Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/598,245 filed Aug. 3, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to supporting cable line bundles or line routes and insulation materials such as insulation mats in aircraft. The present invention particularly relates to a mount for an aircraft for securing insulation material to a structure of the aircraft as well as an aircraft having a corresponding mount. 
     In aircraft, cable mounts are used to support and guide electrical line routes in different regions. Such mounts are tailored to the concrete connection conditions on the transversal carrier or frame (former), for example. For example, the mounts are tailored to the thickness of the web of the transversal carrier, to a hole diameter, and to a diameter of the electrical line routes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mount for an aircraft is provided for securing insulation material to a structure of the aircraft. The insulation material has at least one recess having first dimensions. The mount of this exemplary embodiment comprises a first cable mount section and a second cable mount section. The first and the second cable mount sections are essentially made of a first material. This first material is plastic. For example, the first and the second cable mount sections may be manufactured through an injection molding method. The first and the second cable mount sections are connectable via a connecting element. The connecting element supports at least one plate-shaped element which has second dimensions that are larger than the first dimensions. Therefore, the plate-shaped element does not fit through the recess in the insulation material. The connecting element and the at least one plate-shaped element are made essentially of a second material, which is more heat-resistant or fire-resistant than the first material. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, a mount is provided which, in addition to the function of supporting and guiding electrical line routes, pipes, etc., on ascending and descending routes, for example, may also support insulation mats which may be provided on structures of the aircraft. 
     Multipurpose mounts for supporting insulation material on structures in aircraft may, if they are implemented from plastic, melt in the event of great heat. However, the use of plastic may be desirable for saving weight. According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a hanger is specified in which a plate-shaped element and a connecting element that are implemented from a very heat-resistant material are provided. The remainder of the hanger may be implemented from plastic. Under the effect of strong heat, the plastic may melt. An insulation mat may nonetheless be secured against falling down/detaching by the plate-shaped element, which is supported using the connecting element. 
     Therefore, a mount for aircraft may be specified, which may reliably prevent the insulation material from being able to slip over the plate-shaped element and therefore fall down in the event of great heat, under the effect of fire, for example. This may be achieved in that the plate-shaped element and the connecting element are made of a more heat-resistant or fire-resistant material, so that in case of fire, for example, the cable mount sections may melt, but slipping of the heat-resistant insulation material over the plate-shaped element is prevented, through which the structure of the aircraft and/or the passengers located in the aircraft are protected. A mount which is resistant to burning through and therefore prevents the loss of the insulation mat is specified according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the mount is implemented as a multipurpose mount and additionally has a cable receiving region for supporting cables. In this way, a multipurpose mount is specified which may both securely hold insulation material, even in case of fire, and is also suitable and usable for cable support and guiding. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second material is a metal, because of which the connecting element and the plate-shaped element only melt later or even not at all, even in the event of very strong heat or in case of fire. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plate-shaped element is a metal disk which is incorporated into the plastic of the first or second cable mount section. A notch may be provided for this purpose, for example, on which the metal disk, which may also be an open metal disk in the form of a split pin, may be placed. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the metal disk is implemented in one piece (may be integrally formed) with the first or second cable mount section. For example, the metal disk may be cast into the plastic material of the cable mount sections. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connecting element is implemented using a metal screw and a metal nut. The metal nut is supported in one cable mount section, whereas the metal screw is supported in the other corresponding cable mount section. The plate-shaped element has a recess which has smaller dimensions than a head of the screw and the nut. When the mount is mounted, the plate-shaped element is positioned between the head of the screw and the nut. Therefore, in case of fire, even if all of the plastic of the cable mount section has melted, the insulation material, such as an insulation mat, may be supported and may be prevented from slipping off or falling down, through which protection of the interior is provided. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, two plate-shaped elements are provided, which are positioned between the head of the metal screw and the nut when the cable mount sections are mounted. An insulation mat may thus be secured against falling down on two sides of a structure, for example. 
     Further exemplary embodiments of the present invention result from the further claims. 
     In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the attached figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a mount, which is mounted on a frame structure, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a three-dimensional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a first cable mount section according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a three-dimensional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a second cable mount section according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a sectional view of the first cable mount section from  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a first exemplary embodiment of a plate-shaped element according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description of  FIGS. 1 through 5 , identical reference numbers are used for identical or corresponding elements. 
       FIG. 1  shows a sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a mount for an aircraft according to the present invention. As may be inferred from  FIG. 1 , the mount is positioned in a hole or bore of a frame or former  6 . A support structure  16  of the frame  6  is shown in the background. As may be inferred from  FIG. 1 , the mount has a first cable mount section  2  and a second cable mount section  4 . According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first and the second cable mount sections  2  and  4  are essentially implemented from a plastic material. The first and the second cable mount sections  2 ,  4  may be manufactured using an injection molding method, for example. The first cable mount section  2  has an essentially L-shaped structure in section. The second cable mount section  4  also has an essentially L-shaped structure in section. The first cable mount section  2  has a part having dimensions such that it may be inserted through a recess  22  in an insulation material  10 . The first cable mount section  2  has an essentially flat surface on a first end to be placed on the frame  6 . A plate-shaped element  12  is provided on the part, wherein the dimensions of the plate-shaped element  12  are larger than the dimensions of the recess or the hole  22  in the insulation material. Cable receiver sections  24 , in which the cable may be laid to support it, are provided on a region opposing the first end of the first cable mount section  2 . The cables or line routes may then be attached using cable binders, for example. Line routes may have a diameter from 5 to 60 mm, for example. The mount may be implemented for “heavy” line routes having a diameter of approximately 15-60 mm, particularly for routes of 25 mm diameter. 
