Patent Publication Number: US-11396384-B2

Title: Cradle assembly for supporting a door for uninstalling or installing to an aircraft, and arrangements and methods for the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/988,742, which was filed on May 24, 2018, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The technical field relates generally to installing and/or removing doors of aircrafts, and more particularly, relates to cradle assemblies for supporting a door for uninstalling and/or installing the door to a fuselage of an aircraft, and arrangements and methods for the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the aircraft industry, many structural components require service maintenance during the life of an aircraft. Aircraft doors are no different. For example, a passenger aircraft door is a relatively complicated assembly that includes various components such as an outer skin supported by an underlying structure, various hydraulics and electrical components that are embedded within the door&#39;s structure, and stairs on an opposite side of the outer skin for passenger ingress and egress. Additionally, the aircraft door may include various seals, hinges, latches, releases, handles and other like components. 
     Typically, one or more components of an aircraft door will require servicing at various times during the life of the aircraft. This may require uninstalling or removing the door from the aircraft&#39;s fuselage, partially or fully disassembling portions of the door such as the stairs to gain access to various underlying components, for example, hydraulics, electrical components, and/or the like, performing the necessary service maintenance, reassembling the door, and installing the door back to the aircraft&#39;s fuselage. 
     Often, such aircraft door service maintenance is performed at aircraft service centers where the aircraft is either on the ground or on relatively low standing jacks rather than at an aircraft production facility where the aircraft is often assembled relatively high above the ground, for example, on relatively high standing jacks or the like. Unfortunately, production tooling used for supporting an aircraft door during installation of the door to the aircraft&#39;s fuselage either won&#39;t work when the aircraft is on the ground or on relatively low standing jacks and/or is not practically available at most aircraft service centers. As such, many aircraft service centers struggle with a practical means for supporting a door for uninstalling and/or reinstalling the door to the fuselage, for example, as part of performing service maintenance on the door. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus for supporting a door for uninstalling and/or installing the door to a fuselage of an aircraft, for example, to facilitate servicing the door, and a method for the same. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the various embodiments described herein will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background. 
     SUMMARY 
     Various non-limiting embodiments of a cradle assembly for supporting a door to a fuselage of an aircraft, and a cradle assembly and lift arrangement and a method for the same are provided herein. 
     In a first non-limiting embodiment, the cradle assembly includes, but is not limited to, a first contoured board and a second contoured board that is spaced apart from the first contoured board. The first and second contoured boards are cooperatively configured to support outer sections of a first door. The cradle assembly further includes, but is not limited to, a third contoured board that is configured to be selectively positioned adjacent to and extending higher than the first contoured board to support a first outer section of a second door that has a different outer shape than the first door. The third contoured board is contoured to substantially match the first outer section of the second door. The cradle assembly is configured to be positioned proximate to the fuselage. 
     In another non-limiting embodiment, the cradle assembly and lift arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a lift that includes a table and that is configured to vertically move the table. The cradle assembly and lift arrangement further includes, but is not limited to, a cradle assembly that is mounted on the table of the lift. The cradle assembly includes, but is not limited to, a first contoured board and a second contoured board that is spaced apart from the first contoured board. The first and second contoured boards are cooperatively configured to support outer sections of a first door. The cradle assembly further includes, but it&#39;s not limited to, a third contoured board that is configured to be selectively positioned adjacent to and extending higher than the first contoured board to support a first outer section of a second door that has a different outer shape than the first door. The third contoured board is contoured to substantially match the first outer section of the second door. The cradle assembly is configured to be positioned proximate to the fuselage. 
