FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to hinges and, more particularly, to locking hinge apparatus for aircraft doors.

BACKGROUND

Aircraft employ access doors or panels to perform maintenance operations one or more components of the aircraft. To facilitate maintenance operations, some aircraft doors (e.g., strut doors) employ a locking hinge that automatically locks movement of the doors to an open position upon moving the door to a fully open position.

SUMMARY

An example locking hinge apparatus includes a hinge base to couple to a frame of an aircraft. A hinge gooseneck is to pivotally couple a door to the hinge base. The hinge gooseneck is to allow the door to move between a closed position and an open position relative to the frame. A lever is pivotally coupled to the hinge base. The lever is to pivot relative to the hinge base between a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction. The lever includes a lock to engage a portion of the hinge gooseneck to prevent rotational movement of the door relative to the frame when the door is in the open position. A biasing element is to urge the lever in the first rotational direction.

An example locking hinge disclosed herein includes a hinge base to couple to a frame of an aircraft. A hinge gooseneck is pivotally coupled to the hinge base. The hinge gooseneck to couple a door of the aircraft to the hinge base. A lock assembly is to lock a position of the door in an open position when the door is moved to a fully open position. The lock assembly includes a lever pivotally coupled to the hinge base. The lever is to pivot relative to the hinge base between a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction. The lever includes a cam surface to be engaged by the hinge gooseneck when the door approaches the fully open position. The hinge gooseneck is to cause the lever to pivot in the second rotational direction when the cam surface is engaged by the hinge gooseneck. A biasing element is to urge the lever toward the first rotational direction.

An example apparatus disclosed herein includes means for pivotally coupling a door to a frame of an aircraft. The means for pivotally coupling includes first means for attaching to the door and second means for attaching to the frame. The first means for attaching is pivotally coupled to the second means for attaching to enable rotation of the door relative to the frame between an open position and a closed position. The example includes means for locking pivotal movement of the door relative to the frame when the door is in an open position. The means for locking is rotatably coupled to the second means for attaching. The means for locking to rotate relative to the second means for attaching between a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.

An example method includes: rotating a hinge gooseneck relative to a hinge base about a first pivot axis between a closed position and an open position; in response to rotating the hinge gooseneck relative to the hinge base from the closed position to the open position, pivoting a lever in a second rotational direction about a second pivot axis different than the first pivot axis via an engagement between a protrusion of the hinge gooseneck and the lever as the hinge gooseneck approaches the open position; and biasing the lever in a first rotational direction opposite the second rotational direction about the second pivot axis to cause a recess of the lever to engage the protrusion of the hinge gooseneck to lock pivotal movement of the hinge gooseneck relative to the hinge when the hinge gooseneck is in the open position. In some examples, the method also includes rotating the lever in the second rotational direction to cause the lever to release the protrusion of the hinge gooseneck and allow rotation of the hinge gooseneck to move to the closed position.

