Abstract:
A receiving system for receiving of persons and objects for a cabin of a vehicle is proposed, the system comprising a seat frame having a plurality of receiving sections created on the seat frame for receiving of a seat unit each; a plurality of seat units, which are mountable on a receiving section each; and at least one stowage bin unit, which is mountable on one of the receiving sections. The stowage bin unit is dimensioned such that it is mountable on an outer one of the receiving sections in case on the remaining receiving sections a seat unit each is mounted.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a receiving system for receiving persons and objects for a cabin of a vehicle as well as an aircraft having a fuselage, a cabin created therein, at least one fuselage opening closable through an aircraft door and at least one arrangement created in the cabin through such a receiving system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The equipment of passenger cabins in transportation means and particularly in aircraft is often subjected to the desire of maximizing the available number of passenger seats without reducing the passenger comfort, under fulfillment of all safety relevant regulations at the same time and under use of common comfort-relevant installations. This includes inter alia individual and common utilities, lavatories, galleys and similar. A ratio of the number of passenger seats to remaining installations in passenger cabins is a factor, which co-determines the profitability in line operation. A maximizing of passenger seats may inter alia be realized using intelligent construction and arrangement solutions. 
         [0003]    By reconfiguration of a door region between two opposed aircraft doors, and installations bordering thereto, it may possibly be feasible to integrate an additional row of seats into the cabin of an aircraft that directly borders the door region. However, due to the extension of installations of the aircraft door into the door region as well as due to the tapering of an aircraft fuselage in the region of forward aircraft doors a larger distance of an outer seat to a cabin wall bordering the aircraft door is required, since otherwise a sufficient legroom for a passenger would not be realizable. 
         [0004]    The integration of additional passenger sear furthermore increases the expectable amount of hand luggage in the cabin, which necessitates installation or release of additional over-head-stowage bins for this purpose. 
         [0005]    EP 2 423 107 A2 shows an arrangement for receiving passengers in a transportation means having three placement spaces arranged adjacent to each other, which are arranged in a door near region of the passenger cabin, in which commonly a galley is installed. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An aspect of the invention is to facilitate an arrangement of passenger seats in a cabin, which allows a distinct compactness and seating density, and at the same time increases the capacities for hand luggage and similar, without requiring larger modifications in the layout of the cabin. 
         [0007]    A receiving system for receiving of persons and objects for a cabin of a vehicle is proposed, the system comprising a seat frame having a plurality of receiving sections created on the seat frame for receiving of a seat unit each; a plurality of seat units, which are mountable on a receiving section each; and at least one stowage bin unit, which is mountable on one of the receiving sections. The stowage bin unit is dimensioned such that it is mountable on an outer one of the receiving sections in case on the remaining receiving sections a seat unit each is mounted. 
         [0008]    Consequently, the receiving system consists of multiple components and is used for creating one or more arrangements of seat units and a stowage bin unit with a common seat frame each. In the context of the invention a seat frame is a highly loadable mechanical frame construction, which is mountable onto a cabin floor and which primarily serves for providing a base for passenger seats and is able to receive seat surfaces as well as back rests that are swivably supportable on the seat frame. In commercial aircraft seat frames have established that are able to receive two, three or four seat surfaces and that are mountable to standardized seat rails, which are often integrated into a cabin floor. Exemplarily a seat frame comprises two groups of a front seat leg, a rear seat leg and a diagonal strut extending therebetween, wherein each group of these components spans a plane that extends vertically to a cabin floor. Both groups are distanced to each other and together carry a front and a rear support tube, which are arranged at a distance to a cabin floor and serve for receiving seat units. For delimiting the individual receiving section seat dividers may be used, which are exemplarily adapted for mounting an arm rest. 
         [0009]    Consequently, the receiving sections are exemplarily realized by means of a front and rear support tube, at which fastening means are attachable, which particularly include force and/or form fitting fastening means. Of course, other kinds of seat frames with different receiving sections are conceivable. 
