Patent ID: 11958609
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 16:
17. A method comprising:
installing an expandable aircraft lavatory in an aircraft, said expandable aircraft lavatory comprising:
an aircraft lavatory first footprint in an unexpanded aircraft lavatory configuration, said aircraft lavatory first footprint having an aircraft lavatory first footprint area, said aircraft lavatory first footprint bounded by at least three aircraft lavatory first footprint wall sections and a movable expandable wall-door, said movable expandable wall-door movable from an aircraft lavatory first footprint closed position to an aircraft lavatory first footprint open position, said movable expandable wall-door in a closed position bordering a passenger egress, said passenger egress located proximate to an aircraft door, said movable expandable wall-door comprising:
at least one wall-door panel, said at least one wall-door panel having a first expandable lavatory door panel area in the aircraft lavatory first footprint and in a stowed door panel configuration, said at least one wall-door panel having a second expandable lavatory door panel area in a deployed expandable lavatory door panel configuration;

an aircraft lavatory second footprint in an expanded aircraft lavatory configuration, said aircraft lavatory second footprint having an aircraft lavatory second footprint area, said aircraft lavatory second footprint bounded by at least three aircraft lavatory second footprint wall sections and the movable expandable wall-door, said movable expandable wall-door movable through a range of motion from an aircraft lavatory first footprint closed position to an aircraft lavatory second footprint closed position;
wherein said aircraft lavatory second footprint area is greater than the aircraft lavatory first footprint area;
wherein in the unexpanded aircraft lavatory configuration and in the aircraft lavatory first footprint the movable expandable wall-door in the aircraft lavatory first footprint closed position is configured to abut an aircraft door entry area; and
wherein in the expanded aircraft lavatory configuration and in the aircraft lavatory second footprint the movable expandable wall-door is configured to abut an aircraft aisle and is further configured to impede access to an aircraft door entry area.