Abstract:
An aircraft including a fuselage having at least one seat frame attached to a seating surface. A seat including a seating surface, backrest and armrest. An air supply channel including an outflow element coupled to the seat providing air flow to the interior of the aircraft, and an exhaust air channel including an inflow element disposed on the ceiling of the aircraft interior. Climate control is provided for at least a partial area of the interior of the aircraft by supplying air into the interior through an outflow element which is part of a seat, and exhaust air is drawn off at least at the ceiling of the interior.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates to an aircraft having at least one supply air duct and at least one exhaust air duct and at least one seat, wherein the supply air duct and the exhaust air duct and the seat are disposed in the interior of the aircraft and the seat contains a seat frame, with which the seat is fastened to a part of the fuselage, and a seat cushion and/or an optional backrest and/or an optional armrest. 
         [0002]    An aircraft of the type stated in the introduction is known from DE 10 2007 049 926 A1. According to this prior art, the passenger cabin is fed supply air or conditioned air by means of a supply air duct in the floor region. This air is then warmed by the passengers and other thermal loads and consequently rises within the cabin. At the highest point of the cabin is found a exhaust air duct, via which the spent air is extracted from the cabin. 
         [0003]    This previously known climatization system does not however allow individual influencing of the air quality or air quantity by the individual passengers. The object of the invention is to allow individual passengers or users of the aircraft an individual climate control. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    According to the invention, it is proposed to feed the supply air to the interior of an aircraft via at least one outflow element, which is connected to at least one aircraft seat or is part of the aircraft seat. In this way, a microclimate, which covers roughly a spatial area occupied by an individual passenger, can be created within the aircraft cabin. The cabin climatization can thus be influenced individually by the respective passenger. Furthermore, the proposed ventilation or climatization system avoids the occurrence of draft air, so that the wellbeing of the passengers within the aircraft is enhanced. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment of the invention, the outflow element can be fitted under the seat cushion. In this embodiment, the outflow element can be arranged to introduce an air flow in the direction of the floor of the interior or in proximity to the floor of the aircraft. In this way, a displacement flow is formed beneath the seat, so that the supplied supply air rises slowly alongside the passengers. The occurrence of draft air can hereby be reliably prevented. By proximity to the floor is understood, in some embodiments of the invention, a zone between 0 cm and 30 cm. In other embodiments of the invention, the term proximate to the floor denotes a zone between 10 cm and 25 cm or between 15 cm and 20 cm, respectively measured from the cabin floor. In some embodiments of the invention, the supply air is introduced proximate to the floor, yet the air flow is not, or not fully directed in the direction of the cabin floor. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments of the invention, the aircraft or the seat frame can further have an intermediate air duct having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the intermediate air duct is connected to the supply air duct and the second end of the intermediate air duct is connected to the outflow element. In this way, the outflow element can be arranged freely in the region of the seat. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments of the invention, the outflow element can be integrated in the seat cushion and/or the backrest and/or the armrest of the seat. As a result, a heating and/or ventilation of the contact area of the passenger with the seat is realized. A build-up of heat between the body of the passenger and the seat is thereby reliably prevented. In other embodiments of the invention, supply air can be led up through the upper part of the seat back directly into the head region of the passenger. In further embodiments of the invention, an outflow element can be arranged in the backrest of the seat such that this provides supply air for the passenger seated behind it. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments of the invention, the aircraft can further have a exhaust air duct running on the ceiling of the interior. In this way, the spent air, which has been warmed by the thermal loads present in the aircraft cabin, can rise through natural convection and be extracted at the highest point of the cabin. As thermal loads in the interior of the aircraft can qualify, in particular, the passengers and the electrical energy consuming devices disposed in the interior. In particular, this can be the installed entertainment electronics. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments of the invention, the aircraft further has at least one control device, by means of which the air quantity discharged from the outflow elements and/or the air temperature and/or the flow can be influenced. In some embodiments of the invention, the control device can be disposed within reach of the passenger, so that he can influence the air quantity flowing out from his seat or in the region of his seat and/or the temperature and/or flow velocity thereof. The control device can in some embodiments of the invention also be a regulating device or contain a regulating device, so that the air quantity, the air temperature and/or the flow velocity can be adjusted to predefinable desired values. 
         [0010]    The air supplied via the at least one supply air duct and the outflow elements can in some embodiments of the invention be a mixing air conditioned in a mixing air system. The waste air removed from the cabin via the exhaust air duct can be fed at least partially to the mixing air system. Furthermore, supply air can be fed to the mixing air system. In some embodiments, the supply air can be supplied by means of a compressor. In some embodiments, the supply air can contain or consist of engine bleed air. The air conditioned in the mixing air-system is then fed back to the cabin via the supply air duct and the outflow elements. The conditioning of the air can comprise a filtering and/or a humidification and/or further measures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The invention shall be explained in greater detail below with reference to figures without limitation of the general inventive concept, wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a cross section through the fuselage of an aircraft equipped with the climatization system according to the invention, 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows the side view of a seat equipped according to the invention, 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of an outflow element. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a cross section through the fuselage  10  of an aircraft  1 . The fuselage  10  is divided by an intermediate floor  18 . Beneath the intermediate floor  18  is disposed a cargo hold  3 . Above the intermediate floor  18  is located a passenger cabin  12 . 