         [0010]    By dimensioning the stowage bin unit for adaption to the seat units the seat frame, which is usually intended for a plurality of seat units, the seat frame may variably be equipped with a stowage bin unit instead of a seat unit. Particularly with compact cabin arrangements having an additional passenger seat row integrated close to or in the door region it may be advisable to only arrange two seat units or passenger seats, respectively, on one seat frame. An outer seat unit, which directly borders at a cabin wall or exemplarily at an aircraft door, respectively, would lead to a reduced comfort of the passenger present there, as in the case of forward aircraft doors and a tapering aircraft fuselage an emergency slide receptacle that is integrated into the door clearly reduces the available leg room. Instead of a complete reconception of a seat frame a common seat frame may be used in order to provide a stowage bin instead of an outer passenger seat. Hence, the modification is marginal overall; however, particularly with the integration of an additional seat row into the cabin additional stowage space may be generated, which allows the stowage of hand luggage for the passengers present there. Consequently, a modification of overhead-stowage bins may be avoided. Of course, the use of the system may also be conceivable for purposes that do not include an arrangement at the aircraft door or at a door region. The stowage bin unit in the cabin does not necessarily have to be positioned at a lateral outer receiving section, but may also be realized at a place that faces more to the inner side of the cabin. 
         [0011]    If a seat frame is used that comprises a front support tube and a rear support tube it would also be possible to shorten the support tubes in comparison to common seat frames, such that the seat frame comprises a slightly reduced width and such that a stowage bin unit may be used, which is slightly narrower than a seat unit. 
         [0012]    In a particularly preferred embodiment the stowage bin unit comprises a fastening section, which is mountable to a receiving section, which is designed for receiving a seat unit, of the seat frame. In particular the stowage bin unit may comprise force fitting, bracket-like fastening means, which are clampable to the support tubes. Depending on the construction of the seat frame any modifications to the seat frames may be prevented to use the advantages of the system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0013]    In a particularly preferred embodiment the seat frame comprises three receiving sections. Hence, hereby a seat frame is used, which is used in most commercial aircraft. 
         [0014]    The stowage bin unit may provide a closed storage space, which is accessible from outside through at least one stowage bin flap that closes an access opening. Resultantly, by this a full-fledged stowage bin for use during the whole flight may be provided, which is permanently, i.e. also during take-off and landing, is loadable with luggage. Of course, the capacity depends from the size of the stowage bin, while the receivable weight may clearly exceed the weight of a common stowage bin, since the seat frame is designed for carrying the weight of a passenger. Depending on the arrangement and based on certification rules the stowage bin flap should be able to absorb respective loads of slipping baggage items. 
         [0015]    Exemplarily, the stowage bin flap may be created at a front of the stowage bin unit, such that a passenger may load the stowage bin relatively comfortably from inside a door region, in particular in case an additional seat row is arranged in the door region. Hence, if the stowage bin is used by multiple passengers a minimum disturbance is ensured. 
         [0016]    The stowage bin unit may comprise a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall, which define a stowage space provided inside the stowage bin unit. The first side wall may be substantially planar and the second side wall may comprise a curvature, through which a width of the stowage space created between the first side wall and the second side wall decreases with increasing distance from the back wall. It is conceivable that the stowage bin unit borders at neighboring seat units with its planar first side wall, such that the width of the group of seat units and the stowage bin unit decreases in the seating direction. By this, an integration of such a stowage bin unit is particularly suitable for an arrangement in the near of an aircraft door having a receptacle arranged thereon for receiving an emergency slide. 
         [0017]    Additionally, a bulged second side wall would also facilitate the integration at a curved cabin wall. 
         [0018]    The stowage bin unit may also be designed for being plugged and arrested on support tubes of the seat frame, such that the stowage bin unit may also slightly extend underneath the respective receiving section. 
         [0019]    The back wall of the stowage bin unit may comprise a curved shape or a shape having at least one kink, which shape substantially corresponds to the shape of a back rest of a seat unit. Hence, the space created for passengers present behind the stowage bin unit corresponds to the space behind a common passenger seat and consequently, the comfort of other passengers is not confined through the integration of the stowage bin unit. 
