Method and device for assembling at least one seat into an airplane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688420-B2
Application number	US-201214006613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2012
Priority date	Mar 22, 2011
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A seat assembling method for assembling at least one seat into an airplane, the method having the steps of position a seat installing device at a predetermined assembly position in the airplane, convey the at least one seat into the interior of the airplane to the seat installing device by means of a seat conveying device, transfer the seat from the seat conveying device to the seat installing device, and install the seat by means of the seat installing device which is positioned at the assembly position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seat assembling method for assembling at least one seat into an airplane, said method having the following steps:
a) position a seat installing device at a predetermined assembly position in the airplane,
b) convey the at least one seat into an interior of the airplane to the seat installing device by means of a seat conveying device,
c) after positioning the seat installing device at the predetermined assembly position, transfer the at least one seat from the seat conveying device to the seat installing device,
d) install the at least one seat by means of the seat installing device which is positioned at the assembly position,
characterized in that step c) includes:
c1) move the seat conveying device into positive locking with the positioned seat installing device;
c2) grip and hold the seat by means of a seat gripping and holding device which is mounted on the seat installing device; and
c3) remove the seat conveying device.

2. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that step d) includes the following steps which are to be carried out by means of the seat installing device:
d1) lower the at least one seat into a seat rail which is arranged on the airplane,
d2) move the at least one seat to the desired seat position.

3. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that step b) includes:
b1) convey the at least one seat from a seat supplier to the seat installing device.

4. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that step a) includes:
a1) position the seat installing device by way of a seat rail in a direction extending transversely with respect to the seat rail and
a2) position the seat installing device in a longitudinal direction of the seat rail by means of an optical distance measuring instrument.

5. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized by the step which is effected after step d):
e) release the seat gripping and holding device and remove the seat installing device.

6. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step b) includes conveying the at least one seat into the interior of the airplane to the seat installing device while the seat installing device remains stationary at the predetermined assembly position in the airplane.

7. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step b) includes conveying the at least one seat into the interior of the airplane to the seat installing device without moving the seat installing device from the predetermined assembly position.

8. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step b) includes conveying the at least one seat into the interior of the airplane to the seat installing device positioned at the predetermined assembly position in the airplane using the means of a seat conveying device by hand.

9. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step a) includes position a seat installing device at a predetermined assembly position in the airplane while the at least one seat to be conveyed in step b) is located outside the interior of the airplane.

10. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to step a), bringing the seat installing device inside the interior of the airplane;
after step d):
e) position the seat installing device at a second predetermined assembly position in the airplane different than that of step a);
f) convey a second at least one seat into the interior of the airplane to the seat installing device by means of the seat conveying device while the seat installing device is positioned at the second predetermined assembly position;
g) transfer the second at least one seat from the seat conveying device to the seat installing device; and
h) install the second at least one seat by means of the seat installing device which is positioned at the second assembly position.

11. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conveyance of the at least one seat inside the aircraft to the predetermined assembly position is executed entirely using the seat conveying device by hand.

12. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conveyance of the at least one seat inside the aircraft to the predetermined assembly position is executed while the seat installing device is positioned at the predetermined assembly position.

13. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step a), bringing the seat installing device into the interior of the airplane, wherein the transfer of the at least one seat from the seat conveying device to the seat installing device is executed while the seat installing device is positioned at the predetermined assembly position.

14. The seat assembling method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step b) is executed before step c).

15. A seat assembling method for assembling at least one seat into an airplane, said method having the following steps:
a) position a seat installing device at a predetermined assembly position in the airplane,
b) convey the at least one seat into an interior of the airplane to the seat installing device by means of a seat conveying device,
c) after positioning the seat installing device at the predetermined assembly position, transfer the at least one seat from the seat conveying device to the seat installing device,
d) install the at least one seat by means of the seat installing device which is positioned at the assembly position,
wherein the method further comprises, after step b) and before step c), interlocking the seat installing device and the seat conveying device in a gripping positive locking manner.

16. A seat assembling method for assembling at least one seat into an airplane, said method having the following steps:
a) position a seat installing device at a predetermined assembly position in the airplane,
b) convey the at least one seat into an interior of the airplane to the seat installing device by means of a seat conveying device,
c) after positioning the seat installing device at the predetermined assembly position, transfer the at least one seat from the seat conveying device to the seat installing device,
d) install the at least one seat by means of the seat installing device which is positioned at the assembly position,
where step c) is executed while the seat installing device and the seat conveying device are coupled together such that the seat installing device and the seat conveying device are interlocked in a gripping positive locking manner.

Assignees

• Rollfink Patrick
• Meister Daniel
• Eads Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Rollfink Patrick
• Meister Daniel

Classifications

• B64D11/06 Primary

  Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats (crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04) · CPC title

• B64F5/50

  Handling or transporting aircraft components · CPC title

• B64D11/0696

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

• Y10T29/53539

  including work conveyor · CPC title

• B64F5/0009 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic