Vent door system with lever mechanism
View Patent ↗An aircraft vent door system includes a vent door for a vent on an aircraft door. A cam, having a groove, is disposed on the vent door. The system also includes a movement assembly, which includes a roller disposed within the groove, and a lever coupled to the movement assembly. A portion of the lever extends beyond and proximate to the perimeter of the vent door. A second lever may also be attached to the aircraft door. The first lever pivots in response to the movement of the movement assembly, and urges the second lever to pivot. The second lever, in turn, urges the vent door open, thereby overcoming the sticking effect of, for example, built up ice or other obstructions.
1. A vent door system comprising:
a vent door;
a cam disposed on the vent door, the cam having a groove defined thereon;
a movement assembly comprising a roller and an arm, the roller being disposed within the groove, the arm being attached to the roller such that when the arm pivots, the roller rolls along the groove, thereby urging the cam and the vent door to pivot away from the vent; and
a lever coupled to the movement assembly, a portion of the lever extending beyond and proximate to the perimeter of the vent door such that when the roller rolls along the grove, the lever pivots, thereby forcing the portion extending beyond the door in a direction opposite to the direction in which the vent door is opening so that the portion contacts a surface beyond the vent door to cause the lever to drive the vent door in the direction in which the vent door is opening.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lever is a first lever, the system further comprising a second lever disposed beyond the perimeter of the vent door and proximate to the portion of the first lever that extends beyond the perimeter of the vent door.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the cam is attached to the vent door, and a second portion of the cam is pivotally attached to a surface outside of the vent door.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the arm is a first arm, the movement assembly further comprises a second arm, and a rod having a longitudinal axis, the first and second arms being connected to the rod and arranged to pivot around the longitudinal axis such that, when the rod rotates about its longitudinal axis, the first and second arms move correspondingly, the second arm being coupled to the lever.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the cam is a first cam, the system further comprising a second cam disposed on the vent door generally parallel to and facing the first cam, the second cam having defined thereon a groove, the movement assembly further comprises a third arm, the third arm having a roller that is disposed within the groove, the third arm being connected to the rod.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lever is pivotally attached to the vent door and the arm is a first arm, the movement assembly further comprising a second arm that is coupled to the lever when the vent door is opened and, during opening of the vent door, urges the portion of the lever that extends beyond the vent door against the surface that is beyond the vent door.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein, when the vent door enters a partially open position, the second arm decouples from the lever.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vent door comprises a generally planar panel, a wall that surrounds and is generally perpendicular to the panel, the panel and the wall defining a cavity, and a generally planar member disposed within the cavity and attached to the panel, the cam being attached to the member.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an aircraft door having a vent opening defined therein, wherein, when the vent door is in a closed position, the vent door is seated within the opening.
10. A vent door system for an aircraft, the vent door system comprising:
a vent door having at least an open position, the vent door being attached to a door of the aircraft;
a movement assembly linked to the vent door;
a first lever pivotally attached to the vent door, the lever being coupled to the movement assembly when the vent door is in its closed position and uncoupled from the movement assembly when the vent door is in its open position; and
a second lever pivotally attached to the aircraft door, a first portion of the second lever being in contact with the first lever and a second portion of the second lever being in contact with the vent door, such that the movement assembly pivots the first lever in a direction toward the first portion of the second lever to cause the first lever and the second portion of the second lever to drive the vent door in a direction toward the open position.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the second lever are on opposite sides of the pivot of the second lever.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the movement assembly includes an arm with a hooked end, and the first lever has a first end that protrudes beyond the periphery of the vent door and a second end, the hooked end of the arm being coupled to the second end of the first lever when the vent door is in its closed position.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein when the movement assembly pulls the door toward its open position, the hooked end of the arm pulls on the second end of the first lever, causing the first lever to pivot and urge the first end of the first lever against the first portion of the second lever.
14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a cam attached to the door, the cam having defined thereon a groove, wherein the movement assembly includes an arm to which the roller is attached, such that when the arm pivots, the roller rolls along the groove and thereby urges the cam and the vent door away from a vent.
15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a cam including a first portion attached to the vent door and a second portion pivotally attached to a surface outside of the vent door.
16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a cam attached to the door, the cam having defined thereon a groove, wherein the movement assembly further comprises a first arm, a second arm having a roller attached thereto, and a rod, the first and second arms being connected to the rod such that, when the rod rotates about its longitudinal axis, the first and second arms move correspondingly, the first arm being coupled to the first lever, the roller being disposed within the groove.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first lever is pivotally attached at a fulcrum point to the vent door, the movement assembly further comprising an arm that is coupled to the first lever when the vent door is opened and, during opening of the vent door, urges the portion of the first lever that extends beyond the vent door against the second lever which, in turn, pivots and applies pressure to a peripheral lip of the vent door thereby urging the vent door open.
18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the vent door comprises a generally planar panel, a wall that surrounds, and is generally perpendicular to the panel, the panel and the wall defining a cavity, and a generally planar member disposed within the cavity and attached to the panel the movement assembly being attached to the generally planar member.
19. The system of claim 10 , further comprising an aircraft door having a vent opening defined therein, wherein, when the vent door is in a closed position, it is seated within the opening.
20. An aircraft door venting system, the system comprising:
an aircraft door having a vent;
a vent door having an open position and a closed position, the vent door being seated within the vent when the vent door is in the closed position;
a rod disposed proximate to the vent door and rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
a first arm and a second arm attached to the rod, the first and second arms being generally perpendicular to the rod and pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the rod, the first arm having a hooked end, the second arm having attached thereto a roller;
a cam having a first portion that is attached to the vent door and a second portion that is pivotally attached to a surface of the aircraft door, the cam having defined thereon a groove, the roller being disposed within the groove;
a first lever pivotally attached to the vent door, a first end of the first lever being coupled to the hooked end of the first arm when the vent door is in the closed position and a second end of the first lever extending beyond the periphery of the vent door; and
a second lever pivotally attached to the aircraft door, the first lever urging the second lever to pivot in response to movement of the first arm, the second lever urging the vent door to the open position in response to the urging of the first lever.