Integrated curtain system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10231563-B2
Application number	US-201514794638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jul 8, 2015
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

A curtain system may include a track system configured to be mounted to an interior structure of a vehicle. The track system may include three or more track sections oriented in at least two different directions. Each track section may be configured to support at least one curtain suspended from and slidable along the track sections. The track system may include at least one junction fitting interconnecting three or more track sections and allowing movement of a curtain from one of the three or more track sections to either one of two or more other track sections of the three or more track sections. In this regard, the junction fitting and the track sections may define different curtain paths for the curtain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A curtain system for a vehicle interior, comprising:
a track system configured to be mounted to an interior structure of a vehicle and including:
four or more track sections oriented in at least two different directions;

a junction fitting having a plurality of fitting legs including a pair of transverse fitting legs and a pair of longitudinal fitting legs;
each one of the fittings legs having a slot in a bottom portion of the fitting leg for slidably receiving hanger elements configured to support at least one curtain;
the transverse fitting legs and the longitudinal fitting legs interconnecting the four or more track sections and allowing movement via the slots, of the curtain from one of the four or more track sections to any one of three or more other track sections of the four or more track sections;
the slots in the transverse fitting legs being parallel and aligned with each other and directly interconnected by a straight slot formed in the junction fitting and extending between the slots in the transverse fitting legs to thereby allow the curtain to be moved along a straight curtain path defined by the straight slot and the slots in the pair of transverse fitting legs;
the slot in each one of the transverse fitting legs being interconnected to the slot in one of the longitudinal fitting legs by a curved slot formed in the junction fitting to thereby allow the curtain to be moved along one of two curved curtain paths each defined by a curved slot, a transverse fitting leg, and a longitudinal fitting leg.

2. The curtain system of claim 1 , wherein:
the junction fitting is configured to support two separate curtains in side-by-side relation to one another.

3. The curtain system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the track sections has opposing section ends;
each one of the fitting legs terminating at a leg end; and
at least one of the leg ends being disposed in end-to-end relation to a section end of a track section.

4. The curtain system of claim 1 , further including:
a plurality of hanger elements coupling a curtain upper edge of the curtain to one or more of the track sections and the junction fitting.

5. The curtain system of claim 4 , further including:
the hanger elements having a head portion and a body portion;
the head portion being engaged to and slidable along the track sections and the junction fitting; and
the body portion configured to extend through the slots in the junction fitting and being coupled to the curtain upper edge.

6. The curtain system of claim 1 , further including:
a curtain configured as a graduated-length curtain having a partial-length portion and a full-length portion.

7. The curtain system of claim 6 , wherein:
the graduated-length curtain is configured to span two or more track sections interconnected by the junction fitting such that the partial-length portion and the full-length portion each span one of the track sections.

8. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage having an aircraft cabin including an interior structure;
at least one curtain;
a track system mounted to the interior structure and including:
four or more track sections oriented in at least two different directions;

a junction fitting having a plurality of fitting legs including a pair of transverse fitting legs and a pair of longitudinal fitting legs;
each one of the fittings legs having a slot in a bottom portion of the fitting leg for slidably receiving hanger elements configured to support at least one curtain;
the transverse fitting legs and the longitudinal fitting legs interconnecting the four or more track sections and allowing movement via the slots, of the curtain from one of the four or more track sections to any one of three or more other track sections of the four or more track sections;
the slots in the transverse fitting legs being parallel and aligned with each other and directly interconnected by a straight slot formed in the junction fitting and extending between the slots in the transverse fitting legs to thereby allow the curtain to be moved along a straight curtain path defined by the straight slot and the slots in the pair of transverse fitting legs;
the slot in each one of the transverse fitting legs being interconnected to the slot in one of the longitudinal fitting legs by a curved slot formed in the junction fitting to thereby allow the curtain to be moved along one of two curved curtain paths each defined by a curved slot, a transverse fitting leg, and a longitudinal fitting leg.

9. A method of arranging curtains in a vehicle interior, comprising:
supporting at least one curtain on at least one of four or more track sections of a track system interconnected by a junction fitting, the track system mounted to an interior structure of a vehicle; the junction fitting including:
a plurality of fitting legs including a pair of transverse fitting legs and a pair of longitudinal fitting legs;
each one of the fittings legs having a slot in a bottom portion of the fitting leg for slidably receiving hanger elements configured to support the at least one curtain;
the transverse fitting legs and the longitudinal fitting legs interconnecting the four or more track sections and allowing movement via the slots, of the at least one curtain from one of the four or more track sections to any one of three or more other track sections of the four or more track sections;
the slots in the transverse fitting legs being parallel and aligned with each other and directly interconnected by a straight slot formed in the junction fitting and extending between the slots in the transverse fitting legs to thereby allow the at least one curtain to be moved along a straight curtain path defined by the straight slot and the slots in the pair of transverse fitting legs;
the slot in each one of the transverse fitting legs being interconnected to the slot in one of the longitudinal fitting legs by a curved slot formed in the junction fitting to thereby allow the at least one curtain to be moved along one of two curved curtain paths each defined by a curved slot, a transverse fitting leg, and a longitudinal fitting leg; and

moving the curtain from one of the four or more track sections and across the junction fitting to either one of three or more other track sections of the four or more track sections.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
at least one of the track sections has opposing section ends;
each one of the fitting legs terminating at a leg end; and
at least one of the leg ends being disposed in end-to-end relation to a section end of a track section.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of moving the at least one curtain includes:
moving the at least one curtain along a pair of the fitting legs located on opposite sides of the junction fitting, the fitting legs being oriented in non-parallel relation to one another.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of supporting the at least one curtain includes:
supporting, using the junction fitting, two separate curtains in side-by-side relation to one another.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of moving the at least one curtain includes:
moving one of a full-length curtain and a half-length curtain along one of a transverse track section and a longitudinal track section.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle has a main aisle, the step of moving the at least one curtain includes:
moving the at least one curtain between a longitudinal track section oriented generally parallel to the main aisle and a transverse track section oriented non-parallel to the main aisle; and
the

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Colacecchi Jay

Classifications

• A47H2201/00

  Means for connecting curtains · CPC title

• B64D11/0023 Primary

  Movable or removable cabin dividers, e.g. for class separation · CPC title

• A47H1/04 Primary

  Curtain rails · CPC title