1. Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to a line system for an aircraft, in particular an airplane, having multiple lines, the aircraft comprising multiple assemblies, in particular multiple fuselage sections of a fuselage cell and multiple wing shells.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Shell construction finds widespread use in aircraft construction. For this purpose, pre-finished fuselage cells are assembled into so-called “barrels” (complete fuselage sections) to produce a fuselage cell. The fuselage shells for forming fuselage sections may be formed using aluminum sheets, for example. The fuselage sections are subsequently arrayed with one another to form the fuselage cell and are thereafter attached to one another, for example, by conventional rivet connections. Corresponding methods are used in the production of airfoils, elevator units, rudder units, and landing flaps or the like.
Advantageously also a shell construction may be used if fiber-reinforced plastic materials are employed, in particular carbon-fiber-reinforced epoxy resin. As an alternative it is possible to particularly produce a fuselage cell in one piece with these materials, e.g. applying the winding method.
After the fuselage cell has been finished and the equipment is being installed, lines of all types are introduced and laid in the fuselage cell, the airfoils, the elevator unit, and the rudder unit. The lines to be introduced into the airplane are, for example, electrical lines for power and/or information transmission as well as optical lines, which are exclusively intended for data transmission.
The individual electrical lines are generally assembled into cable bundles. The course of the cable bundles often extends over the entire spatial extent of the airplane. The cable bundles have a large volume and weight and are held together using special cable binders. In addition, the cable bundles may only be manually introduced, laid, and fixed in position in the aircraft structure with a high expenditure in cost and personnel. Typically additional free lines being reserved for future functionalities are not provided for reasons of weight.
Modifications in the cabling may currently be implemented only with difficulty, because in certain circumstances individual lines must be localized in the cable bundles to remove them from the bundle and possibly replace them by alternative lines. The insertion of lines into an existing cable bundle is also complicated, because in this case the cable bundle must also be opened and subsequently bound together again.
In addition, there is always a risk that chafing points will form between the individual lines in the cable bundle, which result in an impairment of the mechanical integrity of the line insulation and may only be detected with difficulty. Kinks, disconnections, short-circuits, or cable fires may be caused in this way.
It would be advantageous to provide a line system and cabling for airplanes, respectively, which significantly reduces the outlay for wiring and which in addition allows changes in the line arrangement at reasonable expenses which are possibly required later. Further a high availability and/or a low probability of breakdown of the cabling and/or the line system is to be provided.
Because the lines are an integral component of the assemblies, the cabling of an airplane may be implemented at comparatively low expenses.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds