Patent Description:
Background includes WO-<CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>. <CIT> describes a base frame assembly for installing a passenger seat in an aircraft, which has main frame including seat and lateral support structures with one and two seat fittings, respectively, and a secondary frame coupled to the main frame and including a seat fitting.

In commercial aircraft, passenger safety and comfort are facilitated by providing structurally sound passenger furnishings, including seating arrangements and a wide variety of amenities. Structures can be provided within the passenger cabin that are directed to providing secure seating, supporting safety features, providing storage for flotation devices or oxygen, for providing convenient small-article storage, or for supporting media devices, both built-in and passenger-provided. Unlike ground-based transport, air transport must cope with higher speeds and more limited space and weight constraints, and passenger aircraft may be in service through multiple iterations of improvements in passenger seat and amenity designs. Therefore, not only must aircraft furnishings be lightweight, safe, and secure; they should also be adaptable to multiple layouts and be movable without incurring excess costs or requiring significant layout changes in any given passenger cabin. To that end, improvements in the underlying structures that support passenger amenities are desired.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a crossbeam assembly for mounting a passenger compartment furnishing is defined in appended claim <NUM>.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a passenger compartment furnishing is defined in appaended claim <NUM>.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for installing a passenger compartment furnishing is defined in appended claim <NUM>.

The described embodiments of the invention provide modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floors for installing passenger furnishings, passenger seats, and other fixed amenities to a channels in an aircraft cabin floor. While the modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floors are discussed for use with aircraft passenger furnishings, they are by no means so limited. Rather, embodiments of the modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floors may be used with a wide variety of channel-mounted amenities of any type or otherwise as desired, and in a variety of passenger cabin arrangements for alternative conveyances.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, as shown in <FIG>, an arrangement of passenger furnishings <NUM> includes at least one, often multiple, passenger furnishing assemblies <NUM> that are connected to the passenger cabin by an arrangement of floor-mounted channels <NUM>. The floor-mounted channels <NUM> can be open U-channel channels or comparable, can be closed channels with periodically spaced mounting features or holes for receiving attachments, or can be any other suitable form of channel. Floor-mounted channels <NUM> are a common form of floor-mounted structural support in the aircraft industry, however, the exact spacing and the type of channel vary significantly between different airframes and between the customized floorplans prepared for different airlines. Existing passenger furnishings are designed based on known floorplans in order to attach directly to the passenger cabin floor or to preassembled attachment means that are positioned with fixed, predetermined spacing. As a result, existing passenger furnishings are not readily replaceable and are not necessarily standardized between different airframes or cabin designs.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in <FIG>, passenger furnishing assemblies <NUM> include modular attachment mechanisms <NUM> that include a first structural member <NUM> (e.g., a crossbeam) that can be positioned intersecting the floor-mounted channels <NUM> and mounted to the floor-mounted channels via attachment elements <NUM> (e.g., brackets) connected to the floor-mounted channels by floor connectors <NUM>. The structural members <NUM> include mounting elements <NUM> that connect the structural members with the body <NUM> of each passenger furnishing assembly <NUM>. Several specific embodiments of the attachment elements <NUM> and floor connectors <NUM> are disclosed herein. In general, attachment elements <NUM> are movable along a length of each structural member <NUM>, allowing the attachment elements <NUM> to be positioned at any suitable spacing with respect to each other along the structural member, and then allowing the structural member <NUM> to be placed at any suitable offset with respect to the floor-mounted channels <NUM> to which the attachment elements are mounted.

The passenger furnishing assemblies <NUM>, including passenger furnishing body <NUM> and the modular attachment mechanisms <NUM>, may be formed of materials including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, aramid fibers, polycarbonate, polypropylene, other metallic materials, composite materials, or other similar materials, or any suitable combination of the above materials. The particular passenger furnishing assemblies <NUM> illustrated herein are shown as examples only, and the modular attachment mechanisms <NUM> are compatible with a wide variety of passenger furnishings, including but not limited to: simple passenger seat shrouds; complex passenger seat enclosures that can include multimedia entertainment systems, tray tables, or similar amenities; multi-use stations such as galley furnishings; passenger seating arrangements; or any other suitable fixture that can be secured to an aircraft cabin by way of floor-mounted channels or tracks. The strength of the modular attachment mechanisms <NUM> can be selected based on the physical dimensions and weight of the passenger furnishing assembly, but is generally configured to support the passenger furnishing assembly against a potential forward load of <NUM> acceleration, and a downward load of at least <NUM> acceleration.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a first example connecting mechanism <NUM> for the arrangement of passenger furnishings of <FIG>, in accordance with various embodiments. The connecting mechanism <NUM> includes an attachment element <NUM> shaped to receive the structural member <NUM>. The structural member <NUM> can be adapted to many cross-sectional shapes, including (as shown) a rounded square configuration, but also including round, elliptical, rectangular, triangular, flat or channeled (e.g. shaped like a C-beam, L-beam, T-beam, or I-beam) or other suitable cross-sections, including both rounded and angular designs. According to various embodiments, the structural member <NUM> is an extruded component having a consistent cross-sectional shape along its length. According to some embodiments, e.g. where a singular structural member <NUM> is the attachment means for supporting a passenger furnishing, a cross section that prevents rotation with respect to attachment elements <NUM> may be preferred. For embodiments where multiple spaced-apart structural members <NUM> are used, cross sections that allow rotation with respect to the attachment elements <NUM> can be permitted, and may be advantageous for providing enhanced strength relative to weight.

