Patent ID: 12246817

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some embodiments will now be described with reference to the Figures.

FIG.1ashows a main panel section2in form of a workpiece2, which is made from a thermoplastic material such as PEEK or PEKK, at the beginning of the manufacturing process for the cover panel. Here, the main panel section2is substantially flat and comprises a pair of two opposed lateral edges4aand4bas well as a pair of two opposed front edges6aand6b. These kind of workpieces may be provided by a manufacturer in form of a sheet-like material spool or a stack of sheets. They may be cut to size as required before conducting additional manufacturing steps. InFIG.1a, an interior side1is shown.

InFIG.1b, the main panel section2comprises two window cutouts8, which may be provided by abrasive water jet cutting, milling or laser-based methods. In this exemplary embodiment, the cover panel to be manufactured is a sidewall panel that extends over two spaces between two frames, wherein exemplarily each space between two frames comprises a windows. The cover panel illustrated herein will be associated with two windows and thus comprises two window cutouts8. However, other variants and other dimensions are conceivable. In particular, it is conceivable that spaces between two frames do not comprise a window, but may comprise other components, such as riser ducts for an environmental control system, or the like. In smaller aircraft, such as regional aircraft, consecutive spaces between frames sometimes are provided with a window and without a window in an alternating manner. Thus, the number and arrangement of window cutouts8is chosen to consider the exact design of the aircraft.

Further, as shown inFIG.1c, a lower section10of an exterior side3of the main panel section2is equipped with a plurality of stiffening elements12, which are made from the same thermoplastic material, as the workpiece2. They are welded onto the exterior side3and may be arranged parallel to each other as well as to the lower front edge6b. In an installed state of the cover panel, the lower section10of the cover panel will be arranged underneath cabin windows and may experience mechanical impacts from passengers and baggage. Thus, to avoid excessive indentation of the cover panel, the stiffening elements12are provided. Here, two consecutive groups of stiffening elements are provided, which are arranged to enclose a vertical gap that allows a placement of the cover panel onto a frame between the two windows associated with the respective cover panel.

In addition, the lower front edge6bis equipped with lower edge protection profiles14to prevent damaging the lower front edge6b. At the opposed upper front edge6a, upper edge protection profiles16are provided. Several fasteners18are distributed over the exterior side3and are capable of holding an insulation package, which is not shown in this illustration. In the lower section10, attachment devices20are provided, which are designed to engage with complimentary-shaped receiving devices at a fuselage structure.

FIG.1dshows the main panel section2in this state in a three-dimensional view to further illustrate the attached parts. Here, it is apparent that the fastener18and the stiffening profiles12protrude away from the main panel section2. Exemplarily, the stiffening profiles12comprise an S-shaped cross-sectional surface to provide a sufficient geometrical moment of inertia. It is to be understood, that other cross-sectional surfaces are also possible and this illustration does not limit the invention.

InFIG.2a, the workpiece2is further processed by a thermal-bending process. It is heated to a glass transition temperature of exemplarily 140° C. to 180° C. in the case of PEEK or PEKK as the base material. Afterwards, the main panel section2has a distinctly curved shape, which conforms the shape of a commonly curved structure inside the aircraft. InFIG.2b, the curved main panel section2is shown from the interior side.

FIGS.3aand3bshow additional window funnels22being attached to the window cutout8. The windows funnels22may be made by the same thermoplastic material as the main panel section2. They are welded to two edge regions24around the window cutouts8.

FIG.4shows a cover layer26attached to the interior side1of the main panel section2. This may be a cover foil having a desired texture and color. It may be designed to be peeled off for recycling, as indicated by a corner28of the cover layer26at the beginning of being peeled off in this illustration.

For further completion, window parts30are attached to the exterior side3of the main panel section2as shown inFIG.5a. They include blinds32that are movable in front of and away from the window funnel22. These may be designed to be removable from the main cover section2for recycling. However, they may also be made of the same material as the main panel section2.

Lastly, insulation packets34are installed at the exterior side3as shown inFIG.5band held by the fasteners18. In this state, the arrangement shown inFIG.5brepresents a substantially complete cover panel35.

As shown inFIG.6a, the fasteners18may comprise a pin, onto which the insulation packets34can be pressed, such that the pin protrudes through the insulation packet34. A securing washer36is snapped onto the pin and thus secures the insulation packet34to the fastener18.

The insulation packet34comprises cutouts38to let the stiffening elements12protrude through the insulation packet34. The extension of the stiffening elements12in an outwards direction from the exterior side3may conform the material thickness of the insulation packet34to provide a harmonic, even surface on the back of the cover panel35.

FIG.7ashows the attachment devices20of two adjacent cover panels35in an exemplary embodiment. Here, the attachment devices20are designed to be pressed onto a complimentary formed receiving element (not shown) that is capable of snapping into the attachment devices20, e.g. into circumferential recesses40.

Between the two consecutive cover panels35, a sealing profile42is provided, which is shown in further detail inFIG.7b. Here, the sealing profile is mainly flat and substantially extends along the lateral edges4a,4bof the cover panels35. It comprises two opposite lateral recesses44that are separated by a central web46. Both adjacent cover panels35are inserted into the recesses44and are separated by the web46. Thus, the cover panels35hold each other through the constraint by the sealing element42. An impact or a local pressing onto one of the cover panels35does not lead to the creation of a gap between the lateral edges4aand4b, in which objects can be inserted and/or squeezed.

In this view, an interior window pane50is visible, which is attached to the window funnel22. The window funnel22itself may be connected to an exterior window arranged in the fuselage structure, e.g. by a set of screws (not shown) radially extending through a respective window frame into the window funnel22. A cover ring48is snapped into the window funnel22onto the respective window frame to cover the screws. The cover panel35is thus also held at the exterior window frame. This arrangement can be completely disassembled to improve the recyclability.

As shown and explained above, the set-up of the inventive cover panel provides an approach that is based on a recycling targeting on material-specific separation. The option of providing all add-ons to the main cover panel section to be either of the same material or to be easily removable, results in a facilitated dismantling procedure and allows to provide material-separated recycling steps.

Lastly,FIG.8shows an aircraft52having a fuselage54with a fuselage structure55, in which an interior space56is created. A series of cover panels24is provided. However, besides using the cover panels35in the form of sidewall panels, also ceiling panels, dado panels and other cover panels can be integrated into the interior space56.