TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to aircraft door systems.

BACKGROUND

Many aircraft, such as helicopters, are standardly equipped with sliding doors for entering or exiting an aircraft. Purchasers of such aircraft may desire to have custom aircraft doors installed as an aftermarket modification. Existing systems typically lack the required range of motion, or they may distort during use due to aircraft motions or vibrations. Consequently, there is a need for mounting assemblies that enable custom aircraft doors to be installed in an effectively secured manner without sacrificing range of motion, or distortion.

SUMMARY

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a custom aircraft door mounting system that includes: a vertical support frame; a horizontal support beam coupled to the vertical support frame; and a vertical rolling motion enabled assembly for mounting the horizontal support beam to an overhead structure of an aircraft. In embodiments, the vertical rolling motion enabled assembly includes a first fitting configured to be mounted to the overhead structure of the aircraft. The first fitting includes a cam follower slot formed within the first fitting. The vertical rolling motion enabled assembly further includes an elastomeric bearing pivotally coupled to the horizontal support beam by a second fitting. The elastomeric bearing is coupled to a cam follower that is configured to slide vertically within the cam follower slot to accommodate relative motion between the horizontal support beam and the overhead structure of the aircraft.

Aspects of this disclosure relate more generally to any vertical rolling motion enabled assembly that includes: a first fitting configured to be mounted to an overhead structure of an aircraft, the first fitting including a cam follower slot formed within the first fitting; an elastomeric bearing pivotally coupled to a second fitting; and a cam follower coupled to the elastomeric bearing, the cam follower being configured to slide vertically within the cam follower slot to accommodate relative motion between the second fitting and the overhead structure of the aircraft.

Aspects of this disclosure also relate more generally to any aircraft door mounting system that includes: a door frame; a first fitting configured to be mounted to the overhead structure of the aircraft, the first fitting including a cam follower slot formed within the first fitting; an elastomeric bearing pivotally coupled to the door frame by a second fitting; and a cam follower coupled to the elastomeric bearing, the cam follower being configured to slide vertically within the cam follower slot to accommodate relative motion between the door frame and the overhead structure of the aircraft.

This Summary is provided solely as an introduction to subject matter that is fully described in the Detailed Description and Drawings. The Summary should not be considered to describe essential features nor be used to determine the scope of the Claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description are example and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the subject matter claimed.

