Attachment system for cables and support for cables used in aeronautic construction

This cable-fastening system is intended to maintain cables (4) in a longitudinally extending housing (10) having an aperture through which cables (4) can be introduced into the housing (10).It has the form of a flexible sheet (16) of elongated shape, provided on its two longitudinal rims with fastening intended to cooperate with complementary fastening.A cable support according to the invention is provided with a metal profiled structure (2) having at least one housing (10) intended to receive cables (4) or similar components, and also with such a fastening system (16).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cable-fastening system and to an associated cable support, especially for aeronautic construction.

2. Discussion of the Background

In an aircraft, it is known to use a cable support provided on the one hand with a structure inside which the supported cables are housed and on the other hand with a cover that encloses and maintains the cable assembly housed in the structure.

As an example, the structure is a profiled structure provided with a base plane, on one side of which there extend longitudinal walls perpendicular to the base and parallel to one another. Two neighboring longitudinal walls therefore form a throat (“channel” in English) intended to serve as the cable housing.

Each channel can be equipped with a cover, or else the same cover can cover a plurality of channels. As an example, each cover is maintained by a self-locking serrated rack system. Such a system is provided with a serrated rack, made of synthetic material, for example, extending from the base of the structure toward the open side of the channel. The cover is then provided with an aperture dimensioned in such a way that the serrated rack of synthetic material can pass through the aperture in one direction but not in the other. It is understood that the serrated rack is oriented in such a way that the cover can be displaced toward the bottom of the channel, or in other words toward the base of the structure.

The known cable support structure are generally made of metal. Such a support provides of diverse functions. Firstly it supports and mechanically protects cables and/or cable harnesses. By virtue of the presence of a plurality of channels, it also achieves physical separation of diverse cables. The cable support also provides heat removal by conduction and protection of the cables from electromagnetic interferences to which they may be exposed. In particular, this latter function obviates the need for excessive shielding of the cables.

Such cable supports nevertheless suffer from several disadvantages. Firstly it is noted that a plurality of serrated racks has to be provided inside the channels to maintain a corresponding cover in each case. These structures also lack flexibility. In fact, the profile used is a rigid profile, and when the cable route includes a zone that is not straight, the cables are therefore made to pass more or less openly between two cable supports. In such zones, the cables are then exposed to external electromagnetic interferences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is then to provide a flexible system with which continuity of the protection against electromagnetic interferences is advantageously assured.

To this end, the present invention proposes a cable-fastening system intended to maintain cables in a longitudinally extending housing having an aperture through which cables can be introduced into the housing.

According to the present invention, this fastening system has the form of a flexible sheet of elongated shape, provided on its two longitudinal rims with fastening means intended to cooperate with complementary fastening means.

Such a flexible sheet can be used to prevent cables or cable harnesses from escaping from their housing. Such a sheet can be used for a single housing, or else one sheet can be provided to fasten all (or several) of the housings of a cable support.

A first embodiment provides that the fastening means of a longitudinal rim are provided either with loops or with hooks of a hook-and-loop fastening system. Such a system is known in particular under the trademark Velcro. It is a preferred embodiment by virtue of its ease of use, its reliability and the good maintaining ability achievable therewith. Nevertheless, it is perfectly conceivable to use snap fasteners.

In order that the fastening system makes it possible to achieve a shield against electromagnetic interferences, the sheet used is advantageously a composite sheet provided with a metal core.

The present invention also relates to a cable support intended in particular for aeronautic construction, provided with a metal profiled structure having at least one housing intended to receive cables or similar components, and also with a fastening system such as described hereinabove.

Such a cable support is such that, for example, each fastening system is provided on one longitudinal rim with fastening means complementary to the fastening means disposed on the other longitudinal rim. In this way, the fastening system can then have the form of a sheath, inside which there are placed cables or similar components or else harnesses. In such an embodiment, the fastening system is fixed at the bottom of a housing by adhesive bonding, for example, although it can also be fixed to the profiled structure by means of fixation lugs integral with the elongated sheet. Other methods for assuring the connection between the fastening system and the profiled structure can be envisioned.

In another embodiment, the profiled structure carries fastening means complementary to the fastening means of one longitudinal rim of the fastening system. The fastening system is then fixed on the profiled structure, thus maintaining cables or similar components enclosed therein.

To limit the weight of a cable support according to the present invention, the profiled structure is advantageously made of synthetic or composite material, if necessary covered partly or completely by a conductive metal layer.

Finally, the present invention also relates to an aircraft, characterized in that it is provided with a cable support such as described hereinabove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The drawings represent a cable support provided on the one hand with a structure2intended to house cables4and on the other hand with means for maintaining cables4in their housing.

Structure2is a metal structure provided with a base plate6and longitudinal walls8. It will be assumed, for example, in the description hereinafter, that base plate6extends in a horizontal plane, while the longitudinal walls are disposed in a vertical plane. Base plate6and longitudinal walls8form a metal profile of length adapted to the surrounding constraints.

