Abstract:
A cover assembly for mask containers with two covers, wherein the covers have a pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and further, are pivotable at 90°.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/598,264 filed Aug. 3, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the placement of oxygen masks in oxygen containers, for example, in the ceiling area of an aircraft in the supply channel area or as an integrated single application. In particular, the present invention relates to a cover assembly for mask containers for arrangement in a standard supply channel of an aircraft, a mask container for an oxygen system of an aircraft, as well as an aircraft including a corresponding cover assembly. 
       FIG. 4  shows a typical plan view of a ceiling region of an aircraft, including a mask container of an oxygen assembly, as it is arranged today in aircraft. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 4 , the mask container or holder  40  has an individual cover or lid  42 , which by means of a hinge is mounted on the ceiling structure of the aircraft or on the structure of the mask container. A pivot axis of the hinge  44  is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis  10  of the aircraft. 
       FIG. 5  shows a side view of this assembly, whereby the oxygen system in  FIG. 5  is activated, that is, the cover or lid  42  is opened and the oxygen masks  26 , which are connected via tubes  24  with an oxygen source, are dropped out of the mask container  40 . Since supply channels, in which the mask containers are arranged, typically have a width of 40 cm in the ceiling region  20  of the aircraft, with essentially vertically, downward falling oxygen masks, merely a grasping region of approximately 40 cm is ensured. Therefore, the oxygen masks  26  essentially can be seized directly only over the center seat, when for example, the supply channel is arranged over a center seat of a three-seat row that is transverse to the flying direction of the aircraft. 
     According to JAR requirements, it is necessary that no sign, for example, a “Fasten Seat Belt” sign or a “No Smoking” sign, is covered also with opened covers  42  or an additionally sufficient redundant number of signs are to be mounted within the cabin. Typically, such signs  42  ( FIG. 4 ) are integrated essentially centrally in the supply channels or are arranged (for example, in the ceiling region  20 ) in front of and/or behind the covers  42  of the mask container  40  over the supply channel. In order to ensure that the corresponding signs are visible from each seat, it is therefore necessary to provide further (redundant) signs at other locations in the ceiling region or some other place in the aircraft. 
     Providing a large number of redundant signs with non-activated oxygen systems means an increased expenditure of weight based on the cabling and physical signs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cover assembly for mask containers is provided for arranging in a supply channel of an aircraft. The mask container has an opening. In this opening, for example, oxygen masks can be arranged, which upon the triggering of the oxygen system, for example, based on a pressure drop in the passenger cabin of the aircraft, must fall out from the mask container into a grasping region of passengers. The cover assembly of this embodiment includes a first cover and a second cover, whereby both covers, respectively, are mountable in a closed state, in which they close the opening of the mask container (non-triggered state). This is the typical operating state; the oxygen masks are stowed behind both covers in the mask container in the ceiling region of the passenger cabin of the aircraft. The first cover and the second cover, upon activation of the oxygen system, for example, with a drop in pressure, for testing purposes, or for maintenance, are mountable in an opened state. In the opened state, both covers uncover the opening of the mask container, such that the oxygen masks can fall out from the mask container into a region for grasping by the passengers. 
     An opening angle between the first and second cover in the opened state and a horizontal, respectively, is greater than 90°. 
     It may be advantageous in this connection that the opening angle is greater than 90°, and in this manner, it is ensured that with activation of the mask containers, a larger grasping area for the oxygen masks is achieved. Moreover, by the lateral opening of the mask container by means of two covers, the respective sizes of the covers are smaller and, in addition, by means of the laterally rotated guide, hanging-down covers do not prevent passengers from seeing the closest NSFS (No Smoking, Fasten Seatbelts) signs. In this manner, it may be ensured that the covering of visible areas of the passengers by opened covers is avoided, whereby fewer redundant signs, for example, No Smoking signs or Fasten Seat Belt signs, etc., are provided. This makes possible, for example, a weight savings and an optimization of the arrangement of the NSFS signs. 
     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first and second covers have pivot axes, which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. 
     By means of the opening of the first and second covers to the side, signs, such as Fasten Seat Belt, No Smoking, etc., and components, such as loudspeakers, are no longer covered upon activation of the oxygen system at the typical points in the aircraft. In this manner, it is not necessary to provide redundant signs as well as additional loudspeakers, whereby a weight savings can be achieved. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention, retaining means (tension springs) are provided on the inner side of the covers, in order to hold the covers, respectively, in the opened state. 
     The retaining means may prevent an uncontrolled movement of the covers after opening. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the opening angle lies in the range of approximately 100° to approximately 180°. 
