Abstract:
A modular aircraft closet including a structural frame having a top, a bottom, an inboard sidewall, an outboard sidewall, an open forward face and an open aft face. A forward panel attaches to the structural frame to cover the open forward face and an aft panel attaches to the structural frame to cover the open aft face. The forward and aft panels can be equipped with an exterior panel feature to customize, brand, reconfigure or retrofit the closet.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Application No. 62/147,241 filed Apr. 14, 2015, and U.S. Application No. 62/147,207 filed Apr. 14, 2015, the entirety of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a modular constructed monument that supports customization, flexibility and a means to do mid-life upgrades, and more particularly, to a monument including a skeletal substructure which serves as the structural foundation to the whole unit, and a decorative skin structure which is replaceable. 
         [0003]    Monuments such as stowage closets, partitions, etc., are conventionally delivered and installed at the time of new aircraft construction. Airlines typically keep the same monuments for the life of the aircraft and do minimal to no updates due to the cost of replacing the entire unit. 
         [0004]    As cabin layouts, stowage needs and branding change, it would be desirable to be able to change a monument without having to entirely remove the old monument and replace it with a new one. Therefore, what is needed is an easy and cost-effective way to reconfigure, reface and/or otherwise update an installed monument during its lifetime. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the invention to provide a customizable modular monument solution for aircraft. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the invention to provide a modular aircraft monument including a universal structural frame and replaceable decorative panels. 
         [0007]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a modular closet having replaceable forward and aft panels that can be decorated, customized and equipped to suit a particular airline carrier&#39;s needs. 
         [0008]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a modular class dividing partition having replaceable forward and aft panels that can be decorated, customized and equipped to suit a particular airline carrier&#39;s needs. 
         [0009]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a modular monument for separating seating classes or sections within the same seating class in an aircraft. 
         [0010]    To achieve the foregoing and other objects and advantages, in a first embodiment the present invention provides a modular aircraft closet including a structural frame having a top, a bottom, an inboard sidewall, an outboard sidewall, an open forward face, and an open aft face, a forward panel adapted to attach to the structural frame and cover the open forward face, an aft panel adapted to attach to the structural frame and cover the open aft face, and at least one exterior panel feature adapted to install in the forward panel or the aft panel. 
         [0011]    In a further aspect, the at least one exterior panel feature can be a stowage pocket or a plurality of adjacent stowage pockets each having an insert received through an opening in the forward panel or the aft panel. 
         [0012]    In a further aspect, the at least one exterior panel feature can be a foot well including an open-faced insert received through an opening in a lower portion of the aft panel. 
         [0013]    In a further aspect, the at least one exterior panel feature can be a removable/replaceable graphical element. 
         [0014]    In a further aspect, the inboard sidewall of the structural frame can include a latched door for accessing an interior compartment of the modular aircraft closet. 
         [0015]    In a further aspect, the modular aircraft closet can be adapted to be positioned in an aircraft forward of a row of passenger seats with the outboard sidewall adjacent a sidewall of the aircraft, the inboard sidewall adjacent a longitudinal aisle, and the aft panel facing the row of passenger seats. 
         [0016]    In a further aspect, the top, bottom, inboard sidewall and outboard sidewall can be an integrated unit. 
         [0017]    According to another embodiment, the present invention provides a modular aircraft monument including a structural frame having a top, a bottom, an inboard sidewall, an outboard sidewall, an open forward face, and an open aft face, a forward panel adapted to attach to the structural frame and cover the open forward face, an aft panel adapted to attach to the structural frame and cover the open aft face, and at least one exterior panel feature adapted to install in the forward panel or the aft panel. 
         [0018]    In a further aspect, the monument can be a stowage closet, the at least one exterior panel feature can be a stowage pocket or a foot well received through an opening in the aft panel, and the inboard sidewall of the structural frame can include a latched door for accessing an interior compartment. 
         [0019]    In a further aspect, the monument can be a seating class dividing partition. 
         [0020]    Embodiments of the invention can include one or more or any combination of the above features and configurations. 
         [0021]    Additional features, aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present various embodiments of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Features, aspects and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following detailed description of the invention is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a modular aircraft stowage closet according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the modular stowage closet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 3 a - c    show perspective views of various modular closet configurations; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 4 a - c    show detailed views of examples of exterior panel features; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a modular partition according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the partition of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. However, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the representative embodiments set forth herein. The exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be both thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention and enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make, use and practice the invention. Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the various drawings. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a modular aircraft stowage closet  20  according to an embodiment of the invention. Closet  20  can be installed in an aircraft cabin to divide seating classes or sections within the same seating class. Closet  20  generally includes a structural frame  22 , a forward panel  24  adapted to attach to the forward side of the structural frame  22 , and an aft panel  26  adapted to attached to an aft side of the structural frame  22 . The structural frame  22  generally includes a top  28 , a bottom  30 , an inboard sidewall  32 , an outboard sidewall  34 , an open forward face  36 , and an open aft face  38 . When installed, the forward panel  24  covers the open forward face  36  and the aft panel  26  covers the open aft face  38 . 
