WO2025026681A1 - Detachable and reinforced power interconnector device and method for the interconnection of an electrical rack - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an interconnector device (2) for an electrical rack (1) of an aircraft equipped with electrical wiring, the interconnector device (2) comprising a bus bar (2b), at least one support plate (2c) and at least one cable connector (2a) mounted structurally on a support plate (2c) and in electrical contact with the bus bar (2b), said bus bar comprising at least one interface for reversible mounting on a primary structure (1a) of the electrical rack and at least one attachment support to which the support plate (2c) is fixed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

POWER INTERCONNECTION DEVICE

DETACHABLE AND REINFORCED AND PROCESS

INTERCONNECTION OF AN ELECTRICAL FURNITURE

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a detachable and reinforced aircraft power interconnection device and to a method for interconnecting an electrical unit in the aeronautical field. The power interconnection devices make it possible to produce a connection support between different connectors, in particular connecting the electrical units to the aircraft.

In the aeronautical field, a large part of the electrical and electronic equipment is installed in furniture. These furniture are connected to the electrical cables that extend throughout the aircraft and that carry electric current to power and control all of this equipment. Interfaces for connecting the aircraft electrical cables to the electrical cables of the furniture are therefore necessary to interconnect the electrical furniture to the aircraft.

STATE OF THE ART

In general, electrical furniture includes a so-called cut-off plate directly in its structure. This cut-off plate acts as a mechanical support on which the electrical cables from the aircraft and from the equipment installed in the electrical furniture meet and connect.

This approach has several drawbacks. Indeed, each cable of the electrical cabinet is individually interconnected to the aircraft. However, the number of cables in an electrical cabinet is significant, which implies a long and complicated installation. prone to connection errors. In addition, the cut-off plate is physically limited in the number of cables it can support.

To overcome these drawbacks, laminated busbars or busbar assemblies are mounted on the structure of the electrical cabinet. These busbars simplify the electrical installation by reducing the number of components to be installed. Indeed, these laminated busbars and busbar assemblies can be considered as a printed circuit suitable for power electrical installations. However, the busbars are assembled and fixed on the electrical cabinet. The interconnection is then carried out on the one hand mechanically between the cut-off plate and the busbars and on the other hand electrically between the busbars and the cables. Since the cut-off plate and the busbars are assembled on the structure of the electrical cabinet, the interconnection therefore requires precise mechanical assembly which increases local mechanical constraints as well as installation times. In addition, the difficulties of access to the cut-off plate and the busbars make the interconnection not very ergonomic, the structure of the cabinet is immobilized during the interconnection.

In the remainder of the document, the term “busbar” refers indifferently to laminated busbars or busbar assemblies.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art set out above, the main objective of the invention is to enable simplified and rapid interconnection of electrical furniture to the electrical wiring of an aircraft.

To do this, the invention provides for producing an interconnection device allowing the interconnection of the electrical cabinet to the electrical wiring of the aircraft, this device being separate from the structure of the electrical cabinet.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a detachable interconnection device for an aircraft electrical unit equipped with electrical wiring, the device comprising a bus bar, at least one support plate and at least one cable connector structurally mounted on the or each support plate and in electrical contact with the bus bar.

The bus bar includes:

- at least one reversible mounting interface on a primary structure of the electrical furniture, and

- at least one hanging support on which the support plate(s) is fixed.

Advantageously, the interconnection device is said to be detachable because it is completely removable from the primary structure of the electrical cabinet, i.e. from the structure ensuring the mechanical strength of the cabinet. This device makes it possible to assemble the connectors to the bus bar in an open and accessible space before its installation on the electrical cabinet, providing savings in manufacturing and integration time of the cabinets as well as an increase in production rates.

Also advantageously, the interconnection device allows direct mounting of the bus bar which can therefore be installed directly on the electrical cabinet without specific adjustment of the latter.

Also advantageously, the cable connectors accompany the movements of the bus bar throughout the aircraft's flight cycles, thus reducing the constraints at the electrical junctions, which improves the reliability of the electrical connections.

