Patent Description:
Another challenge is providing accessible lavatories in a cost-effective manner. For an existing fleet, retrofitting narrow body aircraft with wheelchair accessible lavatories would be time consuming and expensive, as in each aircraft the entire monument would be replaced, and could require removal of one or more rows of seats. For future aircraft purchases, manufacturing new aircraft with original wheelchair accessible lavatories would incur substantial costs, and furthermore, other aircraft features, such as rows of seats, would likely be sacrificed to secure the dedicated space required for such a lavatory. A challenge exists to provide an improved lavatory experience for wheelchair users, while minimizing aisle blockage during use and storage, in an economical manner for airline operation.

<CIT> describes a wheelchair-accessible aircraft lavatory unit which is provided while ensuring the number of lavatories, thereby reducing the amount of space occupied by the aircraft lavatory unit within the aircraft. A movable wall section can be moved to a standard position to allow two lavatories to be used separately. The movable wall section can be moved to a non-standard position to join the two lavatories and establish a broad space in which a wheelchair can turn around within the aircraft lavatory unit. A large opening formed by connecting two openings can be formed in a front wall by moving the movable wall section to the non-standard position and opening doors of the lavatories.

<CIT> describes a wheelchair accessible aircraft lavatory monument assembly that includes an enclosure having front and rear walls and that defines an enclosure interior. A divider wall that extends between the front and rear walls, and a divider door that is movable between closed and opened positions. In the closed position the divider door divides the enclosure interior into first and second lavatory interiors. The divider wall includes first and second sections and the divider door includes first and second portions that meet at an obtuse angle. The divider door is pivotably attached to the divider wall. The front wall includes first and second lavatory doors that are both movable between closed and opened positions and provide access to the first and second lavatory interiors. A first toilet is positioned adjacent the rear wall in the first lavatory interior and a second toilet is positioned adjacent the rear wall in the second lavatory interior.

In a first aspect there is provided a lavatory as defined in claim <NUM>. In a second aspect there is provided a method as defined in claim <NUM>.

<FIG> show a lavatory <NUM> with an expandable door <NUM> according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The lavatory <NUM> includes a plurality of walls 12A-D including a first wall 12A having a doorway <NUM>, and the expandable door <NUM>. The expandable door <NUM> includes a main panel <NUM> having dimensions that conform to the doorway <NUM> and a main hinge <NUM> connecting the main panel <NUM> to the first wall 12A. The lavatory <NUM> includes a latch <NUM>, which may be of any suitable type and will be described further below with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> shows a basic closed state and <FIG> shows a basic opened state where the main panel <NUM> may be used as a basic lavatory door. It will be appreciated that the top view of <FIG> illustrate the inside of the main panel <NUM>, but the top of the main panel <NUM> may be covered.

As shown in <FIG>, the main panel <NUM> is configured to, in a deployed state, increase in at least one dimension to form a privacy barrier around an expansion zone EZ located outside of the plurality of walls 12A-D. In this manner, a basic lavatory zone LZ may be increased by the addition of the expansion zone EZ, allowing a passenger extra space to transfer from an onboard wheelchair to a toilet of the lavatory in privacy, for example. The latch <NUM> is configured to lock the expandable door <NUM> in place in the deployed state, presenting the passenger with equal privacy and control of access to the lavatory <NUM> compared to the expandable door <NUM> functioning as a basic door, that is, fitting into the doorway <NUM> in an unexpanded state. It will be understood that the above description of the first embodiment is applicable to all other disclosed embodiments and combinations thereof.

