Abstract:
The invention relates to a device holder for mounting devices in a vehicle. Said device holder comprises at least one external rack and at least one internal rack. The at least one external rack can be mounted on the vehicle structure and has a storage space that is designed to introduce and releasably attach the at least one internal rack. The internal rack has means for forming at least one compartment that has a variable size in order to introduce and mount at least one device. The device holder according to the invention can be particularly well adjusted to the devices that are to be integrated into the vehicle, can optimally utilize the available space, and can be equipped with user-specific devices in standard racks.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/066,969 filed Feb. 25, 2008, and of German Patent Application No. 10 2008 011 026.4 filed Feb. 25, 2008, the disclosure of which applications is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention pertains to an equipment carrier for mounting equipment in a vehicle. 
       TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In modern vehicles such as, for example, passenger aircraft, there is an increasing trend to install technical equipment that does not contribute to the actual operability of the vehicle, but rather fulfills other functions. This equipment may consist, for example, of on-board entertainment or communications equipment. Equipment of this type is usually installed into designated equipment carriers that are arranged at special preferred installation points within the vehicle. In passenger aircraft, for example, such installation points may be situated underneath the cockpit, within overhead stowage compartments or at the other suitable locations. With respect to passenger aircraft, the aforementioned equipment, which is also referred to as “commercial equipment,” is for the most part separated locally or at least from the supply of avionics equipment required for the safe operation of the aircraft. A conventional equipment carrier usually consists of a closed housing that is preferably realized in the form of a sandwich structure with metal reinforcements, wherein this housing is fireproof and smokeproof and mounted on the aircraft structure in a suspended or standing fashion with the aid of braces. There furthermore exist equipment carriers with an open design that are realized in a self-supporting fashion. Equipment carriers are also connected, in particular, to the electrical system for supplying the equipment and to a cooling system of the aircraft for dissipating waste heat of the equipment. Customer-specific adaptations can be realized in the interior of the equipment carrier. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In existing solutions of equipment carriers for aircraft, it is disadvantageous that existing equipment carriers are only individually developed for certain equipment and equipment, the type of which is predefined by the configuration of the aircraft, but not necessarily suitable for other equipment to be subsequently installed. If new equipment or equipment that initially was not provided needs to be integrated into an existing equipment carrier, this results in, for example, relatively small equipment blocking the available structural space, but simultaneously not fully utilizing the equipment carrier. Consequently, an oversized equipment carrier with a weight higher than necessary is transported along with the aircraft for a long operating time. However, if the equipment carrier is not sufficiently large for the equipment to be subsequently integrated, a new structural space needs to be located within the aircraft and examined in order to develop a suitable equipment carrier for the equipment to be integrated. All things considered, conventional equipment carriers cannot be flexibly utilized for accommodating equipment of different structural shapes and sizes. 
         [0005]    It is therefore the object of the invention to propose an equipment carrier that is designed for integrating various types of equipment into the equipment carrier in order to simultaneously reduce the development expenditures and to utilize the structural space available in the aircraft as effectively as possible. 
         [0006]    This object is met by an equipment carrier according to claim  1  that features at least one outer rack and at least one inner rack, wherein the outer rack can be supported on the structure of the aircraft and the inner rack can be installed on or in the outer rack and features means for forming one or more compartments of variable size. These means may consist of flat, frame-like, linear or punctiform elements that are installed within the inner rack such that they can displaced in fixed stages or continuously. The inner rack preferably consists of a metal carrier that can be inserted into the outer rack. 
         [0007]    The equipment carrier according to the invention may have a modular design and therefore can be easily manufactured from standardized components or assemblies. An outer rack can be arranged or supported within the available volume of the vehicle in order to provide a standardized structural space that can be fully utilized and eliminates the need to examine the structural space and identify connecting points during equipment retrofitting. The inner rack, in which several compartments of various sizes can be provided, supplements the outer rack so as to form a complete equipment carrier. The compartments preferably feature inserts (so-called “trays”) for the equipment to be integrated while the rear wall (“backplane”) of the inner rack features connecting points and interfaces, particularly for the electrical supply and for links to data networks or data buses. The equipment carrier is preferably designed in such a way that the outer rack can completely support the loads of the vehicle and of the equipment carrier. The outer rack is preferably supplied in different standard widths in order to realize various configurations for equipment to be installed and to save as much weight as possible by adapting to the required structural space. The inner rack should be adaptable to the requirements of the equipment to be installed and provide the option of installing the equipment in the interior of the inner rack in accordance with customer requirements. The equipment carrier according to the invention furthermore makes it possible to combine different outer racks with one another in a modular fashion such that new standardized structural space can be easily made available for equipment to be subsequently supplemented and this new structural space can be optimally utilized with the aid of inner racks. 
         [0008]    The equipment carrier according to the invention provides several advantages in comparison with equipment carriers according to the state of the art. First of all, the development expenditures for the integration of various equipment are reduced. This means that an equipment carrier is able to flexibly accommodate various equipment to be installed. In addition, the modular design makes it possible to provide standardized interfaces for cooling, for the electrical supply and for the mechanical support of the equipment carrier without requiring extensive prior examinations. It is also relatively easy to subsequently expand an equipment carrier according to the invention such that certain flexibility for additional equipment is provided within the aircraft. No additional examinations are required within the structural space of the vehicle because a standardized structural space is available within the outer rack. 
