Rail arrangement for an inner space of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708165-B2
Application number	US-201916593237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2019
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A rail arrangement for an inner space of an aircraft has a first portion having first rails for receiving passenger seats and having second rails which extend transversely relative to the first rails for receiving fittings. The rails are secured to a floor structure which is arranged in the inner space. The securing of the fittings is consequently decoupled from the floor structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rail arrangement for an inner space of an aircraft comprising:
a floor structure configured to be positioned in the inner space;
a plurality of first rails arranged in a first portion of the floor structure parallel with each other and in a first extent direction (x) of the floor structure and constructed to receive passenger seats,
only a plurality of second rails arranged parallel with each other in a second portion of the floor structure and arranged in a second extent direction (y) of the floor structure and constructed to receive securing means for securing fittings,
wherein the second extent direction (y) extends transversely relative to the first extent direction (x),
wherein the second portion follows the first portion in the first extent direction (x), and
wherein the second rails are fixed at positions of the floor structure in the first extent direction (x).

2. The rail arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising covering strips for covering the second rails, wherein the covering strips are constructed so as to correspond to the second rails.

3. The rail arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of the second rails has an elongate rail member having a support face, an elongate hollow space formed in the rail member and two support flanges arranged at mutually opposing longitudinal sides of the rail member and extending from the longitudinal sides flush with the support face outwards.

4. The rail arrangement according to claim 3 ,
wherein each of the second rails has an elongate slot extending along the second extent axis, and
wherein a locking member is configured to be introduced into the hollow space of the second rails and is coupled to a retention means extending through the slot.

5. The rail arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the locking member is configured to be positioned so as to be able to be displaced in the hollow space.

6. The rail arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the locking member has resiliently supported clamping members which prior to assembly of the retention means fix the position of the locking member.

7. The rail arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of the second rails is clamped with a plurality of clamps to a plurality of carriers of the floor structure.

8. The rail arrangement according to claim 7 ,
wherein each of the clamps has a first member for pressing on one of the plurality of carriers and a second member for securing the clamp to a corresponding one of the plurality of second rails, and
wherein the second member has a first securing means for receiving a second securing means coupled to the corresponding one of the plurality of second rails.

9. The rail arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the second member has a bearing projection configured to be placed on a hole in the second rail, wherein a diameter of the hole is less than an outer dimension of the bearing projection.

10. The rail arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein one of the first securing means and the second securing means is a hole or a threaded hole and wherein the other of the first securing means and the second securing means is a screwing means.

11. The rail arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein each of the clamps comprises a barrel nut for receiving the screwing means.

12. The rail arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein each of the second rails has a plurality of holes arranged with uniform spacing from each other to receive a screwing means and the bearing projection.

13. An aircraft comprising an inner space and at least one rail arrangement positioned therein, the at least one rail arrangement comprising:
a floor structure configured to be positioned in the inner space;
a plurality of first rails arranged in a first portion of the floor structure parallel with each other and in a first extent direction (x) of the floor structure and constructed to receive passenger seats,
a plurality of second rails arranged parallel with each other in a second portion of the floor structure and arranged in a second extent direction (y) of the floor structure and constructed to receive securing means for securing fittings,
wherein the second extent direction (y) extends transversely relative to the first extent direction (x),
wherein the second portion follows the first portion in the first extent direction (x), and
wherein the second rails are fixed at positions of the floor structure in the first extent direction (x), and
wherein the second portion has a region exclusively provided with at least one of the plurality of second rails.

14. The aircraft according to claim 13 , wherein the first portion is arranged in a cylindrical region of the inner space and wherein the second portion is arranged in a tapering region of the inner space.

15. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein second rails are arranged at least in a conically tapering region of the inner space in front of front doors or behind rear doors.

16. The aircraft according to claim 13 , wherein the second portion comprises a front second portion and a rear second portion.

17. The aircraft according to claim 16 , wherein the front second portion comprises a first conically tapering region and a first transition region between the first conically tapering region and the first portion, and
wherein the rear second portion comprises a second conically tapering region and a second transition region between the second conically tapering region and the first portion.

18. The aircraft according to claim 17 , wherein the first conically tapering region is exclusively provided with at least one of the plurality of second rails,
wherein the second conically tapering region is exclusively provided with at least one of the plurality of second rails.

19. The aircraft according to claim 17 , wherein the first transition region is provided with at least a first one of the plurality of second rails and at least a first one of the plurality of first rails independent of the at least first one of the plurality of second rails, and
wherein the second transition region is provided with at least second one of the plurality of second rails and at least second one of the plurality of first rails independent of the at least second one of the plurality of second rails.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Seibt Christian

Classifications

• B64D11/0696 Primary

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

• B64C1/20 Primary

  specially adapted for freight · CPC title

• B64C1/18

  Floors · CPC title