In the first embodiment, the main panel <NUM> includes an outer panel <NUM> having a hollow space <NUM> inside, and a pocket extension <NUM> configured to slide out from the hollow space <NUM> at a side opposite of the main hinge <NUM> (see <FIG>). The pocket extension <NUM> includes a pair of foldable pocket panels 28A, 28B joined by a pocket hinge 28C (see <FIG>). As shown in <FIG>, the main panel <NUM> includes a joint <NUM> that allows the pocket extension <NUM> to slide within the hollow space <NUM> and connects to a first pocket panel 28A of the pair of foldable pocket panels 28A, 28B to the outer panel <NUM> in the deployed state. Turning briefly to <FIG>, one example of the joint <NUM> which may be used in a variety of ways in various embodiments is shown. The joint <NUM> may be a slider pin <NUM> mounted to the pocket extension <NUM> that is depressed within the a door panel <NUM> (here, pocket extension <NUM>) when inside the hollow space <NUM>, with a socket <NUM> at the edge of an auxiliary panel <NUM> (here, the outer panel <NUM>) for holding the pin <NUM> in place when the pocket extension <NUM> is removed its maximum extent from the hollow space <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). The joint <NUM> may be spring loaded with a spring <NUM> such that the slider pin <NUM> is automatically pushed up into the socket <NUM> when the pocket extension <NUM> is pulled free from the hollow space <NUM>, or the joint <NUM> may be manually latched. Alternatively, an edge of the outer panel <NUM> from the bottom to the top may be rotatable with the pocket extension <NUM> once the joint <NUM> is in place, or yet another type of joint may be utilized. The joint <NUM> may include a mechanism for releasing the joint <NUM>, such as a finger hold <NUM> on the slider pin <NUM> configured to move through a slot <NUM>, or a separate unlatching mechanism, for returning the pocket extension <NUM> to the inside of the outer panel <NUM> when the expansion zone EZ is no longer needed. The mechanism may be hidden or flush with the panel so that only a crew member may know to operate the mechanism, thereby maintaining the privacy, safety, and autonomy of the passenger in the lavatory <NUM>. Including the joint <NUM> with the mechanism may reduce incidence of an operator of the extendible door <NUM> prematurely attempting to rotate the pocket extension <NUM> relative to the outer panel <NUM> when the pocket extension <NUM> is out of place because the operator will feel and hear when the joint <NUM> clicks into place and also when the joint <NUM> is released. Accordingly, wear and tear of the extendible door <NUM> may be reduced.

The pair of foldable pocket panels 28A, 28B are configured to be stored inside of the outer panel <NUM> in a folded state (see <FIG>), and after sliding out from the hollow space <NUM> (see <FIG>), unfold at the pocket hinge 28C (see <FIG>) to transition to the deployed state of the expandable door <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the latch <NUM> connects a second pocket panel 28B of the pair of foldable pocket panels 28A, 28B to the first wall 12A. The latch <NUM> may connect the second pocket panel 28B to the first wall 12A by directly engaging with both components, or may, for example, lock the second pocket panel 28B in place via engagement with the ceiling or floor when the second pocket panel 28B is adjacent the first wall 12A. In this manner, the lavatory <NUM> of the first embodiment is easily expanded to add the expansion zone EZ to the basic lavatory zone LZ. In this embodiment, the door width (W<NUM> + W<NUM> + W<NUM>) may increase to approximately three times a basic door width (WB) when expanded (see <FIG> and <FIG> for comparison). In addition, due to the hollow space <NUM>, most of the moving parts used to deploy the privacy barrier are protected inside of the outer panel <NUM> during regular use and are stowed out of the way.

Shown in <FIG> and <FIG> merely by way of example, in any of the disclosed embodiments, the latch <NUM> may be further configured to lock the expandable door <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>. ) in place in a closed state in which the expandable door <NUM> covers the doorway <NUM> and the privacy barrier around the expansion zone EZ is not formed. Thus, the lavatory <NUM> may be closed and locked using the same latch both in the basic lavatory state such as is shown in <FIG>, and in the deployed state, such as is shown in <FIG>, reducing the number of parts used and increasing user friendliness.

<FIG> show a lavatory <NUM> with an expandable door <NUM> in a second embodiment according to the present disclosure, in a progression of expanding from a stowed state to a deployed state. Some components of the lavatory <NUM> and the expandable door <NUM> are identical to corresponding components of the lavatory <NUM> and the expandable door <NUM> and therefore redundant description thereof is omitted.