         [0009]    The object is furthermore attained with the utilization of an equipment carrier according to the invention in an aircraft, as well as an aircraft with an equipment carrier according to the invention. 
     
    
     
       SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the figures. In the figures, identical objects are identified by the same reference symbols. In these figures: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a general overview of an equipment carrier according to the invention in the installed state; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an overview of the outer frame rack, the inner frame rack and an assembled equipment carrier according to the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows an overview of the expandability of an equipment carrier according to the invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c  show equipment carriers according to the invention in the installed state with different expansion stages, and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows an exemplary installation position of an equipment carrier according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The basic design of an equipment carrier according to the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The equipment carrier  2  according to the invention features an outer rack  4 , into which an inner rack  6  can be installed. The racks  4  and  6  are illustrated in the form of exemplary frame racks with an at least partially cased frame structure. For example, the outer rack  4  is beveled on a lower corner  8 —as illustrated in FIG.  1 —such that it can be laterally installed, for example, into the cargo area of an aircraft that features slanted lower wall regions. Consequently, the outer frame rack  4  can optimally utilize the space provided in a cargo area and simultaneously provide in its interior compartments  14  that are standardized or individually assembled by means of the inner frame rack  6  and serve for accommodating equipment to be integrated. 
         [0017]    The equipment in question that, for example, serves for handling data-processing applications such as on-board entertainment (“in-flight entertainment”) or communications produces waste heat in a confined area and therefore has a relatively high cooling requirement in some instances. In order to meet this cooling requirement, the outer frame rack  4  features at least one cooling air inlet  12  that is arranged, for example, on the upper side of the frame rack  4  and through which cooling air made available, for example, by a central cooling system can be introduced, wherein said cooling air can be once again discharged from the equipment carrier  2  after cooling the equipment through a cooling air outlet that is not illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The cooling air may also be taken in/discharged through openings in the equipment carrier  2  that are arranged, e.g., on the front side or the underside of the equipment carrier. 
         [0018]    In the illustration according to  FIG. 1 , the inner frame rack  6  accommodates, for example, several compartments  14  for inserting and mounting equipment therein. The compartments  14  preferably feature inserts (“trays”) for the equipment and the rear wall (“backplane”) of the inner frame rack  6  features all interfaces required for the wiring and for the supply of the equipment, particularly for the electrical supply and for the link to data networks or data buses. The illustration according to  FIG. 1  shows a shelf system of sorts, in which flat or frame-shaped elements  10 , for example, are used in order to form compartments a variable size. On the other hand, it would also be possible to utilize linear or punctiform elements suitable for mounting equipment. In addition to the aforementioned means, it would also be conceivable to use any other suitable type of compartmentalizing means or compartment shapes. In this case, compartmentalizing means  10  may be held on the inner rack  6  with latching means, mechanical connecting points or guides, wherein the latching means, connecting points or guides may be provided on an outer frame of the inner rack  6 . 
         [0019]    If so required, an equipment carrier  12  according to the invention can be expanded with different expansion modules  16 . For example, the width of an equipment carrier  2  according to the invention with its special shape that is adapted to the cargo area of an aircraft can be expanded by means of a simple cuboid expansion module  16 . The expansion module  16  also features an outer frame rack  18  with at least one cooling air inlet  20  on one side. An expansion module  16  may also be provided with a cooling air inlet at a different location, e.g., on the front side or the underside. An inner frame rack  22  is situated within the outer frame rack  18  and divided in the same fashion as the inner frame rack  6  of the original unexpanded equipment carrier  2  in the example shown. 
         [0020]    The equipment carrier  2  according to the invention could be integrated, for example, into a vehicle structure—in this case the aircraft structure—in the cargo area as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In order to realize this integration, for example, a support  24  could be arranged on the floor  26  of the cargo area and the equipment carrier  2  according to the invention could be screwed or otherwise fixed to this support. 
         [0021]    The cooling air inlets  12  and  20  that receive air—as illustrated in an exemplary fashion—from cooling air outlets  28  and  30  are arranged on a cooling air duct  32  in the installed and fitted state of the equipment carrier  2 . The cooling air outlets that are not illustrated in  FIG. 1  are connected to exhaust air openings  34  and  36  of an exhaust air duct that transport the heated cooling air away from the equipment carrier  2 .  FIG. 1  also shows a completely assembled equipment carrier  2  according to the invention that is connected to cooling air outlets  28  and  30  and mounted on a support  24  on the floor  26  of the cargo area. Different pieces of equipment  40  are integrated into the equipment carrier  2  according to the invention, wherein the dimensions of the compartments  14  are adapted to said equipment such that the structural space made available within the equipment carrier virtually is optimally utilized. With the exception of the special geometric points with slanted side walls, hardly any unused gaps remain within the equipment carrier  2 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary embodiment of the equipment carrier  2  according to the invention in the form of the simplest geometric illustration of an expansion module  16 . The expansion module  16  features the outer frame rack  18  that essentially has a cuboid shape and, analogous to the outer frame rack  4 , may consist of a material with a honeycomb core that has a relatively low specific weight, but a high strength. The cooling air inlet  20  is located on the upper side. An inner frame rack  42  can be integrated into this outer frame rack  18 , wherein the inner frame rack features, for example, 4 rows of shelves  44 , into which three pieces of equipment  40  can be respectively integrated. The inner frame rack  42  represents an individual equipment carrier that may also be referred to as a “subrack.” This individual equipment carrier  42  can be individually fitted for the operator of the respective vehicle or aircraft and inserted into the outer frame rack  18  with standardized dimensions. Consequently, the available structural space can be individually adapted to the number of required pieces of equipment  40  by providing different expansion modules in the form of outer frame racks  18  that can be attached to other, adjacent outer frame racks  4 . 
