US 12,258,804 B2
Hinge assembly for an aircraft door
Michael T. Mortland, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by THE BOEING COMPANY, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/971,857.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133225 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0229527 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. E05D 3/12 (2006.01); E05D 5/06 (2006.01); E05F 15/614 (2015.01); E05F 15/63 (2015.01); B64C 1/14 (2006.01)
CPC E05D 3/122 (2013.01) [E05D 3/127 (2013.01); E05D 5/062 (2013.01); E05F 15/614 (2015.01); E05F 15/63 (2015.01); B64C 1/1407 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hinge assembly for connecting a door to a fuselage of an aircraft, the hinge assembly comprising:
a hinge arm having a fuselage fitting at a first end and a door fitting at a second end, the fuselage fitting configured to pivotably couple to a fuselage rotatable interface mounted to the fuselage adjacent a door opening of the aircraft, the door fitting configured to pivotably couple to a door rotatable interface of the door; and
a programmable gear assembly coupled to the hinge arm, the programmable gear assembly configured to allow the hinge arm to pivot around the fuselage fitting when the door is moved from a door closed position to a door open position, the programmable gear assembly further configured to cause the door to move along a programed path relative to the fuselage as the door moves from the door closed position to the door open position;
wherein the programmable gear assembly includes a fuselage gear coupled to the fuselage fitting, a door gear coupled to the door fitting, and a rack operably coupled between the fuselage gear and the door gear, the programmable gear assembly including a first gear set at the first end, the first gear set including the fuselage gear, a rack drive gear, and at least one intermediary gear between the fuselage gear and the rack drive gear, wherein at least one intermediary gear transfers relative rotational motion of the fuselage gear to the rack drive gear, the rack drive gear engaging the rack to move the rack between a retracted position and an advanced position, the rack rotating the door gear as the rack moves between the retracted position and the advanced position.