In the second embodiment, the lavatory <NUM> further comprises a bifold door <NUM> connected to the first wall 12A at one side of the doorway <NUM>. Here, the bifold door <NUM> is shown to the right side of the doorway <NUM>, but the left side may be used as well. The bifold door <NUM> may be connected to the first wall 12A via a hinge <NUM>, for example. The bifold door <NUM> includes a pair of extendable panels <NUM>, <NUM> each having an inner panel 250A, 252A configured to be stowed inside of an outer panel 250B, 252B. The inner panels 250A, 252A may slide out of the respective outer panel 250B, 252B when deployed. Accordingly, when the bifold door <NUM> is stowed, it may be in a more compact form than when deployed, saving space onboard. A first extendable panel <NUM> of the pair of extendable panels <NUM>, <NUM> is connected to the first wall 12A. A second extendable panel <NUM> of the pair of extendable panels <NUM>, <NUM> is connected to the first extendable panel <NUM> at one side thereof, for example, via a hinge <NUM>, and is configured to connect to an open end 216A of a main panel <NUM> at an opposite side thereof via the latch <NUM>. The extendible door <NUM> is thus extendible by the addition of the bifold door <NUM> without including the weight and thickness of the bifold door <NUM> during regular use. Further, the lavatory <NUM> may be particularly easily retrofitted by adding the bifold door <NUM> and the latch <NUM>, and in some cases, the extendible door <NUM> may otherwise be the original lavatory door.

<FIG> show a lavatory <NUM> with an expandable door <NUM> in a third embodiment according to the present disclosure, in a progression of expanding from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the third embodiment, a main panel <NUM> forms a trifold door together with a first trifold panel 356A and a second trifold panel 356B. The main panel <NUM> is connected to the first trifold panel 356A via a first hinge 358A at a side of the main panel <NUM> opposite of the main hinge <NUM>, and the first trifold panel 356A is connected to the second trifold panel 356B via a second hinge 358B at a side of the first trifold panel 356A opposite of the first hinge 358A.

As shown in <FIG>, in a stowed state, the second trifold panel 356B is sandwiched between the main panel <NUM> and the first trifold panel 356A. Then, as shown in <FIG>, when transitioning to the deployed state, the trifold door is configured to unfold and the second trifold panel 356B is configured to connect to the first wall 12A at a side of the second trifold panel 356B opposite of the second hinge 358B, via the latch <NUM>. The trifold door unfolds by opening the combination of the two trifold door panels 356A, 356B away from the main panel <NUM>, and then opening the second trifold panel 356B away from the first trifold panel 356A. In this manner, the extendible door <NUM> may be switched out for the original lavatory door to retrofit the lavatory <NUM> with wheelchair accessibility without substantial additional hardware outside of the door.

<FIG> show a lavatory <NUM> with an expandable door <NUM> in a fourth embodiment according to the present disclosure, in a progression of expanding from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the fourth embodiment, a main panel <NUM> is a first bifold door comprising a first bifold panel 416A connected to the first wall 12A via the main hinge <NUM> and a second bifold panel 416B connected to the first bifold panel 416A via a first bifold hinge 416C. In one example, the first bifold door may include a slider or pin configured to slide through a track (not shown) in the doorway <NUM> during normal use, and the slider may be spring loaded so that the end of the first bifold door opposite the main hinge <NUM> may be released from the track for deployment. The ceiling and/or floor outside the lavatory <NUM> may include sockets for the slider to engage with at the deployed position, for example. The joint <NUM> shown in <FIG> may be utilized, where the auxiliary panel <NUM> having the socket <NUM> is the ceiling and/or floor (if the floor is used, then the figure is rotated upside down). In addition, any of the embodiments disclosed herein may include one or more of the pins <NUM> with corresponding sockets <NUM> for stabilizing any panel in the deployed state. In another example, the main panel <NUM> may operate as a full-width door during basic use, but after a release (such as the joint <NUM>) is activated, the main panel <NUM> is able to act as the first bifold door by folding about the first bifold hinge 416C. In this example, the slider and track may not be included, but pins <NUM> and sockets <NUM> for stabilizing may optionally be utilized.

The lavatory <NUM> further comprises a second bifold door <NUM>. The second bifold door <NUM> includes a third bifold panel 460A connected to the first wall 12A at an opposite side of the doorway <NUM>, and a fourth bifold panel 460B connected to the third bifold panel 460A via a second bifold hinge 460C. As shown in <FIG>, the second bifold door <NUM> may be securely stowed against the first wall 12A when not in use. As shown in <FIG>, the latch <NUM> connects the second bifold panel 416B of the first bifold door to the fourth bifold panel 460B of the second bifold door <NUM>. Because the expandable door <NUM> of the fourth embodiment uses the main panel <NUM> which folds in half when deploying, the expansion zone EZ may be approximately half the size compared to using a solid full-width door, because the extent of the expansion zone into the space outside of the lavatory <NUM> is only half of the width of the doorway <NUM>. Thus, this embodiment may be an option to conserve more space if the size of the expansion zone is sufficient to fit the onboard wheelchair and allow the passenger to move freely.

