed by cutting axial slots integrally into a portion of the one body. The body with the contact springs rests at least partly in or on the respective support body. Both bodies have a common central axis and contact pressures are effective radially inwardly or radially outwardly relative to the common central axis and are axially distributed along the central axis, whereby both bodies are electrically interconnected to maintain the grounding circuit.

Electrical and mechanical cable connector permitting relative rotation

For protecting electrical installations against electromagnetic interferences and especially against over-voltages as can for instance occur as a consequence of lightning strikes, electrical lines provided between individual electrical apparatus are laid in a flexible hollow tubular member having an electrically conducting surface and at least one separation or division in its longitudinal direction. The hollow member is also provided with an undulated profile. The hollow member can be designed either as divided tubular sections or as cable channels or ducts provided with a covering member.

Arrangement for protection of electrical installations against

For purposes of protecting electrical installations in airplanes against electromagnetic disturbances and especially against overvoltages as can occur for instance as a consequence of a lightning strike, the electrical lines between the individual electrical devices are laid in flexible profiled tubes consisting of electrically conducting material and are rotatably connected with junction elements arranged on one side. At the same time the tubes are connected by means of these junction elements to charge dissipation points provided at the electrical devices. The lines laid in this manner are arranged in overbraiding of plastic material by way of chafing protection. In another embodiment, the chafing protection is provided by a plastic layer on the inside of the profiled tube. In still another embodiment, the chafing protection is itself a hose fabricated of fiber material.

For purposes of protecting electrical installations against electromagnetic disturbances, especially overvoltages, for instance, as a consequence of lightning strikes, wiring lines laid for connecting individual electrical apparatus are surrounded by a shielding, which is formed by a braiding, consisting of electrically conducting material and which is in connection with connector elements arranged at its ends. The connector elements, as well as an additionally provided terminal, branching and attachment elements, comprise, respectively, a transitional part over which the braiding is pulled and on which it is fastened by means of a clamping element. In addition, further sheaths of a plastic braiding are provided between the electrical shielding and the electrical lines.

A terminal case for straight or angled off cable configuration as it extends from a plug connector, particularly for use in aircraft, is provided to have an integral or separate threaded ring and a transition piece of open cross section having sector-like contour, the sector angle decreases away from the ring towards a cable catch. The purpose thereof is to increase the strength of the configuration so that even if the parts are made of synthetic, strength values become comparable with known terminal cases made of metal.

Terminal case for plug connectors

In an end housing of this type for the junction of cable harnesses surrounded by protective tubes to connectors, the end of a transition part facing the protective tube comprises a fastening element. The transition part is rotatably connected at least on one side to the tube or connector.

End housing for multipole electrical plug and socket connectors

A plurality of electrical conductors or cables are held in place by a cirar member, such as a ring or disk, or by two ring or disk elements forming a pair, to form a conductor or cable bunch. For this purpose a plurality of recesses are provided in the circumferential zone of the ring or disk, for holding a conductor or cable in place in each recess. The recesses in the ring or disk are closed by a rim section. The ring or disk elements have recess forming fingers or pieces which can be rotated into preliminary and final positions with an increased clamping force in the final position. In all embodiments the cable or conductors are held in place by a proper biasing force. The costs for forming cable or conductor bunches and for their final installation have been substantially reduced.

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Wedel, Germany

Safa Kirma