IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,297,677
Granted Patent B2
US 12,297,677 · App. 18/145,429 · Granted May 13, 2025

Reduced volume latch, lock, vent and handle mechanism for an apparatus door

Inventors: Michael Anthony Fleming (Bellevue, WA); David Hummer (Everett, WA)
Assignee: The Boeing Company
E05C1/004E05C1/06B64C2001/009B64C1/1407
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,297,677
App. No.
18/145,429
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods provide for technology that moves a vent panel into a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow an apparatus to be pressurized. In the pressurization position, a first protrusion abuts a door structure. The vent panel is coupled with the first protrusion. The technology moves the vent panel to a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to depressurize the apparatus. In the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure. The technology moves the vent panel to an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position. In the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure.

Claims (50)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a door structure; and

a first protrusion that is positionable to abut the door structure; and

a vent panel coupled with the first protrusion, wherein the vent panel is movable between

a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow the apparatus to be pressurized, wherein in the pressurization position the first protrusion abuts the door structure,

a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to prevent pressurization of the apparatus, wherein in the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure, and

an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position, wherein in the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure,

wherein the first protrusion prevents the vent panel from moving from the intermediate position to the depressurization position when the first protrusion abuts the door structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a wall, wherein the intermediate position includes intermediate positions, and the vent panel is configured to slide along the wall when moving between the intermediate positions.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the vent panel is configured to slide along a wall surface of the wall, and the first protrusion is configured to abut a door surface of the door structure, wherein the wall surface is parallel to the door surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a handle that is coupled with the vent panel to control the vent panel to move between the pressurization position, the depressurization position, and the intermediate position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate position includes a plurality of intermediate positions and a rotational axis of the vent panel has an eccentric rotation when moving the vent panel among the plurality of intermediate positions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

when the first protrusion moves out of an abutment position with the door structure, the vent panel is movable from the intermediate position to the depressurization position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a vent panel closing interlock that contacts the vent panel and is rotatable from a first position to a second position as the vent panel moves from the intermediate position to the depressurization position, and is rotatable from the second position to the first position when the vent panel is in the depressurization position to lock the vent panel in the depressurization position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the vent panel forms an exterior wall of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the door structure overhangs the vent panel.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a door structure;

a first protrusion that is positionable to abut the door structure;

a vent panel coupled with the first protrusion, wherein the vent panel is movable between

a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow the apparatus to be pressurized, wherein in the pressurization position the first protrusion abuts the door structure,

a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to prevent pressurization of the apparatus, wherein in the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure, and

an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position, wherein in the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure;

a handle that is coupled with the vent panel to control the vent panel to move between the pressurization position, the depressurization position, and the intermediate position; and

a second protrusion coupled with the vent panel to be movable into a position to abut a portion of the handle when the vent panel moves from the pressurization position to the depressurization position.

11. A method comprising:

moving a vent panel into a pressurization position to close a depressurization vent to allow an apparatus to be pressurized, wherein in the pressurization position a first protrusion abuts a door structure, wherein the vent panel is coupled with the first protrusion;

moving the vent panel to a depressurization position to open the depressurization vent to depressurize the apparatus, wherein in the depressurization position the first protrusion is separated from the door structure;

moving the vent panel to an intermediate position between the pressurization position and the depressurization position, wherein in the intermediate position the first protrusion abuts the door structure; and

preventing, with the first protrusion, the vent panel from moving from the intermediate position to the depressurization position when the first protrusion abuts the door structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate position includes intermediate positions, and

the method further comprises sliding the vent panel along a wall when moving between the intermediate positions.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein further comprising:

sliding the vent panel along a wall surface of the wall; and

abutting the first protrusion against a door surface of the door structure, wherein the wall surface is parallel to the door surface.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein further comprising:

moving a handle coupled with the vent panel to control the vent panel to move between the pressurization position, the depressurization position, and the intermediate position.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

moving a second protrusion coupled with the vent panel to a position to abut a portion of the handle when the vent panel moves from the pressurization position to the depressurization position.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate position includes a plurality of intermediate positions, and

the method further comprises moving a rotational axis of the vent panel along an eccentric rotation when moving the vent panel among the plurality of intermediate positions.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

moving, when the first protrusion moves out of an abutment position with the door structure, the vent panel from the intermediate position to the depressurization position.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

contacting the vent panel with a vent panel closing interlock that rotates from a first position to a second position as the vent panel moves from the intermediate position to the depressurization position; and

rotating the vent panel closing interlock from the second position to the first position when the vent panel is in the depressurization position to lock the vent panel in the depressurization position.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the vent panel forms an exterior wall of an apparatus.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising overhanging the door structure over the vent panel.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2022
From: FLEMING, MICHAEL ANTHONY; HUMMER, DAVID
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 062188/0811 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240209663A1 · Jun 27, 2024
References Cited (22)
US 4473201A · Barnes et al. · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 5305969A · Odell et al. · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5337977A · Fleming · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5823473A · Odell et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5931415A · Lingard et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6454210B1 · Plattner · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 8201777B2 · Wilson et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8298055B2 · Schiek · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8991761B2 · Pritzen et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 10752331B2 · Bessettes et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20060006285A1 · Puschmann et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20110049299A1 · Gowing et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20130327892A1 · Gowing et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20190063116A1 · Zou · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20220126974A1 · Louvel et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220135201A1 · Mortland · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 1082003C · 2002 [cited by applicant]
FR 2686568A1 · 1993 [cited by applicant]
FR 3043059B1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020182766A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021165896A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report, Application No. 23212497.4, Dated Jun. 6, 2024, Five Pages. [cited by applicant]