B/e Aerospace, Inc.

Thao Hoang

Mark A Pondelick

Christopher Hardwick

Bradley J Buniak

Yen Chuh

Christian C Kurshinsky

William Pedersen

Steven Whisler

Stephen M Niznik

Modest Adam Reszewicz

Pawel Swirniak

Kristin R Noriega

Derek Vaughan

Michael Funk

Christina Ortolan

Greg King

Avinash Srikantegowda Hasirumane

Logan J Butler

Robin Whitt

Gregory E Sund

Kristin Noriega

A valve assembly includes a valve head. A valve stem extends from the valve head and into a drain bore in a housing. A first guidance retainer ring is mounted around the valve stem at a first axial location on the valve stem. A second guidance retainer ring is mounted around the valve stem at a second axial location on the valve stem spaced apart from the first axial location.

Retainer guidance for rinsing valves

An inline vortex demister for removing moisture from an air stream is disclosed. In embodiments, the inline vortex demister includes one or more vortex-inducing structures disposed within a tube. In embodiments, the one or more vortex-inducing structures are configured to induce an air stream with a first moisture content into a vortex flow pattern in order to remove a first volume of moisture from the air stream by causing the first volume of moisture to adsorb to an inner tube surface of the tube. In additional embodiments, the inline vortex demister includes a demister element disposed within the tube, wherein the demister element is configured to remove a second volume of moisture from the air stream.

Inline vortex demister

An integrated vortex separator (IVS) is disclosed. The IVS includes a housing in communication with a waste inlet via which a waste stream is drawn under suction into a waste tank. In a first stage, the waste stream is drawn into a centrifugal vortex flow to facilitate the removal of solid and liquid waste from the waste stream, leaving a primary airstream. Within the housing, a filter assembly includes outer and inner inverted cones with a conical cavity therebetween, the cavity serving as a second stage into which the vortex flow is redirected to remove additional liquid from the airstream. Radial vanes extending inward from the outer cone define portals between adjacent vanes, through which the redirected vortex flow is isolated from the original vortex flow. Exhaust ports in communication with the conical cavity allow the substantially moisture-free airstream to be drawn from the IVS via a vent line.

Integrated vortex separator

A bypass flow regulator for a vacuum waste system (VWS) is disclosed. The bypass flow regulator includes a valve assembly installable in an aircraft vent line leading outside the aircraft from an onboard VWS waste tank. The vent line directs an airstream pumped from the waste tank to an external outlet under suction (from which outlet the airstream is ejected from the aircraft). The valve assembly includes a group of valves (e.g., umbrella valves) set into the path of the airstream. The valves may collectively modulate the flow rate of the airstream by adjusting their effective flow area.

Bypass flow regulator

A system and method for continuous level sensing is disclosed. The system employs a continuous level sensing strain gauge measuring a weight of an aircraft waste tank, a lower and upper point level sensors to signal the system as the liquid level reaches each sensor, and a flush counter to correlate with the CLS and the PLS to determine an average flush volume (AFV). Once the AFV is known and updated, the system determines a weighted waste tank level based on a weighted addition of the flush count and the quantity as measured by the CLS. As the aircraft tank reaches a predetermined value, the system alerts a crewmember to the status.

Tank continuous level sensing based on average flush volume

A system and related method for touchless control of an aircraft lavatory water supply is disclosed. An aircraft lavatory touchless manifold includes dual solenoid powered water valves opening and closing to regulate water flow through each of a cold conduit and a hot conduit as commanded by user touchless input to a manifold microcontroller commanding the valves. An aircraft input commands a temperature range while a thermal sensor in a mixed water conduit provides output temperature feedback to the manifold microcontroller for positive control of the output temperature. The manifold microcontroller commands opening and closing of the dual solenoid powered valves to create a ratio of opening time between the valves. The solenoid powered valves provide a cost effective and reliable solution offering efficient linear valve operation and effective temperature and flow control.

Aircraft lavatory touchless manifold system

A toilet bowl system for use on-board an aircraft includes a toilet bowl body comprising a toilet bowl and a shroud. The toilet bowl has a rim. A removable splash guard is positioned between the toilet bowl and the shroud, and comprises a generally flat, flexible, planar shield having a central opening. The shield includes a top portion and a rear portion, the top portion faces the shroud and the lower portion faces the toilet bowl, and the lower portion is shaped to correspond with an upper portion of the rim of the toilet bowl and is configured to secure the removable toilet splash guard to the toilet bowl.

Aircraft vacuum toilet system splashguard

An apparatus for controlling the waste outlet of a toilet includes, according to an implementation, a motor comprising a Hall effect sensor that detects the rotation of the motor and generates a position signal in response thereto; a mechanical actuator coupled to the motor; a door coupled to the mechanical actuator, wherein the door is disposed at the waste outlet of the toilet; logic circuitry that receives the position signal, generates a control signal to move the door based at least in part on the position signal, and transmits the control signal to the motor. The motor operates according to the control signal to drive the mechanical actuator to move the door.

Method and apparatus for controlling a waste outlet of a toilet

A method of controlling an operation of a toilet system on-board an aircraft is disclosed. The toilet system includes a toilet bowl, a fluid valve controlling input of fluid into the toilet bowl, a flush switch configured to be activated by a user, and a controller configured to operate the fluid valve. The method includes detecting an activation of the flush switch, monitoring a flush switch activation time period, and determining whether the flush switch activation time period exceeds a preset threshold time period. In response to determining that flush switch activation time period does not exceed the preset threshold time period, a standard flush cycle is initiated. In response to determining that the flush switch activation time period exceeds the preset threshold time period, a maintenance mode is initiated allowing a larger volume of fluid to fill the toilet bowl for maintenance.

Maintenance mode for aircraft vacuum toilet

A method of installing a toilet system on board an aircraft is generally described. The toilet system includes a base support having a right base support and a left base support, a toilet bowl, a right side support and a left side support each supporting the toilet bowl. The method comprises lowering the toilet bowl on to the base supports to at least partially engage a first locking mechanism; sliding the toilet bowl in a forward direction to engage a second locking mechanism; and inserting a first pin to couple the right base support to the right side support and a second pin to couple the left base support to the left side support in order to completely engage the first locking mechanism.

Method and apparatus for installation of a toilet system on an aircraft

A toilet system configured for operation on-board an aircraft includes, according to an implementation, a toilet bowl, a left side support bracket supporting the toilet bowl, a right side support bracket supporting the toilet bowl, a control box including a first set of pins, and a harness connector configured to electrically couple the toilet to the aircraft. The harness connector includes a set of pins, where the first set of pins of the control box are configured to be connected to the set of pins included in the harness connector, and the control box is configured to determine a platform of the aircraft based on the presence or absence of a pin in the set of pins included in the harness connector.

Apparatus for controlling a toilet system

The apparatus and method of the invention provides for a rinse valve for controlling the flow of rinse fluid to a vacuum waste receptacle. The rinse valve comprises a primary rinse fluid flow path and a poppet assembly intersecting the primary rinse fluid flow path. The rinse valve also comprises a solenoid-driven fluid control device having a solenoid armature movable between an inactive state in which the armature engages the poppet assembly to block flow of the rinse fluid through a poppet channel and an active state in which the solenoid armature is disengaged from the poppet assembly to allow flow of the rinse fluid through the poppet channel to raise the poppet assembly, permitting the flow of the rinse fluid through the primary rinse fluid flow path and out of the valve, the armature being located at all times out of the primary flow path of the rinse fluid.

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Rockford, IL, United States of America

Thao Hoang