     In another non-limiting embodiment, the method includes, but it&#39;s not limited to, supporting a cradle assembly on a table of a lift. The cradle assembly includes, but is not limited to, a first contoured board and a second contoured board that is spaced apart from the first contoured board. The first and second contoured boards are cooperatively configured to support outer sections of a first door. The cradle assembly further includes, but is not limited to, a third contoured board that is configured to be selectively positioned adjacent to and extending higher than the first contoured board to support a first outer section of a second door that has a different outer shape than the first door. The third contoured board is contoured to substantially match the first outer section of the second door. The method further includes, but is not limited to, moving the table of the lift to advance the cradle assembly to a first position that is proximate to the fuselage. The method further includes, but is not limited to, supporting the first outer section of the second door with the third contoured board positioned adjacent to and extending higher than the first contoured board. The method further includes, but is not limited to, one of uninstalling and installing the door to the fuselage while the second door is supported by the cradle assembly in the first position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The various embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly and lift arrangement including a door that is supported in the cradle arrangement in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a fuselage of an aircraft and a cradle assembly and lift arrangement including a door that is supported in the cradle arrangement in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a door being uninstalled or installed to a fuselage of an aircraft in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a fuselage of an aircraft and a cradle assembly and lift arrangement supporting a door that is being uninstalled or installed to the fuselage in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is in a large perspective view of a portion of a cradle assembly and lift arrangement including a door supported in the cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a cradle assembly and lift arrangement including a door supported in the cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a method for supporting a door for uninstalling or installing the door to a fuselage of an aircraft in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly and lift arrangement including a door that is supported in the cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly including a door supported in the cradle assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a method for supporting a door for uninstalling or installing the door to a fuselage of an aircraft in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following Detailed Description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the various embodiments or the application and uses thereof. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description. 
     Various embodiments contemplated herein relate to cradle assemblies for supporting a door for uninstalling or installing the door to a fuselage of an aircraft, and arrangements and methods for the same. The exemplary embodiments taught herein provide a cradle assembly for supporting a door of an aircraft. The cradle assembly may form part of an arrangement with a lift that includes a table configured to be moved vertically. In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle assembly includes a base that is mounted on the table of the lift so that the cradle assembly can be moved together with the table by the lift. 
     The cradle assembly includes a first contoured board and a second contoured board that are spaced apart from each other and that extend generally upward from the base. In an exemplary embodiment, the table of the lift is moved to advance the first and second contoured boards to a first position that is proximate to the fuselage (e.g., adjacent to a door opening formed through the wall of the fuselage). First and second outer sections of the door are supported by the first and second contoured boards, respectively. In one example, the first and second contoured boards have first and second contoured edges, respectively, that are disposed distally from the base and that are contoured to form a cradle for receiving and supporting the door in a generally horizontal position. While supported by the cradle assembly in the first position, the door is sufficiently stable to allow the door to be unattached from (e.g., uninstalled), or alternatively, attached (e.g., installed) to the aircraft&#39;s fuselage. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly  10  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a cradle assembly and lift arrangement  12  including a door  14  of an aircraft in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The cradle assembly and lift arrangement  12  includes the cradle assembly  10  for supporting the door  14 , and a lift  16  that supports the cradle assembly  10 . 
     The lift  16  includes a table  18  and is configured to move the table  18  vertically upward and/or downward. The lift  16  may also include wheels  20  that are attached to a base frame  22  of the lift  16  to allow the lift  16  to be moved along the floor, platform, or other relatively horizontal or sloped surface by applying manual force, for example, to a handle  21  that is coupled to the base frame  22 . As illustrated, the lift  16  is a scissor lift that includes linked, folding supports  24  in a crisscross “X” pattern (known as a pantograph or scissors mechanism) that extends between and are coupled to the base frame  22  and the table  18  to move the table  18  in a generally vertical direction(s) (e.g., upward and/or downward). For example, the upward motion of the table  18  may be achieved by application of pressure to elongate the crisscross pattern, thereby propelling the table  18  upward. The application of pressure can be hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical. Depending on the power system employed on the lift  16 , it may require no power to lower the table, but rather just the force of gravity and a simple release of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. Other types of lifts known to those skilled in the art may be used as part of the cradle assembly and lift arrangement  12  instead of a scissor lift. 
     The cradle assembly  10  is supported on the table  18  of the lift  16 . As will be discussed in further detail below, the cradle assembly  10  includes a base  26  that is mounted on the table  18  of the lift  16 . 
