Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of European Patent Application No. EP 13 004 629.5, filed Sep. 24, 2013, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to an aircraft boarding bridge or aircraft boarding stairs with a bellows attached to a head frame of the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs by way of a fastening device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Aircraft boarding stairs or aircraft boarding bridges are sufficiently known from the prior art. Aircraft boarding stairs and aircraft boarding bridges both have, at their front end facing the aircraft, a bellows, which is configured in such a manner that it covers the gap between the head side end of the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs and the outer hull of the aircraft in the area of the aircraft entrance. 
         [0004]    The aircraft boarding bridge or stairs features a so-called head frame on its front side end. The folding bellows has a bellows frame at its end facing the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs, the head frame being connected to the bellows frame. This is usually done by attaching the bellows frame with the bellows to the head frame, e.g. by way of a screw clamp, driving corresponding bores through the head frame and bellows frame and subsequently connecting the bellows frame of the bellows with the head frame by means of rivets. This is very complicated, more specifically since the entire bellows is already hinged to the bellows frame. This means that the bellows is always behind a workman when drilling the holes and inserting the rivets. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Therefore, the problem underlying the invention is to solve this issue. More specifically, the problem is to provide a connection between the bellows and the aircraft boarding bridge or aircraft boarding stairs that is easily producible at low cost. 
         [0006]    In order to solve the problem, the invention proposes that the fastening device should comprise means for providing a positive connection acting in at least two spatial directions, wherein the positive connection is fixable by way of an at least non-positive connecting member. A combination of a non-positive connection with a means for providing a positive connection makes it possible not only to provide a simple and cost-effective fastening device but also one that is quickly mountable and detachable without a destruction of the individual connection elements. In this regard, using such a fastening device has other advantages; these are more specifically that in order to transport an aircraft boarding bridge or stairs, the bellows and the aircraft boarding bridge or aircraft boarding stairs can be transported separately. This considerably facilitates the transport, since a fastening of the bellows to the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs can occur on site by way of the fastening device according to the invention. In addition, if a replacement part is needed, a replacement of the bellows is possible without difficulty. This means that the connection is detachable. 
         [0007]    In detail, it is provided that the means comprise first and second connection elements that may be brought into a positive engagement with each other, wherein the first connection element is more specifically configured as a profile with an approximately C-shaped cross-section and the other second connection element is configured as a hook member. A hook member is a member that is able to at least partially engage behind the C-shaped connecting member along the better part of its length, or at least behind a part of the C-shaped profile serving as a connecting member. The hook member, configured in this regard as a strip, more specifically engages with the C-shaped profile with a clearance. A strip made of an elastomer, which presses the hook member onto the C-shaped profile, is provided as a non-positive connecting element for fixing the hook member to the C-shaped profile. This means that the hook member engaging with a clearance with the C-shaped profile is held in place by the elastic strip. In this regard, the strip, which is configured more specifically as a keder profile, can be characterized by a tapered end, in order to be able to drive this keder profile into the space between the hook member on the one hand and the C-shaped profile on the other hand. 
         [0008]    In order to prevent the strip made of an elastomer from unintentionally disengaging itself from its fixing position, it is provided that the strip has a groove at least on one longitudinal side, which serves for a partial positive engagement around or behind the hook member and/or a protrusion of the C-shaped profile. In this regard, if the strip has at least one groove running along the strip, which is engaged either with the hook member or with the protrusion of the C-shaped profile, the strip made of an elastomer is no longer only an element that is able to provide a non-positive connection but the connection between the strip and the hook member and the C-shaped profile is also characterized by a positive-fit component. Such a strip is also referred to as a keder profile. The strip is made of an elastomer and which holds the hook member in an engagement with the C-shaped profile by means of a positive connection but also, if applicable, by means of a non-positive component. 
         [0009]    Alternately to the previously described embodiment, an embodiment is also conceivable in which a C-shaped profile is also provided as a first connection element, wherein the C-shaped profile receives a strip-like hook member made of an elastomer. Here, the strip-like hook member has two grooves, with which the protrusions of the C-shaped profile, which respectively point toward each other, engage. In order to be able to drive the hook member made of an elastomer into the C-shaped profile, the hook member has a recess, which serves to receive the keder strip, in the area of the two protrusions of the C-shaped profile pointing toward each other. This means that the hook strip, which also consists of an elastomer, is held in position by the keder strip consisting of an elastomer. 
         [0010]    Another embodiment is characterized in that the C-shaped profile has in particular two legs, which are connected to each other by a web, wherein the hook member is grasped by the legs. The C-shaped profile has a leg shaped as a shoe at one of its ends, wherein the hook member has a foot in the area of the shoe, which is mounted in the leg configured as a shoe. The leg has a protrusion, which extends approximately parallel to the foot of the hook member. Between the foot of the hook member and the protrusion, there is a gap, which serves to receive the strip made of an elastomer. In order to prevent the strip made of an elastomer from getting out of the shoe, the hook member has a projection in the area of the foot. 
         [0011]    In addition, it is more specifically provided that the first connection element, more specifically the C-shaped profile, is fixed, e.g. screwed, to the head frame of the aircraft boarding bridge or aircraft boarding stairs. In order to prevent humidity from entering between the first connection element on the one hand and the head frame on the other hand into the inside of the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs, the first connection element is advantageously sealed against the head frame, for example by means of silicone. 