<FIG> show perspective views of a lavatory <NUM> with an expandable door <NUM> in a fifth embodiment according to the present disclosure, in a progression of expanding from a stowed state to a deployed state. <FIG> show corresponding top views. While only the vertical sides of the lavatory <NUM> are shown, it will be appreciated that when installed, the lavatory of all embodiments customarily includes a floor and ceiling as well. In the fifth embodiment, a main panel <NUM> includes an outer panel <NUM> having a hollow space <NUM> inside (see <FIG>), similar to the first embodiment. However, here, the outer panel <NUM> is configured to split apart into a first half 522A and a second half 522B arranged side by side. In the illustrated embodiment, the first half 522A is a right half and the second half 522B is a left half, but the reverse configuration may be used instead. As shown in <FIG>, the main panel <NUM> includes a pocket extension <NUM> configured to slide out from the hollow space <NUM> (see <FIG>) when the first and second halves 522A, 522B of the outer panel <NUM> are separated from one another. Once the pocket extension <NUM> slides out from the hollow space <NUM> (see <FIG>), as shown in <FIG>, the pocket extension <NUM> is rotatably coupled to the first and second halves 522A, 522B of the outer panel <NUM>. This may be achieved similarly to in the first embodiment, in which a slidable joint may click into place and a release mechanism may be optionally utilized, and therefore repeat description from the first embodiment will be omitted. Such a slidable joint may be used in each of the two halves 522A, 522B of the outer panel <NUM>.

<FIG> also illustrates a mechanism <NUM> compatible with any of the disclosed embodiments which may be hidden, inconspicuously located, flush with the door panel, or unlockable with a specially shaped tool, for example. The mechanism <NUM> may be used to unlock the two halves 552A, 552B of the outer panel <NUM> so that an unwitting passenger does not deploy the extendable door <NUM> when it is not needed.

As shown in <FIG>, the first half 522A of the outer panel <NUM> is connected to the first wall 12A at one side of the doorway <NUM> via the main hinge <NUM>, and as shown in <FIG>, the second half 522B of the outer panel <NUM> is configured to latch to the first wall 12A at an opposite side of the doorway <NUM>, via the latch <NUM>. Like the fourth embodiment, the fifth embodiment provides a smaller but still sufficient expansion zone EZ so that more space may be saved. <FIG> show that an on-board wheelchair <NUM> may fit within the combination of the basic lavatory zone LZ and the expansion zone EZ with a toilet <NUM> and sink <NUM> both present. Half of the walls 12A-D of the lavatory <NUM> are shown in dashed lines in <FIG> to display the inside while also showing the location of the walls 12A-D. Thus, the expansion zone EZ may be sized to accommodate a wheelchair <NUM>. Accordingly, the passenger has ample room to move between the on-board wheelchair <NUM> and the toilet <NUM> in this and the other embodiments. For any of the disclosed embodiments, as viewed from above, the expansion zone may have an area of about <NUM>% to about <NUM>% of a lavatory area bounded by the plurality of walls, about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%, or about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%. These values provide sufficient space for the passenger to use the lavatory while reducing added weight, reducing lost space, and providing user friendliness with reasonably sized and reasonably numbered panels.

Shown in <FIG> merely by example, in any of the disclosed embodiments, the latch <NUM> may be an auxiliary latch and the lavatory <NUM> may further comprise a main latch 20A configured to lock the expandable door <NUM> in place in a closed state in which the expandable door <NUM> covers the doorway <NUM> and the privacy barrier around the expansion zone EZ is not formed. The latches <NUM>, 20A may be considered part of the expandable door <NUM>, part of the doorframe, or both. The different latches <NUM>, 20A may be located at different heights, oriented in different directions, etc. In this manner, the lavatory <NUM> may be closed and locked using one latch in the basic lavatory state such as is shown in <FIG>, and a different latch in the deployed state, such as is shown in <FIG>, simplifying the design.

