Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to cable routing apparatus and more particularly to a cable raceway for an aircraft seat unit. Modern aircraft seating units include wiring for many purposes, for example lighting, in-flight entertainment (IFE) components, telecommunications connections, and the like. Typically the cables are provided in bundles which may be routed along the seat framing and tied to the frame. Wires attached in this manner are exposed to the external environment, making them susceptible to physical damage, foreign objects, spilled food or drink, etc., which can require costly maintenance or replacement. It is also expensive and time consuming to remove and replace cables attached in this manner. In some instances, the cables are laid in an open trough or raceway which is itself attached to the seat framing. While this eases installation and provides some protection to the cables either case, the wires are still exposed and susceptible to dropped objects or spilled food or drink. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a cable raceway which provides physical protection for cables. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a cable raceway which prevents liquids from reaching the cables therein. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects are met by the present invention, which according to one embodiment provides a cable raceway assembly. The assembly includes an elongated raceway adapted for being mounted to a supporting structure. The raceway defines an open, upward-facing trough for receiving a cable, and a mounting structure for attaching the raceway to the supporting structure. A fluid-resistant cover is attached to the raceway, and encloses at least a portion of the trough and forms a flowpath for directing fluid over and away from the trough. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the mounting structure comprises a plurality of mounting tabs attached to the raceway, Each of the mounting tabs includes an upstanding structure having a lower end attached to the raceway and an upper end which carries a laterally-extending mounting pin. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the raceway includes a stiffening structure. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cover includes a pair of spaced-apart locking ribs for securing the cover to the raceway. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the raceway includes a pair of spaced-apart side edges for engaging the locking ribs of the cover. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, said cover includes a central section and a pair of spaced-apart downwardly-extending flanges disposed at the outer edges thereof. The locking ribs are carried by the downwardly-extending flanges. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a passenger seat frame assembly includes a ladder frame assembly including a plurality of leg modules and section assembly modules, the leg modules for being attached to fixed, spaced-apart attachment points on a supporting surface, and a plurality of beam elements for being carried by the leg modules and section assembly modules, and a cable raceway assembly. The cable raceway assembly includes a raceway adapted for being mounted to the section assembly modules. The raceway includes an elongated trough for receiving a cable, and a mounting element for attaching the raceway to the ladder frame assembly. A fluid-resistant cover is attached to the raceway. The cover encloses at least a portion of the trough and forms a flowpath for directing fluid over and away from the trough. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a passenger seat includes a ladder frame assembly including a plurality of leg modules and section assembly modules, the leg modules for being attached to fixed, spaced-apart attachment points on a supporting surface, and a plurality of beam elements for being carried by the leg modules and section assembly modules, and a cable raceway assembly. The cable raceway assembly includes a raceway adapted for being mounted to the section assembly modules. The raceway includes an elongated trough for receiving a cable, and a mounting element for attaching the raceway to the ladder frame assembly. A fluid-resistant cover is attached to the raceway. The cover encloses at least a portion of the trough and forms a flowpath for directing fluid over and away from the trough. a seat bottom and a seat back are carried by the ladder frame assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter that is regarded as the invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a seat set constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a seat frame assembly including a cable raceway constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion of the seat frame shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a seat frame and a cable raceway; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a seat frame including a cable raceway; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a portion of the seat frame shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is reversed view of in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an end view of a cable raceway; 
         FIG. 9  is perspective view a cable raceway as seen from below; and 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of a cable raceway with a cover attached thereto. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views, an aircraft passenger seat set according to the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and shown generally at reference numeral  10 . In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the seat set  10  is composed of three adjacent seats, an aisle seat  11 , a center seat  12 , and a window seat  13 . The seat set  10  is supported on a pair of leg modules  14  and  15 , and includes a baggage guard rail  16 . The seats  11 ,  12 , and  13  are provided with arm rests  18 ,  19 ,  20 , and  21 . The seats  11 ,  12 , and  13  include seat bottoms  22 ,  23 , and  24 , respectively, and seat backs  25 ,  26 , and  27 , respectively. 
     The internal structure of the seat set  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 , with various parts eliminated for clarity. As is shown, the seat set  10  is supported on and thus shares the two leg modules  14  and  15 . The leg modules  14  and  15  carry a pair of laterally-extending beam elements  35  and  36  on which are mounted four section assembly modules  40 ,  41 ,  42 , and  43 . The leg modules  14 ,  15 ; beam elements  35  and  36 , and the section assembly modules  40 ,  41 ,  42 , and  43  tie together the components in a manner necessary to from a seat set  10  having significant structural integrity within passenger comfort, fuselage size and government regulation requirements. The underlying structure defined by leg modules  14 ,  15 ; beam elements  35  and  36 , and the section assembly modules  40 ,  41 ,  42 , and  43  is referred to as a “ladder frame assembly” and is indicated at reference numeral  50 . 
     Of course, the seats according to the present invention can be integrated together to form seat sets of different lengths, spacings, and numbers of seats. Whether one, two, three or more seats, each seat set  10  will include at least two leg modules, such as leg modules  14  and  15 . Thus, when a seat is referred to as having a pair or a plurality of leg modules, it is understood that at least two leg modules are required, but that the two leg modules may not necessarily be on opposing sides of any particular seat. For example, in  FIG. 1 , three seats  11 , 12 , and  13  are each supported on two leg modules  14 , 15 . Thus, seat  11  is supported on two leg modules  14 , 15 , just as are seats  12  and  13 , and whether the seat set  10  is considered a “seat” or the three seats  11 , 12  and  13  are considered “seats”, in either case they are supported by a plurality of legs. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the seat set incorporates a cable raceway assembly  60 , which includes a laterally-extending raceway  62  and one or more covers  64 , described in more detail below. The raceway assembly  60  is mounted to the ladder frame assembly  50  in a location out of the way of the seats  11 ,  12 , and  13  and high enough to avoid damage from articles of carry-on luggage or the like. In the illustrated example, the raceway  62  is mounted against the underside of the section assembly modules  40 ,  41 , and  42 . The mounting may be done in any convenient manner. 