According to preferred embodiments, taken alone or in combination:

- the hanging brackets are integrated into the bus bar;

- the support plate rests on the primary structure of the electrical cabinet;

- the support plate is made of insulating material;

- the support plate is made of metallic material and has an electrical insulation ring for each connector;

- a securing nut holds each connector on the support plate, and

- each connector is held in electrical contact on the bus bar by a clamping screw.

The invention also relates to a method of interconnecting an electrical unit to the electrical wiring of an aircraft with an interconnection device such as as defined above. The process takes place in the following steps:

- fixing the support plate on the bus bar;

- insertion of each connector into the support plate:

- contacting each connector with the bus bar;

- fixing the bus bar mounting interfaces on the primary structure of the electrical cabinet, and

- inserting a cable into each connector.

Advantageously, this method makes it possible to overcome the problems of accessibility to the bus bar during the electrical connection of the cabinet to the aircraft. Indeed, the connection of the bus bar is carried out before its installation on the cabinet and allows in particular easy handling of the electrical connectors.

In certain preferred forms of implementation, additional steps may be planned:

- a step of securing each connector on the support plate;

- a step of fixing each connector on the bus bar, and

- a connection testing step before the step of fixing the assembly interfaces on the primary structure of the electrical cabinet.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following reading of a detailed exemplary embodiment without limiting its scope, with reference to the appended figures which represent, respectively:

- figure 1, a front view of an example of electrical furniture of the prior art;

- Figure 2, a sectional view of a connection interface of the prior art;

- figure 3, a front view of an electrical cabinet according to the present invention;

- Figure 4, an exploded view of an interconnection device, and

- Figure 5, a sectional view of a connection interface according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the figures, identical reference signs refer to the same element and to the corresponding passages of the description.

Figure 1 illustrates a front view of an electrical cabinet 1 of the prior art. This electrical cabinet 1 of the prior art, installed in an aircraft, is built around a primary structure 1a which constitutes the structural framework of this electrical cabinet 1. In the example shown in Figure 1, the primary structure 1a of the electrical cabinet 1 comprises three boxes 1b of dimensions adapted to the electrical and/or electronic equipment that they house. These boxes 1b are connected to the electrical wiring of the aircraft by connectors 2a installed on a cut-off plate 1c of the primary structure.

Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the cut-off plate 1c along the plane A defined in Figure 1. This cut-off plate 1c has a front 1d and two side flaps 1e, only one of which is visible in the present view. This cut-off plate 1c is an integral part of the primary structure 1a.

The connector 2a is inserted into the front 1d of the cut-off plate 1c and is in contact with the bus bar 2b which rests on the support 1f of the primary structure 1a.

Figure 3 shows an electrical cabinet 1 equipped with an example of an interconnection device 2 of the present invention. This electrical cabinet 1 also comprises the three boxes 1 b which constitute the primary structure 1 a of the electrical cabinet 1. On these boxes 1 b is arranged a bus bar 2 b on which are attached two support plates 2 c respectively carrying three and two connectors 2 a. A section along plane B is shown in Figure 5 which is described below.

The exploded view of Figure 4 shows the interconnection device 2 of the support plate 2c carrying three connectors 2a. This device comprises the bus bar 2b, the support plate 2c and the three cable connectors 2a structurally mounted on the support plate 2c and in electrical contact with the bus bar 2b as illustrated in figure 5. The bus bar 2b is constituted by a plate 2d on which two holes 2e form two reversible mounting interfaces on the box 1b and therefore on the primary structure 1a of the electrical cabinet.

In addition, the bus bar 2b also comprises two attachment brackets 2f on which the support plate 2c is fixed. In this exemplary embodiment, the attachment brackets 2f are integrated and perpendicular to the plate 2d, and the attachment of the support plate 2c to the bus bar 2b - as well as the attachment of the bus bar 2d to the box 1b - is carried out using screw-nut assemblies (not shown).

Alternatively, other methods of fixing the support plate or the bus bar are possible, in particular by riveting or clipping. The hook supports 2f can also be oriented in the plane of the plate 2d or in any intermediate orientation, the support plate 2c then having a fixing interface adapted to the orientation of the hook supports.