         [0012]    Any number of connection types, e.g. clamping, gluing, screwing, etc. are known for connecting the hook member to the bellows. 
         [0013]    In order to save weight, the C-shaped profile is advantageously made of aluminium. In different variants, this also applies to the hook member. 
         [0014]    In the following, the invention is exemplarily described in more detail based on the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of a fastening device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of a fastening device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a third embodiment of a fastening device, wherein the hook member is made of an elastomer in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a fourth embodiment of a fastening device in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The aircraft boarding bridge or stairs is schematically hinted at and labelled  1 . The aircraft boarding bridge or stairs  1  has a head frame  3 , which is disposed at the front of the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs  1  in a U-shaped circumferential manner. The C-shaped profile  7 ,  70 , which is more specifically screwed to the head frame  3 , is also disposed in a U-shaped circumferential manner on the head frame  3 . A sealing compound, for example made of silicone, is located between the C-shaped profile  7 ,  70  and the head frame  3 , in order to prevent humidity from getting into the inside of the aircraft boarding bridge or stairs. 
         [0020]    The C-shaped profile  7 ,  70  has a web  8 ;  80 , which serves to implement a screw connection with the head frame  3 . The web  8 ;  80  features two legs  9 ;  90 ,  91  disposed at both ends in a U-shaped manner, wherein the two legs have first and second protrusions  10 ,  11 ;  100 ,  111  pointing toward each other. This results in a profile with a C-shaped cross-section. 
         [0021]    In order to be received by the C-shaped profile  7 , the hook member labelled  20  in  FIG. 1  has a U-shaped claw  22 , wherein the claw  22  serves to hook the strip-shaped hook member  20  into the first protrusion  10  of the C-shaped profile  7 . The strip  30  made of an elastomer, which may also be referred to as a keder, is provided in order to fix this hook member  20  with the claw  22  in the position shown in the figure. At one side of its longitudinal edge, the keder or strip  30  has a groove  33 , which captures the second protrusion  11  of the C-shaped profile  7 . The nose  35 , which engages behind the hook member  20 , is provided in order to reliably prevent the strip  30  from unintentionally slipping out. 
         [0022]    Here, it can be seen that the hook member  20  is positively received by the C-shaped profile  7  in two spatial directions X and Y. The hook member  20  first rests with a clearance in the C-shaped profile  7 , wherein the clearance is defined by a free space  40  between the hook member  20  and the free end of the second protrusion  11 . The strip  30  is driven into this free space  40 , so that the hook member  20  is ultimately held in the position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    The embodiment according to  FIG. 2  differs from that in  FIG. 1  in that the strip-shaped hook member  120  is merely L-shaped and does not have a U-shaped claw like the hook member  20 . In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , the hook member  120  is also held in position by the strip  30 . The strip  30  here also features a groove  33  to be received by the second protrusion  11  of the C-shaped profile  7 . 
         [0024]    The embodiment according to  FIG. 3  features a C-shaped profile  7 , which is configured in the same manner as in  FIG. 2 . Here however, the C-shaped profile  7  receives a strip-shaped hook member  200 , wherein the hook member  200  is made of an elastomer. In order to receive the two protrusions  10  and  11  of the C-shaped profile  7  pointing toward each other, the hook member  200  has two grooves  240 , in which the protrusions  10  and  11  of the C-shaped profile engage, as can be gathered from  FIG. 3 . In the area of the two grooves  240 , there is a recess  210 , which serves to receive the strip  230  made of an elastomer material. This means that, in principle, the strip  230  forms a keder strip. 
         [0025]    In the embodiment according to  FIG. 4 , the C-shaped profile  70  features two legs  90 ,  91  connected by the web  80 , which, at their ends, respectively have protrusions  100 ,  111  pointing toward each other. The leg  91  is here configured in the manner of a shoe  95 . In the area of the shoe  95 , the strip-like hook member labelled  300  has a foot  310 , which is spaced apart from the protrusion  111  of the shoe  95 . The strip  330  made of an elastomer is introduced into the space formed by the gap, wherein, in order to prevent the strip  330  from getting out the shoe  95  under a load, the hook member  300  has a projection  315  in the area of the foot  310 . 
         [0026]    The hook member  20 ,  120 ,  200 ,  300  additionally features the bellows  50  at one free end. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       [0000]    
       
           1  aircraft boarding bridge or stairs 
           3  head frame 
           7  C-shaped profile 
           8  web 
           9  leg 
           10  first protrusion 
           11  second protrusion 
           20  hook member 
           22  claw 
           30  strip (made of an elastomer) 
           33  groove 
           35  nose 
           40  free space between the second protrusion and the hook member 
           50  bellows 
           70  C-shaped profile 
           80  web 
           90  leg 
           91  leg 
           95  shoe 
           100  first protrusion 
           111  second protrusion 
           120  hook member 
           200  hook member (made of an elastomer) 
           210  recess in the hook member 
           230  strip (made of an elastomer) 
           240  grooves 
           300  hook member 
           310  foot 
           315  projection 
           330  strip (made of an elastomer)

Technology Category: y