Connection assembly for aircraft door

1. A system for opening a door of an aircraft, the system comprising:

a connection assembly adapted to connect the door to a fuselage section of the aircraft, the connection assembly including:

a main hinge pivotally connected to the fuselage section; and

a link assembly connecting the door to the main hinge and pivotally connected to the fuselage section, the link assembly including one member slidingly and pivotally connected to the door; and

a latch mechanism between the door and the main hinge, the latch mechanism being adapted to be actuated,

wherein the system is adapted to move the door upwardly and inwardly along a predetermined path without moving the main hinge through movement of the latch mechanism and, subsequently, to pivot the door around a virtual pivot point located outside of the aircraft by moving the main hinge once the door has reached an end of the predetermined path.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the connection assembly comprises:

a pair of first links each having a first connection point pivotally attached to the fuselage section at a respective fuselage location, a second connection point spaced apart from the first connection point and a first link axis extending between the first and second connection points thereof, the first link axes being non-parallel to one another, the fuselage locations being spaced apart and defining a first reference axis extending therebetween;

a pair of second links each having a first connection point pivotally attached to the door at a respective door location, a second connection point spaced apart from the first connection point and a second link axis extending between the first and second connection points thereof, the second link axes being non-parallel to one another, the door locations being spaced apart and defining a second reference axis extending therebetween;

one of the first links interconnecting the second connection points of the second links with a first connection axis being defined through the second connection points of the second links and having a different orientation than the first link axis of the one of the first links; and

one of the second links interconnecting the second connections points of the first links with a second connection axis being defined through the second connection points of the first link and having a different orientation than the second link axis of the one of the second links.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the pair of first links and the pair of second links are provided adjacent each one of two sides of the door.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first connection axis is non-parallel to the second reference axis when the door is in the closed position.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first connection axis is approximately parallel or parallel to the second reference axis when the door is in the opened position.

6. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the second connection axis is non-parallel to the first reference axis.

7. The system according to claim 2 , wherein, with the door in the closed position, the first link axes extend at about 7° from one another and the second link axes extend at about 62° from one another.

8. The system according to claim 2 , wherein, with the door in the closed position, the first link axes extend from 6.7° to 7.4° from one another and the second link axes extend from 59° to 65° from one another.

9. The system according to claim 2 , wherein, with the door in the closed position, the first link axes extend from 5.6° to 8.4° from one another and the second link axes extend from 50° to 74° from one another.

10. The system according to claim 2 , wherein, with the door in the closed position, the first connection axis and the second reference axis extend at about 8° from one another, and the second connection axis and the first reference axis extend at about 23° from one another.

11. The system according to claim 2 , wherein, with the door in the closed position, the first connection axis and the second reference axis extend from 7.6° to 8.4° from one another, and the second connection axis and the first reference axis extend from 22° to 24° from one another.

12. The system according to claim 2 , wherein, with the door in the closed position, the first connection axis and the second reference axis extend from 6.4° to 9.6° from one another, and the second connection axis and the first reference axis extend from 18° to 28° from one another.

13. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the one of the links of the second pair connected to the links of the first pair has the first connection thereof also slidingly connected to the door.

14. A method of opening a door of an aircraft, the door being connected to a fuselage section of the aircraft through a connection assembly including a main hinge pivotally connected to the fuselage section and a link assembly connecting the door to the main hinge and pivotally connected to the fuselage section, the link assembly including one member slidingly and pivotally connected to the door, the method comprising:

actuating a latch mechanism between the door and the main hinge;

moving the door upwardly and inwardly along a predetermined path without moving the main hinge through the movement of the latch mechanism; and

once the door has reached an end of the predetermined path, pivoting the door around a virtual pivot point located outside of the aircraft by moving the main hinge.