The attachment element <NUM> includes, on one side, a securing bolt <NUM> that can be tightened to rigidly connect the attachment element to the structural member <NUM> at any suitable position along the structural member. When loosened, the securing bolt <NUM> can permit the attachment element <NUM> to open sufficient to allow adjustment of the structural member, e.g., for adjusting the position of a passenger furnishing (<NUM>, <FIG>) from side to side, or for adjusting the spacing of multiple attachment elements along the same structural member. The attachment element <NUM> further includes a footing <NUM> that is attached to a floor connector <NUM>, and is shown in further detail in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a second perspective view of the example connecting mechanism shown in <FIG>, in accordance with various embodiments, illustrating floor connector <NUM> in further detail. The floor connector <NUM> can be any suitable bolt or screw assembly that is sized to attach to the floor-mounted channels <NUM> described above with reference to <FIG>. For example, according to some embodiments, the floor connector <NUM> can be a flanged bolt that connects with a hole or channel in the floor-mounted channels <NUM> and is attached at a predefined spacing to the footing <NUM> of the attachment element <NUM> by way of one or more nuts. According to various other embodiments, the floor connector <NUM> can be any other suitable bolt, a screw that connects into one of the floor-mounted channels <NUM>, a rivet, or an adhesive connector.

More sophisticated alternatives to floor connector <NUM> can also be used, for example, <FIG> is a perspective view of a second example connecting mechanism <NUM> for the arrangement of passenger furnishings shown in <FIG>, in accordance with various embodiments. The connecting mechanism <NUM> includes an attachment element <NUM> shaped to attach to one of the modular structural members <NUM> in a similar manner to attachment element <NUM> (<FIG>). The attachment element <NUM> can be tightened to fixedly attach to the structural member <NUM> via, e.g., a securing bolt <NUM>. When loosened, the securing bolt <NUM> can permit the attachment element <NUM> to open sufficient to allow adjustment of the structural member, e.g., for adjusting the position of a passenger furnishing (<NUM>, <FIG>) from side to side, or for adjusting the spacing of multiple attachment elements along the same structural member. The attachment element <NUM> further includes a footing <NUM> that is attached to a floor connector assembly <NUM>.

The floor connector assembly <NUM> includes an attachment block <NUM> that is shaped to interface with a floor-mounted channel (e.g., channel <NUM>, <FIG>) and secured to each other and in place by expansion bolts <NUM>. The footing <NUM> of the attachment element <NUM> can be mounted to the floor connector assembly <NUM> by any suitable connector <NUM>, e.g., bolts, screws, rivets, adhesive or chemical fasteners, or the like. According to some embodiments, the floor-mounted channels <NUM> can include individual bores that the bolts <NUM> pass through in order to secure the floor connector assembly <NUM> in position. According to various other embodiments, the floor-mounted channels can include a channel in which bolts <NUM> attach and expand when tightened to fix the floor connector assemblies <NUM> in position along the floor-mounted channels. According to various other embodiments, the floor-mounted channels can include a hybrid construction of a continuous channel with discrete features (e.g., an open track with discrete cutouts) sized to receive the floor connector assemblies <NUM> at discrete locations or at locations along the continuous channel.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a first example of a modular assembly <NUM> for passenger furnishings like those shown in <FIG>, in accordance with various embodiments. The modular assembly <NUM> is configured to attach to a series of floor-mounted channels <NUM>, shown here with an open track with a series of connected mounting openings <NUM>. It will be understood that any of the embodiments described above suitable for use with floor-mounted channels <NUM> (<FIG>) can be used in conjunction with floor-mounted channels <NUM>, and vice versa.