         [0031]    The closet  20  can be positioned in an aircraft forward of a row of passenger seats, for example a row of economy class seats, with the outboard sidewall  34  positioned adjacent the aircraft sidewall, the inboard sidewall  32  positioned facing one of the longitudinal aisles, and the aft panel  26  facing the aft row of passenger seats. The bottom  30  can secure to the deck, for example using conventional track fasteners, while the top  28  can secure to the ceiling. Closet  20  thus can be sized and shaped to fill the shape from floor-to-ceiling and from aisle-to-sidewall on one side of the cabin. The outboard sidewall  34  can be curved to follow the curvature of the fuselage. 
         [0032]    Closet  20  can further include at least one exterior panel feature  40  adapted to install in one or more of the forward panel  24  and the aft panel  26 . The exterior panel feature can be a stowage pocket  42 . As show, closet  20  includes a plurality of adjacent stowage pockets  42  each being an insert received through an opening in one of the forward and aft panels  24 ,  26 . Stowage pockets  42  positioned directly forward of passengers seated facing the aft panel  24  can be used to stow passenger personal items, magazines, safety instructions, etc. The inboard sidewall  32  can include a latched door  44  which opens to access the interior of the closet. 
         [0033]    The structural frame  22  can be an integrated unit. The structural frame  22  is the primary structural element of the closet, while the forward and aft panels  24 ,  26  can be decorative and customized based on customer needs. Thus, the structural frame  22  can be the standard structural element while the outer panels are replaceable. Once the structural frame  22  has undergone stress testing and is certified, multiple configurations of the closet can be offered, without the added time and cost of doing required testing on each new unit. After the structural frame  22  is built, any of several configurations can be easily attached to the structural frame, for example using any type of conventional fasteners including, but not limited to, screws, bolts, snaps, clips, etc. Once the structural frame  22  is installed in the aircraft, it can be reconfigured in a retro-fit application without requiring new certification. While much of the look and feel of a conventional closet is retained, closet  20  is configured such that the exterior decorative panels are replaceable. If damaged or needing to change in color or a whole new look, the panels can be replaced without having to completely replace the whole monument structure. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3 a - c    shows various closet configurations.  FIG. 3 a   , for example, shows closet  20  having an aft panel  26  equipped with an interior foot well  46  in the lower portion thereof and a video monitor unit  48  above the foot well  46 . The foot well  46  can be for use by passengers seated in the row immediately aft of the closet  20  and allows the row of seats to be positioned closer to the closet  20 .  FIG. 3 b   , for example, shows closet  20  with the foot well  46  in the aft panel  26 , but without a video monitor unit.  FIG. 3 c   , for example, shows closet  20  with an aft panel  26  without any exterior panel feature. In each of the closets shown in  FIGS. 3 a - c   , the aft panel  26  can be a decorative panel customized for an airline carrier. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 4 a - c    show various examples of exterior panel features  40  embedded within or mounted to the aft panel  26 .  FIG. 4 a   , for example, shows the panel feature  40  in the form of a decorative panel  50  having a predetermined shape that spans the full width of the aft panel  26 .  FIG. 4 b   , for example, shows the panel feature  40  in the form of another decorative panel  50  which can be backlit.  FIG. 4 c   , for example, shows the panel feature  40  in the form of a decorative panel  50  positioned to one side of the aft panel. Each of the decorative panels  50  shown in  FIGS. 4 a - c    can be branded differently for each carrier, thus providing a modular closet solution that can be used across all carriers. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows a second embodiment of a modular aircraft monument, this time in the faun of a class dividing partition  52 . The partition  52  also includes an underlying structural frame like the closet embodiment described above. The structural frame is covered on the from face with a front panel  24 , on the aft face with an aft panel  26 , and one or more of the forward and aft panels  24 ,  26  can include at least one exterior panel feature  40 . The partition  52  is sized and shaped to occupy the space from wall-to-aisle and floor-to-ceiling, and can have a sinusoidal profile as shown to follow the curvature of rows of forward and aft positioned passenger seats. A foot well  46  can be positioned below the aft panel  26 , and the foot well  46  can be divided into separate compartments. One or more of the forward panel  24 , aft panel  26  and exterior panel features  40  can be decorative or otherwise customized to suit a particular airline carrier. The exterior panel features  40  can be removable graphic elements to change the look of the partition. 
         [0037]    The foregoing description provides embodiments of the invention by way of example only. It is envisioned that other embodiments may perform similar functions and/or achieve similar results. Any and all such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the scope of the present invention and are intended to be covered by the appended claims.