Aircraft floor panel floating connection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10836463-B2
Application number	US-201715643425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A floor panel connection system for attaching a floor panel to an aircraft airframe is disclosed. The connection system includes a vertical load resisting coupling device and a shear load resisting coupling device to connect the floor panel to the airframe and resist forces applied to the panel. The vertical load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces perpendicular to a top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting lateral forces. The shear load resisting coupling device is configured to resist forces parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel, without significantly resisting vertical forces.

First claim

We claim:

1. A floor panel connection system, comprising:
an aircraft seat track having a plurality of apertures along a lateral edge portion;
a floor panel having an edge region configured for overlapping engagement with the lateral edge portion of the seat track, the edge region having a plurality of holes;
a vertical load resisting coupling device connecting the floor panel to the seat track, configured for resisting forces applied to the panel in a direction perpendicular to a top facial plane of the floor panel without significantly resisting lateral forces applied to the floor panel, the vertical load resisting coupling device received in one or more holes of the plurality of holes; and
a shear load resisting coupling device connecting the floor panel to the seat track separate from the vertical load resisting coupling device, configured for resisting forces applied to the panel in a direction parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel without significantly resisting vertical forces applied to the floor panel, the shear load resisting coupling device received in at least one hole of the plurality of holes.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shear load resisting coupling device includes an insert positioned between the lateral edge portion of the seat track and the edge region of the floor panel, and the insert includes a base and a connector, the base is configured to be received in the at least one hole, the base includes an opening sized to (1) receive the connector and (2) prevent the connector from moving in first and second opposed directions that are parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel when the connector is received in the opening.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the connector includes a head and a protruding element, the head is received in the opening and the protruding element extends into an aperture of the plurality of apertures of the lateral edge portion of the seat track when the lateral edge portion and the edge region are in overlapping engagement.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the opening of the base is further sized to allow the connector to move in third and fourth opposed directions that are parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel and that are perpendicular to the first and second directions when the connector is received in the opening.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shear load resisting coupling device includes an insert positioned between the lateral edge portion of the seat track and the edge region of the floor panel, and wherein the at least one hole includes a first hole having a first vertical axis, wherein the insert includes first and second arms that are configured to prevent movement in first and second opposed directions that are parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel when the insert is positioned between the lateral edge portion and the edge region.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first arm is pivotably coupled to a second arm to allow the second arm to pivot relative to the first arm about a second vertical axis that is parallel to the first vertical axis to allow movement of the second arm relative to the first arm in third and fourth opposed directions that are parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel and that are perpendicular to the first and second directions.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first arm includes a first protruding element that extends into the first hole, and the second arm includes a second protruding element that extends into an aperture of the plurality of apertures of the lateral edge portion of the seat track.

8. The system of claim 7 , where a gap having a first height is formed between the edge region and the lateral edge portion when the vertical load resisting coupling device connects the floor panel to the seat track, wherein the first and second arms have a second height between the edge region and the lateral edge portion when the first protruding element extends into the first hole and the second protruding element extends into the aperture of the plurality of apertures of the lateral edge portion, the second height is equal to the first height.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first arm includes a first coupler and the second arm includes a second coupler, the first and second couplers are connected to form a pivotable connection between the first and second arms, and wherein the at least one hole includes a second hole, and the pivotable connection is received in the second hole when the first protruding element extends into the first hole.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one hole includes a third hole, and the second arm further includes a third protruding element opposed from the second protruding element, the third protruding element extends into the third hole when the pivotable connection is received in the second hole and the first protruding element extends into the first hole.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first arm is bonded to an underside of the edge region of the floor panel, and the second arm is not bonded to the edge region of the floor panel.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more holes includes a non-circular hole having a vertical axis, and the vertical load resisting coupling device includes an insert configured to be received in the non-circular hole, the insert having an opening to receive at least one fastener.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-circular hole is sized to allow the insert to move in first and second opposed directions that are parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel, and wherein the non-circular hole is configured to prevent rotation of the insert about the vertical axis when received in the non-circular hole.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the insert includes a base portion and a flange portion, the base portion is received in the non-circular hole and includes the opening, and the flange portion contacts the edge region of the floor panel when the base portion is received in the non-circular hole.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the opening is elongate to allow the at least one fastener to move in first and second opposed directions that are parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel when the fastener is received in the elongate opening.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the insert includes a base and a connector, the base is configured to be received in the non-circular hole and includes a recess, the connector includes the opening and a protruding element that extends into the recess.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the recess is configured to allow the connector, when received in the recess, to (1) move in a direction that is parallel to the top facial plane of the floor panel and (2) rotate only a predetermined amount about the vertical axis.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the recess is elongate and the protruding element includes at least one paddle configured to contact an inner surface when the connector is rotated the predetermined amount about the vertical axis, the inner surface at least partially defining the recess of the base.

19. A floor panel connection system, comprising:
a floor support structure extending longitudinally through an aircraft, and having a plurality of apertures along a lateral edge portion;
a floor panel having an edge region configured for vertically overlapping engagement with the lateral edge portion of the floor support structure; and
a vertical load resisting coupling device connecting the floor panel to th

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mills Christopher J
• Jones Timothy M

Classifications

• B64D11/0696

  Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails · CPC title

• B64C1/18

  Floors · CPC title

• B64C1/20 Primary

  specially adapted for freight · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title