Longitudinal walls8all extend perpendicular to base plate6on the same side thereof. They are parallel to one another and, in the illustrated embodiment, they are equidistant and distributed over base plate6. Thus two neighboring longitudinal walls8together with base plate6define a channel-shaped housing10extending over the entire cable support length.

This structure2is a structure made of electrically conductive metal. It permits mechanical protection and physical separation of cables4and also makes it possible to provide a return path for the current flowing in cables4. The fact that profiled structure2is intended to be used to provide a return path for the current makes it possible to improve the susceptibility to ground loops (the outgoing wires being as close as possible to the return path achieved by structure2) and to achieve a low parasitic inductance.

To insulate structure2, it is provided that base plate6will be covered on the side opposite longitudinal walls8with a layer of insulating material12. This layer can be, for example, a layer of synthetic material (such as polyvinyl fluoride) overmolded onto the base plate, or it can be a coat of varnish deposited on that plate.

It is also possible to provide a layer of insulating material14in each housing10. InFIG. 1, only one layer of insulating material14is illustrated for a single housing10. Of course, all housings10can receive such a layer of insulating material14. This layer is a continuous layer covering each longitudinal wall8as well as the bottom of housing10formed by part of the upper face of base plate6(it is assumed here that the layer of insulating material12covers the lower face of base plate6).

In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2, cables4are maintained inside their housing10by a fastening system16.

In this first embodiment, fastening system16has the form of a flexible tubular sheath. This sheath has an aperture along a longitudinal edge. A hook-and-loop fastening system of the type of fastening systems sold under the trademark Velcro is advantageously used here to fasten the sheath of fastening system16over its entire length. This sheath has a conductive core. Thus this sheath makes it possible to achieve protection of cables4against electromagnetic interferences. By using such a fastening system16with metal core, there is no need to provide a layer of insulating material14in housings10.

The sheath of fastening system16has the advantage that it can be prolonged beyond the structure of a cable support. Thus a given fastening system16can be prolonged over a plurality of profiles forming a cable support. Cables4are then protected over their entire length, even while passing from one profiled structure2to another.

A fastening system16can be fixed in different ways in a housing10. As an example, the sheath of fastening system16can be bonded adhesively to the inside of a housing10against base plate6and/or one or two longitudinal walls8. Fixation lugs18can be provided instead of or in addition to the applied adhesive bonding.FIG. 2shows an example of fixation lugs18. At the end of a structure2of a cable support, the sheath of fastening system16is provided laterally on both sides with a fixation lug18of substantially rectangular shape. A bore is then provided in each fixation lug18to permit fixation thereof to structure2.

As can be seen inFIG. 2, base plate6of structure2has, at its ends, two feet20that extend in the prolongation of base plate6. In the illustrated embodiment, there is provided in each foot20a first bore22to fix structure2against a wall, for example, as well as a second bore24, with which metal structure2can be connected to another metal structure2by means, for example, of a metal braid (not illustrated).

It is also evident inFIG. 2that base plate6has bores25close to its longitudinal rims. These bores are distributed regularly along these rims. They can be used for fixation of a secondary current-return system (grounding) or for connecting the support electrically to other equipment items (bonding). These bores25also contribute to making structure2more lightweight.

FIG. 3shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this case, maintenance of cables4inside housings10of structure2is provided by a flexible cover26. This cover is also fixed on structure2by means, for example, of a hook-and-loop fastening system sold under the trademark Velcro. In one embodiment, it can be provided that the outer faces of end longitudinal walls8are covered with a sheet bearing hooks (or loops). Flexible cover26then in turn has a face covered with loops (or hooks). Like the sheath of fastening system16ofFIGS. 1 and 2, this cover26is made of a composite material provided with a conductive metal core. In this preferred embodiment, flexible cover26itself also makes it possible to provide protection of the cables against electromagnetic interferences. The free ends of longitudinal walls8can themselves also have hooks (or loops) to permit fixation of flexible cover26.

A support such as described hereinabove can be used to conduct the current. It therefore makes it possible to provide a return path for the current carried by the cables4that it supports.

The systems making it possible to maintain cables4in their housing10are on the one hand very easy to use and on the other hand lighter than the traditionally used covers, while also being just as effective as the latter. These devices, which permit cables4to be maintained in their housing10, also achieve protection against electromagnetic interferences when they are provided with a metal core.

The invention described hereinabove therefore makes it possible to retain the advantages of cable supports used traditionally in an aircraft, while offering advantages in terms both of protection against electromagnetic interferences and of weight. The cost price of a cable support according to the invention may even be lower than the cost price of a prior art cable support.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of non-limitative examples. It also relates to all variations of construction conceivable by the person skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.

Thus it is conceivable here that the weight of the cable support could be reduced by making its structure of a synthetic or composite material that is not electrically conductive. For better protection against electromagnetic interferences, and also to favor heat dissipation by thermal conduction if necessary, it is possible, for example, to provide for covering the structure of synthetic or composite material with a conductive film of copper or aluminum. As an example, such a film can be deposited on all or part of the external surface of the cable support structure by a vacuum metallization method or by electrolytic deposition.