     The cradle assembly  10  has contoured boards  28  and  30  that extend generally upward from the base  26  and that spaced apart from each other. The contoured boards  28  and  30  have contoured edges  32  and  34  that are disposed distally from the base  26  and that are configured to support outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14 . In the illustrated example, the contoured edges  32  and  34  substantially match the curved or convex shape of the outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14  to define a “concave-shaped” cradle support structure for receiving and supporting the outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14  while the door  14  is in a generally horizontal position. In an exemplary embodiment, the base  26  and the contoured boards  28  and  30  are formed of a rigid structural material, such as metal, plastic, or the like, for example, a plastic material such as high density polyethylene (HDPE). 
     Flexible guards  40  and  42  are correspondingly disposed along the contoured edges  32  and  34 . In an exemplary embodiment, the flexible guards  40  and  42  directly interface with the outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14  and advantageously are compliant to help prevent scratching, marring, or other damage to the outer surface of the door  14  when supported in the cradle assembly  10 . The flexible guards  40  and  42  may be formed of a compliant, flexible, and/or elastomeric material, such as rubber, foam, or the like. 
     As illustrated, the base  26  has openings  44  and  46  formed therethrough that are surrounded by an outer perimeter base section  48  of the base  26 . An intermediate base section  50  extends between opposite sides of the outer perimeter base section  48 , separating the openings  44  and  46 . The contoured boards  28  and  30  extend generally upward from the opposite sides of the outer perimeter base section  48  and outboard of the intermediate base section  50 . In an exemplary embodiment, advantageously the openings  44  and  46  help reduce the overall weight of the cradle assembly  10  while the intermediate base section  50  helps structurally support the outer perimeter base section  48 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle assembly  10  includes supports  52  and  54  (e.g., support beams) that extend between and are coupled to the contoured boards  28  and  30 . The supports  52  and  54  are formed of a relatively rigid, structural material such as metal, plastic, or the like, for example HDPE. As illustrated, brackets  56  couple the supports  52  and  54  to the contoured boards  28  and  30 . Likewise, brackets  58  couple the base  26  to the contoured boards  28  and  30 . In an exemplary embodiment, advantageously the supports  52  and  54  coupled to the contoured boards  28  and  30 , and the contoured boards  28  and  30  coupled to the base  26  with the brackets  56  and  58 , respectively, form a rigid frame structure of the cradle assembly  10  for securely supporting the door  14  in a desired orientation or position. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle assembly  10  includes arms  60  and  62  that are disposed outboard of and coupled to the contoured boards  28  and  30 , respectively. The arms  60  and  62  cooperate to limit lateral movement of the door  14  when supported in the cradle assembly  10 . As illustrated, the arms  60  and  62  are configured as “Z-shaped” brackets having a first end section  64  that is coupled to the corresponding contoured boards  28  and  30 , and a second end section  66  that extends upward beyond and laterally adjacent to the corresponding contoured edges  32  and  34  to prevent the door  14  from shifting laterally (e.g., sideways) in the cradle assembly  10 . A layer of foam  68  is disposed along the inboard side of the second end section  66  of each of the arms  60  and  62 . Advantageously, the layer of foam  68  helps prevent scratching, marring or other damage to the surface and/or edges of the door  14 . 
     Adjacent to the arms  60  and  62  are straps  70  and  72  that extend between the contoured boards  28  and  30 . The straps  70  and  72  each have an end coupled to the contoured board  28  and an opposing end coupled to the contoured board  30 . Referring also to  FIGS. 6-7 , in an exemplary embodiment, the straps  70  and  72  also include a snap fit attachment  74  that allows the straps  70  and  72  to be wrapped around the door  14  and secured to help limit movement of the door  14  when supported in the cradle assembly  10 . 