The modular assembly <NUM> includes at least a first connecting assembly 307a that includes one structural member 309a that is sized to pass across at least two parallel floor-mounted channels <NUM>, and which can include further attachment elements (not shown) for supporting any suitable passenger cabin fixture. This first structural member 309a has attached two attachment elements 311a, which can be configured similar to attachment elements <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>), or can be functionally comparable. In use, the attachment elements <NUM> attached to the first structural member 309a can be connected to each of the two parallel floor-mounted channels <NUM> via floor connector assemblies 313a-c, thereby securing the first structural member 309a relative to the floor of the passenger cabin.

The exact spacing of the attachment elements 311a connected to the first structural member 309a can be varied in order to accommodate the spacing <NUM> of the floor-mounted channels <NUM>, which vary between airframes and individual cabin layouts. According to some embodiments, the spacing <NUM> can be between adjacent floor-mounted channels <NUM>, or between floor-mounted channels in different aisle regions of the airframe (e.g., bridging from closely-spaced channels near the sides vs. near the center of an airframe). Attachment elements 311a can be spaced as close as about <NUM> from each other, and may be used at that distance in order to mount passenger furnishings to closely spaced floor-mounted channels <NUM>. Attachment elements 311a may be spaced according to standard channel spacing of common carriers, e.g., about <NUM> or <NUM>". Alternatively, attachment elements 311a can be spaced father apart in order to support larger passenger furnishings, or to support passenger furnishings across more widely spaced floor-mounted channels. For example, attachment elements 311a may be spaced as far apart as the entire width of the central floor-mounted channels (which can be, for some airframes, approximately <NUM>, or <NUM>"), across multiple channels or sets of channels, or may be spaced closer together for installation on smaller regional aircraft. According to some embodiments, the attachment elements 311a can be spaced father apart than the spacing of adjacent floor-mounted channels <NUM> in order to accommodate mounting the structural member 309a at an angle (non-perpendicular) to the floor-mounted channels.

Many supported types of passenger furnishings can be attached to the floor of a passenger cabin using one or multiple floor-mounted channels <NUM> in conjunction with one crossbar 309a or via multiple crossbars having similar dimensions and attached in the same way forward or aft of the crossbar. According to some embodiments, passenger furnishings can be attached to the floor of the passenger cabin using at least one long crossbar 309a that spans two or more of the floor-mounted channels <NUM>, in conjunction with additional and more limited attachment means including, but not limited to, additional crossbars having shorter or longer dimensions, or by direct attachment mechanisms that do not involve crossbars. For example, as shown in <FIG>, a modular assembly <NUM> can include a more limited, second connecting assembly 307b that includes a second, shorter structural member 309b that can cross fewer floor-mounted channels <NUM> than the first, long structural member 309a. The second structural member 309b is shown crossing a singular floor-mounted channel <NUM> and positioned aft of the first, long structural member 309a. The second structural member 309b is attached to the singular floor-mounted channel <NUM> via an attachment element 311b and attached floor connector assembly 313b. Various combinations of long crossbars (first structural member 309a) and short crossbars (second structural member 309b) can be used to form a modular connecting substructure for passenger furnishings that do not require support over an entire area that would otherwise be supported by a pair of long crossbars, or that have components that extend to close to the passenger compartment floor to allow clearance for crossbars underneath the entire area covered by the passenger furnishing. For similar reasons, the modular assembly <NUM> can also include standalone connecting assemblies 307c that include standalone attachments 309c that can be mounted to one of the floor-mounted channels <NUM> and attached directly to the passenger furnishings without intervening crossbars. Floor connector assembles 313b and 313c can resemble the floor connector assemblies 313a described above, or can be configured differently. For example, according to various embodiments, floor connector assembles 313b and 313c are shaped to mate with one or more of the openings <NUM> along the conduits <NUM> so that these floor connector assemblies can be fixed at discrete locations along the conduits, whereas floor connector assemblies 313a can be configured with an expansion bolt or similar connector that permits an installer to slide the first structural member 309a forward or aft along the conduits <NUM> before tightening the floor connector assemblies to fix the first structural member in place. According to some embodiments, the floor connector assemblies <NUM> can slidingly mate with the two floor-mounted channels in an unsecured configuration that allows for fine adjustment and placement, and to rigidly mate with the two floor-mounted channels when transitioned to a secured configuration (e.g., tightened or expanded). Alternatively, the floor connector assemblies <NUM> can mate with the channel <NUM> at discrete positions (e.g., mounting holes, openings, or the like) and can be secured in position once placed at the desired position.

