FR3057253A1 - PROTECTIVE COVER FOR AIRCRAFT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a protective cover (Hp), intended to cover the outer casing of an aircraft (An), consisting of different patterns (P1-P6) whose parts are intended to be arranged around said envelope , then assembled together so that said cover can cover substantially said envelope and thus physically protect it. According to the invention, the cover (Hp) internally comprises a network of perforated ducts (Gp), said network being capable of being connected to an air conditioning unit (Cc), so that during its operation, the network of perforated ducts (Gp) can broadcast air conditioning on the surface of said envelope to regulate the temperature and humidity of the aircraft during storage to protect its electrical / electronic equipment and its structural elements, a Premature aging when the aircraft is exposed to hot, cold, humid climates. The protective cover of the invention makes it possible, when covering the aircraft while being connected to the air-conditioning unit, to maintain it within a range of acceptable temperatures and hygrometries to protect against corrosion, its electronic equipment, its structural elements. The aging of the aircraft is slowed down and its reliability increased.

Description

© Publication number: 3,057,253 (use only for reproduction orders) (© National registration number: 16 59830 ® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

COURBEVOIE © Int Cl ⁸ : B 65 D 85/68 (2017.01), B 64 F 1/36

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

(22) Date of filing: 11.10.16. © Applicant (s): TROMEUR STEVEN— FR and TRO- © Priority : MEUR YANN— FR. © Date of public availability of the request: 04/13/18 Bulletin 18/15. @ Inventor (s): TROMEUR STEVEN and TROMEUR YANN. (56) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this brochure © References to other related national documents: ® Holder (s): TROMEUR STEVEN, TROMEUR YANN. 0 Extension request (s): © Agent (s): CABINET LE GUEN ET MAILLET Professional civil society.

(£ 4) protective cover for aircraft.

FR 3 057 253 - A1 _ The present invention relates to a protective cover (Hp), intended to cover the outer shell of an aircraft (An), made up of different patterns (P1-P6) whose parts are intended to be arranged around said envelope, and then assembled together so that said cover can practically cover said envelope and thus physically protect it.

According to the invention, the cover (Hp) internally comprises a network of perforated ducts (Gp), said network being capable of being connected to an air conditioning unit (Ce), so that during its operation, the network of perforated ducts (Gp) can diffuse conditioned air over the surface of said envelope in order to regulate the temperature and the humidity of the aircraft being stored to protect its electrical / electronic equipment as well as its structural elements, premature aging when the aircraft is exposed to hot, cold, humid climates.

The protective cover of the invention makes it possible, when it covers the airplane while being connected to the air conditioning unit, to keep it within a range of acceptable temperatures and humidity levels to protect from corrosion, its electronic equipment, its structural elements. The aging of the aircraft is slowed down and its reliability increased.

i

The present invention relates to a protective cover for aircraft and in particular for business aircraft.

It is known to use a cover to cover all or part of an aircraft to protect it from bad weather when it is stored outside. It is in principle designed from cut pieces of canvas, following a pattern corresponding to the aircraft model to be protected and which are then assembled on certain edges to make the cover. This is then placed on the plane and held in place by means of Velcro ® bands, zippers ® to protect the plane.

Such a protective cover is presented on patent CN1966351A. Mounted on the plane, it protects it from the cold and dust.

The price of a business aircraft is relatively high. Also, it is important to preserve such an investment, in particular, by improving its protection in periods of non-use and particularly by seeking to protect from corrosion, in particular, the electronic devices of modern aircraft with electric flight controls, and which is developing when the weather conditions are bad (rain, humidity, snow, sand, heat ...).

Also, the applicant sought a solution to design a protective cover for an aircraft with improved efficiency.

A second object of the invention is to add protective functions to said cover.

To this end, a protective cover is proposed, intended to cover the outer envelope of an aircraft, consisting of different patterns, the parts of which are intended to be arranged around said envelope, then assembled together so that said cover can cover practically said envelope and thus physically protect it; according to the invention, the cover internally comprises a network of perforated ducts, said network being capable of being connected to an air conditioning unit, so that during its operation, the network of perforated ducts can diffuse conditioned air over the surface of said envelope in order to regulate the temperature and humidity of the aircraft during storage to protect its electrical / electronic equipment as well as its structural elements from premature aging when the aircraft is exposed to hot climates , cold, humid.

