Abstract:
A pivot assembly is provided including a first pivot boss having an engagement extension and a first race element having a central race socket. A central engagement bushing is rotatably secured within the central race socket and includes an engagement chamber adapted to removably engage the engagement extension. The central engagement bushing allows the first race element to rotate relative to the first pivot boss while remaining longitudinally engaged to the first fixed pivot boss.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to a pivot mechanism and more particularly to a pivot mechanism allowing for the quick installation of aircraft stowage bins or similar rotating items.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Industrial design considerations must consider a wide range of manufacturing and assembly concerns. Not the least of which involves the final assembly of individual components into a final product assembly. Complex designs may, in turn, result in complex assembly procedures. Complex procedures may lead to undesirably cost increases due to labor costs. Complex assembly procedures may also decrease the precision of part assembly with a resultant decrease in fit-and-finish.  
         [0003]     Thus, the nature of industrial design is often that it favors simplicity over complex assemblies. Such is the case in aircraft interiors. Aircraft interiors must withstand considerable use and abuse from consumers throughout the lifespan of the aircraft. Active functioning items must remain functioning in a safe and reliable fashion and must be easily removed and replaced when such functioning is impaired. All this should be accomplished with a requisite minimum of time and effort to fully realize cost savings.  
         [0004]     In particular, one region of an aircraft interior known to pose problems to such desired efficiencies are the overhead storage bins. This bins are heavily used and abused during flights. Often passengers considerably overload them. This abuse in combination with their position within the aircraft often leads to complex faster assemblies requiring tools to facilitate installation or removal. An installation assembly with reduced complexity and one that alleviated the need for tooling would simplify assembly, reduce assembly costs, allow for simplified replacement of damaged storage bins, and would reduce assembly timelines.  
         [0005]     It would therefore be highly desirable to have a pivot mechanism that allowed for the quick installation of aircraft storage bins. It would also be highly desirable for such a pivot mechanism to allow for simplified bin removal for repair or replacement.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is therefore an object to the present invention to provide a pivot assembly with quick installation characteristics. It is further an object of the present invention to provide an aircraft bin assembly that can be cheaply and efficiently installed and removed without complex tooling procedures.  
         [0007]     In accordance with the objects of the present invention a pivot assembly is provided including a first pivot boss having an engagement extension and a first race element having a central race socket. A central engagement bushing is rotatably secured within the central race socket and includes an engagement chamber adapted to removably engage the engagement extension. The central engagement bushing allows the first race element to rotate relative to the first pivot boss while remaining longitudinally engaged to the first fixed pivot boss.  
         [0008]     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description and preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of an aircraft interior illustrating an aircraft bin assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a detailed illustration of an aircraft bin assembly as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the aircraft bin assembly illustrated in the range of operating positions.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of the aircraft bin assembly as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the aircraft bin assembly illustrated in both the installation position and the bin open position.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an illustration aircraft bin assembly illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the bin assembly illustrated in the pre-install position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a detail illustration of the pivot assembly for use in the aircraft bin assembly illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional illustration of the pivot assembly illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view illustration of the pivot assembly illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 1  which is an illustration of an aircraft interior  10  in accordance with the present invention. The aircraft interior  10  includes an aircraft bin assembly  12  wherein passengers may store carry-on baggage and airline crew may store blankets and other sundries. The aircraft bin assembly  12  is comprised of an airline interior overhead structure  14  and a plurality of overhead bin elements  16 . The overhead bin elements  16  are rotatably mounted to the aircraft interior overhead structure  14  such that they can be rotated between a bin closed position  18  and a bin open position  20  (see  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0017]     The present invention provides not only a unique and novel approach to such rotatable mounting, but provides improvements to installation and removal of an overhead bin element  16  from the aircraft interior overhead structure  14 . This is accomplished through the use of a unique pivot assembly  22  as shown in  FIGS. 2-7 . A pair of such pivot assemblies  22  may be utilized on each bin element  16  and overhead structure  14  interface. Alternately, a single pivot assembly  22  may be used in combination with an alternate rotational mount to reduce complexity.  