According to various embodiments, modular assemblies for installing passenger furnishings into passenger compartments can include floor-mounted channels with regularly spaced holes (e.g., continuous channels <NUM> with openings <NUM>, <FIG>), or floor-mounted channels that include other attachment means, such as channels with a continuous open track, rails with discrete mounting holes, or other suitable fastening means. <FIG> is a perspective view of a second example of a modular assembly <NUM> for installing passenger furnishings like those shown in <FIG>, in accordance with various embodiments.

The modular assembly <NUM> includes one or multiple connecting assemblies <NUM> that each include one structural member <NUM> that is sized to pass across at least two parallel floor-mounted channels <NUM>, or optionally any suitable number of parallel floor-mounted channels. Each structural member <NUM> can include further attachment elements (not shown) that attach to the structural member for supporting any suitable passenger cabin fixture such as, but not limited to, passenger furnishing <NUM> (<FIG>). Each one of the structural members <NUM> is supported by and attached to a series of attachment elements <NUM>, which can be configured similar to attachment elements <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>), 311a-c (<FIG>) or can be functionally comparable. In use, the attachment elements <NUM> attached to each structural member <NUM> can connect the structural members to any suitable number of the parallel floor-mounted channels <NUM> via floor connector assemblies <NUM>, thereby securing the structural members to the floor of the passenger cabin.

The exact spacing of the attachment elements <NUM> connected to each structural member can be varied in order to accommodate the spacing <NUM>, <NUM> between adjacent floor-mounted channels <NUM>, which can vary across the width of the cabin, between different airframes, and between cabin layouts even in the same airframe. Attachment elements <NUM> can be spaced as close as about <NUM> from each other, and may be used at that distance in order to mount passenger furnishings to closely spaced floor-mounted channels <NUM>. Attachment elements <NUM> may be spaced according to standard channel spacing of common carriers, e.g., about <NUM> or <NUM>" (for the A350). Alternatively, attachment elements <NUM> can be spaced father apart in order to support larger passenger furnishings, or to support passenger furnishings across more widely spaced floor-mounted channels. For example, attachment elements <NUM> may be spaced as far apart as the entire width of the central floor-mounted channels (which is approximately <NUM>, or <NUM>", on the A350), across multiple channels or sets of channels, or may be spaced closer together for installation on smaller regional aircraft. According to some embodiments, the attachment elements <NUM> can be spaced father apart than the spacing of adjacent floor-mounted channels <NUM> in order to accommodate mounting the structural member <NUM> at an angle (non-perpendicular) to the floor-mounted channels.

The modular assembly <NUM> utilizes floor connector assemblies <NUM> similar to floor connector assemblies <NUM> shown in <FIG>, in which each floor connector assembly <NUM> includes an attachment block <NUM> shaped to interface with a floor-mounted channel <NUM>, secured in place along the respective channel to which the floor connector assembly is attached by expansion bolts <NUM> and connected to the attachment elements <NUM> by a connector <NUM>. However, floor connector assemblies <NUM> can be replaced other suitable connector assemblies described above, e.g., floor connector assemblies <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>), or other suitable connector assemblies. Floor connector assemblies <NUM> are shown connected to channels <NUM> that have discrete mounting holes <NUM>, but can be installed via similar connectors to channels that have a continuous lengthwise track, or to channels having a modified track with periodic openings (e.g., channels <NUM> and openings <NUM>, <FIG>). According to some embodiments, the floor connector assemblies <NUM> can slidingly mate with the two floor-mounted channels in an unsecured configuration that allows for fine adjustment and placement, and to rigidly mate with the two floor-mounted channels when transitioned to a secured configuration (e.g. tightened or expanded). Alternatively, the floor connector assemblies <NUM> can mate with the channel <NUM> at discrete positions (e.g., mounting holes, openings, or the like) and can be secured in position once placed at the desired position.

