Aircraft monument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10442535-B2
Application number	US-201715477556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, an aircraft monument is adapted for being mounted against an aft-facing bulkhead of the aircraft. The monument may have an aisle-accessible compartment that includes comestible item dispensers and lower footwell regions to accommodate the passengers seated immediately aft of the monument. The monument may also include an aft-facing wall that is readily removal during a maintenance operation so as to facilitate servicing of a heater or chiller unit disposed inside the monument.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft monument comprising:
a monument housing defined by an aft-facing wall, a forward-facing wall, and at least one aisle-facing side wall configured to be adjacent to an aisle of an aircraft, wherein the aft-facing wall and the forward-facing wall are substantially parallel to one another;
a plurality of compartments vertically stacked within the monument housing;
a thermal unit housed within the monument and configured to heat or cool at least a portion of the plurality of compartments;
at least one monument door operably attached to the monument housing and permitting access via the aisle-facing side wall to a first compartment of the plurality of compartments; and
a footwell formed in a bottom portion of the aft-facing wall vertically below at least one of the thermal unit and the plurality of compartments, the footwell being adapted to receive feet of a passenger seated in an aft positioned passenger seat facing the aft-facing wall.

2. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the monument is configured for installation abutting a bulkhead or partition wall of an aircraft.

3. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the monument is configured to abut an outboard wall of the aircraft.

4. The monument of claim 1 , wherein a third compartment of the plurality of compartments is a footwell.

5. The monument of claim 4 , further comprising a divider wall separating the second compartment from the third compartment.

6. The monument of claim 1 , further comprising at least one food or beverage item dispensing bay in the first compartment.

7. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the footwell further comprises at least one air vent that directs temperature controlled air into the footwell.

8. The monument of claim 1 , further comprising at least one tray table pivotably attached to the aft-facing wall and configured for actuation by the passenger in the aft positioned passenger seat.

9. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the aft-facing wall is configured to be removed during a maintenance operation.

10. The monument of claim 9 , wherein the monument housing is configured to permit access to the thermal unit for servicing after removal of the aft-facing wall.

11. A method of retrofitting an aircraft, comprising:
providing a monument including a monument housing defined by an aft-facing wall, a forward-facing wall, and at least one aisle-facing side wall configured to be adjacent to an aisle of an aircraft, wherein the aft-facing wall and the forward-facing wall are substantially parallel to one another,
a plurality of compartments vertically stacked within the monument housing,
a thermal unit housed within the monument and configured to heat or cool at least a portion of the plurality of compartments,
at least one monument door operably attached to the monument housing and permitting access via the aisle-facing side wall to a first compartment of the plurality of compartments, and
a footwell formed in the bottom portion of the aft-facing wall vertically below at least one of the thermal unit and the plurality of compartments, the footwell being adapted to receive feet of a passenger seated in an aft positioned passenger seat facing the aft-facing wall; and
securing the monument to an aft-facing bulkhead, partition, or wall of the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the monument is configured for installation abutting a bulkhead or partition wall of an aircraft.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the monument is configured to abut an outboard wall of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein a third compartment of the plurality of compartments is a footwell.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the monument further comprises a divider wall separating the second compartment from the third compartment.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the monument further comprises at least one food or beverage item dispensing bay in the first compartment.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the footwell further comprises at least one air vent that directs temperature controlled air into the footwell.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the monument further comprises at least one tray table pivotably attached to the aft-facing wall and configured for actuation by the passenger in the aft positioned passenger seat.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the aft-facing wall is configured to be removed during a maintenance operation.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the monument housing is configured to permit access to the thermal unit for servicing after removal of the aft-facing wall.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Mckee Jefferey

Classifications

• B64D11/0626

  with individual temperature or ventilation control · CPC title

• B64D11/0007

  Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services · CPC title

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• B64D11/003 Primary

  Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage · CPC title

• B64D2011/0046

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