Appeal No. 2003-1379
Application No. 09/769,334
APPENDIX
1. An aircraft including a fuselage having a lower fuselage
part and a fluid tank located adjacent the lower fuselage part,
the fluid tank being at least partially filled with fluid and an
open cell foam material so that in the event of impact on the
lower fuselage part, fluid is constrained to flow through the
foam to provide controlled deformation of the lower fuselage
part.
3. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein cells of the
foam material not occupied with fluid and residual volume of the
tank are filled with a gas.
5. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the foam
material is an open cell polyurethane foam having an average cell
size within the foam arranged to provide a predetermined degree
of resistance to deformation of the lower fuselage part.
7. An aircraft according to claim 1 which includes a
landing gear structure which is arranged to provide primary high
energy absorption in the event of impact, the fluid tank
providing secondary high energy absorption in the event of
landing gear structural collapse.
8. A method of controlling deformation of a lower fuselage
part of an aircraft in the event of impact, the method including
providing a fluid tank located adjacent the lower fuselage part,
the fluid tank being at least partially filled with fluid and an
open cell foam material so that in the event of impact on the
lower fuselage part, fluid is constrained to flow through the
foam to provide controlled deformation of the lower fuselage
part.
9. A fluid tank for use in an aircraft including a fuselage
having a lower fuselage part, the fluid tank being at least
partially filled with fluid and an open cell foam material and
being adapted to be located adjacent the lower fuselage part.
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