Aircraft cabin apparatus including personal electronic device holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11008103-B1
Application number	US-201916666161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2019
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

An aircraft cabin apparatus may include a top section, a bottom section, and at least one linkage assembly configured to support the top section in an open position following a rotation of the top section between a closed position and the open position. The top section may include a top surface configured to engage a first edge or surface of a laptop and a support structure proximate to the top surface and configured to engage a second edge or surface of the laptop. The bottom section may include two raised portions along each short edge of the bottom section and a cavity defined by the two raised portions. The top section may be configured to fit within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, and may be set at an angle relative to the bottom section when in the open position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for an aircraft cabin of an aircraft, comprising:
a top section, comprising:
a top surface configured to engage a first edge or surface of a laptop; and
a support structure proximate to the top surface, the support structure configured to engage a second edge or surface of the laptop;

a bottom section, comprising:
two raised portions along each short edge of an outer perimeter of the bottom section, each of the two raised portions being configured to receive a corresponding tray arm of a set of tray arms coupled to an aircraft seat, the aircraft seat installed in the aircraft cabin of the aircraft; and
a cavity defined between the two raised portions, the cavity open to a surrounding environment for at least a portion of each long edge of the outer perimeter of the bottom section when the top section is in an open position; and
at least one linkage assembly configured to support the top section in the open position following a rotation of the top section relative to the bottom section between a closed position and the open position,
the top section being configured to fit within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, the top surface of the top section being flush with a top surface of each of the two raised portions when the top section is within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, the top surface of each of the two raised portions being at least a width of the corresponding tray arm of the set of tray arms to allow for the receiving of the corresponding tray arm of the set of tray arms by each of the two raised portions,
the top section being set at an angle relative to the bottom section when in the open position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the top section including at least one lip configured to separate the cavity from the surrounding environment on at least one long edge of the outer perimeter of the bottom section when the top section is within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, the at least one lip configured to open the cavity to the surrounding environment when the top section is in the open position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the at least one linkage assembly comprising:
one or more arms, each arm of the one or more arms coupled to a surface of the top section or the bottom section via a hinge assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , the one or more arms including a first arm and a second arm coupled together via a main hinge assembly, the first arm and the second arm being side-by-side when the top section is within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, the first arm being coupled to the top section via a secondary hinge assembly and the second arm being coupled to the bottom section via another secondary hinge assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , the at least one linkage assembly further comprising:
an actuation inhibitor configured to prevent the main hinge assembly coupling the two arms together from actuating beyond a selected angle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , the actuation inhibitor configured to prevent the main hinge assembly coupling the two arms together from actuating beyond a selected angle when the top section rotates from the closed position to the open position.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , the actuation inhibitor configured to prevent the main hinge assembly coupling the two arms together from actuating from the open position to the closed position without an external force.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the linkage assembly configured to collapse into the cavity defined by the bottom section and underneath the top section when the top section rotates from the open position to the closed position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , the apparatus being configured to transition between a raised position and a lowered position via the set of tray arms.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , the apparatus being configured to transition between a collapsed position and an extended position via the set of tray arms, the collapsed position and the extended position each being variations of the lowered position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , the support structure being integrated with the top surface via one or more fabrication processes.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , the support structure being coupled to the top surface via at least one of an interlocking assembly, a fastener, or an adhesive.

13. An apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
a top section, comprising:
a top surface configured to engage a first edge or surface of a personal electronic device; and
a support structure proximate to the top surface, the support structure configured to engage a second edge or surface of the personal electronic device;

a bottom section, comprising:
two raised portions along each short edge of an outer perimeter of the bottom section, each of the two raised portions being configured to receive a corresponding tray arm of a set of tray arms coupled to a surface within the vehicle; and
a cavity defined between the two raised portions, the cavity open to a surrounding environment for at least a portion of each long edge of the outer perimeter of the bottom section when the top section is in an open position; and
at least one linkage assembly configured to support the top section in the open position following a rotation of the top section relative to the bottom section between a closed position and the open position,
the top section being configured to fit within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, the top surface of the top section being flush with a top surface of each of the two raised portions when the top section is within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position, the top surface of each of the two raised portions being at least a width of the corresponding tray arm of the set of tray arms to allow for the receiving of the corresponding tray arm of the set of tray arms by each of the two raised portions,
the top section being set at an angle relative to the bottom section when in the open position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , the vehicle comprising an aircraft, the apparatus being installed within an aircraft cabin of the aircraft, the personal electronic device comprising a laptop.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , the support structure extending outward from a plane defined by the top surface of the top section when the top section is within the cavity defined within the bottom section when in the closed position.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Malecha Jeremy F

Classifications

• F16M11/38

  by folding {, e.g. pivoting or scissors tong mechanisms} · CPC title

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04M1/04

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• A47B23/044

  only foldable · CPC title

• F16M13/00

  Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles (heads thereof F16M11/02 {; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20} ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 {; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22}); Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles {(supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025)} · CPC title