Contoured class divider

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10843799-B2
Application number	US-201715720615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A contoured class divider for dividing an aircraft cabin includes a panel positioned between an aft seat and a forward seat, the panel having a convex contour closely matching an aft-facing contour of a seatback of the forward seat and configured to enhance space utilization. The contoured class divider may include multiple panel portions that are coupled together and articulate relative to one another. The contoured class divider may include an articulation system to articulate the panel portions with respect to one another from a first position (normal operation) to a second position (emergency landing). The contoured class divider may provide up to an additional 12 inches of space which can be used to reduce seat pitch (and thereby enhance passenger comfort) or increase the number of rows of seats on a given aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contoured class divider for separating regions of an aircraft cabin between at least one forward passenger seat and at least one aft passenger seat, the contoured class divider comprising:
a panel for positioning aft of the at least one forward passenger seat, the panel including one or more panel portions and having a contoured shape for receiving the back of the at least one forward passenger seat in at least a reclined position;
a lower support assembly for securing the panel to a floor of the aircraft cabin;
an upper assembly for securing the panel to an upper cabin structure, the upper cabin structure comprising a channel disposed on an underside of the upper cabin structure, the channel configured to slidably engage a coupling at an upper end of the panel such that the coupling translates within the channel from a first position to a second position during movement of the first panel portion from the aft position to the forward position;
wherein at least a first panel portion of the one or more panel portions is movable between an aft position and a forward position wherein,
in the aft position, a section of the first panel portion is disposed within an expected path of travel of a head of a passenger seated in the at least one aft passenger seat, and
in the forward position, the section of the first panel portion is outside the expected path of travel; and
wherein the coupling is configured to slide within the channel from the first position to the second position in response to a crash condition that includes forward deceleration of an emergency landing.

2. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein: the
upper assembly is articulably coupled to the upper cabin structure; and the
upper cabin structure is an overhead bin.

3. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the upper cabin structure comprises a rotary speed limiter configured to slow a speed of rotation of the one or more panel portions from the rearward position to the forward position such that a force of impact of the one or more panel portions on each seatback of the at least one forward passenger seat is reduced.

4. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , further comprising a spring disposed within the channel, the spring coupled to the upper end of the panel at the coupling.

5. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , further comprising a pyrotechnic pin puller coupled to an inertial release mechanism and configured to hold the coupling in the first position during normal operating and release the coupling in response to the crash condition, wherein the crash condition triggers the inertial release mechanism.

6. The contoured class divider of claim 5 , further comprising a spring disposed within the channel, wherein the spring is a compression spring configured to slow a speed of travel of the coupling from the first position to the second position.

7. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the upper cabin structure comprises an inertial release mechanism configured to release in response to the crash condition.

8. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the upper cabin structure comprises a pneumatic actuator configured to cause forward translation of the first panel portion in response to the crash condition.

9. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the one or more panel portions comprise:
an upper panel portion mounted to the upper cabin structure; and
a lower panel portion mounted to the lower support assembly;
wherein the upper panel portion is coupled to the lower panel portion using a coupler.

10. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more panel portions include a stationary panel portion fixedly mounted to an underside of the upper cabin structure; and
a contoured panel portion of the one or more panel portions;
wherein the stationary panel portion is coupled to the contoured panel portion by a magnetic catch, wherein
the magnetic catch is configured to release the contoured panel portion from the stationary panel portion upon experiencing inertial forces.

11. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the panel is pivotably coupled to the lower support assembly such that the contoured panel portion is configured to articulate from the aft position to the forward position.

12. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight mounted to a lower end of the panel, the counterweight configured to maintain the panel in the forward position after articulation of the panel from the aft position to the forward position.

13. The contoured class divider of claim 1 , further comprising a shock absorbing member mounted to the lower support assembly, the shock absorbing member configured to absorb an impact force caused by articulation of the panel from the aft position to the forward position.

14. A class divider for separating regions of an aircraft cabin between at least one forward passenger seat and at least one aft passenger seat, the class divider comprising:
a panel for positioning aft of the at least one forward passenger seat;
a lower support assembly for securing the panel to a floor of the aircraft cabin;
an upper assembly for securing the panel to an upper cabin structure, the upper assembly comprising a coupling at an upper end of the panel configured to translate from a first position to a second position within a channel disposed on an underside of the upper cabin structure during movement of the first panel portion from the aft position to the forward position;
an energy absorbing zone for mitigating head impact of a passenger seated in a passenger seat aft of the contoured class divider;
wherein a section of the panel is movable between an aft position and a forward position wherein,
in the aft position, the section of the panel is disposed within an expected path of travel of a head of a passenger seated in the at least one aft passenger seat, and
in the forward position,
a portion of the section of the panel remains disposed within the expected path of travel; and
wherein the coupling is configured to slide within the channel from the first position to the second position in response to a crash condition that includes forward deceleration of an emergency landing.

15. The class divider of claim 14 , wherein the energy absorbing zone comprises a core with a plurality of perforations and a fabric covering the plurality of perforations.

16. The class divider of claim 14 , wherein the energy absorbing zone comprises a deformable region configured to deform under an inertial force from the rearward position to the forward position, wherein the deformable region comprises a plurality of cavities disposed throughout, wherein the plurality of cavities are configured to collapse under the inertial force.

17. The class divider of claim 14 , wherein the panel comprises a convex contour closely matching an aft-facing contour of a seatback of the at least one forward passenger seat.

18. The contoured class divider of claim 14 , wherein the energy absorbing zone comprises a cushioning material
a plurality of flexible reversibly-jointed ribs disposed, wherein the plurality of flexible reversibly-jointed ribs are configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to an inertial force, wherein:
the energy absorbing zone has a convex contour in the first position and a reverse convex contour in the second position.

19. The contoured class divider of claim 18 , further comprising

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Papke Robert
• Claflin Shawn
• Mckee Jefferey
• Skelly Trevor
• DILIANI Mario

Classifications

• B64D11/0606

  with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like (class dividers B64D11/0023) · CPC title

• B64D11/0023 Primary

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