Abstract:
A fastening device for connecting two overhead storage compartment elements of an aircraft is provided. The overhead storage compartment elements have coupling elements on the sides of the overhead storage compartment elements to be connected. The coupling elements need to be aligned with one another without being subjected to loading. A connecting plate is arranged on a first fastening element, in a longitudinally movable manner. In the delivered state of the overhead storage compartment elements, the connecting plate is already connected to the fastening element and pushed beneath the lower face of the overhead storage compartment element, so that it does not protrude and does not interfere when the bulky overhead storage compartment element is handled before attaching to the cabin ceiling.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a fastening device for connecting together at least two overhead storage compartment elements in an aircraft cabin, to this end the overhead storage compartment elements comprising fastening elements on side walls facing one another. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     Generic fastening devices are used in order to connect together the overhead storage compartment elements in aircraft cabins. Generally, the overhead storage compartment elements have been previously attached to fastening points on the cabin deck by fastening means arranged on their upper faces. Due to tolerances, slight deviations in the positions of the overhead storage compartment elements occur in the fastening points and the overhead storage compartment elements. Deviations in the position are disadvantageous both for the visual appearance of the overhead storage compartment elements in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft (X-axis) and for aligning the so-called passenger service channel (PSC). The passenger service channel comprises, on the sides of the overhead storage compartment elements to be connected, coupling elements which have to be aligned with one another without being subjected to load. The overhead storage compartment elements are, therefore, fastened together at their sides facing one another on their lower faces facing the cabin floor. High requirements are set in the aircraft industry for the fatigue strength, the fire resistance and the noise properties of the fastenings. At the same time, the components have to be as lightweight as possible in order to keep the fuel consumption as low as possible. During the flight, the cabin is subjected to changing loads so that forces act on the overhead storage compartment elements. 
     The fastening devices known from the prior art additionally have to be arranged on the overhead storage compartment elements after the overhead storage compartment elements have been attached to the cabin ceiling. The additional time required therefor is considerable, with the large number of overhead storage compartment elements to be connected together. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to provide a fastening device by which the overhead storage compartment elements are able to be connected together with little additional assembly effort during final assembly. 
     This object is achieved by exemplary aspects or embodiments of the invention, which may be expediently combined together in terms of technology and exhibit further advantages of the invention. The description, in particular in combination with the figures, additionally characterizes and specifies the invention. 
     Accordingly, a fastening device is provided for connecting together two overhead storage compartment elements in an aircraft cabin, the overhead storage compartment elements comprising fastening elements (brackets) on sides facing one another, of which a first fastening element is designed to receive a connecting plate in a longitudinally movable manner, so that the connecting plate may be brought closer to the fastening element of an adjacent overhead storage compartment element and may be fastened thereto. 
     By means of this solution, a fastening device is provided which is already captively connected to the overhead storage compartment elements before introducing the overhead storage compartment elements into the aircraft cabin. When fastening the overhead storage compartment elements together, only the connecting plate has to be moved in the direction of the adjacent overhead storage compartment element and fastened to the fastening element arranged thereon. As a result, the time for fastening the fastening elements in the overhead storage compartments may be saved. On one edge facing in the positive or negative longitudinal direction (X-direction) of the aircraft, the overhead storage compartment elements comprise the first fastening element and, on the opposing edge of the next overhead storage compartment element facing away therefrom, the second fastening element. As the fastening device is arranged on the edges of the overhead storage compartment elements, said overhead storage compartment elements are easier to reach for the fitter than conventional fastening devices in which access is required partially in the narrow spaces between the overhead storage compartment elements. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connecting plate comprises slots with which a fastening means connected to the first fastening element cooperates for providing the longitudinal mobility of the connecting plate relative to the fastening element. Pins or bolts protruding through the slots are suitable as fastening means. 
     According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fastening elements comprise on their side in contact with the connecting plate at least one latching lug extending transversely to the longitudinal direction and designed to engage in grooves which are provided on the connecting plate and which also extend transversely. The at least one latching lug already engages in one of the grooves when the fitter pushes the connecting plate over the second fastening element. 
     As a result, the connecting plate is held in the desired position before the final fastening. Errors caused by incorrect mounting may be eliminated thereby. Additionally, the connecting plate is held positively in the X-direction. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening elements are bonded into recesses provided on the side walls of the overhead storage compartment elements, so that a partially positive connection is provided. As a result, the fastening elements may transmit relatively high forces to the side walls and centre the passenger service channel (PSC). 