         [0018]     Each pivot assembly  22  is comprised of a first pivot boss  24  having a fixed boss mounting base  26 . An engagement extension  28  protrudes from the fixed boss mounting base  26  or from the interior overhead structure  14 . The fixed pivot boss  24  may, in fact, be simply formed as a portion of the interior overhead structure  14 . The fixed boss mounting base  26  includes a plurality of boss mounting bores  30  by which the first pivot boss  24  may be fixedly mounted to the aircraft interior overhead structure  14  or alternately the overhead bin element  16 . Although the engagement extension  28  may be formed in a variety of shapes, it is contemplated that it is shaped to fixedly engage an engagement chamber  32  formed within a central engagement bushing  34  such that upon insertion into the engagement chamber  32 , the engagement extension  28  is restrained from axial separation. One particular embodiment illustrated contemplates a t-shaped cross-sectional engagement extension  28  matched with a t-shaped cross-sectional gap  36 .  
         [0019]     The central engagement bushing  34  is rotatably engaged to a first race element  38 . The first race element  38  includes a fixed race mounting base  40  suitable for fixed mounting to the overhead bin element  16  or alternately the overhead structure  14  by way of a plurality of race mounting bores  40 . The first race element  38  includes a circular wall  42  extending from the fixed race mounting base  40  and forming a central race socket  44 . The central engagement bushing  34  is rotatably secured within the central race socket  44 . This is preferably accomplished by inserting the central engagement bushing  34  through an assembly opening  46  formed in the rear surface  48  of the first race element  38 . An upper flange  50  formed on the circular wall  42  and flanged inwardly traps the central engagement bushing  34  within the central race socket  44  once the fixed race mounting base  38  is mounted. An upper extension notch  51  may be formed on the engagement extension  28  to prevent interference with the upper flange  50 . A lower bushing flange  52  maybe additionally formed on the central engagement bushing  34  and adapted to correspond to an outward chamfer  54  formed at the assembly opening  46  to provide a dual rotational guide.  
         [0020]     In order for the engagement extension  28  to be insertable and removable from the engagement chamber  32  when the central engagement bushing  34  is positioned within the central race socket  44 , the circular wall  42  preferably includes an entry gap  56  through which the engagement extension  28  may pass. An outwardly flanged entrance guide  58  may be formed as an extension of the circular wall  42  to provide a guide for inserting the engagement extension  28  into the central race socket  44  and there into the engagement chamber  44 . As the engagement chamber  44  does not pass entirely through the central engagement bushing  34 , the engagement extension  28  is only insertable or removable from a single orientation when the engagement chamber  32  is aligned with the entry gap  56  (referred to as the installation position  60 —see  FIG. 4 ). The central engagement bushing  34  is preferably biased into the installation position  60  to facilitate easy assembly. This may be accomplished through a variety of known methods such as weights, springs, or similar biasing methodologies.  
         [0021]     After mounting of the first pivot boss  24  to the aircraft interior overhead structure  14  and the fixed race element  38  to the overhead bin element  16 , the overhead bin element  16  is raised into the pre-install position  62  positioned directly above the engagement extension  28  (see  FIG. 4 ). It is lowered into the installation position  60  ( FIG. 3 ) wherein the engagement extension  28  is guided into the engagement chamber  32 . The overhead bin element  16  can then be rotated into a range of operating positions  66  (see  FIG. 2 ). As the engagement extension  28  can only be removed in the installation position  60 , the pivot assembly  22  becomes rotationally secured as an assembly throughout the range of operating positions  66 . The overhead bin element  16  can be raised, therefore, into the bin open position  20  and prevented from unintentional movement back into the installation position  60  by way of at least one stop element  68  formed on the overhead bin element  16  and engaging the aircraft interior overhead structure  14 . Although a particular stop element  68  has been described, a wide variety of stop elements  68  and relative positioning thereof would be obvious in light of the present disclosure. Similarly, a variety of latch assemblies  70  may be used to secure the overhead bin element  16  into the bin closed position  18 .  
         [0022]     The present invention, thereby, provides a unique pivot assembly  22  that allows assembly of the aircraft bin assembly  12  without the need for tooling or complex procedures. Similarly, the overhead bin elements  16  may be removed simply by forcing the stop elements  68  past the bin open position  20 . The present invention therefore simplifies and improves bin assembly design and assembly.  
         [0023]     While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific mechanisms and techniques which have been described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, numerous modifications may be made to the methods and apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.