Support box apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12559221-B2
Application number	US-202217929088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2022
Priority date	Sep 1, 2022
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A support box apparatus includes longitudinal members that span forward to aft and transverse members that span inboard to outboard between the longitudinal members. The longitudinal members and the transverse members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels. The support box apparatus also includes attachment components configured to couple the longitudinal members or the transverse members to structural components of an aircraft, electrical wiring attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members, environmental control system (ECS) ducting attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members, and life support lines attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A support box apparatus for an overhead area of a cabin of an aircraft, the support box apparatus comprising:
a framework comprising:
longitudinal members that span forward to aft, wherein the longitudinal members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels;
transverse members that span inboard to outboard between the longitudinal members, wherein the transverse members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels; and
attachment components configured to couple the longitudinal members or the transverse members to structural components of the aircraft that span inboard to outboard above the longitudinal members and the transverse members;
electrical wiring attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members, wherein the electrical wiring is configured to provide electrical connections between an electrical system of the aircraft and electrical components of the aircraft; environmental control system (ECS) ducting attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members, wherein the ECS ducting is configured to provide fluid connections between an environmental control system (ECS) of the aircraft and ECS vents of the aircraft; life support lines attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members, wherein the life support lines are configured to provide fluid connections or electrical connections between a life support system of the aircraft and life support modules of the aircraft; and a tooling system comprising a base having a first end and a second end resting on one or more brackets on the longitudinal members, wherein the tooling system is configured to raise, lower, and stow one or both of tools used for interior installation tasks or components to be installed in the cabin.

2 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a ceiling panel comprising:
a first cross member formed of a composite honeycomb sandwich panel that spans inboard to outboard at a forward end of the ceiling panel; a second cross member formed of a composite honeycomb sandwich panel that spans inboard to outboard at an aft end of the ceiling panel; and a lower member that spans between the first cross member and the second cross member.

3 . The support box apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a receiver attached to a transverse member of the transverse members; and an insert attached to the first cross member or the second cross member, wherein the receiver is configured to accept the insert when the insert has a first rotational orientation with respect to the receiver and is configured to capture the insert when the insert is within the receiver and has a second rotational orientation with respect to the receiver, the second rotational orientation being different from the first rotational orientation.

4 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a ceiling panel comprising an access panel configured to provide access to the life support system, wherein the life support lines are configured to provide a fluid connection or an electrical connection to the life support system that is above and adjacent to the access panel.

5 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a ceiling panel positioned under the framework; and a tether configured to attach the ceiling panel to an outboard end of the framework.

6 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal members comprise an inboard longitudinal member and one or more additional longitudinal members that are outboard of the inboard longitudinal member, the support box apparatus further comprising:
an inboard rail that spans forward to aft and is attached to the inboard longitudinal member; and a ceiling panel positioned under the framework, wherein the ceiling panel is configured to be captured between the inboard rail and a transverse member of the transverse members.

7 . The support box apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the framework is a first framework, the longitudinal members are first longitudinal members, the inboard longitudinal member is a first inboard longitudinal member, the transverse members are first transverse members, the attachment components are first attachment components, the inboard rail is a first inboard rail, and the ceiling panel is a first ceiling panel, the support box apparatus further comprising:
a second framework comprising:
second longitudinal members that span forward to aft, wherein the second longitudinal members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels, the second longitudinal members comprising a second inboard longitudinal member and one or more second additional longitudinal members that are outboard of the second inboard longitudinal member;
second transverse members that span inboard to outboard between the second longitudinal members, wherein the second transverse members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels; and
second attachment components configured to couple the second longitudinal members to the structural components of the aircraft;

a second inboard rail that spans forward to aft and is attached to the second inboard longitudinal member; and
a second ceiling panel positioned under the second framework, wherein the second ceiling panel is configured to be captured between the second inboard rail and a second transverse member of the second transverse members.

8 . The support box apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second longitudinal members are substantially parallel with the first longitudinal members.

9 . The support box apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second transverse members are substantially coplanar with the first transverse members.

10 . The support box apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more brackets comprise:
a first bracket attached to the first inboard longitudinal member and covering a portion of an upper surface of the first inboard longitudinal member; and a second bracket attached to the second inboard longitudinal member and covering a portion of an upper surface of the second inboard longitudinal member, wherein the tooling system comprises a pulley, and wherein the first end rests on the first bracket and the second end rests on the second bracket.

11 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a light source configured to be powered by the electrical wiring, wherein the light source is attached to a longitudinal member of the longitudinal members.

12 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical wiring spans across multiple transverse members of the transverse members.

13 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ECS ducting spans across multiple transverse members of the transverse members.

14 . The support box apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the life support lines span from an upper end of a transverse member of the transverse members to a lower end of the transverse member.

15 . An aircraft comprising:
structural components that span inboard to outboard; a framework comprising:
longitudinal members below the structural components that span forward to aft, wherein the longitudinal members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels;
transverse members below the structural components that span inboard to outboard between the longitudinal members, wherein the transverse members are formed of composite honeycomb sandwich panels; and
attachment components that couple the longitudinal members or the transverse members to the structural components;
electrical wiring attached to the longitudinal members or the transverse members, wherein the electrical

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Files Joe
• Logue Adam A
• Fowler Robert B
• Rhynard Steven E
• Cartwright Jeffrey A

Classifications

• B64C1/061

  Frames · CPC title

• B60Q3/43

  General lighting · CPC title

• B64D2013/0603

  Environmental Control Systems · CPC title

• B64D13/06 Primary

  the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) · CPC title

• B64C1/068 Primary

  Fuselage sections · CPC title