     According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fastening elements are designed to be L-shaped on their side facing upwards, the one limb bearing flat against an inner face of the side wall of the overhead storage compartment element and the other limb bearing flat in the recess against the side wall. By this design, an arrangement of the fastening elements which takes into account the loading and is a positive arrangement in the X-direction may be achieved. 
     Moreover, in an advantageous embodiment the fastening elements may be configured to be U-shaped on their side facing the overhead storage compartments, the one limb bearing against an inner face of the side wall of the overhead storage compartment element, the lower face bearing flat in the recess of the side wall and the other limb bearing flat against an outer face of the side wall. The fastening element thus encompasses the side wall so that a positive connection is formed in the positive and negative X-direction. The fastening element may, therefore, introduce high bending moments into the side walls in a manner which is advantageous for bonded surfaces. 
     In a development of the invention, the fastening elements comprise centring chamfers configured as bevels, which hold the connecting plate on its sides extending parallel to the longitudinal direction. As a result, the rigidity of the fastening element may be increased in the Y-direction. 
     According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connecting plate may be pulled in fully towards the lower face of the overhead storage compartment element. As a result, a fastening device is provided which in the unmounted state does not protrude over the lower face of the overhead storage compartment elements into the cabin space. This is advantageous during transport of the overhead storage compartment elements where protruding parts require additional space. Additionally, when inserting the overhead storage compartment elements into the aircraft cabin, injuries to personnel or damage to other aircraft parts may be avoided if no parts protrude over the overhead storage compartment elements. 
     According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connecting plate is connected via screws to the fastening elements. The screws thus penetrate the slots on the first fastening element, whereby the longitudinal mobility of the connecting plate is provided. On the side facing the second fastening element, the connecting plate preferably comprises slots which are open on one side, and which during mounting are guided towards screws which are provided on the second fastening element. 
     According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the screws comprise a first torque transmission region arranged on the outside of a screwhead and a second torque transmission region arranged centrally on the screwhead. The first torque transmission region may be designed here as an octagonal region. In this case, the second torque transmission region may be a centrally arranged conventional crosshead slot. Thus two options are available to the fitter for tightening the screws. 
    
    
     
       Further details and advantages of the invention are made clear in the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an overhead storage compartment element for the centre of wide aircraft cabins, 
         FIG. 2  shows an overhead storage compartment element for arranging on the window seat rows of an aircraft cabin, 
         FIG. 3  shows an overhead storage compartment element with a passenger service unit (PSU) arranged therebelow, and a fastening device protruding out of the side wall of the overhead storage compartment element, 
         FIG. 4  shows a fastening element of L-shaped design arranged on a side wall, with a connecting plate arranged thereon, 
         FIG. 5  shows in a side view a partial detail of a connecting plate with latching grooves arranged thereon, into which a latching lug arranged on the fastening element engages, 
         FIG. 6  shows a U-shaped fastening element arranged on a side wall, 
         FIG. 7  shows a fastening device connecting two side walls together with a first fastening element, a connecting plate and a second fastening element, 
         FIG. 8  shows a fastening device with a connecting plate and two fastening elements arranged thereabove and partially concealed by the connecting plate, 
         FIG. 9  shows a fitter when handling a fastening element on an overhead storage compartment element for the centre of an aircraft cabin, and 
         FIG. 10  shows a fitter when handling a fastening element on an overhead storage compartment element for the side of an aircraft cabin. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The longitudinal direction or flight direction of an aircraft is denoted by the X-direction. The Y-direction extends transversely to the longitudinal direction and the Z-direction along the vertical axis of the aircraft. 
       FIG. 1  shows an overhead storage compartment element  1  for arranging in the centre of an aircraft. Such overhead storage compartment elements  1  are arranged in succession in wide aircraft, which comprise a plurality of gangways, over the central seat rows in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft. Storage compartments  3  which may be closed by flaps, not shown, are arranged to the right and left. In the centre, on a side of the overhead storage compartment elements  1  facing towards the cabin floor, passenger service units (PSU)  5  are arranged in a passenger service channel (PSC)  7 . On the lower face facing the passengers, the passenger service units  5  have schematically indicated air nozzles, control knobs, reading lights, seat belt symbols and the like. 