         [0016]    The cargo hold  3 , the bilge  11 , the triangular region  20  and the passenger cabin  12  are pressurized with compressed air in cruising flight at high altitudes, so that the internal pressure in the fuselage  10  is greater than the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. Furthermore, the cargo hold  3 , the bilge  11 , the triangular region  20  and the passenger cabin  12  can be climatized to a predefinable temperature and/or a regular air exchange and/or an air conditioning can be realized. In the passenger cabin  12 , oxygen is consumed by the passengers and CO 2  given off. Also located in the passenger cabin  12  is electronic equipment, which generates additional thermal loads, for instance an inflight entertainment system. The demands on the climatization are therefore normally greater in the passenger cabin  12  than in the other regions. In some embodiments, the climatization can therefore be limited to the passenger cabin  12 . For the passenger cabin  12 , the term “interior” is therefore used synonymously in the following description. 
         [0017]    In the interior  12 , seats  2  are found. A 2-4-2 configuration is represented. Of course, the invention is not limited to this seat arrangement. Rather, other seat arrangements can also be provided. Above the seats  2  in the direction of the cabin ceiling  19  are found optional bins  13 , which serve to receive the hand baggage of the passengers. 
         [0018]    Beneath or within the intermediate floor  18  is found at least one supply air duct  14 . In the represented embodiment, 8 supply air ducts are provided by way of example. In other embodiments of the invention, the number of supply air ducts can be larger or smaller and in some embodiments lie between 1 and 60. In some embodiments of the invention, the form of the cross section of the supply air ducts can vary. 
         [0019]    On the seat  2  is found at least one outflow element  5 , as is explained in yet greater detail in connection with  FIG. 2 . The outflow element  5  serves to feed air to the interior from at least one supply air duct  14 . Furthermore, the outflow element  5  can influence the air quantity fed to the cabin, or the blow-out direction, through the use of corresponding control elements. As a control element, a flap and/or a nozzle and/or a plurality of movable fins can be used. The outflow element  5  is connected up to at least one supply air duct  14 , so that the air flowing in the supply air duct  14  can be discharged through the outflow element  5  into the passenger cabin  12 . 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 1 , an outflow element  5  disposed in the floor region or on the seat frame is represented on the port side of the aircraft. This outflow element produces a displacement flow  42  beneath the associated seat  2 , so that the spent air rises upward in the direction of the cabin ceiling  19 . With reference to the center row, on the starboard side of the aircraft the working method of a further outflow element  5  is shown. The outflow element  5  is located in the seat cushion and/or the seat back of the seat  2 . The air is drawn from a supply air duct  14  and fed to the outflow element  5  via an intermediate air duct  6 . The air then flows out of the seat cushion and/or the seat back between the contact area of the passenger and the seat and forms a rising air flow  41 , which likewise flows in the direction of the cabin ceiling  19 . With such a flow, an individual heating and/or ventilation can be performed at the site of the passenger. 
         [0021]    The rising air flows  41  and  42  are extracted via at least one exhaust air duct  15 . Between the exhaust air duct  15  and the interior  12  can be arranged ventilating elements  16 , which can influence the air quantity fed to the exhaust air duct  15 . 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the aircraft  1  can be provided with a mixing air system  8 . The mixing air system  8  here has at least two inlets  81  and  82  and at least one outlet  83  auf. At the first inlet  81 , the air from the exhaust air duct  15  is fed at least partially to the mixing air system  8 . It can here be provided to lead off a part of the air present in the exhaust air duct  15  via an outlet valve into the open air and replace it by supply air, so that the air quantity in the cabin remains constant. In some embodiments, the air drawn from the exhaust air duct  15  can be conditioned prior to re-entry into the cabin. The conditioning can comprise, for instance, a filtering of dust particles or germs. In some embodiments, the conditioning can also comprise a drying and/or humidification. 
         [0023]    At the second inlet  82  of the mixing air system  8 , supply air can be supplied. Due to the low ambient pressure at high altitudes, the supply air at the inlet  82  can be brought to increased pressure by means of a compressor  17 . In some embodiments of the invention, the compressor of at least one engine, which provides compressed and warmed engine bleed air at the second inlet  82 , can be used as the compressor  17 . 
         [0024]    The outlet  83  of the mixing air systems  8  is in this case connected to the at least one supply air duct  14 , which relays to the outflow elements  5  the air provided by the mixing air system  8 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows an aircraft seat  2  which is known per se. The seat  2  has a seat cushion  23  and a seat back  22 . The back  22  can be movably connected to the seat cushion  23  and be individually adjusted by the passenger. The seat  2  can further have an armrest  24 . The armrest  24  can be fixedly or movably connected to the seat  2 . The seat  2  is connected to the floor  18  of the interior  12  by means of a seat frame  25 . 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 2 , the seat  2  further has a plurality of outflow elements  5  auf. Each represented outflow element does not have to be present in every embodiment of the invention. Rather, in some embodiments of the invention, only individual outflow elements  5  can be disposed on the seat  2 . In other embodiments of the invention, a plurality of outflow elements  5  can also be provided. 
