Outboard rotating pivot bin assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10029794-B2
Application number	US-201514796829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2015
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

An aircraft storage bin that includes an upper housing, and a bucket pivotally connected to the upper housing that cooperates with the upper housing to define a bin interior. The bucket includes a bottom, a front edge and first and second opposing side walls extending upwardly from the bottom and pivots about a pivot axis with respect to the upper housing between an open position and a closed position. When the storage bin is installed in an aircraft, a first horizontal distance is defined between a first vertical line that extends through the pivot axis and the front edge of the bucket when the bucket is in the closed position, and a second horizontal distance is defined between the first vertical line and the front edge of the bucket when the bucket is in the open position. The first horizontal distance is greater than the second horizontal distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft storage bin comprising:
an upper housing, and
a bucket pivotally connected to the upper housing that cooperates with the upper housing to define a bin interior, wherein when the aircraft storage bin is positioned in an aircraft, the upper housing is stationary with respect to the bucket, wherein the bucket includes a bottom, a front edge and first and second opposing side walls extending upwardly from the bottom, wherein the bucket pivots about a pivot axis with respect to the upper housing between an open position and a closed position, wherein the bucket includes a rear portion, wherein the rear portion includes a bulge portion having an upper rear edge and a curved outer surface, wherein the upper housing includes a concave portion adjacent the bulge portion, wherein the concave portion has a curved inner surface, and wherein when the bucket is pivoted from the open position to the closed position the clearance between the upper rear edge of the bulge portion and the curved inner surface of the concave portion remains substantially the same.

2. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 wherein when the storage bin is installed in an aircraft, a first horizontal distance is defined between a first vertical line that extends through the pivot axis and the front edge of the bucket when the bucket is in the closed position, wherein a second horizontal distance is defined between the first vertical line and the front edge of the bucket when the bucket is in the open position, wherein the first horizontal distance is greater than the second horizontal distance, wherein the front edge of the bucket defines a vertical opening distance between the open position and the closed position, and wherein the pivot axis is positioned vertically above a center point of the vertical opening distance.

3. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 further comprising
a first pivot mechanism operatively associated with the first side wall of the bucket and
a second pivot mechanism operatively associated with the second side wall of the bucket, wherein a first arcuate slot is defined in the first side wall of the bucket and a second arcuate slot is defined in the second side wall of the bucket, and wherein the first arcuate slot receives the first pivot mechanism and the second arcuate slot receives the second pivot mechanism.

4. The aircraft storage bin of claim 3 wherein the first and second arcuate slots are open to a top edge of the first and second side walls of the bucket.

5. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the bulge portion has a first curvature and the inner surface of the concave portion has an inner surface has a second curvature, wherein the first curvature defines a first circle having the pivot axis as a center point, and wherein the second curvatures defines a second circle having the pivot axis as a center point.

6. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 further comprising
an extension portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper housing, wherein the extension portion and the rear portion of the bucket define an opening space, and wherein the bucket moves into the opening space when it is moved to the open position.

7. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 further comprising
a first pivot mechanism operatively associated with the first side wall of the bucket, and
a second pivot mechanism operatively associated with the second side wall of the bucket,
wherein the upper housing includes first and second side panels that each include a bottom edge, wherein the first and second side walls of the bucket each include a top edge, and wherein, in the closed position, at least a portion of the top edge of the first side wall of the bucket abuts the bottom edge of the first side panel, and at least a portion of the top edge of the second side wall of the bucket abuts the bottom edge of the second side panel.

8. The aircraft storage bin of claim 7
wherein the aircraft storage bin further comprises a first clevis assembly that includes at least one of a first inner plate and a first outer plate,
wherein the storage bin further comprises a second clevis assembly that includes at least one of a second inner plate and a second outer plate,
wherein the first clevis assembly is secured to and extends downwardly from the first side panel and the second clevis assembly is secured to and extends downwardly from the second side panel, and
wherein the first pivot mechanism is operatively associated with the first clevis assembly and the second pivot mechanism is operatively associated with the second clevis assembly.

9. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 further comprising first and second latch assemblies, wherein the first latch assembly is associated with the first side panel and the first side wall of the bucket, and wherein the second latch assembly is associated with the second side panel and the second side wall of the bucket.

10. The aircraft storage bin of claim 9
wherein the first latch assembly includes a first hook portion and a first striker portion, wherein one of the first hook portion and the first striker portion is associated with the first side panel and the other of the first hook portion and the first striker portion is associated with the first side wall of the bucket,
wherein the second latch assembly includes a second hook portion and a second striker portion, wherein one of the second hook portion and the second striker portion is associated with the second side panel and the other of the second hook portion and the second striker portion is associated with the second side wall of the bucket.

11. The aircraft storage bin of claim 10
wherein one of the first hook portion and the first striker portion extends downwardly from the bottom edge of the first side panel or upwardly from the first side wall of the bucket, and the other of the first hook portion and the first striker portion is positioned in a first recess defined in the top edge of the first side wall of the bucket or the bottom edge of the first side panel, and
wherein the second latch assembly includes a second hook portion and a second striker portion, wherein one of the second hook portion and the second striker portion extends downwardly from the bottom edge of the first side panel or upwardly from the second side wall of the bucket and the other of the second hook portion and the second striker portion is positioned in a first recess defined in the top edge of the first side wall of the bucket or the bottom edge of the first side panel.

12. The aircraft storage bin of claim 1 further comprising first and second seat indicia positioned in the bin interior on an inside surface of the upper housing or an inside surface of the bucket, wherein the first seat indicium indicates a first seat number that is associated with a first seat in an adjacent row when the storage bin is positioned in an aircraft, and wherein the second seat indicium indicates a second seat number that is associated with a second seat in an adjacent row when the storage bin is positioned in an aircraft.

13. A dual pivot bin assembly comprising
first and second aircraft storage bins of claim 8 positioned adjacent one another and including a common upper housing,
wherein a center side panel having first and second opposite sides is positioned between the first and second aircraft storage bins, and
wherein the first clevis assembly of the first aircraft storage bin is secured to the first side of the center side panel, and wherein the second clevis assembly of the second aircraft storage bin is secured to the second side of the center side panel.

Assignees

• C&D Zodiac Inc

Inventors

• Savian Scott

Classifications

• B60Q3/43

  General lighting · CPC title

• B64D2011/0053

  Cabin passenger reading lights · CPC title

• B64D2011/0046

  Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures · CPC title

• B64D11/0015

  Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television · CPC title

• B64D2011/0038

  Illumination systems for cabins as a whole · CPC title