<FIG> show a lavatory <NUM> with an expandable door <NUM> in a sixth embodiment according to the present disclosure, in a progression of expanding from a stowed state to a deployed state, and <FIG> show perspective views of the lavatory <NUM>. In the sixth embodiment, the lavatory <NUM> further comprises a privacy curtain <NUM> to be used in conjunction with a main panel <NUM>. When not in use, the privacy curtain may be stowed against or next to the lavatory <NUM>. Here, a main panel <NUM> is a bifold door comprising a first bifold panel 616A connected to the first wall 12A via the main hinge <NUM> and a second bifold panel 616B connected to the first bifold panel 616A via a first bifold hinge 616C. Unlike the bifold door of the fourth embodiment, the bifold door of the sixth embodiment is a full-width bifold door, similar to the trifold door of the third embodiment. That is, each bifold panel 616A, 616B is approximately the full width of the doorway <NUM>, rather than approximately half of the width. However, in the deployed state, the bifold door is opened such that the second bifold panel 616B is separated from the first wall 12A by an opening 616D, and the privacy curtain <NUM> covers the opening. Thus, the latch <NUM> locks the main panel <NUM> (specifically, the second bifold panel 616B) in place via the curtain <NUM>, or via the ceiling or floor if a joint such as the joint <NUM> is used as the latch <NUM>. Using only a simple bifold door in conjunction with the curtain <NUM> may decrease cost, increase ease of use, and increase ease of retrofitting.

The sixth embodiment is one example of a configuration in which the main panel <NUM> is rigid, and the lavatory <NUM> further includes at least one flexible panel, for example, the curtain <NUM>. A flexible panel may simplify the configuration and allow the extendible door <NUM> to be stowed and deployed in varying arrangements with greater leeway. The second and fourth embodiments are examples of configurations in which the main panel <NUM>, <NUM> is rigid, and the expandable door <NUM>, <NUM> further includes at least one additional rigid panel, for example, the bifold doors <NUM>, <NUM>. The rigid panels may provide an increased feeling of privacy and security for the passenger using the lavatory.

As an optional feature, as shown in <FIG>, the first wall 12A may include a latchable panel <NUM> adjacent the sink <NUM> of the lavatory <NUM>. The latchable panel <NUM> may be configured to open outward from the lavatory <NUM> in an unlatched state. The latching may be achieved by a simple vertical slide lock, spring loaded pin, etc. near the doorway <NUM>. The latchable panel <NUM> may swing about a hinge located at the corner of the lavatory <NUM>. Further, the curtain <NUM> may be configured to extend across the gap between the main panel <NUM> and the latchable panel <NUM>. For instance, the curtain may be disposed inside of the latchable panel <NUM> and pulled out after use of a release mechanism. In any case, providing the latchable panel <NUM> may not only allow the passenger to have more space to move, particularly when the sink does not extend all of the way to the floor, but may also allow a helper to provide assistance for passengers who are not able to move themselves from the on-board wheelchair <NUM>, etc..

To show different examples of typical lavatories, the lavatory <NUM> is illustrated as including an upper portion <NUM> of the doorway <NUM> rather than using the ceiling as the top border of the doorway <NUM>, and thus the extendible door <NUM> does not reach the ceiling. In contrast, <FIG> shows that in the lavatory <NUM>, the doorway <NUM> extends to a top edge 12AA of the first wall 12A, increasing the opening through which passengers may walk. However, any of the disclosed embodiments may have doorways <NUM> that do or do not extend to the ceiling. When a gap is present, as shown in <FIG>, using the sixth embodiment as a base merely for example, one or more flaps <NUM> may be included to be flipped up and cover the gap in the deployed state. While many features of the above described embodiments relate to increasing the door width of the extendible door <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>. ), the flaps <NUM> may serve to increase a door height. The flaps <NUM> may be rotatably connected to the main panel <NUM> via flap hinges 74A, or they may slide out from within whichever panel they are mounted on, for example. The main panel <NUM> may optionally include a recess (not shown) to accommodate the flaps <NUM>. A mechanism may also be included to lock the flaps in the closed position. Such flaps <NUM> may increase the passenger's feeling of security and privacy.