     As discussed above, the base  26  is mounted to and attached to the table  18  of the lift  16 . In an exemplary embodiment, base through-holes  76  are formed through the opposing sides of the outer perimeter base section  48  aligned with corresponding table through-holes  78  that are formed through the table  18 . Releasable pin elements  80  (e.g., ball release pins or the like) are disposed through the base through-holes  76  and the table through-holes  78  to releasably attach the opposing sides of the outer perimeter base section  48  to the table  18 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 and 8 , a method  100  for supporting a door  14  for one of uninstalling and installing the door  14  to a fuselage  109  of an aircraft  110  is provide. The method  100  includes supporting (step  102 ) contoured boards  28  and  30  on a table  18  of a lift  16 . The table  18  of the lift  16  is moved (STEP  104 ) to advance the contoured boards  28  and  30  to a position (indicated by single headed arrow  112 ) that is proximate to the fuselage  109 . Outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14  are supported (STEP  106 ) with the contoured boards  28  and  30 . The door  14  is uninstalling or installing (STEP  108 ) to the fuselage  109  while the outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14  are supported by the contoured boards  28  and  30  in the position  112 . As illustrated, the door  14  is positioned in a generally horizontal position while being supported by the contoured boards  28  and  30 . 
     In one example, the door  14  is pivotally coupled or otherwise attached to the fuselage  109  of the aircraft  110  and is in a partially open position so as to extend generally horizontally in a direction away from the fuselage door opening  120 . The table  18  of the lift  16  is moved vertically upward to advance the contoured boards  28  and  30  to the position  112  to receive and support the outer sections  36  and  38  of the door  14  in the partially open position. While supported in the cradle assembly  10 , the door  14  is uninstalled by unfastening the door attachments  122  to the fuselage  109 . The table  18  of the lift  16  is then moved vertically downward to remove the door  14  from the aircraft  110 , for example, for servicing the door  14 . 
     In another example, after servicing the door  14 , the unattached door  14  is supported in the cradle assembly  10  in a generally horizontally position. The table  18  of the lift  16  is moved vertically upward to advance the contoured boards  28  and  30  and the door  14  to the position  112  to support the door  14  in the generally horizontally position adjacent to the fuselage door opening  120 . While supported in the cradle assembly  10 , the door  14  is installed by fastening the door attachments  122  to pivotally couple or otherwise attach the door  14  to the fuselage  109  of the aircraft  110 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9-10 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a cradle assembly and lift arrangement  212  for supporting the door  14  to the fuselage  109  of the aircraft  110  is provided. The cradle assembly and lift arrangement  212  is similarly configured as the cradle assembly and lift arrangement  12  as discussed above in reference to  FIGS. 1-7  including the lift  16  but with the exception that the cradle assembly  210  is configured to support not only the door  14  but other doors having a different outer shape(s) than the door  14 . As such, in an exemplary embodiment, the cradle assembly  210  can be used for supporting various doors having different shapes, such as, for example, for different models of aircraft. 
     In particular, the cradle assembly  210  is similarly configured as the cradle assembly  10  as discussed above in reference to  FIGS. 1-7  including the base  26 , the contoured boards  28  and  30  with corresponding contoured edges  32  and  34 , flexible guards  40  and  42 , openings  44  and  46 , supports  52  and  54 , brackets  56  and  58 , releasable pin elements  80  that couple to the table  18  of the lift  16 , and foam pads  68 , but with the exception that the arms are configured as adjustable arms  260  and  262 , and additional contoured boards  220 ,  222 , and  224  with flexible guards are provided that can be selectively position adjacent to the contoured boards  28  and  30  for supporting a door(s) having a different outer shape than the door  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9-11 , in an exemplary embodiment, the contoured board  220  when not in use is stored on or otherwise coupled to the base  26 , for example space between the contoured boards  28  and  30 . When the cradle assembly  210  is to be used to support a door having a somewhat similar but different shape than the door  14 , for example having an outer section similar to the outer section  36  of the door  14  but with a different outer section than the outer section  38  of the door  14 , the contoured board  220  is removed from the base  26  and is selectively positioned (e.g., deployed) adjacent to and extending higher than the contoured boards  30 . 