The protective cover of the invention makes it possible, when it covers the airplane while being connected to the air conditioning unit, to keep it within a range of acceptable temperatures and humidity levels to protect from corrosion, its electronic equipment, its structural elements. The aging of the aircraft is slowed down and its reliability increased.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the sheaths of the network are made of permeable fabrics.

The fabric ducts can easily diffuse the conditioned air over the structure of the aircraft.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the patterns constituting the different pieces are joined together by means of seams and each piece is produced by an assembly of sheets of fabric and which are sewn edge to edge via seams, the ducts of the network being arranged at at least some seams of the cover.

The sheaths can be installed during the manufacture of the cover.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, at least certain sheets of fabric are coated, on their internal face intended to be brought into contact with the body of the aircraft, with a capillary coating to, if necessary, evacuate towards the outside the calories stored on the plane to cool it.

The aircraft carrying the cover of the invention can be cooled by high heat.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the patterns include the parts drawn to cover:

Pl: The cockpit and the upper part of the fuselage

P2: The right wing and the lower right half of the fuselage

P3: The left wing and the lower left half of the fuselage

P4: The upper part of an engine

P5: The lower part of an engine

P6: The tail

These different parts are likely to practically cover the body of the aircraft.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the cover comprises, at least one solar panel fixed to said cover, heating fabrics fixed to the upper surface of the bosses capable of covering the two wings of the aircraft and of the tail, for de-ice the wings and tail of the aircraft in very cold weather.

During the day, the energy required to defrost the plane comes at least in part from solar radiation.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the patterns include zippers ® intended to join said patterns around said envelope of the aircraft.

The zippers ® allow to join the patterns mounted around the fuselage, the wings and the tail of the plane.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the cover comprises at least one of the following electrical / electronic equipment and intended to reinforce the protection of the aircraft:

- lighting means, sewn on the ends of the two patterns capable of covering the right wing and the lower right half-part of the fuselage, the left wing and the lower left half-part of the fuselage, respectively,

- a means of lighting sewn on the ventral part of the pattern likely to cover the lower part of the fuselage,

- a motion detection sensor fixed on the ventral part of the pattern capable of covering the lower part of the fuselage,

- a motion detection sensor fixed on the ventral part of the pattern (P2 or P3) capable of covering the lower part of the fuselage,

- a 12 / 24V audible alarm, the motion detector can be connected to the audible alarm,

- a 12 / 24V outdoor temperature sensor,

- a 12 / 24V outdoor humidity sensor,

- a 12 / 24V fuel vapor detector,

- at least one battery placed in a pocket provided on the protective cover.

These various pieces of electrical equipment in the protective cover increase the protection of the aircraft.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, said electrical / electronic equipment is connected to a remote control computer, via a wireless computer link.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the cover is connected to an air conditioning unit of the air / air type, and which is relatively economical.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view from above of an airplane and for which a protective house according to the invention has been designed, FIG. 2 represents a flat view of the various component parts of the various patterns intended for making an aircraft cover according to the invention, FIG. 3 shows a side view of an airplane covered by a protective cover according to the invention, FIG. 4 represents a top view of an airplane covered by a protective cover according to the invention, FIG. 5 shows a view from below of an airplane covered by a protective cover according to the invention and, FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show schematic views of electrical / electronic equipment options for a protective cover according to the invention.

The plane An shown in FIG. 1 is an aircraft equipped with electric flight controls. Its price is relatively expensive. Its apparent structure includes:

- a Cn fuselage

- a left wing Ag

- a right wing Ad

- a Gm engine group

- a vertical tailplane Ev

- a horizontal empennage Eh

To protect the apparent structure of the aircraft An, that is to say its outer envelope, the inventor designed a protective cover which is shown in FIG. 2. In addition to protecting its bodywork, the cover also provides protection for the equipment inside the aircraft, in particular its electronic devices.

This Hp protective cover is made from different parts, the Pn patterns of which are shown in FIG. 2. Each piece is made by assembling sheets of fabric which are sewn edge to edge using polyester thread and whose perimeter delimits a corresponding pattern. The seams referenced Ct are of the width type.