The expandable doors of any of the above embodiments may be the original door in a new lavatory. Alternatively, the lavatory of any of the above embodiments may be configured to be retrofitted with the expandable door. Retrofitting with the disclosed expandable doors may save significant costs both in purchase price and installation costs compared to replacing an entire lavatory monument.

As shown schematically in <FIG>, the lavatory of any of the above embodiments may be included in a transportation apparatus <NUM> such as an aircraft, bus, train, submarine, etc. Specifically in the depicted example, the lavatory <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>. ) may be an aircraft lavatory. As aircraft are transportation apparatuses in which passengers are held for long periods of time, space is highly valuable, and changing configurations requires precise engineering, the disclosed lavatories and extendible doors provide multiple ways for ensuring that everyone on board is able to visit the lavatory when necessary while minimizing the effect on cost and permanently occupied space. Accordingly, any of the above disclosed expandable doors may be an expandable door <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>. ) for retrofitting to an aircraft lavatory <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> is a flowchart of a method <NUM> of manufacturing a lavatory. The following description of method <NUM> is provided with reference to the lavatory <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>. ) described above and shown in <FIG>. It will be appreciated that method <NUM> may also be performed in other contexts using other suitable components.

With reference to <FIG>, at <NUM>, the method <NUM> includes providing a lavatory enclosure having a first volume. The volume may be defined by a plurality of walls, a floor, and a ceiling. At <NUM>, the method <NUM> includes attaching an expandable door configured to convert between the following latched states: at <NUM>, a first latched state in which the expandable door is arranged to close an opening of the lavatory enclosure, and at <NUM>, a second latched state in which the expandable door is manipulated to enclose an expansion zone outside of the lavatory enclosure having a second volume contiguous with the first volume. In this manner, a lavatory that is expandable between may be manufactured merely the first volume of the lavatory enclosure, and the first volume plus the expansion zone having a second volume, may be manufactured. Accordingly, the lavatory may be converted to a wheelchair accessible lavatory on demand, and then collapsed back to its original size in order to resume the previous use of the expansion zone, e.g., walking space in the aisle.

In the method <NUM>, the expandable door may include a plurality of rigid panels, at least one rigid panel of which is attached to the lavatory enclosure via a hinge. With rigid panels, a passenger using the lavatory in the deployed state may have a secure and private experience. Also in the method <NUM>, as viewed from above, an area of the second volume may be about <NUM>% to about <NUM>% of an area of the first volume, about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%, or about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%. These values provide sufficient space for the passenger to use the lavatory while reducing added weight, reducing lost space, and providing user friendliness with reasonably sized and reasonably numbered panels.

The expandable panels of the door panel may comprise materials typically used in the construction of a lavatory door panel such as plastics, structural foams, composites, metals, and like materials and combinations thereof. The curtain, in embodiments, can comprise a material having the ability to be flexible to extend around the lavatory area, and also, have a hardness and/or stiffness sufficient to allow the curtain to maintain its shape. Materials having such properties and suitable for use as the curtain for the expandable panels include a variety of textiles, plastics, or a combination of both.

On-board wheelchairs have varying dimensions but are typically approximately <NUM> to <NUM> ( <NUM> to <NUM> inches ) wide and <NUM> to <NUM> ( <NUM> to <NUM> inches) long. Any of the above disclosed embodiments may be used to provide an expansion zone that is sized to accommodate any of these wheelchair dimensions. It is noted that in some cases, a front portion of the wheelchair may extend into the basic lavatory zone while the wheelchair is accommodated in the expansion zone.

Claim 1:
A lavatory (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a plurality of walls (12A, 12B) including a first wall (12A) having a doorway (<NUM>), the plurality of walls defining a lavatory enclosure having a first volume;
an expandable door (<NUM>) including:
a main panel (<NUM>) having dimensions that conform to the doorway (<NUM>); and
a main hinge (<NUM>) connecting the main panel (<NUM>) to the first wall (12A); and
a latch (<NUM>), wherein
the main panel (<NUM>) is configured to, in a deployed state, increase in at least one dimension to form a privacy barrier around an expansion zone (EZ) located outside of the lavatory enclosure, the expansion zone having a second volume contiguous with the first volume, and
the latch (<NUM>) is configured to lock the expandable door (<NUM>) in place in the deployed state.