       FIGS. 3–7  show an example of a suitable mounting arrangement in more detail. The raceway  62  includes several mounting tabs  66  that extend upwardly from the raceway  62 . The mounting tabs  66  are generally L-shaped structures which are attached to the raceway  62  in a known manner, such as spot welding, or with fasteners  68  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The mounting tabs  66  may include one or more bends so that they may conform to the contours of the section assembly modules, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The mounting tabs  66  each carry a laterally-extending mounting pin  70  which is received in a complementary mounting hole  72  in the corresponding section assembly module (e.g., item  40  in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). The raceway  62  is attached to the section assembly modules by placing it in position underneath the section assembly modules. The mounting tabs  66  are then put into position so the mounting pins  70  engage the mounting holes  72  in the section assembly modules. Finally, the mounting tabs  66  are attached to the raceway  62 , for example with fasteners  68  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). Alternatively, the mounting tabs  66  may be attached to the raceway  62  before the raceway  62  is installed. In this case, the raceway  62  is installed by placing it in position under the section assembly modules and then shifting it laterally so that the mounting pins  70  engage the mounting holes  72  in the section assembly modules.  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  illustrate this arrangement in more detail. In particular,  FIG. 7  shows how the mounting pin  70  engages the mounting hole  72 .  FIG. 6  is a view from the opposite side of the section assembly module  40  relative to  FIG. 7  and shows the relationship of the raceway  62 , the mounting tab  66 , and the mounting pin  70 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , one or more of the mounting tabs  66  may be reversed relative to the other mounting tabs  66 . The mounting pin  70  carried by this mounting tab  66  thus extends opposite to the other mounting pins  70 . This arrangement of the mounting tabs  66  ensures that the raceway  62  will remain attached to the ladder frame assembly  50  and prevents it from shifting laterally relative to the ladder frame assembly  50  without the use of additional fasteners. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate the raceway  62  in more detail. The raceway  62  may be made of any suitable material such as plastic or sheet metal. The raceway  62  is formed into a shape which defines one or more laterally-extending troughs  74 . In the illustrated example there is a pair of troughs  74  disposed on opposite sides of a raised central portion  76 . The troughs  74  accept wires or cables (not shown) that are to be run under the passenger seats. The raceway  62  also includes a pair of side rails  78  which engage a cover, described below. Each of the side rails  78  is positioned in spaced-apart relationship to the adjacent trough  74  by an arcuate cross-section side flange  80 . The central portion  76 , troughs  74 , side flanges  80  and side rails  78  may all be formed as part of a single unitary component. The raceway  62  may also include on or more stiffeners  82  to prevent the raceway  62  from sagging or deflecting when installed. The illustrated stiffeners  82  have an arcuate cross-section, but simple flanges could also be used. The stiffeners  82  may be formed integrally with the raceway  62  or made separately and attached to the raceway  62 , for example by welding. 
     The raceway assembly  60  includes one or more covers  64 . Referring to  FIG. 10 , the covers  64  are generally flat, laterally extending structures which span the raceway  62 . The lengths of the covers  64  are selected so that they will fit between the spaced-apart section assembly modules. The lengths of the covers  64  may be selected to leave gaps  84  between adjacent ones of the covers  64  if needed, for example in locations where cables must pass out of the raceway up into the seat unit  10  (see  FIG. 2 ). The covers  64  may be made of any suitable liquid-resistant material such as sheet metal or plastic. The cover  64  includes a flat central portion  86 , a pair of downwardly-extending flanges  88 , and a pair of locking ribs  90  which extend inward from the lower ends of the flanges  88 . The locking ribs  90  extend around and under the side rails  78  of the raceway  62  in the installed position. 
     In use, the raceway  62  is mounted to the ladder frame assembly  50  as described above. The position of the raceway  62  and its overall length may be varied to suit a particular application. Next, the required cables or wire bundles (not shown) are routed and laid into the troughs  74 . Then, the covers  64  are attached to the raceway  62 . This may be done by spreading the locking ribs  90  apart and pressing the cover  64  down over the raceway  62  until the locking ribs  90  snap into place around the side rails  78  of the raceway  62 . Alternatively, the covers  64  may be installed before the raceway  62  is attached to the ladder frame assembly  50  and then the cables may be threaded into the troughs  74 . Gaps  84  may be left between the covers  64  which allow individual cables or sections of bundles to pass upward where needed. After the covers  64  are installed, the seats  11 , 12 , and  13  may then been mounted to the ladder frame assembly  50  in a known manner. The cables are then protected from physical damage or foreign objects that may be dropped onto them by the raceway  62  and the covers  64 . Furthermore, any food or liquids that might be spilled by a passenger will be caught by the cover  64 . The cover  64  with its downwardly-extending flanges  88  forms a flow path which directs any fluid to the sides of and off the raceway  62  safely away from the cables in the troughs  74 . 
     The foregoing has described a cable raceway assembly including an elongated raceway adapted for being mounted to a supporting structure, and a fluid-resistant cover attached to the raceway. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation--the invention being defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 7