Abstract:
Stowage systems having boxes with covers are addressed. Exemplary systems include mechanisms for biasing covers toward their closed positions and for blocking, or maintaining, covers in their open positions when necessary or desired. Such systems are particularly (although not exclusively) useful for cockpit storage of oxygen masks, where open covers might impede use of certain flight controls during aircraft operation but facilitate removal or reinsertion of the masks by a mechanic when the aircraft is not operating.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to stowage systems, particularly (but not exclusively) for oxygen masks, and more particularly (but again not exclusively) to stowage boxes in which oxygen masks for aircraft crew members may be stored when not in use.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Numerous styles of oxygen masks presently exist. One type, denoted the “quick-donning” variety, typically includes a breathing regulator, a pneumatically-controlled harness, and optionally an optical lens and microphone and may be adapted for donning, typically using only one hand of the wearer, in less than five seconds. This sort of rapid functioning may be necessary to protect flight crew members (or other personnel) from adverse affects of depressurization, smoke, or other eye or lung irritants.  
           [0003]    The Eros MAGIC mask is an example of such quick-donning equipment. Another example is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,664,566 and 5,957,132 to McDonald, et al. (collectively “the McDonald patents”). As noted in the McDonald patents, “[p]rovisions for stowage of the mask must be sensitive to both the quick-donning requirements and the very limited space and volume available in the aircraft flight decks.” The McDonald patents additionally note that these masks often are desirably placed “in a position close to and convenient to the crewmember when he or she is seated at his or her station.” See, e.g., McDonald &#39;566, col. 1, 11. 28-34.  
           [0004]    FIGS. 2 and 3 of the McDonald patents illustrate, somewhat schematically, sample storage boxes for oxygen masks. More typically, however, the storage boxes have one or more doors, or covers, intended to protect the stowed masks when not in use. Alternatively referred to as “lids” in various brochures for Eros products, these doors or covers often are designed both to permit easy extraction of the masks within the boxes and to facilitate testing of the operational capabilities of the regulators without having to remove the masks from the boxes.  
           [0005]    Storage boxes, especially those intended for flight deck use, additionally are constrained not to interfere with proper operation of their associated aircraft. Accordingly, if the covers of a storage box remain open after a mask is donned, they advantageously should not impede use of any aircraft equipment. This is particularly problematic for some Boeing 757 aircraft, where placement of some storage boxes may cause their covers, when open, to hinder maneuvering of certain aircraft flight controls.  
           [0006]    Likewise, absent any closing bias on the box covers, once opened by a mechanic, for example, to reinsert a mask into a box, the covers remain open. This result could, at least theoretically, assist mechanics in replacing masks using only two hands. However, it also creates potential to cause damage to the covers if they are improperly blocked open and subsequently forced close.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention seeks to resolve some of these issues by providing stowage systems designed to avoid having container covers impede flight equipment when the covers are open. The systems additionally permit the covers to be blocked, or latched, open when appropriate as, for example, to facilitate reinsertion of masks into associated storage boxes. Further, the latching mechanism may be designed so as not to suffer damage if the covers are forced closed improperly.  
           [0008]    Some embodiments of the innovative systems may incorporate covers biased to close following opening. The closing bias may be provided in any suitable manner, although preferably using a twisted spring positioned at or near the pivot axis of its corresponding cover. In this preferred approach, the static end of the twisted spring may be designed to contact the casing of the storage box, while the dynamic end of the spring contacts the cover.  
           [0009]    Embodiments of the systems additionally may permit translation of the covers along their pivot axes. In these embodiments, translating open covers may cause curved spring blades mounted on the casing to contact teeth present on the covers. The force applied by the blades counteracts that of the twisting springs, thus maintaining the covers in the open position. Sliding the covers back along their pivot axes allows the springs to resume their function and facilitate closure of the covers. As well, if the curved blades are chosen to be sufficiently flexible, the teeth can escape them without damage should someone attempt to close a cover improperly.  
           [0010]    Any or all of the above-described features may be present in embodiments of the present invention. The invention is not limited to any particular embodiment described or illustrated in this application, but rather encompasses both these embodiments and all others discernable to those skilled in the appropriate field upon reviewing this application. In particular, systems of the present invention need not necessarily be employed on flight decks or by flight crews, but rather may be utilized in any suitable location or by any appropriate personnel.  
           [0011]    It thus is an object of the present invention to provide systems for stowing equipment such as, but not necessarily limited to, oxygen masks.  
           [0012]    It is also an optional object of the present invention to provide stowage systems including covered containers and in which the covers may be biased closed.  
           [0013]    It is further an optional object of the present invention to provide stowage systems for use on flight decks or by flight crews or in areas where space is limited.  
           [0014]    It is an additional optional object of the present invention to provide stowage systems in which covers of containers may be blocked, or latched, open to facilitate insertion or removal of equipment contained within the containers.  
           [0015]    It is yet another optional object of the present invention to provide stowage systems in which the blocking, or latching, mechanism may be chosen so as to reduce the possibility of damage should covers be forced closed improperly.  