The electrical contact between the connectors 2a and the bus bar 2b is made by interface tabs 2g, these extending perpendicular to the plate 2d of the bus bar 2b, and parallel to the attachment supports 2f of the support plate 2c. The distance between the interface tabs 2g and the attachment supports 2f is such that, once the connectors 2a are mounted on the support plate, they are in direct electrical contact with the interface tabs 2g.

Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the interconnection device 2 according to plane B of Figure 3. The bus bar 2b and the support plate 2c are supported on the structure of the box 1b. The connector 2a is installed in abutment in the support plate 2c and in contact with the interface tab 2g of the bus bar 2b. And the connector 2a is on the one hand, secured on the support plate 2c by a nut 3a and on the other hand, held in electrical contact on the interface tab 2g of the bus bar 2b by a clamping screw 3b.

According to one embodiment, the support plate 2c is made of insulating material, in particular plastic material or composite materials. According to another embodiment, the support plate 2c is a metallic material and comprises, as in FIG. 5, an electrical insulation ring 3c for each connector 2a. The interconnection of an electrical cabinet 1 to the electrical wiring of an aircraft with an interconnection device 2 of the present invention then takes place according to the following steps:

- fixing the support plate 2c on the bus bar 2b;

- insertion of each connector 2a into the support plate 2c:

- contacting each connector 2a with the bus bar 2b;

- fixing the mounting interfaces of the bus bar 2b on the primary structure 1a of the electrical cabinet 1, and

- inserting a cable into each connector 2a.

Thus, after the step of inserting the connectors 2a into the support plate 2c, a step of securing each of these connectors 2a on the support plate 2c can be advantageously carried out, in particular with the use of the securing nuts 3a.

Also, after the step of bringing the connectors 2a into contact with the bus bar 2b, a step of fixing each connector 2a on the bus bar is also advantageously carried out, in particular with the clamping screws 3b.

A connection test step is also possible, this being carried out before the step of fixing the assembly interfaces on the primary structure 1a of the electrical cabinet 1.

The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown. The bus bar may also include several separate interconnection zones, each being delimited by its support plate. Several bus bars may also be installed on the same electrical cabinet.

Claims

1. Detachable interconnection device (2) of an aircraft electrical cabinet (1) equipped with electrical wiring, the interconnection device (2) comprising a bus bar (2b), characterized in that the interconnection device comprises at least one support plate (2c) and at least one cable connector (2a) structurally mounted on the or each support plate (2c) and in electrical contact with the bus bar (2b) and in that the bus bar (2b) comprises at least one reversible mounting interface on a primary structure (1a) of the electrical cabinet (1) and at least one attachment support (2f) on which the or each support plate (2c) is fixed. 2. Interconnection device (2) according to the preceding claim, in which the attachment supports (2f) are integrated into the bus bar (2b). 3. Interconnection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, in which the support plate (2c) rests on the primary structure (1a) of the electrical cabinet (1). 4. Interconnection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the support plate (2c) is made of metallic material and comprises an electrical insulation ring (3c) for each connector (2a). 5. Interconnection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the support plate (2c) is made of insulating material. 6. Interconnection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which a securing nut (3a) holds each connector (2a) on the support plate (2c). 7. Interconnection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which each connector (2a) is held in electrical contact on the bus bar (2b) by a clamping screw (3b). 8. Method for interconnecting an electrical unit (1) to the electrical wiring of an aircraft with an interconnection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the interconnection takes place according to the following steps: - fixing the support plate (2c) on the bus bar (2b); - insertion of each connector (2a) into the support plate (2c): - contacting each connector (2a) with the bus bar (2b); - fixing the bus bar mounting interfaces (2b) on the primary structure (1a) of the electrical cabinet (1), and - inserting a cable into each connector (2a). 9. Interconnection method according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a step of securing each connector (2a) on the support plate (2c) after the step of inserting the connectors (2a) into the support plate (2c). 10. Interconnection method according to any one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a step of fixing each connector (2a) on the bus bar (2b) after the step of bringing the connectors (2a) into contact with the bus bar (2b). 11. Interconnection method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a step of testing the connections before the step of fixing the mounting interfaces on the primary structure (1a) of the electrical cabinet (1).