Contoured class divider

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018022457-A1
Application number	US-201715720615-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A contoured class divider for dividing an aircraft cabin includes a panel positioned between an aft seat and a forward seat, the panel having a convex contour closely matching an aft-facing contour of a seatback of the forward seat and configured to enhance space utilization. The contoured class divider may include multiple panel portions that are coupled together and articulate relative to one another. The contoured class divider may include an articulation system to articulate the panel portions with respect to one another from a first position (normal operation) to a second position (emergency landing). The contoured class divider may provide up to an additional 12 inches of space which can be used to reduce seat pitch (and thereby enhance passenger comfort) or increase the number of rows of seats on a given aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A contoured class divider for separating regions of an aircraft cabin between at least one forward passenger seat and at least one aft passenger seat, the contoured class divider comprising:
a panel for positioning aft of the at least one forward passenger seat, the panel including one or more panel portions and having a contoured shape for receiving the back of the at least one forward passenger seat in at least a reclined position; a lower support assembly for securing the panel to a floor of the aircraft cabin; an upper assembly for securing the panel to an upper cabin structure; and means to articulate at least a first panel portion of the one or more panel portions from an aft position during normal operation to a forward position during an emergency event wherein,
in the aft position, a section of the first panel portion is disposed within an expected path of travel of a head of a passenger seated in the at least one aft passenger seat, and
in the forward position, the section of the first panel portion is outside the expected path of travel, thereby meeting safety guidelines.

2 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper assembly comprises the means to articulate; the upper assembly is articulably coupled to the upper cabin structure; and the upper cabin structure is an overhead bin.

3 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the means to articulate comprises a rotary speed limiter configured to slow a speed of rotation of the one or more panel portions from the rearward position to the forward position such that a force of impact of the one or more panel portions on each seatback of the at least one forward passenger seat is reduced.

4 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the means to articulate comprises a channel disposed on an underside of the upper cabin structure, the channel configured to slidably engage a coupling at an upper end of the panel such that the coupling translates within the channel during movement of the first panel portion from the aft position to the forward position.

5 . The contoured class divider of claim 4 , wherein the means to articulate comprises a spring disposed within the channel, the spring coupled to the upper end of the panel at the coupling.

6 . The contoured class divider of claim 5 , wherein the means to articulate comprises a pyrotechnic pin puller configured to hold the first panel portion in the rearward position during normal operation such that the spring is extended within the channel.

7 . The contoured class divider of claim 6 , wherein the spring is a compression spring configured to slow a speed of travel from the rearward position to the forward position.

8 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the means to articulate comprises an inertial release mechanism configured to release during the emergency event.

9 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the means to articulate comprises a pneumatic actuator configured to cause, upon actuation during the emergency event, forward translation of the first panel portion.

10 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein the one or more panel portions comprise:
an upper panel portion mounted to the upper cabin structure; and a lower panel portion mounted to the lower support assembly; wherein the upper panel portion is articulably coupled to the lower panel portion.

11 . The contoured class divider of claim 10 , wherein:
the means to articulate comprises a pop joint articulably coupling the upper panel portion to the lower panel portion, wherein
the pop joint is configured to lock the upper panel portion relative to the lower panel portion in the aft position during normal operation, and
the pop joint is configured to permit forward articulation of at least the upper panel portion from the aft position to the forward position when a locking force of the pop joint is overcome by inertial forces of the emergency event.

12 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more panel portions include a stationary panel portion fixedly mounted to an underside of the upper cabin structure; and a contoured panel portion of the one or more panel portions; wherein the stationary panel portion is coupled to the contoured panel portion by a magnetic catch, wherein
the magnetic catch is configured to release the contoured panel portion from the stationary panel portion upon experiencing inertial forces from the emergency event.

13 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the panel is pivotably coupled to the lower support assembly such that the contoured panel portion is configured to articulate from the aft position to the forward position during the emergency event.

14 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight mounted to a lower end of the panel, the counterweight configured to maintain the panel in the forward position after articulation of the panel from the aft position to the forward position.

15 . The contoured class divider of claim 1 , further comprising a shock absorbing member mounted to the lower support assembly, the shock absorbing member configured to absorb an impact force caused by articulation of the panel from the aft position to the forward position.

16 . A class divider for separating regions of an aircraft cabin between at least one forward passenger seat and at least one aft passenger seat, the class divider comprising:
a panel for positioning aft of the at least one forward passenger seat; a lower support assembly for securing the panel to a floor of the aircraft cabin;
an upper assembly for securing the panel to an upper cabin structure;
at least one means for mitigating head impact of a passenger seated in a passenger seat aft of the contoured class divider; and means to articulate at least a section of the panel from an aft position during normal operation to a forward position during an emergency event wherein,
in the aft position, the section of the panel is disposed within an expected path of travel of a head of a passenger seated in the at least one aft passenger seat such that positioning of the section fails to meet safety guidelines for emergency event mitigation, and
in the forward position,
a portion of the section of the panel remains disposed within the expected path of travel, and
the at least one means for mitigating head impact enables the panel to meet the safety guidelines.

17 . The class divider of claim 16 , wherein the at least one means for mitigating head impact comprises a deformable region of the section of the panel configured to deform under an inertial force from the emergency event such that the deformable region bends from the rearward position to the forward position.

18 . The class divider of claim 17 , wherein the deformable region comprises a plurality of cavities disposed throughout, wherein the plurality of cavities are configured to collapse under the inertial force.

19 . The class divider of claim 16 , wherein the panel comprises a convex contour closely matching an aft-facing contour of a seatback of the at least one forward passenger seat.

20 . The class divider of claim 19 , wherein:
the at least one means for mitigating head impact comprises a plurality of flexible reversibly-jointed ribs disposed in a section of the panel, wherein the plurality of flexible reversibly-jointed ribs are configured to,
during normal operation,

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Papke Robert
• Caflin Shawn
• Mckee Jefferey
• Skelly Trevor
• DILIANI Mario

Classifications

• B64D11/0023 Primary

  Movable or removable cabin dividers, e.g. for class separation · CPC title

• B64D11/0606

  with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like (class dividers B64D11/0023) · CPC title