           [0016]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the appropriate art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary stowage system of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the stowage system of FIG. 1 with the left door open and the right door removed.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a partially-exploded perspective view of a portion of the stowage system of FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cover of the stowage system of FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the underside of the cover of FIG. 4.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the cover of FIG. 4 illustrating, principally, its teeth.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the underside of the cover illustrated in FIG. 6.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a side view of a curved blade of the stowage system of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]    FIGS.  1 - 3  illustrate exemplary stowage system  10  of the present invention. As detailed in these figures, system  10  may include a container, such as box  14 , comprising casing  18  and cover  22 . Box  14  is especially well suited for housing a quick-donning oxygen mask, although other oxygen masks, and indeed equipment other than oxygen masks, could possibly be contained within box  14  instead. Likewise, although box  14  is depicted as having generally rectangular cross-section, other container types and shapes may be employed.  
         [0026]    Box  14  optionally may include connections to a source of oxygen or other breathable gas and to electrical or communications lines. These optional features of system  10  may be advantageous when the system  10  is utilized in the cockpit of an aircraft with box  14  housing an oxygen mask. Further, if the mask is of the quick-donning variety, both the regulator and harness may be connected to the oxygen source, permitting the same gaseous flow both to inflate the harness and to provide breathable gas to the wearer.  
         [0027]    In the embodiment of system  10  shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , cover  22  contains two doors, or sections,  22 A and  22 B. Each section  22 A or  22 B may connect to casing  18  in a manner permitting its pivoting outward, away from the interior volume of box  14 . When closed, sections  22 A and  22 B collectively define an opening  32  from which at least the regulator of an oxygen mask may protrude. Such protrusion permits the regulator to form a grasping surface for a wearer, who by grasping the regulator may pull the mask out of the interior volume of box  14  for use. Because portions of the mask are larger than opening  32 , when the wearer pulls the mask through the opening  32 , sections  22 A and  22 B necessarily pivot outward to expose the entire inner volume of box  14 . FIG. 2 depicts section  22 B as so pivoted, while FIG. 3 illustrates section  22 A pivoted outward and section  22 B in its unpivoted position.  
         [0028]    Unlike conventional mask-stowage systems, system  10  includes a mechanism for biasing cover  22  to its closed position, in which sections  22 A and  22 B are unpivoted. Hence, after the wearer pulls a mask through opening  32 , sections  22 A and  22 B will tend to return to the state depicted in FIG. 1. An exemplary mechanism for accomplishing this result includes twisted spring  36  and axle  40 , each shown in FIGS.  3 - 5 . Of course, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other biasing means may be used instead of or in addition to spring  36  and axle  40 , so that the biasing mechanism of the invention neither necessarily requires nor is limited to either or both of these particular components.  
         [0029]    Nevertheless, assuming spring  36  and axle  40  are present, one set of each preferably connects to each of sections  22 A and  22 B of cover  22 . FIGS.  3 - 5  shows one such set of spring  36  and axle  40  for use with section  22 A. In these embodiments of system  10 , axle  40  is captured by section  22 A and base  42  in a manner permitting it to rotate freely, while spring  36  circumscribes a portion of axle  40 . Spring  36  includes both static end  44  and dynamic end  48 , the former of which pushes on casing  18 , while the latter pushes on section  22 A.  
         [0030]    When base  42  is connected to flange  52  (which in turn is connected to casing  18 ), section  22 A may pivot about an axis coincident with axle  40  so as to open and close. However, because of the force supplied by spring  36 , section  22 A tends to want to return to its unpivoted condition. Utilizing a similar mechanism in connection with section  22 B may cause it too to tend to return to its unpivoted condition, thus closing cover  22  as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0031]    Illustrated in FIGS.  6 - 7  are, among other things, teeth  56  of section  22 B. Although four such teeth  56  are detailed in FIGS.  6 - 7 , other numbers of teeth may be employed instead. Additionally, teeth  56  need not be shaped or configured as shown in FIGS.  6 - 7 ; rather, any structure capable of bearing against curved spring blades  60  (or similar components) mounted onto casing  18  (see FIGS. 2 and 8) may be substituted.  
         [0032]    When cover  22  is closed or not blocked open, teeth  56  are spaced between blades  60  and do not bear against them. After each section  22 A or  22 B is opened, however, that section  22 A or  22 B may be translated (nominally upward) along the axis coincident with axle  40  so as to cause teeth  56  to contact blades  60 . By properly matching the force provided by blades  60  in this circumstance to that supplied by spring  36 , the forces may counterbalance, overcoming the closing bias and blocking, or maintaining, the corresponding section  22 A or  22 B in its open state. Translating the section  22 A or  22 B back to its original position undoes contact between teeth  56  and blades  60 , returning the closing bias to that section. Finally, if blades  60  are sufficiently flexible, their bending may allow teeth  56  to escape damage even when an attempt to close corresponding section  22 A or  22 B is made with teeth  56  and blades  60  engaged.  
         [0033]    The foregoing is provided for purposes of explaining exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Modifications to and adaptations of the described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.