Device for closing a passage between two seat units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518519-B2
Application number	US-202117179713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2021
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates mainly to a closure device, notably for closing a passage formed in a cabin of an aircraft, comprising:
a support means that is able to slide along a slideway in a sliding direction, a closing wall that is able to close off the passage, and a locking system that is able to take up a locked state, in which the locking system ensures a mechanical connection between the closing wall and the support means, such that the closing wall is movable with the support means in the sliding direction,

characterized in that, notably in the case of a malfunction, the locking system is able to pass into an unlocked state, in which the closing wall is disconnected from the support means, such that the closing wall is movable on its own in the sliding direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A closure device for closing a passage in an aircraft cabin, the closure device comprising:
a support means capable of sliding along a slide in a sliding direction,
a closure wall capable of closing the passage, and
a locking system capable of assuming a locked state in which the locking system provides a mechanical connection between the closure wall and the support means, such that the closure wall is movable together with the support means in the sliding direction,
characterized in that, in an event of a malfunction of the closure device, the locking system is capable of moving into an unlocked state in which the closure wall is disconnected from the support means by exerting a thrust force on the closure wall in the sliding direction, such that only the closure wall is movable in the sliding direction.

2. The closure device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the locking system comprises at least one stud provided with a head, which is capable of cooperating with at least one holding zone when the locking system is in the locked state and with at least one disengagement zone is in the unlocked state.

3. The closure device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the holding zone and/or the disengagement zone is formed in at least one rail.

4. The closure device according to claim 3 , characterized in that the rail is arranged on the closure wall and the stud is arranged on the support means, or vice versa.

5. The closure device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the locking system comprises at least one retaining member arranged between the holding zone and the disengagement zone.

6. The closure device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the retaining member has a retaining force threshold that is greater than a force required to move the closure wall and/or the support means along the slide when the locking system is in the locked state.

7. The closure device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the retaining member is formed by a ball bearing mounted on a spring.

8. The closure device according to claim 1 , characterized in that an end stop is provided in the closure wall.

9. The closure device according to claim 8 , characterized in that the end stop is capable of assuming:
a blocking position in which the end stop abuts a part that is fixed in position relative to the support means in order to prevent any relative movement of the closure wall relative to the support means, and
an unblocking position in which the end stop is disengaged from the part that is fixed relative to the support means in order to allow relative movement of the closure wall relative to the support means.

10. The closure device according to claim 8 , characterized in that a handle positioned on a corner of the closure wall is capable of controlling a movement of the end stop.

11. A seat unit that comprises at least one housing and is provided with a closure device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the closure wall, when in a stowed position, is arranged inside the housing.

12. The seat unit according to claim 11 , characterized in that the closure wall is capable of abutting a base of the housing due to gravity when the locking system is in the unlocked state.

13. The seat unit according to claim 12 , characterized in that the base of the housing is covered with a layer of a coating having a low coefficient of friction.

Assignees

• Safran Seats

Inventors

• Bonnefoy Bastien
• Herault Patrick

Classifications

• B64D11/0606 Primary

  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