     As illustrated, the contoured boards  28  and  30  each have a corresponding inboard side  226 ,  228  and a corresponding outboard side  230 ,  232  that is opposite the corresponding inboard side  226 ,  228 . The inboard sides  226  and  228  of the contoured boards  28  and  30  are spaced apart and face each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the contoured board  220  is selectively coupled to the outboard side  232  of the contoured board  32  and is position adjacent to and extending higher than the contoured board  30 . In one example, the contoured board  220  is attached to the contoured board  30  via removable pins  264  that extend through the contoured board  220  and engage internal bushings that are disposed in the contoured board  30 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the contoured board  220  has a contoured edge  240  with a substantially concave shape that is configured for supporting an outer section  236  of a door  234 . As illustrated, the outer section  238  of the door  234  is supported by the contoured edge  32  of the contoured board  28 . In an exemplary embodiment, the contoured edge  240  and the contoured edge  32  substantially match the shapes of the corresponding outer sections  236  and  238  of the door  234 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 12-14 , in an exemplary embodiment, the cradle assembly  210  is configured to support a door  242  that has a different outer shape than either of the doors  14  or  234 . As illustrated, the contoured boards  222  and  224  are hingedly coupled to the contoured boards  20  and  30 . As illustrated, the contoured boards  222  and  224  are correspondingly coupled to the inboard sides  226  and  228  via hinges  244 , which are attached to the inboard sides  226  and  228  of the contoured boards  28  and  30  and, independently, to the corresponding contoured boards  222  and  224 , to allow the contoured boards  222  and  224  to move between a retracted position  246  (shown in  FIGS. 9-11 ) and an extended position  248  (shown in  FIGS. 13-14 ). In the retracted position  246 , the contoured boards  222  and  224  extend substantially horizontally and inwardly between the contoured boards  28  and  30  and below the contoured edges  32  and  34 . From the retracted position  246 , the contoured boards  222  and  224  can be manually moved (e.g., rotated upward) to selectively position the contoured boards  222  and  224  in the extended position  248  where the contoured boards  222  and  224  are disposed adjacent to and extend higher than the contoured edges  32  and  34  of the contoured boards  20  and  30 , respectively. As illustrated, the contoured boards  222  and  224  have corresponding contoured edges  250  and  252  with substantially concave shapes that are configured for supporting outer sections  254  and  256 , respectively, of the door  242 . In an exemplary embodiment, the contoured edges  250  and  252  substantially match the shapes of the outer sections  254  and  256 , respectively, of the door  242 . As such, when the door  242  is arranged on the contoured boards  222  and  224  in the extended position  248 , the door  242  is vertically spaced apart from (e.g., above) the contoured boards  20  and  30  to ensure that the door  242  is fully nested on the contoured edges  250  and  252  of the contoured boards  222  and  224 . 
     As illustrated, the adjustable arms  260  and  262  are disposed outboard of and coupled to the corresponding outboard sides  230  and  232  of the contoured boards  28  and  30 . In an exemplary embodiment, the adjustable arms  260  and  262  can be independently adjusted vertically in height so that the layers of foam  68 , which are disposed on inboard sides of the arms  260  and  262 , are positioned laterally adjacent to whichever door  14 ,  234  or  242  the cradle assembly  210  is supporting at the time. For example and as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , the adjustable arms  260  and  262  include slots  266  that allow the layers of foam  68  to be moved manually to position the layers of foam  68  at a lower level laterally adjacent to the door  14  or  234 , and to be move manually to position the layers of foam  68  at a higher level laterally adjacent to the door  242  as illustrated  FIG. 14 . Advantageously, in an exemplary embodiment, this helps limit lateral or side to side movement of the door  14 ,  234  or  244  when supported in the cradle assembly  210 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , a method  300  for supporting a door for one of uninstalling and installing the door to a fuselage of an aircraft is provide. The method  300  includes supporting (STEP  302 ) a cradle assembly on a table of a lift. The cradle assembly includes a first contoured board and a second contoured board that is spaced apart from the first contoured board. The first and second contoured boards are cooperatively configured to support outer sections of a first door. A third contoured board is configured to be selectively positioned adjacent to and extending higher than the first contoured board to support a first outer section of a second door that has a different outer shape than the first door. The third contoured board is contoured to substantially match the first outer section of the second door. 
     The table of the lift is moved (STEP  304 ) to advance the cradle assembly to a first position that is proximate to the fuselage. The first outer section of the second door is supported (STEP  306 ) with the third contoured board positioned adjacent to and extending higher than the first contoured board. The door is one of uninstalled and installed (STEP  308 ) to the fuselage while the second door is supported by the cradle assembly in the first position. 
     While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description of the disclosure, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. It being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.