         [0023]    This process is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in which a combination of an outer frame rack  4  and an inner frame rack  6  with several pieces of equipment  40  arranged therein is already installed into the available structural space of the aircraft in the form of a base module. If more equipment  40  than originally planned is required on board of the aircraft, another outer frame rack  18  can be easily attached to the originally installed outer frame rack  4  in order to thusly expand the standardized structural space for accommodating an individual equipment carrier in the form of an inner frame rack  42 . An empty expansion module  16  is illustrated on the upper left side in  FIG. 3 , wherein said expansion module is fitted with an individual equipment carrier  42  on the lower right side in  FIG. 3 . In this case, the individual adaptations would be limited to connecting the supply and discharge ducts for cooling air, of which only the cooling air supply openings  12  and  20  are visible, to cooling air ducts. It is also necessary to fit the expansion modules  16  with the required electrical wiring. However, since electrical wiring and ducts can be realized much more flexibly than the creation of individual structural spaces that need to meet significant mechanical requirements, these individual adaptations are not associated with a high expenditure of labor or complicated design work. 
         [0024]    Possible variations of the equipment carrier according to the invention are illustrated in  FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c , in which the number of pieces of equipment  40  arranged within the equipment carrier  2  varies. For example,  FIG. 4   a  shows the basic design with only a base module consisting of an outer frame rack  4  and an inner frame rack  6  that is adapted to the side of the cargo area of the aircraft. In  FIG. 4   b , an expansion module  16  is used for expanding the equipment carrier  2  according to the invention such that the number of pieces of equipment  40  that can be accommodated therein is already relatively large. For this purpose, the cooling air duct  32 , as well as the exhaust air duct  38 , is extended accordingly.  FIG. 4   c  shows an extreme example, in which practically the majority of the available width of the cargo area is taken up by various expansion modules  16 . This figure shows that it is not absolutely imperative that the expansion modules  16  have a cuboid shape that extends over the entire height of the base module, but rather may extend, for example, over only part of this height such that a passage or a recess can be created according to the illustration in  FIG. 4   c.    
         [0025]    In addition, one preferred embodiment for accommodating an equipment carrier according to the invention in a cargo area of an aircraft is graphically illustrated in  FIG. 5 , wherein the equipment carrier  2  essentially extends from a cargo area floor  26  up to a cabin floor  46 . 
         [0026]    The equipment carrier  2  according to the invention advantageously makes it possible, in particular, to individually meet the requirements of the vehicle operator with respect to the integration of (electronic) equipment. Each vehicle operator has certain preferences with respect to the selection of equipment and therefore its dimensions and energy consumption such that an individual solution for accommodating this equipment needs to be found for each vehicle operator in the state of the art. The solution according to the invention makes it possible to meet individual requirements without having to forgo a modular design with standardized assemblies. The modular design eliminates extensive adaptations, significantly lowers the expenditure of labor and makes it possible to realize an adaptation to equipment to be exchanged, supplemented or removed without significant expenditures. The equipment carrier according to the invention can also be used for safety-critical avionics equipment that is required for the function of the aircraft and essentially not chosen by the aircraft operators. 
         [0027]    As a supplement, it should be noted that “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and that “an” or “a” does not exclude a plurality. It should furthermore be noted that characteristics or steps that were described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps of other above-described exemplary embodiments. Reference symbols in the claims should not be interpreted in a restrictive sense. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
       [0000]    
       
           2  Equipment carrier 
           4  Outer frame rack 
           6  Inner frame rack 
           8  Beveled corner of outer frame rack 
           10  Compartmentalizing means 
           12  Cooling air inlet 
           14  Compartment for one piece of equipment 
           16  Expansion module 
           18  Outer frame rack of expansion module 
           20  Cooling air inlet of expansion module 
           22  Inner frame rack of expansion module 
           24  Support for fixing equipment carrier on cargo area floor 
           26  Cargo area floor 
           28  Cooling air outlet of cooling air duct 
           30  Cooling air outlet of cooling air duct 
           32  Cooling air duct 
           34  Exhaust air inlet opening of exhaust air duct 
           36  Exhaust air inlet opening of exhaust air duct 
           38  Exhaust air duct 
           40  Piece of equipment 
           42  Inner frame rack 
           44  Row of shelves 
           46  Cabin floor