Floor dryer in an aircraft lavatory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024109660-A1
Application number	US-202218079552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2022
Priority date	Oct 3, 2022
Publication date	Apr 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system to distribute air across a lavatory floor is disclosed herein. The system includes a dryer unit and at least one sensor in an aircraft lavatory coupled to a locking mechanism of the aircraft lavatory responsive to an action comprising an actuation of a slide switch to open the locking mechanism of a door of the aircraft lavatory wherein the dryer unit is electronically coupled to the at least one sensor. In response to a detection by at least one sensor of the actuation of the slide switch to open the locking mechanism of the door of the aircraft lavatory, the dryer unit is configured to receive a command from a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor to cause the dryer unit to be activated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A lavatory floor air distribution system, comprising:
a dryer unit; at least one sensor in an aircraft lavatory coupled to a locking mechanism of the aircraft lavatory responsive to an action comprising an actuation of a slide switch to open the locking mechanism of a door of the aircraft lavatory wherein the dryer unit is electronically coupled to the at least one sensor; and in response to a detection by the at least one sensor of the actuation of the slide switch to open the locking mechanism of the door of the aircraft lavatory, the dryer unit is configured to receive a command from a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor to cause the dryer unit to be activated.

2 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the dryer unit is located below the sink of the aircraft lavatory wherein the dryer unit is positioned to distribute air via vents of the dryer unit to reduce the moisture collected on the floor area of the aircraft lavatory caused by droplets from the sink that result in part from spillage in the floor area of the aircraft lavatory.

3 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the dryer unit is configured to operate within a pre-set period to reduce the moisture on the floor area.

4 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 3 , wherein the dryer unit is configured to operate in response to the aircraft lavatory being unoccupied.

5 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 4 , wherein the dryer unit is configured in a cavity of a monument that supports the sink and is located close to the surface of the floor area to distribute the air across the floor area.

6 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 5 , wherein the dryer unit is configured to distribute air to remove dirt particles from the floor area near the toilet and the sink in the aircraft lavatory.

7 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 6 , wherein the dryer unit is configured operate in a different mode to distribute air freshener within the aircraft lavatory through airflow of distributed air for reducing moisture on the floor area.

8 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 7 , wherein the dryer unit is configured to receive outside air within the aircraft lavatory and to increase airflow within the aircraft lavatory to reduce odors inside the aircraft lavatory.

9 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 8 , wherein the dryer unit is configured to operate with a power source disposed in the aircraft lavatory.

10 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 9 , wherein the dryer unit is configured with an indicator of operation wherein the indicator of operation is located at least one of inside or outside the aircraft lavatory.

11 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 10 , wherein the dryer unit is configured with a plurality of slats to distribute air in a first channel around the floor area of the sink and in a second channel to distribute air around the floor area of the toilet in the aircraft lavatory.

12 . The lavatory floor air distribution system of claim 11 , wherein the dryer unit is configured with a vent with a rectangle shape to distribute air smoothly across the floor area when embedded in the monument in the aircraft lavatory.

13 . A method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory, comprising:
locating a dryer unit near the floor area to distribute air across a surface of the floor area around a sink and a toilet of the aircraft lavatory; activating, by a controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit in response to a signal generated by at least one sensor in the aircraft lavatory wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to a locking mechanism on a door of the aircraft lavatory that is responsive to at least an action comprising an actuation of a slide switch of the locking mechanism of the door to open the door of the aircraft lavatory wherein the dryer unit is electronically coupled to the at least one sensor; and in response to a detection by the at least one sensor of the slide switch to open the door of the aircraft lavatory, actuating, by the controller of the dryer unit wherein the controller of the dryer unit is configured to receive a command from a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the dryer unit for distributing air on a floor area of the aircraft lavatory for reducing moisture collected on the surface of the floor area wherein the moisture is formed by at least water droplets from the sink and the toilet of the aircraft lavatory.

14 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 13 , wherein the dryer unit is mounted in a cavity below the sink of the aircraft lavatory wherein the dryer unit is configured to distribute air over collected water droplets from the sink on the surface of the floor area of the aircraft lavatory.

15 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 14 , further comprising:
operating, by the controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit for a pre-set time to reduce moisture collected from water droplets on the surface of the floor area near the sink.

16 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 15 , further comprising:
operating, by the controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit, after an occupant has used the aircraft lavatory.

17 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 16 , further comprising:
operating, by the controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit, for distributing air to remove dirt particles from the floor area near the toilet and the sink in the aircraft lavatory.

18 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 17 , further comprising:
operating, by the controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit, for distributing air to purify the aircraft lavatory through airflow of distributed air for reducing moisture on the floor area.

19 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 18 , further comprising:
operating, by the controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit to receive outside air within the aircraft lavatory for increasing airflow within the aircraft lavatory for reducing odors inside the aircraft lavatory.

20 . The method for circulating air in an aircraft lavatory of claim 18 , further comprising:
operating, by the controller of the dryer unit, the dryer unit to operate with a power source currently configured in the aircraft lavatory.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Kandukuri Ravindra Ramulu

Classifications

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• B64D13/06 Primary

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

• B64D2013/0662

  with humidity control · CPC title

• E03D9/002

  Automatic cleaning devices · CPC title

• E03D9/04

  Special arrangement or operation of ventilating devices (ventilating rooms in general F24F) · CPC title