Drain mast connector
View Patent ↗A drain-mast connector, for use in transportation vehicles such as aircraft, includes an interface pipe which extends through an outer skin of a fuselage of an aircraft via a nipple-like connector. Such a connector allows for simple plug connection of the drain mast pipe and allows less contamination of the fuselage due to grey water disposal. Such a plug-like connection does not require a complicated mounting process.
1. A drain-mast connection for an aircraft having a fuselage with an exterior surface and an opening in the fuselage, the connection comprising:
an interface pipe including an integrally formed straight pipe piece substantially extending inside the fuselage of the aircraft, the straight pipe piece having a front third portion having an integrally formed nipple-like end portion extending from the straight pipe piece through the fuselage of the aircraft, the nipple-like end portion of the front third portion projecting beyond the exterior surface of the fuselage through the opening in the fuselage, and having on a second end of the interface pipe, opposite the first end of the interface pipe, a tapered opening, such that the interface pipe is a single piece fluidically coupling the tapered opening of the second end, projecting into the fuselage of the aircraft, to an outlet of the nipple-like end portion, projecting out of the fuselage;
a drain-mast pipe having a first end, the first end having an inner diameter wider than an inner diameter of the drain mast pipe adjacent to the first end such that the first end of the drain-mast pipe is positioned over the nipple-like end portion of the interface pipe, forming a coupling with the nipple-like end portion of the interface pipe, when the nipple-like end portion is inserted into the first end of the drain-mast pipe; and
the interface pipe includes a connection flange directly connected with an outer wall of the front third portion of the straight pipe piece and extending from the outer wall of the front third portion, such that the interface pipe is a single piece mechanically coupling the interface pipe to a mounting plate via the flange of the interface pipe such that the interface pipe is sealably coupled at the opening in the fuselage of the aircraft using the connection flange.
2. The drain-mast connection of claim 1 , wherein the interface pipe and the drain-mast pipe are connected to one another via a sleeve joint.
3. The drain-mast connection of claim 1 , wherein the drain-mast pipe has a curved shape and a second end, such that the second end is directed toward the rear of the aircraft as an outlet of the drain-mast pipe.
4. The drain-mast connection of claim 1 , wherein the drain-mast pipe is surrounded by a drain-mast housing sealingly attached via a flange connection against the exterior surface of the fuselage of the aircraft.
5. The drain-mast connection of claim 1 , wherein the interface pipe and the drain-mast pipe are equipped with a heating device.
6. The drain-mast connection of claim 5 , wherein the second end of the drain-mast pipe is provided with a heat-conducting metal bushing.
7. The drain-mast connection of claim 6 , wherein the metal bushing is made of copper.
8. An aircraft comprising the drain-mast connection of claim 1 .
9. A drain-mast connector for an aircraft, the aircraft having a fuselage with an opening, the connector comprising:
an interface pipe including an integrally formed straight pipe piece substantially extending inside the fuselage of the aircraft, the straight pipe piece having a front third portion having an integrally formed nipple-like end extending from the straight pipe piece outside of the fuselage through the opening in the fuselage of the aircraft when mounted to the aircraft fuselage, and having on a second end of the interface pipe, opposite the first end of the interface pipe, a tapered opening, such that the interface pipe is a single piece fluidically coupling the tapered opening of the second end, projecting into the fuselage of the aircraft when mounted to the aircraft fuselage, to an outlet of the nipple-like end portion, projecting out of the fuselage when mounted to the aircraft fuselage, and
the interface pipe includes a connection flange directly connected with an outer wall of the front third portion of the straight pipe piece of the interface pipe and extending from the outer wall of the front third portion such that the interface pipe is a single piece mechanically coupling the interface pipe to a mounting plate via the flange of the interface pipe such that the interface pipe is sealably mounted to the fuselage at the opening of the fuselage using the connection flange, wherein the nipple-like end extends through the opening and outside of the fuselage of the aircraft, when the interface pipe is mounted to the aircraft fuselage.
10. The drain-mast connector of claim 9 , wherein the connection flange is sealed against air leakage between the fuselage and the connection flange.
11. The drain mast connector of claim 10 , including a mounting plate, wherein the connection flange is mounted on the mounting plate using a threaded fastener to couple the connection flange and the mounting plate to the fuselage.