     For fastening the passenger service units  5  in the passenger service channel  7 , a rail system  8  is used, into which the passenger service units  5  are displaceably latched by holders  6  in the X-direction. The arrangement of the passenger service units  5  in the X-direction is carried out individually for each aircraft layout relative to the seat position so that the passenger is able to use any function from the comfort of a seat. The passenger service units  5  may also be of different lengths. The passenger service units  5  may consequently be adjacent to one another at different X-positions from those of the overhead storage compartment elements  1 . For fastening the passenger service units to the rail system, the rails of adjacent storage compartment elements in the X-direction have to be correctly aligned, so that narrow tolerances have to be maintained. To this end, the overhead storage compartment elements have a fastening device  9  on their lower face on adjacent side walls  13 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , an overhead storage compartment element  1  for arranging over the lateral seat rows of an aircraft is shown in a cutaway front view. The lateral overhead storage compartment elements  1  are connected together in the same manner via fastening devices  9 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an overhead storage compartment element  1  with a passenger service unit  5 . The side walls  13  are designed to be planar and not completely rigid but slightly flexible in the X-direction. In  FIG. 3 , a first fastening element  10  shown in dashed lines is bonded in a recess  14  on the side wall  13 . In this case, the recess  14  grips the fastening element  9  in the Y-axis on both sides, so that an additional positive connection is produced in the direction of this axis. Via the fastening element  9 , a stable interface is produced between the connecting plate  11  and the side wall  13 . On the connecting plate  11  a second fastening element  12  is arranged which might be bonded in the aircraft into the side wall  13  of an adjacent storage compartment element, not shown. 
     By fastening the overhead storage compartment elements in the immediate vicinity of the holders  6  for the passenger service unit  5 , said overhead storage compartment elements are held aligned in the X-direction in a stable manner. As a result, a passenger service unit  5  is able to extend easily over the gap between two overhead storage compartment elements  1  connected by the fastening device  1 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , moreover, an alternative installed position for fastening elements is indicated. In the alternative installed position on opposing, in this case oblique, passenger service channel walls, alternative fastening elements  9 . 1  and  9 . 2  are attached which in their function substantially correspond to the fastening element  9 . The alternative fastening elements  9 . 1  and  9 . 2  may be configured to be smaller, in particular narrower, in particular half as narrow, in comparison with the fastening element  9 . Other installed positions, in particular within the passenger service channel  7 , and the provision of more than two alternative fastening elements are possible. 
       FIG. 4  shows in a perspective view a first fastening element  10  arranged on a side wall  13 , with a connecting plate  11  arranged therebelow. The connecting plate  11  comprises two slots  15 , in which in each case a screw  16  is arranged. Via the slots  15  the connecting plate  11  is movably arranged relative to the fastening element  10  in the X-direction. The screws  16  have on their screwhead  17  a widened bearing surface  18  which alternatively may also be achieved by a washer. The connecting plate  11  comprises grooves  19  which extend parallel to the slots  15 , and which are substantially sufficiently deep for the bearing surface  18  of the screws  16  to terminate flush with the upper edge of the grooves  19 . 
     The connecting plate  11  is located in  FIG. 4  in the fully retracted position, i.e. the transport position. The overhead storage compartment elements  1  reach the aircraft manufacturer as preassembled, finished units to which the fastening elements  10  and/or  12  have already been bonded and the connecting plate  11  is already connected by screws  16  to one of the fastening elements  10  or  12 . The screws  16  are preferably only slightly tightened so that the connecting plate  11  is secured, but may be unscrewed by hand and without tools in order to be fastened to a second fastening element of an adjacent overhead storage compartment element  1 . Preferably, the first fastening elements  10  are in each case arranged with the preassembled connecting plate  11  on the side walls  13  facing in the positive X-direction, i.e. in the flight direction, and the second fastening elements  12  in each case on the sides of the storage compartment elements  1  facing in the negative X-direction. As a result, it may be avoided that the connecting plates  11  are missing or too many are delivered. 
     During mounting, the screws  16  are slightly loosened, so that the connecting plate  11  may be pulled in the direction of the adjacent fastening element  12 . The connecting plate  11  has two slots  21  which are open on one side and which, when displacing the connecting plate  11  in the direction of the second fastening element  12  shown in  FIG. 7 , encompass screws  16  arranged thereon. In this case, the screws  16  on the second fastening element  12  may be identical to the screws  16  of the first fastening element  12 . Subsequently, all four screws  16  are secured as shown in  FIG. 7 . As slots  15  are on the connecting plate  11 , it is possible to compensate for deviations in the spacings in the X-direction. 
