Thrust recovery outflow valve with a single bi-fold door and method of controlling aircraft cabin pressure

摘要

A bi-fold valve door and method for controlling aircraft cabin pressure are provided. The bi-fold valve door includes an aft door section and a forward door section, and only the forward door section is selectively rotated about one rotational axis to a position between a closed position and a full-open position, while the aft door section is maintained in its closed position. The forward door section is selectively rotated about the rotational axis to a full-open position to engage the aft door section, while the aft door section is maintained in its closed position. When the forward door section is in the full-open position, the aft door section and the forward door section are simultaneously rotated about another rotational axis.

主权项

1. A thrust recovery outflow valve, comprising:
a valve frame configured to be mounted on an aircraft exterior skin, the valve frame including an inner surface that defines a flow passage through the valve frame; and a bi-fold valve door mounted within the valve frame and comprising an aft door section and a forward door section, the aft door section rotationally coupled directly to the valve frame, the aft door section rotatable, relative to the valve frame and about a first rotational axis, between an aft door closed position and an aft door full-open position, the forward door section rotationally coupled directly to the aft door section and configured to receive a rotational drive torque, the forward door section rotatable, relative to the valve frame and the aft door section and about a second rotational axis, between a forward door closed position and a forward door full-open position, the second rotational axis separate from the first rotational axis, wherein the aft door section and the forward door section are disposed at identical angles relative to the valve frame when the aft door section is in the aft door closed position and the forward door section is in the forward door closed position, and wherein the bi-fold valve door is configured such that when a positive pressure is applied from a cabin side of the bi-fold valve door:
the aft door section is in the aft door closed position and does not rotate whenever the forward door section is not in the forward door full-open position, andwhen the forward door section is in the forward door full-open position, the forward door section engages the aft door section to selectively transfer rotational drive torque supplied to the forward door section to the aft door section to rotate the aft door section, simultaneously with the forward door section, about the first rotational axis, to thereby rotate the aft door section between the aft door closed position and the aft door full-open position.