         [0027]    The outflow element  5   a  is located on the side of the seat frame  25 . The outflow element  5   a  can be arranged to produce a displacement flow beneath the seat  2  or beneath the seat cushion  23 , so that the spent air rises in the direction of the cabin ceiling  19 . An outflow element  5   b  can be disposed within or beneath the seat cushion  23 . The outflow element  5   b  can produce an upwardly directed flow, which is discharged through the seat cushion  23  and thus allows direct heating and/or cooling and/or ventilation of the contact area between the seat  2  and the passenger. In other embodiments of the invention, the outflow element  5   b  can alternatively or additionally produce a flow directed downward in the direction of the cabin floor  18 , or an air flow admitted in proximity to the floor, in order thereby to provide a displacement flow, as explained in connection with the outflow element  5   a . In the seat back  22  can be provided an outflow element  5   c , which provides a forwardly directed flow  4   c . The flow  4   c  can likewise enable the ventilation, cooling and/or heating of that part-surface of the backrest  22  which is in contact with the passenger. In the backrest  22  can further be disposed an outflow element  5   d , which produces a flow  4   d . The flow  4   d  here serves to ventilate the air space of that passenger who uses the seat behind the represented seat  2 . 
         [0028]    As is represented with reference to the element  5   a , the outflow elements  5  can be directly connected to a supply air duct beneath the cabin floor  18 . Insofar as the outflow elements have a greater distance from the cabin floor  18 , for instance the outflow element  5   b , these can be connected to the supply air duct  14  running beneath the floor  18  by means of an intermediate air duct  6 . To this end, the intermediate air duct  6  has at least one first end  61  and at least one second end  62 . Here the first end  61  is connected up to the supply air duct  14  and the second end  62  is connected to the outflow element  5   b . In the same way, the outflow elements  5   c ,  5   d  and  5   e  can also be connected by further intermediate air ducts  6  to the supply air duct  14 . The intermediate air duct  6  can run along the seat frame  25  or be, as a tubular element, a direct component part of the seat frame  25 . In this case, the first end  61  can be part of the fastening system of the seat frame  25  to the floor  18  of the interior and thus, at the same time, provide a fluid-tight connection to the supply air duct  14  and a mechanical fastening. 
         [0029]    Furthermore, an outflow element  5   e  can be disposed in the armrest  24 . Such an outflow element  5   e  allows the passenger to influence the microclimate in the region of his seat, so that the passenger can adjust his individual supply air supply and/or an individual temperature at his seat. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments of the invention, a control device  7  can be provided in the armrest  24 . With the control device  7 , the passenger can individually influence the air quantity discharged from the outflow elements  5  of his seat  2  and/or the air temperature and/or the flow velocity and/or the outflow direction. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of an outflow element  5 . The outflow element represented in  FIG. 3  has a roughly cuboid hollow body  53 . Of course, the basic shape of the hollow body  53  is chosen only by way of example and can in other embodiments of the invention assume a different form. Within the scope of the invention, modifications and changes can be made to the shape and number and arrangement of the openings in order to adapt the outflow element  5  to the respective installation situation at the seat  2 . The hollow body can serve as an air distributor of the supply air and/or as an air mixer of different supply air flows and/or as a sound damper for reducing the outflow noises of the supply air. 
         [0032]    The hollow body  53  has on its bottom side at least one opening  51 , by means of which it is connected up to at least one supply air duct  14 . The connection between the openings  51  and the supply air duct  14  can be created directly and/or be realized by means of further intermediate air ducts  6 . Hence an air quantity  44  can enter into the interior of the outflow element  5  or its hollow body  53 . 
         [0033]    On a further outer face of the hollow body  53  is found at least one discharge opening  52 . A greater number of discharge openings  52  is represented, which discharge openings are arranged roughly in a grid pattern on the discharge surface of the outflow element  5 . A large air quantity with low flow velocity can hereby be admitted into the interior  12 , so that disagreeable draft air phenomena and/or loud outflow noises are avoided. Finally, the air drawn from the supply air duct  14  flows via the discharge openings  52  as supply air  43  into the interior  12 . 
         [0034]    The outflow element  5  represented in  FIG. 3  can be fastened, for instance as a laterally mounted outflow element  5   a , to the seat frame  25 , as is explained with reference to  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the outflow element  5  represented in  FIG. 3  can also be employed in a turned position within or beneath the seat cushion  23  and/or the seat back  22 . 
         [0035]    The invention is not, of course, limited to the embodiments represented in the figure and the illustrative embodiments. The above description should therefore not be regarded as limiting, but as illustrative. The following claims should be construed such that a named feature is present in at least one embodiment of the invention. This does not preclude the presence of further features. Insofar as the claims and the above description define “first” and “second” features, then this notation serves to differentiate between two similar features without stipulating an order of precedence.