<FIG> is a process flow diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> for installing a passenger furnishing using a modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor, according to various embodiments. In the installation process <NUM> at <NUM>, attachment elements (e.g., brackets for receiving the crossbars and having floor attachment elements) can be installed along a crossbeam for connecting with channels in a passenger cabin floor. The brackets can be attached at a distance from one another that matches the separation between channels in the cabin floor, however, the exact spacing may be adjusted upon installation as, generally, the brackets are movable along the crossbeam (or the crossbeam is movable when loosely installed in the brackets). Next, at <NUM>, floor attachment elements of the brackets attached to the crossbeam can be inserted into the channels in the passenger cabin floor and fixed in place along the channels. According to some embodiments, affixing the floor attachment elements to the channels includes inserting a connector of each floor attachment element into a slot or hole among a series of spaced apart slots or holes along a length of each channel. See, e.g., <FIG>. These embodiments result in a large but finite set of discrete attachment positions at which the passenger furnishing can be installed within the passenger cabin, and attachment at a discrete slot or hole along each channel can reduce the amount of tightening necessary to rigidly secure the passenger furnishing at a particular location. According to various other embodiments, affixing the floor attachment elements to the channels includes clamping each floor attachment element to a continuous slot or opening in one of the channels. See, e.g., <FIG>. Suitable force to rigidly affix the floor attachment elements can be achieved using a bolt, screw, or other suitable clamping member or assembly such as, but not limited to, a block and bolt assembly such as floor connector assembly <NUM> (<FIG>). These embodiments result in a fully adjustable set of attachment positions at which the passenger furnishing can be installed within the passenger cabin.

In the installation process <NUM> at <NUM>, any suitable number of additional crossbeams can be attached to the channels at predetermined distances forward or aft of the first crossbeam via additional sets of brackets, according to any of the specific methods described above. In some embodiments, at <NUM>, additional standalone attachment elements can be attached to the channels forward or aft of any one of the crossbeams and aligned for supporting specific elements of a passenger furnishing that are not compatible with a crossbeam. See, e.g. standalone connecting assemblies 307c in <FIG>, or similar. According to some embodiments of the process <NUM>, at <NUM>, the brackets and/or standalone attachment elements can be adjusted in position forward or aft after installation to align with a required final location suitable for supporting the passenger furnishing before the floor attachment elements thereof are tightened to rigidly fix the modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor to the cabin floor. In the process <NUM>, at <NUM>, crossbeams attached to the brackets can be adjusted in a direction orthogonal to the channels in the cabin floor to align with the required final location suitable for supporting the passenger furnishing before the brackets are tightened to rigidly connect the crossbeams with the cabin floor.

According to various embodiments of the process <NUM>, at <NUM>, when the modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor is fixed to the cabin floor, a passenger furnishing that includes prefabricated components configured to mate with the crossbeams and/or additional standalone attachment elements can be installed to the modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor.

Alternatively, according to some embodiments, the passenger furnishing can be connected to the crossbeams and/or additional standalone attachment elements before installation of the modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor to the cabin floor. For example, <FIG> is a process flow diagram illustrating a second example process <NUM> for installing a passenger furnishing using a modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor, according to various embodiments in which the passenger furnishing and modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor are connected to channels in a cabin floor as a combined assembly.

According to at least one embodiment of the process <NUM>, at <NUM>, a modular assembly for connecting a passenger furnishing to a cabin floor can be assembled with a passenger furnishing, including attaching at least one crossbar to the passenger furnishing, and optionally attaching additional crossbars and or additional standalone attachment elements to the passenger furnishing. In the process <NUM> at <NUM>, attachment elements (e.g., brackets for receiving the crossbars and having floor attachment elements) can be pre-positioned along one or more of the crossbars attached to the passenger furnishing in locations that at least approximate the relative positions of channels in the cabin floor. At <NUM>, the combined assembly of the passenger furnishing, crossbar(s) and brackets can then be positioned such that floor attachment elements of the brackets mate with the channels in the cabin floor. According to various embodiments, at <NUM>, the crossbar(s) can be adjusted laterally before the brackets are tightened to secure the crossbar(s). In addition, at <NUM>, according to some embodiments the entire combined assembly can be adjusted forward or aft along the channels before the assembly is tightened to the cabin floor.

Claim 1:
A crossbeam assembly for mounting a passenger compartment furnishing, the assembly comprising:
a first structural member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to span two floor-mounted channels (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) in a passenger compartment;
first and second attachment elements (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) that are slidingly connected with the first structural member and repositionable along the first structural member to attach to the two floor-mounted channels; and
one or more furnishing attachment features (<NUM>) connected with the first structural member and positioned to receive the passenger compartment furnishing;
characterized in that each of the first and second attachment elements comprising, on a first side with respect to the first structural member, a securing bolt (<NUM>, <NUM>) and, on a second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the first structural member, a footing (<NUM>),
wherein the securing bolt (<NUM>, <NUM>) is loosenable to permit the respective attachment element to open sufficient to allow adjustment of spacing of the first and second attachment elements along the first structural member and tightenable to rigidly connect the respective attachment element in position along the first structural member, wherein the footing (<NUM>) is attached to a floor connector (<NUM>), wherein the each of the first and second attachment elements (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) are shaped to receive the first structural member (<NUM>).