         [0020]    The maximum width of a stowage bin unit may preferably correspond to at least a half width of a seat unit. Also, the conception of a stowage bin unit having a maximum width, which corresponds to the width of a seating unit, is conceivable. 
         [0021]    The stowage bin unit may comprise an extension in depth, which substantially corresponds to the distance between a seat front edge and a seat rear edge of a seat unit. Besides the possible connection to a common seat frame, no limitations for the neighboring installation space occur from a stowage bin unit mounted onto a seat frame. 
         [0022]    The stowage bin unit may furthermore be designed in such a manner that in an installed state of the stowage bin unit its upper delimitation corresponds to the upper delimitation of a neighboring seat unit, such that a delimitation of the stowage bin unit comparable to a cabin wall is present and such that the head of a passenger does not hit a delimiting edge of the stowage bin unit during lateral accelerations of the aircraft. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the stowage bin unit is dimensioned for receiving one of more pieces of baggage of the passengers or the flight attendants or other aircraft relevant pieces of equipment. 
         [0024]    The invention further relates to an aircraft having a fuselage, a cabin created therein, at least one fuselage opening closable through an aircraft door and at least one arrangement created in the cabin by the receiving system according to the above description, the arrangement having two seat units and one stowage bin unit on three adjacent receiving sections of a seat frame directly next to the fuselage opening. 
         [0025]    The aircraft door may further comprise a receptacle for receiving an emergency slide. Preferably, the stowage bin unit is dimensioned in such a manner, that in case of an arrangement of the seat frame directly at a door region a second side wall of the stowage bin unit that faces to the fuselage opening comprises a predetermined minimum distance to the receptacle. 
         [0026]    With positioning a stowage bin unit at a lateral outer receiving section it is further conceivable that a directly connecting cabin wall comprises a cutout, which corresponds to the contours of the stowage bin unit, into which cutout the stowage bin unit extends. By this, the size of the stowage space may be increased and the weight of the stowage bin unit may be limited at the same time. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    Other characteristics, advantages and potential applications of the present invention result from the following description of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures. In this respect, all described and/or graphically illustrated characteristics also form the object of the invention individually and in arbitrary combination regardless of their composition in the individual claims or their references to other claims. Furthermore, identical or similar objects are identified by the same reference symbols in the figures. 
           [0028]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an arrangement of seats and a stowage bin on a seat frame, the arrangement being created by a system according to the invention, in two different, perspective illustrations. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  shows a top view onto a door region in an aircraft cabin having an arrangement of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0030]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show an alternative illustration of an arrangement of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]      FIG. 1  shows an arrangement  2  having a seat frame  4 , a first seat unit  6 , a second seat unit  8  and a stowage bin  10 , which are mounted on the seat frame  4 . The individual components, which create the arrangement  2  in  FIG. 1 , relate to a receiving system, with which different arrangements may be created from seat frames, seat units and stowage bin units. 
         [0032]    In the illustration of  FIG. 1  the seat frame  4  is equal to a common seat frame for the integration of three passenger seats, which may be created through the seat units  6  and  8 . For their attachment the seat frame  4  comprises receiving sections  4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c . However, in  FIG. 1  exemplarily a stowage bin unit  10  instead of a third seat unit is arranged on the receiving section  4   c , which stowage bin unit  10  comprises a first substantially planar side wall  12 , a second side wall  14 , a back wall  16 , a bottom  18  and an upper wall  20 . It is recognizable that the distance between the first side wall  12  and the second side wall  14  decreases along the seating direction x at a constant height from the back wall  16  to an access opening  22 . Hence, the stowage bin unit  10  tapers along the seating direction x. the access opening  22  may be closable through a flap  24 , such that baggage items inserted into stowage bin unit  10  can be secured from falling out. 