The fabric sheets used are made of polyester, for example from the Soft Touch® brand. At least some of these sheets are coated, on their internal face intended to be brought into contact with the body of the aircraft, with a capillary coating to, if necessary, evacuate calories stored on the aircraft to the outside. to cool it.

In this Fig. 2, a distinction is made between the Pn patterns and the cover parts which may cover the following parts of the aircraft:

Pl: The cockpit and the upper part of the fuselage

P2: The right wing and the lower right half of the fuselage

P3: The left wing and the lower left half of the fuselage

P4: The upper part of an engine

P5: The lower part of an engine

P6: The tail

The pattern Pl includes, a front part intended to cover the cockpit and a trapezoidal rear part in this FIG. 2 intended to cover the upper part of the fuselage. The front part includes a transparent Tt fabric made of PVC ® at the location of the cockpit canopy.

At the location of the access door to the cabin, a U-shaped cutout U is made in the pattern Pl to provide access to the boarding gate. A zipper ® borders the cut to be able to open or close said cut. The ® Fc zipper is preferably of the waterproof type. It is, for example, covered with a strip of velcro ® which can cover it when it is closed. A qualified person can thus enter the aircraft. The aircraft can be towed with the person flying the aircraft.

The two patterns P2 and P3 intended to cover the wings and the lower part of the fuselage consist respectively of two parts El and E2, one designed to cover the upper surface of the wings, the other designed to cover the lower surface of the wings and the lower half-parts of the fuselage. The two parts E1 and E2 are joined together, by means of a seam Ct preferably of the width type and which is located, when considering the covered wing, on the leading edge of said wing.

The PI pattern is bent so as to form a tube to cover the front part of the fuselage, then it is sewn, by means of a Ct seam at the two longitudinal edges of the trapezoidal part with the two parts El and E2 of the two patterns PI and P2.

The P6 pattern, in particular, is also provided with ® Fc zippers to join its edges after it has been laid on the tail of the aircraft.

Velcro ® Bv strips are sewn on the edges of certain parts and in particular at the cockpit part of the PI boss.

® Fc zippers are sewn on the two parts E1 and E2 at the trailing edge of the wing as well as at the bottom of the fuselage in order to allow their assembly when placed on the aircraft.

Tr reflective fabrics are sewn on certain parts to improve the visibility of the aircraft covered by its protective cover, at night or in foggy weather.

Numerals and letters embroideries are also sewn or fixed by Velcro ® supports on certain parts to allow the identification of the aircraft.

Decoration patterns or logos are printed by a screen printing process on certain pieces.

The cover of the invention is further provided with certain electrical / electronic equipment intended to reinforce the protection of the aircraft.

Mg lighting means, for example made up of LED strips (lightemitting diode in English) are thus sewn on the ends of the two patterns P2 and P3, to indicate, when they are supplied with electric current, the presence of the 'plane. Their colors are regulated, red to port and green to starboard, during towing.

In Fig. 3, another means of lighting Mg, for example consisting of a red LED strip is sewn on the ventral part of the pattern P2 or P3. The lighting means Mg is coupled to a presence detector which makes it light up when approaching a person, or a vehicle.

In Fig. 5, a motion detection sensor Dm is fixed to the ventral part of the pattern P2 or P3.

Other electrical equipment and sensors can also be installed on the cover:

- 12 / 24V audible alarm.

The motion detector can be connected to the audible alarm. They operate independently. The audible alert is activated when the aircraft is moved without authorization or when a person or a vehicle enters the protected security perimeter of the aircraft.

- A panoramic camera that can see 360 °. It is associated with software designed to detect movements. It incorporates a sensor designed to allow night vision.

- A 12 / 24V outdoor temperature sensor.

- A 12 / 24V indoor temperature sensor.

- A 12 / 24V outdoor humidity sensor.

- A 12 / 24V indoor humidity sensor.

- A 12 / 24V fuel vapor detector.

This electrical / electronic equipment can be connected to a remote control computer, for example using a computer server, via a computer link and preferably a wireless computer link. The control computer is, in a preferred embodiment, a touch pad. The person responsible for the aircraft can thus remotely check the aircraft, activate or deactivate at least some of the electrical equipment, and monitor it.