     Advantageously, this makes possible a wide opening angle of the covers. 
     According to a further embodiment of the cover assembly, straps are arranged on the inner surfaces of the covers, which, in the closed state, face into the mask container. Tubes of the oxygen masks are guided through the straps. If the oxygen system were activated and the covers opened further than 90°, preferably up to 180°, the straps with opened covers are laterally lead through the region of the mask container, whereby a grasping area can be doubled. With a standard supply channel with a width of 40 cm, in which a mask container with a width of 40 cm is arranged, a grasping region of approximately 80 cm now can be achieved. Therefore, grasping the oxygen masks for passengers in seats, which are offset laterally to the supply channel, optimally is made possible. This may make it possible that the reachability of the masks also with new seating layout variations, such as in a Staggered Concept, Center 5 Abreast etc., can be improved substantially. 
     Next, preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a plan view of an embodiment of a cover assembly of a mask container with closed covers in the ceiling region of the passenger cabin of an aircraft according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with opened covers according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a sectional view of a detail of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a plan view of a known mask container with a cover; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view of the assembly of  FIG. 4  with an activated oxygen system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description of the figures, the same reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding elements. 
       FIG. 1  shows a plan view of one embodiment of a cover assembly of a mask container, which is arranged in a supply channel in the ceiling region  20  of a passenger cabin of an aircraft. The reference numeral  2  designates the mask container, which is arranged in a supply channel  4 . Such supply channels typically have a width of approximately 40 cm. The reference numeral  10  designates the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. As can be seen from  FIG. 1 , the supply channel  4  extends essentially along the longitudinal axis  10  of the aircraft. An opening of the mask container  2  is covered with a first cover  6  and a second cover  8  with a non-activated oxygen system. The covers  6  and  8 , in the closed state, preferably are flush with adjacent ceiling structures of the passenger cabin of the aircraft. The covers  6  and  8  are attached by means of a hinge assembly  22  on the side regions of the mask container  2  or on adjacent ceiling structures. The hinges  22  have pivot axes, which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis  10  of the aircraft. Preferably, the covers  6  and  8  are structured, such that each cover essentially covers half of the opening of the mask container  2 . However, depending on which grasping region is desired for the oxygen masks arranged in the mask holders  2 , also an asymmetrical design of the covers  6  and  8  can be advantageous. 
       FIG. 2  shows a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , whereby the covers  6  and  8  are opened and the oxygen masks  26 , which are connected by means of tubes  24  with an oxygen source  25 , hang down from the ceiling region  20  of the passenger cabin of the aircraft, such that they can be grabbed the most easily by the passengers in the seats lying thereunder. The state shown in  FIG. 2  also can be designated as the activated state or opened state. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , the covers  6  and  8  essentially are opened so far that an opening angle α between a horizontal  29  and the covers is greater than 90°. Preferably, the opening angle moves in a range of 100° to 180°. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the opening angle is approximately 170°. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , on the inner surfaces  31  of the covers, which face into the mask container  2  in the closed state, straps  32  are provided, through which the tubes  24  of the oxygen masks are guided. In this manner, upon opening of the covers  6  and  8 , the tubes  24  of the oxygen masks  26  are taken along with the covers  6  and  8 , so that the oxygen masks  26 , which hang down essentially perpendicular based on gravitational force, hang down from points, which lie outside of the supply channel  4  in the plan view. 
     Compared to the known mask container, which has been described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a grasping region, that is, a distance between the outermost oxygen masks with opened covers  6  and  8 , can be doubled. According to the present invention, for example, with a supply channel width of 40 cm and, therewith, a width of 40 cm of the opening  28 , a grasping region of approximately 80 cm is achieved. 
       FIG. 3  shows a lateral sectional view of a detail of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the hinge  22 , a means  30  is provided, which holds the cover  6  in the opened state (spring-biased). This can be a spring, for example. Preferably, the spring is prestressed in the closed state. Then, an unlocking of the cover suffices and the cover is moved automatically into the opened state and held there. A similar means  30  also is provided for the cover  6 . 
     Advantageously, by the arrangement of the pivot axes of the covers  6  and  8 , upon triggering of the oxygen system, for example, based on a drop in pressure in the passenger cabin of the aircraft, covering of signs, such as, for example, Fasten Seat Belt or similar signs, is prevented. This arrangement also makes possible that no loudspeakers in the typical location areas are covered. In this manner, it is not necessary to provide redundant signs and additional loudspeakers, whereby a weight savings is achieved.