         [0033]    Due to the tapered shape of the stowage bin unit  10  the arrangement  2  may be positioned near a tapered fuselage region and/or an aircraft door having an escape slide receptacle, which aircraft door has a sufficient distance to the second side wall  14  when the aircraft door is closed. Altogether, instead of integrating just two passenger seats near a door region, additionally a stowage bin unit  10  may be provided, such that the use of the installation space at the door region is optimized. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 2  the arrangement  2  is shown from a rearward perspective. Here it is particularly evident that the back wall  16  is adapted to the shape of a back rest  28  or  30 , respectively, on the seat units  6  and  8 . For this purpose the back wall  16  comprises a kink  32 , which divides the back wall  16  substantially into a bottom section and a top section  36 . The bottom section  34  runs parallel to and substantially in the same plane of or in an elongation of a lower section  38  of the back rest  28  in a swiveled-up state. However, the top section  36  runs substantially parallel to an upper section  40  of the back rest  28 . 
         [0035]    Furthermore, a rear support tube  42  and a front support tube  44  are recognizable in this illustration, which are usually used for fastening a passenger seat and provide the receiving sections  4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c  in doing so. Also, the stowage bin unit  10  is adapted for being fastened at a receiving section  4   a ,  4   b  or  4   c , e.g. through a corresponding fastening section (not shown), such that a modification of the seat frame  4  is not required. 
         [0036]    For adaption of the width of the seat frame it is conceivable to shorten the support tubes  42  and  44  slightly, such that the stowage bin unit  10  comprises a width, which is below the width of a seat unit  6  or  8 , respectively. The width may exemplarily correspond to the half width of a seat unit  6  or  8 , respectively. Hence, the arrangement  2  is narrower as a group of three common passenger seats altogether. 
         [0037]    The stowage bin unit  10  comprises a certain, laterally facing bulge, which is particularly suitable for the adaption to a curved fuselage wall. Also, the height extension of the stowage bin unit  10  is limited to the height of the support tubes  42  and  44 , such that the stowage bin unit  10  extends from the support tubes  42  and  44  only upwardly. Resultantly, underneath the stowage bin unit  10  a generously dimensioned leg room for passengers present behind is provided. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  shows a door region  46 , which borders at an aircraft door, which is indicated by means of a receptacle  48  arranged thereon for receiving of an emergency slide. The arrangement  2  directly borders at the door region  46 , which arrangement  2  is mounted to seat rails  50  and  52 . The stowage bin unit is arranged on a lateral outer end of the seat frame  4 , wherein the curved second side wall  14  faces outwardly. 
         [0039]    Exemplarily the support tubes  42  and  44 , which are not visible in  FIG. 3 , are shortened in a way that the arrangement  2  comprises a slightly smaller width than a seat row  54  directly behind. In doing so, a seat unit  6  arranged near an aisle  56  may be placed laterally further outward, which slightly facilitates the access through the door region  46  into the aisle and also provides sufficient leg room for passengers on both seat units  6  and  8 . 
         [0040]    In  FIGS. 4 and 5  an arrangement  58  is shown, which substantially corresponds to the arrangement  2  of the  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but comprises a modified stowage bin unit  60 . The modification lies in leading the support tubes  42  and  44  through the openings  62  and  64 , which extend through a first side wall  66  and a second side wall  68  and are exemplarily arrested to the stowage bin unit  60  in its interior. Hence, the stowage bin unit  60  may extend over the support tubes  42  and  44  into the direction of a cabin floor and thus increase the available volume of the stowage space created therein. The leg room created under the stowage bin unit  60  remains sufficient for passengers present behind. 
         [0041]    The shape and the remaining dimensions exemplarily correspond those of the stowage bin unit  10 . A back wall  70  is also adapted to the shape of the back rest  28  of the adjacent seat unit  8  and comprises a kink  72 , which divides the back wall  70  into a bottom section  74  and a top section  76 . An access opening  82 , which is exemplarily closable through a plurality of stowage bin flaps  78  and  80 , is also present in a front region, i.e. facing in the x direction. Finally, an upper wall  84  complements the stowage bin unit  60 . 
         [0042]    In addition, it should be pointed out that “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plural number. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that characteristics or steps which have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference characters in the claims are not to be interpreted as limitations. 
         [0043]    While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.