An application dedicated to monitoring aircraft is loaded into the memory of the tablet. The tablet can thus show:

Real-time readings of the indoor temperature, the indoor humidity level, images taken by the surveillance camera, an icing alert, an overheating alert related to the outside temperature, the presence of fuel vapors, detection of a possible intrusion into the perimeter near the aircraft.

This electrical equipment is supplied, via electrical wiring, by at least one battery which takes place in a pocket provided on the protective cover. Said battery is preferably of the Li-ion type.

In Fig. 4, the aircraft An is equipped with an automatic de-icing system for the wings and its tail. When stored in a parking lot, the icing of the airplane's wings, in particular its tailplane, can cause it to tip backwards and thus, damage the said airplane. The defrosting system comprises at least one solar panel Ps which is fixed, for example by sewing, to the upper surface of the pattern (s) Pl, P3. It is used to supply electric current to the electric resistances integrated in heating fabrics Te fixed on the upper surface of the patterns P2, P3 and P6 to defrost the wings and the tail of the plane in very cold weather. The temperature sensor and the humidity sensor are used to operate the defrost system.

Ps solar panels can also be used to recharge the battery or batteries.

Ft felts are placed on the openings of the landing gear to seal the entry of air and dust into the cavities in which the landing gear operating mechanisms are mounted. They are held in place by elastic straps.

The installation of the Hp cover on an aircraft is carried out as follows. The P1 pattern is put on the front part of the fuselage, then the two upper El parts of the two patterns P2 and P3 are folded down on the wings of the aircraft. The two upper and lower parts are assembled using their respective ® zippers, then the two patterns P2 and P3 are assembled using the ventral ® zipper.

The or one of the motors is then capped with the patterns P4, P5. Only a set of bosses P4, for an engine is presented in FIG. 2.

The tail of the aircraft is covered by the patterned P6 pattern and held in place by its zippers ®. The pattern P6 comprises in an alternative embodiment presented in FIG. 3, a cap intended to protect a protuberance formed on the end of the fin and which contains a communication antenna.

The electrical connections of the cover accessories are made during its installation or at the end of its installation.

The plane An thus protected by its protective cover Hp is visible in Figs. 3 to 5. The Hp protective cover keeps the plane clean after washing and polishing.

In Fig. 3, the protective cover Hp is, in the invention, connected to an air conditioning unit Cc and which is intended to heat said protective cover or cool it in order to keep the aircraft within a range of temperatures and hygrometries acceptable to protect from corrosion, the electronic equipment of the airplane, its structural elements. This reduces the premature aging of the aircraft during its storage on the ground, when it is exposed to hot, cold, humid climates.

The air conditioning unit Ce consists of an air / air type heat pump including a sealed circuit containing a refrigerant circulating in a heat exchanger, a compressor, a pressure reducer. Its operation is reversible depending on the season, the outside temperature for either heating the air, or cooling it, dehydrating it, the air conditioning unit. In this case, it is provided with a dehumidifier.

The air conditioning unit This can be supplied with electrical current by a simple electrical outlet, especially when the aircraft is stored in a hangar. It can also be powered by a 12 / 24V 220V voltage converter intended to produce mains current from the battery (s) and solar panels, especially when the plane is parked in a parking lot.

The 12 / 24V - 220V voltage converter is located in or near the Ce air conditioning unit.

The air conditioning unit Ce is connected to the air conditioning cover Hc by means of connection hoses Fr into which air treated by the air conditioning unit Ce can be blown into the cover Hp. In Fig. 5, the connection hoses Fr are connected to a network of perforated sheaths Gp and which are integrated internally in the cover. In a preferred embodiment, the sheaths of the network are made of permeable fabrics and through which the treated air can diffuse. Fes sheaths of the network are preferably arranged at the seams of the cover. The treated air, that is to say heated, cooled or dried is thus diffused in the ducts in contact with the envelope of the aircraft to cool it, warm it, avoid condensation on the outer envelope of the 'plane. The aircraft can thus be stored without being subject to significant wear and tear for long periods in a hangar or in an outdoor car park.

The temperature sensors as well as the humidity sensors are used to operate the Ce air conditioning unit.