     For improving the mountability and the stability in the mounted state, the connecting plate  11  has on its upper face a plurality of latching grooves  23  as shown in  FIG. 5 . A latching lug  25  arranged on the lower face of the fastening elements engages in the latching grooves  23 . As a result, the connecting plate  11  does not tend to slide again out of its position during mounting. Furthermore, the latching grooves  23  ensure a positive connection in the X-direction, which increases the non-positive screw connection via the screws  16 . As a result, a fastening device  9  is produced which may be very easily mounted and has excellent strength properties. This also serves for improving the noise properties, as otherwise, when subjected to loading during the flight, minimal relative movements between the connecting plate and the fastening elements could produce noise. 
     It should be noted that instead of the one latching lug a plurality of latching lugs  25  may also be provided, in particular arranged in succession, said latching lugs being able to engage in corresponding, in particular adjacent, latching grooves  23 . As a result, an improved and more stable latching may be achieved with improved force transmission. 
     In the Y-direction and Z-direction, tolerances may be compensated by the fastening device  9  itself, namely by the overhead storage compartment elements  1  being centred relative to one another. This occurs automatically when the screws  16  are tightened. To this end, the fastening elements  10  and/or  12  have bevelled centring chamfers  24  encompassing the connecting plate  11 , as  FIG. 6  illustrates. The connecting plate  11  is accordingly bevelled on its sides corresponding thereto, so that it is automatically centred when the screws  16  are tightened relative to the fastening elements  10  and/or  12 . In this manner, it is possible to compensate for deviations of up to several millimeters in the Y-direction. 
     So that the fastening device  9  is able to transmit high forces into the overhead storage compartment elements  1 , the fastening elements  10  and  12  in the main loading direction (X-direction and Y-direction) are positively arranged in the side walls  13 . In the positive and negative Y-direction, the fastening element  10  is held in a recess  14  arranged on the side wall  13 . The fastening element  10  shown in  FIG. 4  comprises an L-shaped upper face, the one limb being supported on the inner face of the side wall  13  facing the overhead storage compartment associated therewith. 
     The fastening element  12  shown in  FIG. 6  comprises a U-shaped upper face viewed from the Y-direction, so that the fastening element  12  positively encompasses the side wall  13  on both sides. The bonds are thereby relieved of load. Viewed in the X-direction, the fastening element  12  has a semi-circular shape. It has been shown that said semi-circular shape advantageously has an effect on the loading in the bond. 
       FIG. 8  shows a connecting plate  11  viewed from below in the Z-direction. Above said connecting plate are fastening elements  10  and  12  which are partially concealed by the connecting plate  11 . In  FIG. 8 , the screws  16  are shown on the lower slots  15 , via which the connecting plate  11  is screwed to the fastening elements  10  and  12 . The screws  16  have two torque transmission regions  26  and  27  for tightening the screws  16 . Firstly, a conventional crosshead slot  26  which extends over the outer peripheries of the screwhead  17  and, secondly, an external octagonal region  27 . Via the octagonal region  27 , the screw  16  may be more easily tightened using the fingers, whereby the handling and/or ergonomics of the fastening device  9  may be increased. The fitter may initially tighten the screws  16  hand-tight and then tighten said screws using a screwdriver. 
     In this manner, the time which the fitter requires for connecting the overhead storage compartment elements  1  is reduced. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the fastening devices  9  are able to be easily reached from below by being arranged on side walls  13  facing one another in the centre of the passenger service channel  7 . The fastening device  9  according to the invention may rapidly connect together the overhead storage compartment elements  1  with little effort, and centre said overhead storage compartment elements relative to one another such that the passenger service channel  7  extends substantially straight along the longitudinal axis, so that the passenger service units  5  may be easily fastened. By means of the fastening device  9 , it is possible to compensate for tolerances of up to several millimeters. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  Overhead storage compartment element 
           3  Storage compartment 
           5  Passenger service unit 
           7  Passenger service channel 
           6  Holder 
           8  Rail system 
           9  Fastening device 
           9 . 1 ,  9 . 2  Alternative fastening device 
           10  First fastening element 
           11  Connecting plate 
           12  Second fastening element 
           13  Side wall 
           14  Recess 
           15  Slot 
           16  Screw 
           17  Screwhead 
           18  Bearing surface 
           19  Grooves 
           21  Slot open on one side 
           23  Latching groove 
           24  Centring chamfer 
           25  Latching lug 
           26  Crosshead slot 
           27  Octagonal region