     Like the first cable mount section  2 , the second cable mount section  4  has two cable receiving regions  24  for receiving two line routes. Furthermore, the second cable mount section  4  has an end region opposite the cable receiving regions  24 , which has an essentially flat surface to be placed on the frame  6 . 
     The first cable mount section  2  and the second cable mount section  4  are connected using a connecting element  18 ,  28 . The connecting element has a screw  28 , which is supported in the first cable mount section  2 . In particular, the head of the screw may be supported in the first cable mount section  2 . The nut  18  is supported in the second cable mount section  4 . The screw  28  may thus be inserted through the eyelet (the hole)  8  in the frame and the screw  28  may be screwed together with the nut  18  in the second cable mount section  4 , so that the first and the second cable mount sections  2 ,  4  are clamped on the frame  6 . 
     A further plate-shaped element  14 , which has larger dimensions than a recess or hole  20  in the insulation material  10 , is provided on the second cable mount section  4 . 
     As may be inferred from  FIG. 1 , because of the positioning of the plate-shaped elements  12  and  14 , which may be implemented using metal disks, for example, the insulation material  10  may be prevented from falling down, i.e., the insulation material  10  may be prevented from slipping off the mount even in the event of great heat, as in case of fire, for example, since the plate-shaped elements are supported by the connecting element having the screw  28  and the nut  18 . For this purpose, the nut  18  has dimensions which are larger than a recess  52  in the plate-shaped element  14 . In addition, the head of the screw  28  has dimensions which are larger than a recess  50  in the plate-shaped element  12 . In this way, for example, all of the plastic of the mount may melt without the securing of the insulation material  10  by the connecting element, comprising the screw  28 , the nut  18 , and the plate-shaped elements  12  and  14 , being endangered, since these elements may be implemented from a very heat-resistant or fire-resistant material. The screw  28 , the nut  18 , and the plate-shaped elements  14  and  12  may be implemented from metal. 
     The plate-shaped elements  12  and  14  may, for example, be incorporated into the plastic of the first cable mount section  2  and the second cable mount section  4 . For example, the plate-shaped elements  12  and  14  may be heated and pushed onto the plastic. Welding on through frictional welding is also possible. The plate-shaped elements  12  and  14  may be implemented in one piece with the first and second cable mount sections using an injection molding method, however. 
     Instead of the connecting element having the screw  28  and the nut  18 , a screw-lock system may also be provided, for example. An arbor having a barb, which is inserted into a corresponding support device in the other cable mount section and thus ensures a secure connection, may also be provided instead of the screw  28 . 
     The screw  28  and the nut  18  may each be pushed through openings provided laterally in the first cable mount section and the second cable mount section. However, it is also possible to cast the nut  18  and the screw  28  in one piece with the first cable mount section and the second cable mount section. 
     The plate-shaped elements  12 ,  14  may be implemented as inmolded metal washers. 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the cable mount section according to the present invention. 
     As may be inferred from  FIG. 2 , this cable mount section  4  has two receivers  24  for line routes. As may be inferred from  FIG. 2 , this cable mount section is a cable mount section into which a screw of the corresponding other cable mount section is to be inserted. The nut  18  may be inserted into a side region of the cable mount  4  through a recess  42 , for example. The plate-shaped element  14  is implemented in  FIG. 2  as an essentially ellipsoidal metal washer, which is cast into the plastic of the cable mount section  4 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a cable mount section according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As may be inferred from  FIG. 3 , a screw  28  is provided in this cable mount section, which may be pushed into the cable mount section of  FIG. 2 , for example, and then screwed together with the corresponding nut. 
     The screw  28  may, for example, be cast into the cable mount section  2  of  FIG. 3 . However, it is also possible to insert a threaded rod from the front into a corresponding hole of the cable mount section and then attach this threaded rod in the cable mount section  2  using a fastener, which may be inserted laterally into a recess  40 . As may be inferred from  FIG. 3 , the cable mount section  2  also has two cable receiving regions  24 . As in the cable mount from  FIG. 1 , the plate-shaped element  12  is implemented using an essentially ellipsoidal metal washer which is cast into the plastic of the cable mount  2 . Instead of the metal washer or blank, manifold shaped elements may be used, as long as it is ensured that the eyelet in the insulation material may not slip over the shaped element. 
       FIG. 4  shows a sectional view of the cable mount from  FIG. 2 . As may be inferred from  FIG. 4 , a cable  46 , which may be attached using a cable binder, for example, may be received in the cable mount section  24 . It may be inferred from the sectional view of  FIG. 4  that a hole  64  is provided in the cable mount section  4 , into which the screw  28  of the corresponding other cable mount section  2  may be inserted. This hole  64  is bored into the face of the area or surface  60  of the cable mount section  4 , which is implemented to be placed on the frame  6 . Furthermore, a space  62  for positioning the nut  18  is provided in the hole  64 . The nut, as already noted, may be inserted into the space  62  through a recess  42 , for example. As may be inferred from  FIG. 4 , the nut  18  has dimensions that are larger than the recess  50  in the plate-shaped element  12 , which may be implemented using the ellipsoidal metal washer  14 , for example. 
       FIG. 5  shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the plate-shaped element  12 . The hatched middle region of the plate-shaped element  12  is the region which is cast with the plastic of the corresponding cable mount section. A hole  44  for inserting the screw  28  through is provided in the middle of the plate-shaped element  12 . 
     A cable mount is provided according to the present invention, which additionally assumes the function of securing insulation material, such as insulation mats, as are used for protecting frames in the aircraft against the effect of heat, for example. If the plastic melted in case of strong heating, for example, the insulation would still be supported between the metal blanks, whose diameter is larger than the eyes of the insulation mat, and thus offer more security. 
     It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. 
     It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

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