Fa protective cover of the invention is thus able to physically protect the aircraft while preserving a controlled atmosphere around the aircraft to preserve it from corrosion and to preserve its electronic equipment.

Fes different electrical equipment associated with the cover of the invention can be offered as an option.

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These options are shown in Figs 6, 7 and 8.

Fig. 6: Equipment options 1 Signaling (Objects not connected)

There is no touch pad. The battery (ies) and the solar panels supply the motion detector as well as the lighting.

Fig. 7: Equipment options 2 Storage (Connected objects)

The touchscreen control tablet of the cover is present in this option as well as other sensors and electrical equipment: Detector of the presence of 10 fuel vapors, temperature and humidity sensors, heating fabrics, solar panels, voltage converter 12 / 24V - 220V, central air conditioning.

Fig. 8: Equipment options 3 Protection (Connected objects)

The alarm and the camera are present in this option.

Claims (10)

1) Protective cover (Hp), intended to cover the outer envelope of an aircraft (An), consisting of different patterns (P1-P6), the parts of which are intended to be arranged around said envelope, then assembled together so that said cover can practically cover said envelope and thus physically protect it, characterized in that the cover (Hp) internally comprises a network of perforated sheaths (Gp), said network being capable of being connected to an air conditioning unit (Ce ), so that during its operation, the network of perforated ducts (Gp) can diffuse conditioned air on the surface of said envelope in order to regulate the temperature and the hygrometry of the aircraft in storage to protect its electrical / electronic equipment and its structural elements, premature aging when the aircraft is exposed to hot, cold, humid climates. 2) Protective cover (Hp) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheaths of the network are made of permeable fabrics. 3) Protective cover (Hp) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the patterns (Pn) constituting the different parts are joined by seams (Ct) and in that each part is manufactured by an assembly sheets of fabric and which are sewn edge to edge via seams (Ct), the sheaths of the network being arranged at at least some seams of the cover. 4) Protective cover (Hp) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least certain sheets of fabric are coated, on their internal face intended to be brought into contact with the body of the aircraft, with a coating capillary to, if necessary, evacuate outside the calories stored on the plane to cool it. 5) Protective cover (Hp) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the patterns (Pn) include the parts designed to cover: PI: The cockpit and the upper part of the fuselage P2: The right wing and the lower right half of the fuselage P3: The left wing and the lower left half of the fuselage P4: The upper part of an engine P5: The lower part of an engine P6: The tail 6) Protective cover (Hp) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises, at least one solar panel (Ps) fixed on said cover, heating fabrics (Te) fixed on the upper surface of the patterns (P2, P3) likely to cover the two wings of the aircraft and the skipper (P6) likely to cover the tail, to de-ice the wings and the tail of the aircraft in very cold weather. 7) Protective cover (Hp) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the patterns (Pn) include zippers ® (Fc) intended to join said patterns around said envelope of the aircraft. 8) Protective cover (Hp) according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the cover (Hp) comprises at least the following electrical / electronic equipment and intended to reinforce the protection of the aircraft: - lighting means (Mg), sewn on the ends of the two patterns (P2 and P3) capable of covering respectively the right wing and the lower right half of the fuselage, the left wing and the lower left half of the fuselage, - a lighting means (Mg) sewn on the ventral part of the pattern (P2 or P3) capable of covering the lower part of the fuselage, - a motion detection sensor (Dm) fixed on the ventral part of the pattern (P2 or P3) capable of covering the lower part of the fuselage, - a motion detection sensor (Dm) fixed on the ventral part of the pattern (P2 or P3) capable of covering the lower part of the fuselage, - a 12 / 24V audible alarm, the motion detector can be connected to the audible alarm, - a 12 / 24V outdoor temperature sensor, - a 12 / 24V outdoor humidity sensor, - a 12 / 24V fuel vapor detector, - at least one battery placed in a pocket provided on the protective cover. 9) Protective cover (Hp) according to claim 8, characterized in that said electrical / electronic equipment is connected to a remote control computer, via a wireless computer link. 10) Protective cover (Hp) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is connected to an air conditioning unit (Ce) of the air / air type. This type of device is relatively economical. PL. 1/8