Inflatable suspended ceiling for a vehicle compartment, in particular for a passenger cabin of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12054236-B2
Application number	US-202217848902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2022
Priority date	Jun 25, 2021
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

An inflatable suspended ceiling for a vehicle compartment, in particular for a passenger cabin of an aircraft, includes a flat fabric cover sheet configured to roof over at least a longitudinal section of an interior space along an extending direction of the vehicle compartment underneath a structural ceiling of the vehicle compartment, and a tensioning structure attached to the cover sheet to carry the cover sheet from above and having a flexible envelope enclosing at least one inflatable chamber configured to tension the cover sheet when inflated. Mounting members are attached to the tensioning structure to mount the tensioning structure to counter-mounting members on the structural ceiling in a hanged configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inflatable suspended ceiling for a vehicle compartment or passenger cabin of an aircraft, the inflatable suspended ceiling comprising:
a flat fabric cover sheet configured to roof over at least a longitudinal section of an interior space along an extending direction of the vehicle compartment, underneath a structural ceiling of the vehicle compartment;
a tensioning structure attached to the cover sheet to carry the cover sheet from above and having a flexible envelope enclosing at least two inflatable chambers configured to tension the cover sheet when inflated;
wherein the at least two inflatable chambers are oriented in the extending direction, and laterally running inflatable chambers that gaseously connect the at least two inflatable chambers with each other; and
mounting members attached to the tensioning structure and configured to mount the tensioning structure to counter-mounting members on the structural ceiling in a hanged configuration.

2. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two inflatable chambers are attached, respectively, to two laterally opposite sides of the cover sheet and run along the cover sheet in the extending direction.

3. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , comprising suspension cords connecting the mounting members with the tensioning structure and/or the counter-mounting members with the structural ceiling.

4. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the counter-mounting members has a shape of a hook configured to hold a corresponding one of the mounting members.

5. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the counter-mounting members comprises a spring forced release lever configured, when in a mounted configuration, to engage and retain the corresponding one of the mounting members within the hook of the at least one of the counter-mounting members and, when in a release configuration, to disengage from and allow removal of the corresponding one of the mounting members from the hook of the at least one of the counter-mounting members.

6. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , further comprising a protection cover covering the cover sheet and/or the tensioning structure from above.

7. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , wherein the tensioning structure is connectable to an air duct system of the vehicle compartment to fill the at least one inflatable chamber with air.

8. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , comprising a compressor system connected to the at least one inflatable chamber via at least one control valve and configured to regulate pressure within the at least one inflatable chamber, thereby regulating a tension level of the cover sheet.

9. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , comprising lighting elements configured to illuminate the cover sheet from above.

10. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 9 , wherein the cover sheet is translucent and/or transparent at least in sections.

11. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , wherein the cover sheet is sewed and/or welded to the tensioning structure.

12. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 , wherein the cover sheet is made from a single fabric ply.

13. An aircraft with an inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 1 .

14. The inflatable suspended ceiling according to claim 5 , wherein the spring forced release lever is configured such that movement from the mounted configuration to the release configuration is performed by pushing the spring forced release lever into the release configuration.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Hogh Robert

Classifications

• B64D2011/0046

  Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C1/066 Primary

  Interior liners · CPC title

• B64C1/34 Primary

  comprising inflatable structural components · CPC title